Flow Limitationd

[Sissy63]

Will someone give me the "Flow Limitations for Dummies" version on what I will see on my OSCAR chart if my pap therapy is going well? I assume it should be low and as flat as possible. Is that correct?

I am desperately trying to dial in on my therapy. I have been 100% compliant since starting in 2018.

I have tried a number of mask, but always go back to the N2O because it might not be great, but seems the best. I was on the Bleep Dreamport and liked it but had a hard time getting it to snap right and once the ports were in place on my nose it was even more difficult. I got the Esclipse today, so hoping like anything this is the missing piece.

I have tried APAP and CPAP mode. I think CPAP works for me because I am a light sleeper and APAP seems to mess me up more.

I have tried different pressures and even though my AHI is rarely over 1, I still don't feel well rested many, many days. I had stomach pains, so discovered what EPR is all about, so will try setting that to 1 tonight. I have tried it before, but I think my pressure wasn't high enough.

I have taped my mouth pretty much from the start and added a cerival collar. I don't think the collar is adding any benefit

I don't want to discourage newbies. I have had good days, but something isn't right now. I am determined to find out what it is.

I started thyroid hormones this past winter and still trying to find my sweet spot there as well.

Thanks!

[Pugsy]

Will someone give me the "Flow Limitations for Dummies" version on what I will see on my OSCAR chart if my pap therapy is going well? I assume it should be low and as flat as possible. Is that correct?

There's no official "FLs for Dummies" that I know of. Sorry.
But a "good" FL graph is what I call boring and not much going on.
Here's one of mine...boring, boring, boring...but then I have never had much in the way of FLs going on.



Side note though...if you are experiencing any nasal congestion it can fool the machine into sensing a lot of FLs and respond accordingly with more pressure but more pressure doesn't help with nasal congestion FLs.
Instead you have to treat the nasal congestion in more traditional measures...oral meds, sprays, rinses, etc.

But....FLs that aren't related to nasal congestion and are indeed related to airway breathing restrictions have been known to reduce with either (or both) more minimum pressure or adding in EPR. Worth a try.

[Sissy63]

Thanks Pugsy!

I don't have nasal congestion, so I think I will set a static pressure of 11 with an EPR of 1. I think I do well on 10 or 11, but the tummy aches are not pleasant, so why I might need a little EPR.

I met with Jason for 3 sessions and I think I may have stumped him. I am just so tired, but if I try to raise the pressure (13) then I feel worse.

I am going to try the Eclipse tonight and hope I can get control of the leaks. My leaks are pretty much non-stop even with mouth taping and a cervical collar. Did you need to decrease your pressure when switching to the Eclipse?

Thanks again!

[Pugsy]

Did you need to decrease your pressure when switching to the Eclipse?

No, I did not.

[Sissy63]

Thanks again!

[dataq1]

Will someone give me the "Flow Limitations for Dummies" version on what I will see on my OSCAR chart...

Here is a good beginning point:
https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.p ... y%20breath.
Resmed grades breath shapes and scales that grading from 0 to 1 ( with most severe at the 1.0 level).

The principle factor is the shape of the breath curve as calculated (in most current machines) as:

using a combination of flatness index, breath shape index, ventilation change, and breath duty cycle.

The best description of "Resmed's flow limitation" is a the graphical one:

composite.jpg (21.23 KiB) Viewed 1566 times

.

The question to answer is WHY the breath shape is abnormal, and how to correct it.

[palerider]

Resmed grades breath shapes and scales that grading from 0 to 1 ( with most severe at the 1.0 level).

No, they don't.
They scale flow limitations from "round" (ie, none) to "flat" (ie severe).

You've obviously never looked at Resmed's software, have you?

[dataq1]

Resmed software examines breath activity and reports a value that ranges from 0 to 1. That is their grading of the morphology, duty cycle etc.

[palerider]

Resmed software examines breath activity and reports a value that ranges from 0 to 1. That is their grading of the morphology, duty cycle etc.

Saying the same WRONG thing repeatedly doesn't make it right.

[dataq1]

From the above cited article explaining Resmed and Phillips calculations

...flow limitation is calculated using a combination of flatness index, breath shape index, ventilation change, and breath duty cycle.

and from the same article

If a breath is severely flow limited, the flow limitation index will be closer to one and when the breath is normal or round, the flow limitation index will be zero.

Ever see a FL that wasn't in the 0 to 1 range?

[palerider]

Ever see a FL that wasn't in the 0 to 1 range?

You're (as usual) unable to comprehend even the most simple things.

You're alleging that "Resmed grades breath shapes and scales that grading from 0 to 1" Which is *clearly does not do*.

For one thing, Resmed's own software (Resscan) does not assign any numerical value. For another, it does not 'grade' individual breaths, it shows a rolling average over time, a period during which there many be many different breath shapes.

Please stop babbling about things *you do not understand or have any experience with*.

You can't link to a page on another forum that's talking about a third party software and then allege "Resmed grades".

Anyone that listens to you is making a serious mistake..

[dataq1]

Ever see an (Oscar reported) flow limitation that was less than zero or greater than 1.0 ?
That seems to be the full spectrum.

[palerider]

Ever see an (Oscar reported) flow limitation that was less than zero or greater than 1.0 ?
That seems to be the full spectrum.

Now you're saying "well OSCAR says".
I know what Oscar says, I've been involved in it's development for years before it was even forked.

Talking to you is like shouting into the void, there's no intelligence on the other end.

Go away.