I have noticed something strange lately

[Mark55]

Or I should say it seems strange to me, and that is why I am posing a question to those with far more experience than I. Starting about six weeks ago by looking at my SH charts, by AHI and pressures have changed for certain. I know that a few nights do not make a trend, but this is weeks and weeks now.

Keeping this as brief as possible, my AHI was typically split about 50/50 between a mix of obstructive apneas/hypopneas and centrals. I keep my machine in APAP mode with settings of 7/12, EPR of 2, and humidifier at 4 or 5. Typically my pressures will bump up to the nine plus range at least two times a night to kill an OA, and often a tad higher.

Looking at these recent charts though, my AHI consists of virtually ALL central events. I'm not bringing this up because I'm worried about centrals, just saying that my OAs have all disappeared, and I would have a 0.00 AHI otherwise. My median pressures are running low sevens consistently, and showing a max less than eight now with very little variation during the night.

I guess I'm confused as to the distinct change, and have even wondered if something is wrong with my machine in terms of its data reporting. Could my mild/moderate OSA have changed somehow, or is this a normal occurrence that you folks see often in your own charts?

I'm considering taking my machine over to AC Biomed to be tested since I have a location close by, or I am considering switching to straight CPAP with a pressure of 4 for a few nights to see if any OAs appear in the data again.
Any thoughts on this are appreciated as usual!

Here is last nights chart which is typical of late,............

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[Pugsy]

Why not first try changing the minimum to 4 and see what happens?

[Jas_williams]

Maybe your machine is having issues try unplugging it and plug it back in

[Arlene1963]

Hi Mark,

An OT question: do you generally sleep for only just over 4 hours per night, or was last night a bit unusual?

[palerider]

People have reported issues with sh not reporting flags properly with the airsense 10 machines in rare occasions. Zoom in in the flow rate till you can see individual breaths, and hen loon for any 10+ second pauses that aren't flagged.

[Mark55]

People have reported issues with sh not reporting flags properly with the airsense 10 machines in rare occasions. Zoom in in the flow rate till you can see individual breaths, and hen loon for any 10+ second pauses that aren't flagged.

I just scanned through the FR for all of last night, and saw nothing abnormal short of the sections where the centrals occur. Also, my AHI that is being shown on the Autoset is virtually the same as SH,....give or take a tenth or so, and sometimes right on.

I already set my machine like Pugsy mentioned. Just left it in APAP with a 4 minimum, and turned off the ramp. It will be interesting to see what that report has to say. If it's clear of any OAs,....I am either cured, or something is wrong with my machine.

Arlene,.....I typically sleep anywhere from 5.5 to 7 hours, with 6 being my average during the work week. Last night I was propped up in bed watching some old sitcom DVDs before I masked up and went to sleep. Needless to say I dropped off, and woke up later with no mask!

[Pugsy]

It will be interesting to see what that report has to say. If it's clear of any OAs,....I am either cured, or something is wrong with my machine.

Other option...if it never moves off 4 cm...maybe 4 cm is enough to hold the airway open.
I know people coming out of a titration sleep study with a RX for 4 cm..because that's all they needed but without the 4 cm...definitely not cured.

[Mark55]

I was using the word 'cured' kind of sarcastically. I know I'm not cured since nothing has changed in my life from meds to weight, or stress.

I would be surprised to see a flat 4cm all night considering that I had a titration study that resulted in my initial scrip for a constant 8cm with an EPR of 3. I'm really more of the thinking that something might be wrong with my Autoset, although I can't sense anything not working properly, or differently.

It's simply that my OAs disappeared, and my pressure in APAP is not even wandering a full point of pressure during the night anymore.

[Pugsy]

Any chance that there is a strong positional component to your OSA and you are just avoiding that position or at least keeping it to a minimum?

[Mark55]

Any chance that there is a strong positional component to your OSA and you are just avoiding that position or at least keeping it to a minimum?

I am worse on my back, although that is how I sleep most of the night due to back/neck pain (which I know you are very familiar with also).

I have been spending more time side sleeping, but that has only been for the past week or so. The changes in my SH reports started months ago. It's really a bit of a mystery at this point.

[Pugsy]

Aliens then.
They do some weird crap.

[palerider]

I already set my machine like Pugsy mentioned. Just left it in APAP with a 4 minimum, and turned off the ramp. It will be interesting to see what that report has to say. If it's clear of any OAs,....I am either cured, or something is wrong with my machine.

Well, not necessarily.

Even at 4, you're still getting some assistance holding your airway open.

[Muse-Inc]

I'm on a week+ string of AHI=0. It's not impossible,

[kteague]

Any chance you've been working on keeping a seal between your tongue and the roof of your mouth and you've finally mastered it? That made my AHI drop a little even when back sleeping. If you happen to change positions now and then to help with the pain you mentioned, maybe you hold your breath (like me) or the machine is just doesn't know it's awake breathing.

[Mark55]

Well, here is last nights chart. I really feel like something weird is going on now. Again,...no OAs, a median pressure of 4.46 and a 95% pressure of 5.46 when it took 8cm during my titration to stop them. This makes no sense to me, and I could use any suggestions available to try and figure out what is going on.

I know that OSA just doesn't disappear for no reason, so I am only joking when I suggest I am 'cured' per se. I honestly am baffled by whatever has happened, and am finding it hard to trust the data from my machine at this point.

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