Is there a "Target" VS (Vibratory Snore) Number?

[Georgio]

Is there such a thing as a "good" VS number?

Mine have been: 15.7, 12.3, 4.8, 17.8 & 8.3 the past 5 consecutive nights. (AHI last night 0.5)

I taped my mouth closed last night hoping it would help.

Thanks,

Georgio

[DreamDiver]

Is there such a thing as a "good" VS number?

Mine have been: 15.7, 12.3, 4.8, 17.8 & 8.3 the past 5 consecutive nights. (AHI last night 0.5)

I taped my mouth closed last night hoping it would help.

Thanks,

Georgio

The obvious answer is 'O'. No snores are better than some. However, if I interpret it right, according to this link (In Our Collective Wisdom - down at the bottom of the page in the responses) in some instances, VS may not be as important a consideration, especially if your AHI is so good.

[Hawthorne]

I would guess the target VS is 0.0. I just checked my data for the last month and VS is always 0.0.

You're VS wasn't as high last night when you taped as the night before, which appears to be your highest of the 5 nights. It may mean that you need to keep taping for a while and see if it keeps going down. It seems it did help last night when you did tape but did not bring it back down to it's lowest of 4.8. As I recall, that with that 4.8 VS night, you were beginning to feel some better in the morning (maybe). It is still very early in your auto therapy so not too many conclusions can be made. Have you continued to feel some better in the morning?

I have taped since I began to notice a dry mouth (probably at the beginning of this year) and, after having tried a chin strap (no help and made my mask headgear slip). I began taping and it has eliminated the dry mouth completely. I think it has been years since I had any VS. I have only been monitoring therapy with software since February and I don't recall any showing up since I've been monitoring but I have not keep my data from that far back.

Your AHI is still excellent! If it were me, I would continue taping for a while and see how it goes. It has only been 5 days. Every night can be different and usually is slightly different, depending upon other influences in our lives.
Hang in there!

[Georgio]

OK...."0"....is what I will shoot for!

I will continue taping in case last night's VS improvement was from the tape.

I felt some improvement the day after the 4.8 VS night.

I fell asleep twice yesterday after having the 17.8 VS night. (So I added tape to see if it would help.)

It's early in the day but I may feel improvement after a 8.3 VS last night.

I think there is a tie to how well I feel to the VS. (All other numbers have been good')

(Incidentally, I have a history of snoring so loud at times, that I practically had to have my own campground when camping!)

It is early, however I feel with you all's help, guidance and understanding, I am making great progress in just 2 weeks here!

Most of all, I am optimistic that I am recovering, and not in the dark as when I had a straight CPAP no data machine ..and felt somewhat discouraged and hopeless.

Thanks so much,

Georgio

[Hawthorne]

I was a "very loud" snorer and stopped breathing a lot during the night for years (according to my husband!!!), before I started cpap, 6 years ago. He tells me I have not snored since nor has he heard me stop breathing (of course he wouldn't know if I stopped breathing if I am no longer snoring) since starting with cpap. I, of course, must stop breathing briefly, when I have any events (when my AHI is above 0.0). When I had my first sleep study the diagnosis was "severe" sleep apnea. Was your diagnosis "severe"? I don't know if you have anyone who can tell you if you are snoring and maybe still stopping breathing during the night. Maybe you could record yourself for a night and see.

I suspect, with an AHI like yours, the VS may not be a major problem unless when your VS is high you are sleepy during the day. In that case, it is affecting your sleep in my opinion anyway. I would keep taping, though, and monitor. It appears that the VS does mean something in your case - at least in terms of the way you feel. Of course, the purpose of using cpap is to feel better so I think you should keep taping and keep monitoring!

[Goofproof]

If your tapeing is perfect snoring would be almost impossiable, congestion however can cause noise that can be picked up as snoring. Most of my snoring is caused be congestion. Jim

[Georgio]

I was told I had moderate to severe OSA. That was a year ago and only one night. My symptoms, severe fatigue, body ache, waking up at night with heart pounding increased, therefore gave in to start CPAP for real 3 weeks ago.

Thanks and I will keep taping my mouth, although I don't think I have anything that can tape more than a hour or two of sound......

Thanks,

Georgio

[Hawthorne]

You certainly should be on cpap and you are. Your numbers show it is being treated quite well. An hour or two of sound taping may be enough to hear what is happening.

[xyz]

> congestion however can cause noise that can be picked up as snoring

Yes, I believe this to be true. It's one of the causes of VS.

My VS seems to range between 2 and 7, avg is 5. When I look at the numbers in the morning I think that on nights when I have slept well my VS number is _above_ avg. Maybe when I'm in REM I get more VS. Anyone else notice this?

[Georgio]

Last night I taped my mouth up (I'll never get used to saying that) and went to bed. My nose was stuffed up. I thought my sniffling might get picked up as VS...Half way thru the night I just couldn't breathe so the tape came off for a deep breath. Fell asleep again eventually.

My VS for the night was way down around 2.

The really interesting part.....when I looked at the "therapy flags" in the report....almost every VS flag was in the early part of the night when I had the tape on! Hooray, I could make it without the tape yet.

My question is, did they tape the mouths of the lab rats that were used in these findings?

I went on Zyrtec D today to clear my nose for the mask.

Thanks all,

Georgio

[Sideswiper]

What about your leak rate?

If you are leaking a lot then the machine can't detect VS or AHI correctly. So if your mouth was open and air leaked out of your mouth, then the machine may not detect VS (even though it should have).

[Hawthorne]

Interesting! It begins to appear as though it is your congestion that is causing the snoring, as xyz suggested, and that's causing the high VS numbers when your other data is great.

I don't know Zyrtec D. I assume it is a decongestant. I don't know if you will get rebound congestion if you stay on it too long or not. You should check that out. Maybe someone here knows. When I have congestion from allergies, I use "Simply Saline Nasal Mist" - 3 shots each side about an hour or so before bed. Then I put some "Simply Saline Nasal Gel" or "Ayr gel" in each nostril when I go to bed. Haven't tried this with congestion from a cold yet because I haven't had one since I went on the auto.

I'm wondering, too, if a full face mask might help you, at least when you are congested. Have you ever tried one?

[Georgio]

My AHI has been running <1. Leak rate is real low. A full face may become necessary....but I will tape for now if I suspect any mouth breathing. Thanks!