+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: Big swings in AHI (/Thread-Big-swings-in-AHI)
RE: Big swings in AHI - Sleeprider - 04-09-2023
Interesting that the zoomed shot shows an expiration flow resistance tha very much resembles palatial prolapse. Are you aware of the abrupt flow cutoff at the beginning of expiration? How common is this pattern?
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-09-2023
Well I've only been on CPAP for about a month, but when not having an event, most of the time my pattern looks more like the one attached. I have found a few short (2-3 min.) periods that look like the prolapse pattern, but none as long as last nights.
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-10-2023
Somewhat better night last night... AHI 2.5 and feel less tired. I noticed that again last night, I had the same PP pattern during the last hour of sleep. I'm pretty sure this is occurring when I finally give in and turn on my back. According to my wife, any time I'm on my back, I start snoring and my breathing sounds irregular. I've tried several aids to stay on my side, but I still eventually wind up on my back.
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-20-2023
I'm getting more consistent AHI scores usually in the 1-3 range, but still feel tired during the day. I've only seen the palatal prolapse pattern on a few nights and only for < 5 minutes, but I do see longer periods that look like the attached zoomed chart. I'm using EPR 2 with fixed pressured at 8.4. I'm not sure that my oximetry / pulse sensor is synched perfectly with my machine, but it seems that my pulse closely matches the flow rate movements. Anyone know what this pattern indicates?
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-21-2023
Periodic Limb Movement was diagnosed during my titration sleep study. Does anyone know if this pattern might indicate PLMD?
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-29-2023
Still seeing long periods like the attached zoomed pattern that seem to correspond to pulse rate changes. AHI is staying in the 2-3 range, but still don't feel very rested most days. I may have this wrong, but most of the CA's are similar to the 2nd attached chart which from what I have learned on the forum may not really be CA's. Any insight from experienced chart readers as to what these patterns indicate would be much appreciated.
Pressure: 8.2 fixed
EPR: 1
Mask: F30i hybrid
Soft collar
Back sleeping prevention device
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-30-2023
I started this thread because of widely variable AHI scores during my first few weeks of CPAP therapy. I'm pretty sure that I have solved that thru a mask change and reducing positional / chin tucking related events. I seem to have settled in to an AHI in the 2-3 range with very few clustered events, but still feeling very tired most days.
My sleep study indicated mild AHI @ 14.5 but severe PLMD with a total count of 512 movements during the roughly 5hrs. that I was asleep. My wife has been telling me I jump around all night for years. Although the sleep doctor who analyzed the study did make a comment in his report on possibly needing to address the PLMD, my PCP didn't mention it and just prescribed CPAP set @ 7 cmH20.
I use a Wellue recording pulse /ox device which also records movement, although primarily I assume from the hand that the recording ring is attached to. I have noticed in my Oscar charts, some previously attached, that my flow rate pattern seems to correspond closely at times to my pulse and movement graphs. I decided to buy a small Wyze night vision camera and record my sleep, and what an eye opener that was.( pun intended)
As expected, synching the camera time stamps to the Oscar charts, clearly showed me moving my legs and sometimes my arms 3-4 times each minute for sometimes as long as an hour. I don't know anyway to verify that I was actually waking up each time, but it clearly was disruptive and kind of disturbing to watch. I'm pretty sure that this is the main reason for my fatigue and not my sleep apnea. I hate to have to start on drugs to control this, but I'm not sure there are non drug therapies that really work.
I considered starting a new thread just about the PLMD, but I'm trying to stick with the forum rules and keep it all together. Anyone have a similar experience?
RE: Big swings in AHI - Sleeprider - 04-30-2023
This image shows a periodic breathing pattern with flow limitation. I can't rule out PLMD, but increasing EPR to 2 should mitigate the flow limits. If your observations confirm that there is periodic leg movement during this pattern, that is the more likely cause.
RE: Big swings in AHI - esleepie - 04-30-2023
Hey there. Like you, I'm pretty new to PAP therapy. But I just wanted to share that when I first started reading these threads, I too noticed that some people would say "EPR causes CA's" but then others would say "EPR fixes CA's." In my brief experience, turning my EPR up to 3 fixed most of my CA's and Flow Limits and made it way more comfortable to use my machine. Hope you get these issues resolved soon.
RE: Big swings in AHI - sttebr - 04-30-2023
Thanks for your response. I tried EPR 2 before with little change in how I felt, but I'll try it again and maybe even 3 after a few days at level 2.