Do I really need a new titration study??

[ICS1955]

I am new to this forum but not new to CPAP. I have been using a VPAP AUTO 25 successfully for about 10 years. I use it every night and also travel with it. At my last physical, my GP suggested I visit a sleep specialist to have them see how Ive been doing. I went to a local sleep specialist who read my machine and told me my Apnea Index is 4.8, my Hypopnea index is 9.1 and my AHI is 13.8. So, I need adjustment. She suggested a home study to "prove to insurance that I actually have sleep apnea" followed by a lab titration study once approved. All told, probably $3000-$5000 worth of tests, probably followed by a newer machine. My question to this group is this - why not just adjust the machine until the AHI is less than 5. Why do another study? Given the age of the machine, should I get a newer one? Has the technology really changed that much?

Any advice really appreciated

Thanks in advance!

[HST]

AHI of 5.0 or greater is considered positive. I get patients all the time that have been on CPAP for 10 years or more but the doctor orders a diagnostic followed by titration if positive. IMO its dumb because apnea doesn't usually go away without surgery of weight loss. But in order for insurance to pay for study and equipment, they want proof that you still have apnea. If you haven't had a study in the past 2 years then insurance would require new data. The newer machines are a lot smaller and have some neat functions included. The answer to your question about just adjusting your machine would be how much does it need to be adjusted. That could be a long process of trial and error. A titration study would be more effective with active monitoring.

[Julie]

What about using software like Sleepyhead to see for yourself what goes on overnight and get many more parameters than just AHI? It's free and so many of us use it, haven't been to doctors in decades.

[ICS1955]

I like that idea a lot but this machine is an older style and it uses a card that can't be read on a normal computer . Is it correct that the newer machines use SD cards?

[ICS1955]

Thanks for your reply HST. I agree a study would be more effective but I'm questioning it because of the high costs involved. I also would need to sleep a night without the machine, which for me would probably mean very little sleep. From reading other posts, its seems like the most common adjustment is to just increase the pressure slowly until the AHI gets to 5 or below. Is that an over simplification? Im pretty technical and newly retired, so I have time to get to understand how to read and adjust the settings, as others on the forum have done. I also have a local supplier that could help.

Is it possible to do a home titration study? I see some people here have done that.

Thanks again

[robysue]

I like that idea a lot but this machine is an older style and it uses a card that can't be read on a normal computer . Is it correct that the newer machines use SD cards?

Yes, the new machines have plain old SD cards in them.

Another new thing: The new machines actually record the flow rate data. With SleepyHead you can see a graph that shows you each and every breath you took during the night. That can be useful when you're dealing with trouble shooting: You can not only see when the events are occurring, you can tell how long they last and how ragged the breathing is around the time of the event.

[FoggyFroggy]

My sleep lab did such sloppy work that I'm still not sure what my real diagnosis is. There was information interspersed into my summary report that was obviously from someone else's study -- information that contradicted itself throughout the report. I was able to dial in my script using Sleepyhead software. I went from a prescribed pressure of 8-10 to a self-determined optimal pressure of 10-13. I would have had to endure subpar treatment for who knows how long if I waited for my doctor follow up!

[HST]

I like that idea a lot but this machine is an older style and it uses a card that can't be read on a normal computer . Is it correct that the newer machines use SD cards?

Yes, the new machines have plain old SD cards in them.

Another new thing: The new machines actually record the flow rate data. With SleepyHead you can see a graph that shows you each and every breath you took during the night. That can be useful when you're dealing with trouble shooting: You can not only see when the events are occurring, you can tell how long they last and how ragged the breathing is around the time of the event.

The AirSense 10 actually uploads data on it's own to ResMed's online application called MyAir and its included free. SD cards are becoming a thing of the past.

[HST]

Thanks for your reply HST. I agree a study would be more effective but I'm questioning it because of the high costs involved. I also would need to sleep a night without the machine, which for me would probably mean very little sleep. From reading other posts, its seems like the most common adjustment is to just increase the pressure slowly until the AHI gets to 5 or below. Is that an over simplification? Im pretty technical and newly retired, so I have time to get to understand how to read and adjust the settings, as others on the forum have done. I also have a local supplier that could help.

