Should I be concerned?

[#1 Jets Fan]

I started my therapy on May 5 (6 weeks ago). Pressure is 9, and humidifier is set to 3.

Last week, my 7-day average AHI was down to 3.8. As of this morning, it has creeped up to 8.4. I was really frightened the other night, as I woke myself up snoring for the first time in 6 weeks after falling asleep on my back. My husband mentioned it, and I asked him to shake me so I change positions!!

Should I be concerned, or simply watch it and make notes?

Please advise.
Thanks

[Pugsy]

I would be concerned.

Have you looked at anything other than on screen numbers? Like software reports which might offer clues as to why change has occurred.

[#1 Jets Fan]

I only look at the screen which gives me the 7-Day and 30-Day average. I do not own any software and review the averages on my equipment.

I did suffer from hip pain (too much Zumba!) during the last 4 nights and had to sleep a bit awkwardly. Also, my husband and I have to go pillow shopping soon, because we are both bothered by the old, battered ones we are using.....

[Pugsy]

It actually takes a significant change to alter that 7 day average. Your AHI has pretty much doubled.

There are several report options. If it were me I would be wanting more details. Any chance you are mouth breathing?
Take a look here below
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64906&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... S1+options

[robysue]

Last week, my 7-day average AHI was down to 3.8. As of this morning, it has creeped up to 8.4. I was really frightened the other night, as I woke myself up snoring for the first time in 6 weeks after falling asleep on my back.

Given that you're looking at 7-day averages off the machine's LCD and it's gone from 3.8 (decent enough since it's below 5) to 8.4 in a week, yes, I can see why you're concerned. The only way that 7-day average could "creep" up that much in a week or so is for you to have had several 8+ nights in the last week. Has the way you feel and function during the daytime started to slip as well? Or are you still new enough to CPAP that you're not yet noticing much difference in how you feel with CPAP vs. how you felt pre-CPAP?

You might want to look at the nightly figures to see if they're bouncing all over the place and that seven day average is being inflated by a couple of REALLY BAD NIGHTS or if they have been steadily increasing. You also need to take a good hard look at your leak line using computer software. The LCD "Large Leak" data on the System One machines is not particularly useful. Looking at the nightly AHI's and the leak lines could provide useful information on trying to figure out how concerned you need to be. If you don't have EncoreViewer and don't want to pay for it, you really should look into downloading SleepyHead, which is free software being developed by a team of forum members. It's still in "alpha" testing, but at least for me, it's remarkably stable and runs very nicely on the PC netbook that I use to store my sleep data.

And I also think you need to think hard about whether there have been any OTHER changes in you life in the last week or so that might affect the AHI. For example, when my seasonal allergies kicked in, my AHI started to creep up and my pressure level(s) started to creep up---I use a BiPAP Auto in a tight auto range. Properly dealing with "congestion prevention" has gotten the AHI back down where I want it to be and has definitely decreased the time I spend at my maximum pressure settings.

[#1 Jets Fan]

Robysue, I actually DID have 2 very bad nights. I actually awoke knowing it was a bad night, and when I checked the screen after breakfast, I noticed that the AHI 7-Day average jumped from the previous day's 3.8 to 8.0!! My position was all wrong and the mask was not positioned properly.

I'm going to pay close attention over the next week before I call my RT and/or doctor.

Thanks!

[#1 Jets Fan]

Well, the mystery was solved. I discovered that, for some unexplained reason, I was wearing the nasal pillow incorrectly. Straps that should have been behind my head were across the top, and vice versa! LOL!!!!

What a difference a week makes.

AHI 7-day average is back down to 4.5
AHA 30-day average is down to 5.1

We also bought new down pillows which are so comfortable, I feel like I'm sleeping on a cloud.