pressure clipping

[DanGagner]

I have a new dreamstation 500 series and dreamwear mask. I'm using the latest version of sleepyhead on a Mac with the latest version of OS software and my graphics card is not Intel. It's AMD.

Ever since I've been using sleepyhead and the machine (about a week) my pressure graph is clipped at 6. I'm using the machine in apap mode and if my pressure setting is at 10 or 12, 6 is the highest it will go. My X-axis settings are higher so anything above 6 should show. Earlier on they clipped at 7 and once at 5.5. my pressure settings have always been at 8 or above.

I've rebuilt the data
I've reset the Machine

Help please?

[Crimson Nape]

Hi DanGagner -

I believe it may be your machine,  although I've been known to be wrong.   SleepyHead can only report the data is receives.    A validity check is easy enough, install Encore Basic and see what it is reporting.  The link to this software is located in the Member Private File area.

[DanGagner]

Hi DanGagner -

I believe it may be your machine,  although I've been known to be wrong.   SleepyHead can only report the data is receives.    A validity check is easy enough, install Encore Basic and see what it is reporting.  The link to this software is located in the Member Private File area.


It says no version for Mac OS. Other suggestions might help?

 There is currently no version available for other Operating Systems such as Mac OS X or Linux.

[Crimson Nape]

You might try using Widows running under Parallels. I'm not a Mac user so I have very limited knowledge. This may not be the proper terminology.

[DanGagner]

You might try using Widows running under Parallels.  I'm not a Mac user so I have very limited knowledge. This may not be the proper terminology.

It is the correct terminology. It actually runs great on a Mac. Thing is you have to purchase it. I'd only use it to check this out. I'd have no other reason to use it.

Thnx.

[Crimson Nape]

Since this is a proof of concept, do you know anyone running a Windows platform that would allow you to install Encore on it to test this idea?

[DanGagner]

Since this is a proof of concept, do you know anyone running a Windows platform that would allow you to install Encore on it to test this idea?

It's possible I guess. I know macs really well but windows not so much. So I'd have to rely on them to configure things.

I just got off the phone with Philips respironics. The guy told me that if I have the machine set from 4-12 and I'm getting the pressure graph clipped at no higher than 6 at any time this could be my normal pressure under apap mode. I asked him how it could always just be 6 or less all night and never anything more. He said that the machine decides on a good 90% pressure for you and keeps to it. He said in apap mode it was perfectly normal. Could this be possible? Doesn't seem right to me. I don't see anyone else's graphs on forums like mine. He also said that because I purchased it on my own I'm on my own with this. I should have used a doctor. 

I have a long history with apnea. Sleep study in '91 long before they were popular. Probably before cpap machines. I had and operation that alleviated it. Now, with symptoms returning as I got older I thought I'd purchase an auto machine and see what I could do. I learn fast and before retirement was a science professional. This stuff is like candy to me. I delve right into it. I'd just like to know if my clipped pressure graph in apap mode is normal.

Maybe I'll try putting the machine in cpap mode for one night and see what happens to the pressure graph. If I set it at 7 and the pressure rises to 7 then I'd think 6 isn't enough in apap mode.

Any thoughts? Oh, and thank you for your responses.

[Crimson Nape]

The Pressure graph is what I question.  Normally a P-R machine will have a baseline pressure with occasional test spikes (pressure increases) to to see if additional pressure is required.   Your graph almost looks like the inverse of normal.  I question why it's plateauing.

I tried looking for a P-R graph to show you what I normally see, but this is the best I can do:


Red

[DanGagner]

The Pressure graph is what I question.  Normally a P-R machine will have a baseline pressure with occasional test spikes (pressure increases) to to see if additional pressure is required.   Your graph almost looks like the inverse of normal.  I question why it's plateauing.

I tried looking for a P-R graph to show you what I normally see, but this is the best I can do:


Red

I see. Also, if you look at the flow rate in the graph in the first post. I'm actually having a pretty good night with rera's hypopneas, obstructive breathings an such. But there's that big hour block when the graph shows really tight bad stuff going on. That's actually a block of time when I wake up. I know because I check my watch. And I know that even though I have the machine attached and on during that time, I'm not having any apneas while awake (yes I'm truly awake and often thinking about things). If I negate that bad oddly read hour. Might my ahi index be much better?

[MitchS]

Hi, DanGagner. Welcome to the forum.

When I first started using my DreamStation I ran Parallels and Windows both on a trial basis on my Mac in order to run EncorePro to view my data.

After installing parallels, download and install Windows using the ISO file that can be obtained from Microsoft. Windows will prompt you a couple of times to activate it. Just click skip for now both times. The skip for now button is tiny and easy to overlook. You will have a fully functional copy of Windows with two exceptions:

• there will be a watermark in the lower left corner saying Activate Windows.
  
• you wont be able use [b]Personalization [/b]in the settings to change things like wallpaper, accent colors, lock screen, themes, etc. All options are there, they are just grayed out and inaccessible.
  

If I'm not mistaken, you will need to use EncorePro instead of basic. Unless things have changed since I used Encore the basic will not work with the DreamStation.