ASV - trying not to get excited

[tuzacat]

Does any one know if using the ASV will get rid of snores? Last night I registered a whopping 69.3 of vibrational snores but my AHI was 2. The night before I think snores were a 3. Not really sure how this is happening since I tape and wear a chinstrap. But I read on this site somewhere that snoring means you need more pressure and that you can still snore even if you are battened up. It's my understanding that the ASV will give you more pressure if you need it so am I right in thinking I should stop snoring when I get this machine? Thanks!
Tuza

[archangle]

Does any one know if using the ASV will get rid of snores? Last night I registered a whopping 69.3 of vibrational snores but my AHI was 2. The night before I think snores were a 3. Not really sure how this is happening since I tape and wear a chinstrap. But I read on this site somewhere that snoring means you need more pressure and that you can still snore even if you are battened up. It's my understanding that the ASV will give you more pressure if you need it so am I right in thinking I should stop snoring when I get this machine? Thanks!
Tuza

ASV is a function on top of regular CPAP/APAP specifically for central apnea. The base CPAP functions of the ASV unit are more responsible for preventing snoring. You may need to adjust the "pre-ASV" functions of your machine, such as minimum pressure to fix your snoring.

Do you have an ASV yet? If not, don't get one unless you have central apnea problems. Your current BiPAP will probably treat snoring as well as the ASV. Snoring is an obstructive apnea type of thing, not a central apnea type of thing.

Check your data to see if the snoring happens when your pressure is low. You may just need to raise your minimum pressure.

[tuzacat]

Thanks, Archangel, I do have centrals. Sometimes quite a lot and other times not so many. It was the reason I thought I needed to go back to the doctor because most of my AHI would be central not obstructive. I don't have the ASV yet but they have ordered it. The night with the 62 snores was a night with a new mask. Last night it was 13. It's wierd, I seem to be all over the place but hopefully it will straighten out with the new machine.The snoring is a fairly new phenomenom. If it doesnt resolve I will be back for more advice.
Tuza

[Day_Dreamer]

How often are you waking up a night?

My AHI keeps creeping up as well, but I seem to be sleeping soundly with only 1 to 3 awakenings per evening (for now)

[Day_Dreamer]

Archangel, I have been monitoring my data for several years now with Encore Basic. That's how I knew my AHI was going up. I finally decided to go back to the Dr. when I realized how badly fractured my sleep was getting again and I was mostly having other events - very few Obstructive events. As I said to the doctor, the data doesn't show that I frequently wake up after several hours of sleep and lie awake for the rest of the night. I used to have an AHI between 1.5 and .3 with once in a blue moon a 0. Now, it's usually over 2 and occasionally over 5. If it's much over 1 though I just don't feel that good. One thing I have noticed is that in spite of the fact that I use a chinstrap and I tape the machine is registering a ton of snoring.

Last night was a pretty good night for me at my current settings. 13/10. AHI was 2.4. CA1.8,OA.3,H.3,VS 3.6, RE .5.

The sleep study was a little over a week ago, I haven't heard back from the Dr.'s office yet so I left a voicemail today. The respiratory therapist was the one who told me I qualified for the ASV machine. I just ordered a new mask Airfit N10. I am hoping with a new mask and the new machine I'll start to feel rested.

Tonk, I sure hope you get some resolution soon! Letsride and Ladyflower, I am hoping to have a similar experience!

Tuza

I did not think centrals of 1.8 warranted an AVS machine???? Sorry reread that was a good night. What are your centrals on a normal night?
My numbers are higher in every category
Something is strange.....

Have you posted your info ?
Our resident experts can tell you what you ate the night before, just from reviewing your data.... JK

I hope it works out for you
Please keep us posted

[tuzacat]

Daydreamer, I seem to be having a good stretch right now, last night my AHI was 2. Snore score was 13, down from 69 the night before. I remember waking up 3 or 4 times but was able to go back to sleep. That was a good night. I don't know what the centrals were during the sleep study but it must have been enough for them to think it would be useful to change machines. I'll find out when I have my follow up with the doctor. The thing that made me hopeful was the respiratory therapist told me I slept deeply for 2.5 hours after they put me on ASV and when I woke up I actually felt rested - something I rarely feel.
Tuza

[M'ohms]

After my ASV titration, I felt better than I had in years. Like you, I seem to have spells lasting around a week at a time--AHI's under 1 with lower pressures, and then AHI's running 3-4 with high pressures and patient induced breaths in the low 70's. I don't know if this is common or not, but sounds sorta like you're having the same thing happen. I don't know why...

