Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

Understanding My Oscar Data - Improving Usage, Possible CSR
#1
Understanding My Oscar Data - Improving Usage, Possible CSR
After two sleep studies, I was diagnosed with central sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation.  I was consistently having 100 to 139 events an hour during both studies.  I've been using a BiPAP machine now for just over 3 months now.  Started out with a nasal pillow mask and switched to nasal mask.  I have a full beard and wasn't ready to shave it.  Also felt like the nasal pillow was blasting the air into my nose.  Definitely feeling the positive effects/benefits of using the machine.  I'm typically under 10 events an hour with infrequent nights less than 20.  My AFib is also gone with the help of an anti-arrhythmic drug.  
That said, I'm wanting to ensure that I'm getting the most out of setup that I can.  That led me down the rabbit hole of installing the myAir app then ResScan then OSCAR.  I'm consistently getting a score of 90 plus on myAir.  When I looked at the data with ResScan, I was seeing very consistently timed events. That led me to download OSCAR.  Looking at the flow rate on OSCAR, each of the events was at the beginning of what looks like a Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern.  Reading a bunch of posts here, I see that it can be machine induced events rather than CSR.  Although, my family on both sides have a history of heart attacks, strokes and other heart related nasties.  I also read that it could be position induced.  A few weeks back, I bought one of those sleep apnea pillows to help reduce the leaks and the possible CSR.  It seems to be helping some but still seeing the CSR type breathing patterns.  
I started with a ResMed AirCurve 10 VAuto and now I have an 11 VAuto.  Both are set to BiLevel-S mode.  I was originally at 15.0 and 20.0.  That was dropped to 13.0 and 18.0 to see if it helped with the air flow from the pillow mask.  
Do I start with dropping the values incrementally or try a different mask or sleep hanging upside down from the ceiling like a bat?  Wouldn't CSR be detected during the sleep studies?
Attached are some random screenshots of my data.

           
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Understanding My Oscar Data - Improving Usage, Possible CSR
I'm not the best at the CSR charts, for most these would be periodic or variable breathing. However your AFib might be contributing to these.

Two things I do know, PS 5 is very likely adding to your CA, and you cannot treat diagnosed CA with VAuto. You need the ResMed ASV to actually treat them.
Mask Primer

Positional Apnea

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Understanding My Oscar Data - Improving Usage, Possible CSR
You are still having a lot of leaks as well.  Here are some tips to help decrease those leaks (fixing the leaks may decrease the CSR): 


[*]Mask leak solutions                                                                                                                                                                     Mask Primer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Your CSR do look like the real CSR, but there is no definitive way for us to say for sure one way or the other (I am not a Dr. and don't give medical advice).  Presenting these OSCAR charts to your Dr.'s would be the next step. 
 
Here is some reading from our wiki on CSR also:            
Download OSCAR
OSCAR Chart Organization
Attaching Files

Advisory Members serve as an "Advisory Committee" to help shape Apnea Board's rules & policies. 

Membership in the Advisory Members group does not imply medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.  
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Understanding My Oscar Data - Improving Usage, Possible CSR
(10-08-2024, 11:24 AM)Jay51 Wrote: [*]Presenting these OSCAR charts to your Dr.'s would be the next step. 
[*]

Thanks for the feedback SarcasticDave94 and Jay51.  I had read those mask leak and CSR links.  So I'm thinking I'm pointing myself in the right direction.  Also found the videos from CPAPReview and TheLankyLefty27 on Youtube.  Contacting my Dr was next on my list.  I didn't want to get the usual eyeroll and "Dr. Google" response from my Dr. if the data I was presenting to him was from items that were "easily" fixable my me.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Understanding My Oscar Data - Improving Usage, Possible CSR
I had excellent results using VAUTO mode and setting the trigger to extra high.  It helped my 
CA a lot.  However, I agree with dave that as many as you had may need a different machine.  I would give the trigger setting and VAUTO a try and see if it helps...
Apnea (80-100%) 10 seconds, Hypopnea (50-80%) 10 seconds, Flow Limits (0-50%) not timed  Cervical Collar - Dealing w DME - Chart Organizing
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Would be great to get some feedback on my OSCAR data jimbobule 13 703 12-17-2024, 03:10 PM
Last Post: Jay51
  Interpreting OSCAR data (relatively new CPAP user) bolivar98 16 1,186 12-14-2024, 10:36 AM
Last Post: G. Szabo
  Help analyzing OSCAR data - CA's? alemon 56 4,248 12-13-2024, 03:03 PM
Last Post: alemon
  OSCAR data help nionclach 5 358 12-09-2024, 12:05 AM
Last Post: staceyburke
  [Treatment] Data Interpretation of OSCAR interestedsleepoptimizer 3 239 12-07-2024, 11:57 PM
Last Post: Dave Williams
  [Treatment] BiPAP ST Oscar data analysis hakancekis 2 246 12-07-2024, 02:11 AM
Last Post: hakancekis
  Understanding in 3 charts onetwothree 5 403 12-05-2024, 01:01 PM
Last Post: jeje


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.