Can't figure out pressure

[m2man]

Just wondering if anyone could help me on which pressure to use. I'm now off rental, so I'm on a CPAP Elite 37020.

With leaks at my current 15.2, I get the occasional OA but seem to sleep better. With no leaks, I get this pattern a lot in the image below (and sleep terrible) . It's more "gaspy" with little OA's? A low STD DEV on the flow is when I sleep best. Even with no "official" OA events I don't get any good sleep when my flow gaspy like this.

http://imgur.com/a/OV7oD

My sleep study said 13-14 for pressure.
Sleepy head says 15.6 has the best numbers.
I start getting CA's around 16.
When I was on APAP the machine usually just maxed me out at 15.

Had a terrible night last night on 15.2 (7 something AHI). Monday, I had a great night on 15.2 (my flow readings are as flat as a pancake).

Sorry to ramble. I'm not sure what might be helpful.

Thanks

[Grace~~~]

Hi m2man

How many different shape categories do you sort your flow shapes in to?

You have some times during the night when your flow chart has different shapes than those you posted?

...and you call *that* (image) style ... "gaspy"?

[m2man]

http://imgur.com/a/WPJWB Best night of sleep I've had in years. Flat "shape".http://imgur.com/a/lAwYm screen shot view

http://imgur.com/a/5Jezl Last night. See 3:30am. That's my "gaspy" shape. http://imgur.com/a/ItdTg screen shot view

Hope that helps.

[grayghost4]

https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize

[m2man]

Added screen shots to previous post

[palerider]

http://imgur.com/a/WPJWB Best night of sleep I've had in years. Flat "shape".http://imgur.com/a/lAwYm screen shot view

http://imgur.com/a/5Jezl Last night. See 3:30am. That's my "gaspy" shape. http://imgur.com/a/ItdTg screen shot view

Hope that helps.

well, you need more than 12.6 pressure to control your obstructives. try turning down your epr setting.

[m2man]

Thanks for that @palerider. Took a few other changes, but it's much better now. http://imgur.com/a/mGQ8G

[Grace~~~]

Thanks for that @palerider. Took a few other changes, but it's much better now. http://imgur.com/a/mGQ8G

Hi m2man ~ I hope that "much better" in your post means that you are FEELING much better, too.

My flow / breaths are shaped a lot like yours.

Not that perfect undulating, curved top, same shaped perfection that I think is desirable?

That flat top, sharp V to the bottom, and 'chair' shape I read were not as optimum?
...but I have no idea WHY?

Hope someone will come along and comment on the 'shapes of your breaths'.

(though they are definitely not jagged pointed up )

[robysue]

Not that perfect undulating, curved top, same shaped perfection that I think is desirable?

That flat top, sharp V to the bottom, and 'chair' shape I read were not as optimum?
...but I have no idea WHY?

The represent flow limitations, which can be precursors to hypopneas, obstructive apneas, RERAs, or snoring. The thing is, not all flow limitations are "real" in the sense of indicating an airway in danger of collapsing. But some flow limitations are real. Some people find that if there is a lot of flow limited activity in their flow rate curve, they do tend to feel worse (or even much worse) than when there is less activity; and for these folks, it is quite reasonable to assume that the flow limitations are indeed being caused by an airway that is in danger of collapsing. On the other hand, trying to eliminate every last bit of flow limitations can be counter productive if the flow limitations don't actually respond positively to increased pressure because they're not caused by an airway in danger of collapse.

As for the OPs breathing images:

The one at: http://imgur.com/a/OV7oD
This snippet of breathing does show an odd pattern, particularly for sleep breathing: The inhalations are sharp, rapid, sudden, and large in terms of the peak of the flow rate. "Gasp" is a good way to describe them since when we gasp we inhale very rapidly and suddenly, but "sniff" might also work. The exhalations are more relaxed and longer. To the OP: Any chance you had a head cold or a lot of congestion on this night?

The one at: http://imgur.com/a/mGQ8G?
This snippet looks much more like pretty typical sleep breathing for most of us with OSA that is reasonably well controlled by our CPAP. Yes, there's a bit of flattening in a few of the inhalations. There are a few that are a bit slanted at the end of the inhalation. But there's nothing exceptionally ragged about any of these inhalations, at least in my opinion.

[Grace~~~]

Thank you so much, RobySue.

I am astonished by the crazy shapes in my breathing.

~~recognizing that this is just a tiny snippet that m2man shared .

I keep wishing for a video with great music that showed
different patterns of breathing and had text popping up from
brilliant f lks like *you* who interpret what they see.

I looked to see if there was an "ugliest snippet" thread with
really crazy results.

Or even a post that mentioned how many categories of different shapes are recognized?
Eight? Twelve? (knowing there's always an "*** other" category that doesn't fit the main shapes, of course )