usefullness of CPAP Machine Data

[Sgt_Pepper]

Many thanks to those of you who have replied so far . I'm now convinced that the data would be useful in my own case. I'm dealing with excessive daytime sleepiness. Started with my family doc with an exhaustive physical. referred to Endocrinologist for optimizing thyroid and hormones. i see the sleep doc - or more accurately the sleep doc's PA in 2 weeks for a follow up to a re-titration study.

As for my S8, I do use the efficacy and anything else I can get the machine to tell me or help me with. I have the full manual and it seems to detail everything the various key combinations do.

I'm a software engineer .. not a physician .. so I don't self diagnose. I do like to be methodical. I think by going through my family doctor and the endocrinologist I've eliminated everything outside the sleep docs sphere of influence.I like to be an active partner in my healthcare. I'm tired of being sleepy and feeling mentally foggy .. my sleep doc and his PA may get tired of hearing from me. Show of hands for those who have gotten their results through gobs of educated persistence?

[Pugsy]

Show of hands for those who have gotten their results through gobs of educated persistence?

Raising my hand.

You won't know my story but in my case my initial titrated pressure was not sufficient to reduce my events sufficiently enough to see any improvement at all in how I felt. Back then we had to order the software and card reader (M series Respironics with next to useless data on the LCD screen) so it took me about 2 weeks before I saw what was really going on behind the LCD screen AHI of 7 and 8.
I don't blame the sleep tech...I didn't get much sleep the night of the titration study. I just didn't ever get to enough sleep and specifically REM sleep to adequately test the pressures.

Your situation is likely going to be more complicate than mine but the same principle is there. Use the most complete data available to try to isolate any possible culprits. It may not point to anything screaming "fix me" but at least you will know if there is anything that needs more work that you could try to fix.

[ChicagoGranny]

Show of hands for those who have gotten their results through gobs of educated persistence?

Yes, that is the formula for quite a few of us. I don't think you will regret forking out the money for a ResMed AutoSet S9. Even if you find out your settings and CPAP therapy are already optimal (according to the machine data), you will have removed one big variable and can work on other issues.

referred to Endocrinologist for optimizing thyroid and hormones

Please have a look at this statement from Dr. Steven Park:

Poor sleep (by causing a physiologic form of stress) also causes major hormonal changes by lowering your thyroid levels, ... So naturally, if you test for thyroid or testosterone levels, it may come back on the low side.

Dr. Park went on to make the point that, given the fact above, it can be difficult to prescribe a proper dosage of replacement hormones if the sleep issues are not resolved.

Good luck,