[Day_Dreamer]

After my ASV titration, I felt better than I had in years. Like you, I seem to have spells lasting around a week at a time--AHI's under 1 with lower pressures, and then AHI's running 3-4 with high pressures and patient induced breaths in the low 70's. I don't know if this is common or not, but sounds sorta like you're having the same thing happen. I don't know why...

These AHI numbers are on AVS correct?

Op has numbers similar without AVS

Tuza

fingers crossed, hoping you get relief but something seems off.

I hope someone with a better understanding of AVS and centrals joins the discussion

I am also selfishly hoping this cures you as we seem to have similar issues / numbers

[Tonk]

Thanks, Archangel, I do have centrals. Sometimes quite a lot and other times not so many. It was the reason I thought I needed to go back to the doctor because most of my AHI would be central not obstructive. I don't have the ASV yet but they have ordered it. The night with the 62 snores was a night with a new mask. Last night it was 13. It's wierd, I seem to be all over the place but hopefully it will straighten out with the new machine.The snoring is a fairly new phenomenom. If it doesnt resolve I will be back for more advice.
Tuza

Here was one of my worst recent nights on BiPAP 8/21 PS 3.5-8. I had an AHI of 22.25/hr combined with an Oximetry index of 32.7 events/hr. I just learned that the insurance approved a BiPAP ASV and have an appointment to pick it up next week! Really hoping for improvement on ASV.


A more normal night is:


Do these charts look familiar?

[tuzacat]

Wow, Tonk, you must really be exhausted - your data is much worse than mine! I'll be interested to hear how you do on your new machine. For quite some time most of my incidents have been centrals with very few ostructives. It looks like you have a ton of both.

Daydreamer, I'll let you know what happens when I get the new machine. Apria hasn't called me yet. I'll give them until next Wednesday before I call them - by then they will have had my order for two weeks. They are on my list right now because they magically decided I had a $250 deductible on my insurance policy when I ordered my last mask (which I don't) sothey tried to charge me $170 for my supplies instead of the $21 I really owed. It's the 2nd time they have tried to overcharge me. But that's another thread...

Thnk God for this forum! It is so helpful to be able to talk to people who have a clue what you are going through!

Tuza

[Tonk]

Wow, Tonk, you must really be exhausted - your data is much worse than mine! I'll be interested to hear how you do on your new machine. For quite some time most of my incidents have been centrals with very few ostructives. It looks like you have a ton of both.

Tuza

Thanks for the feedback. I've been increasingly discouraged the past few years. I'm very compliant (>99.3%) and generally have low leaks, but my numbers are all over the place, both in AHI and also OA vs CA percentages. Plain BiPAP cut my AHI by about 2 events an hour, but I still have a long way to go! I haven't awakened feeling rested in years....

I have a feeling that the BiPAP ASV will improve my numbers -- if only because it will reduce the length of my apneas. My apneas often last 20-50 seconds and frequently appear back to back with a few deep breaths between them. If the ASV backup rate is set to run at 8 breaths/minute, for example, it would cut my central apneas to under 8 seconds (if I understand backup rate correctly). However, I wonder if I may need supplemental oxygen, too, since my SpO2 sometimes drops to 93% or less even during apnea free periods. I'm puzzled by that as I'm not aware having of any lung issues. I'll let you all know what happens.

Example of long apneas & desaturations:

[Pugsy]

I have a feeling that the BiPAP ASV will improve my numbers -- if only because it will reduce the length of my apneas. My apneas often last 20-50 seconds and frequently appear back to back with a few deep breaths between them. If the ASV backup rate is set to run at 8 breaths/minute, for example, it would cut my central apneas to under 8 seconds (if I understand backup rate correctly).

Hopefully the ASV will eliminate the bulk of those centrals and do more than just breathe for you. It should break that overshoot/undershoot pattern that is causing the centrals to feed on themselves.
Please keep us posted on your status. This video might help you understand what's going on. Put out by ResMed but the basics are the same no matter which brand of machine ends up getting used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU-XTcf ... e=youtu.be