Is it possible to do a home titration study? I see some people here have done that.

Thanks again

Yea I would ask your doctor about a home sleep study, I charge $150 for a home sleep study but I'm in Las Vegas. Then maybe your doctor can prescribe an AutoPap and you wouldn't have to do a titration study. Hope that helps.

[Julie]

My Air apparently does not give half the data that SleepyHead does.

[lilly747]

The AirSense 10 actually uploads data on it's own to ResMed's online application called MyAir and its included free. SD cards are becoming a thing of the past.

I would hate to depend on MyAir to dial my Tx in. Not enough info to do the job.

[HST]

My Air apparently does not give half the data that SleepyHead does.

I would suggest going with sleepy head then. See if you can get what you need out of that then report back here with any problems or questions. I'm all for self treating and saving money being a paycheck to paycheck type person.

[robysue]

I like that idea a lot but this machine is an older style and it uses a card that can't be read on a normal computer . Is it correct that the newer machines use SD cards?

Yes, the new machines have plain old SD cards in them.

Another new thing: The new machines actually record the flow rate data. With SleepyHead you can see a graph that shows you each and every breath you took during the night. That can be useful when you're dealing with trouble shooting: You can not only see when the events are occurring, you can tell how long they last and how ragged the breathing is around the time of the event.

The AirSense 10 actually uploads data on it's own to ResMed's online application called MyAir and its included free. SD cards are becoming a thing of the past.

As Julie points out, SleepyHead (which is free, works on Macs, PCs, and Linux machines) shows a lot more data than the new online tools from the manufacturers such as MyAir.

And SleepyHead works with a variety of machines from multiple manufacturers in a seamless interface. For example, I can use SH to look at the data from my old Resmed S9, my first PR System One BiPAP Auto that was replaced under warranty, and my current PR System One BiPAP without me having to do anything special. SleepyHead also allows me to look at both my data and my husband's data without any fuss and bother, unlike Encore Basic.

I'd strongly suggest that you download SH and compare it to the software packages from Resmed, PR, and F&P that are aimed at DMEs and sleep doctors. You may find it amazing what SH can do.

So I guess I want to state it very clearly: I hope that the SD cards don't disappear. Right now a user (like me) has access to *all* the data recorded by my machine, even the stuff that the manufacturer has arbitrarily decided that I don't need to see.

[HST]

I like that idea a lot but this machine is an older style and it uses a card that can't be read on a normal computer . Is it correct that the newer machines use SD cards?

Yes, the new machines have plain old SD cards in them.

Another new thing: The new machines actually record the flow rate data. With SleepyHead you can see a graph that shows you each and every breath you took during the night. That can be useful when you're dealing with trouble shooting: You can not only see when the events are occurring, you can tell how long they last and how ragged the breathing is around the time of the event.

The AirSense 10 actually uploads data on it's own to ResMed's online application called MyAir and its included free. SD cards are becoming a thing of the past.

As Julie points out, SleepyHead (which is free, works on Macs, PCs, and Linux machines) shows a lot more data than the new online tools from the manufacturers such as MyAir.

And SleepyHead works with a variety of machines from multiple manufacturers in a seamless interface. For example, I can use SH to look at the data from my old Resmed S9, my first PR System One BiPAP Auto that was replaced under warranty, and my current PR System One BiPAP without me having to do anything special. SleepyHead also allows me to look at both my data and my husband's data without any fuss and bother, unlike Encore Basic.

I'd strongly suggest that you download SH and compare it to the software packages from Resmed, PR, and F&P that are aimed at DMEs and sleep doctors. You may find it amazing what SH can do.

So I guess I want to state it very clearly: I hope that the SD cards don't disappear. Right now a user (like me) has access to *all* the data recorded by my machine, even the stuff that the manufacturer has arbitrarily decided that I don't need to see.

agreed lol

[palerider]

The AirSense 10 actually uploads data on it's own to ResMed's online application called MyAir and its included free. SD cards are becoming a thing of the past.

the air machines upload detailed data, but not the high rate flow and pressure data that is often important in seeing what is going on.

myair is worthless crap.

SD cards are where the real data is.