Years later and still in the dark

[Terry]

What do people typically post for data? The last week's worth of info? The last month? Just the night before?

An average, recent night would be good. If last night was similar to other nights, that should be fine.

[StoopidMonkey81]

With your current setting of 12-20, what are your AHI numbers? There is nothing wrong with your pressure range, but should be set according to your 90% and medium numbers. If you know those figures, let us know.

How do these figures factor into the setting of the APAP range?

[OpalRose]

With your current setting of 12-20, what are your AHI numbers? There is nothing wrong with your pressure range, but should be set according to your 90% and medium numbers. If you know those figures, let us know.

How do these figures factor into the setting of the APAP range?

Example: if 90% pressure reads 14, a good starting pressure would be slightly under that, mabye at 12 or 13. You haven't been at this for too long, so just watch those numbers for a few weeks and see where they tend to be.

Note: the 90% pressure means that you were at or below that number for 90% of the night.

[StoopidMonkey81]

So you suggest basing the minimum pressure about 2cm below the 95% figure? How does the median pressure factor in? Shouldn't that be the figure to base the minimum on?

[OpalRose]

So you suggest basing the minimum pressure about 2cm below the 95% figure? How does the median pressure factor in? Shouldn't that be the figure to base the minimum on?

Sometimes you find that the medium pressure is only a couple cm below the 90% pressure.

My 90% pressure usually stays around 11, so I set mine at 9.5.
Also, after watching my pressure needs for a year now, I keep a tight pressure range, because my APAP will raise pressure due to Flow Limitations or snores, and no
apnea events show on my chart in relation to those FL or snores. Also, the higher pressure will usually wake me up.

But it took me a year to zero in on this. That's why we suggest not making a lot of changes without giving it time to see what works best for you. Study your graphs to see what is going on.

[DariaVader]

There are some who need wider ranges than others... some are bothered by pressure shifts and should have very narrow range, but others need fairly disparate pressures based on position or sleep phase. I am one of those, and my 95% rate runs around 12, the median ~ 10... but the low end is much much better at 8 than at 9. I tried 9 for a month to make sure. YMMV.

[StoopidMonkey81]

I am one of those, and my 95% rate runs around 12, the median ~ 10... but the low end is much much better at 8 than at 9. I tried 9 for a month to make sure. YMMV.

What metric was better at 8 vs 9? AHI? Awakenings? Quality of sleep?

[DariaVader]

What metric was better at 8 vs 9? AHI? Awakenings? Quality of sleep?

Quality of sleep or actually more accurately, more refreshing sleep. My treated AHI is always low. I ran the machine on a straight 7 for a single night to see, and AHI was still low but I felt like shoe scrape!

Improving sleep quality for me, at this point, seems to hinge on pain control - which is hard.

[StoopidMonkey81]

So in your case a too-high minimum pressure wasn't doing anything funny on SleepyHead, and it wasn't necessarily preventing you from falling asleep, BUT it made your sleep less refreshing. That kind of info is gold, thanks!

(And yes, I'm being mindful about not changing settings daily knowing that I can have a variety of experiences night-to-night.)

[Sleeprider]

What do people typically post for data? The last week's worth of info? The last month? Just the night before?

Randman, follow this link to a tutorial on how to post useful CPAP data. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...pnea_Board The most useful graphics are daily graphs of Events, Flow Rate, Pressure and Leak Rate. On the left side, collapse the calendar so the machine data and setting are visible, the AHI and event breakdown. Like this: