Cpap New User ! Understanding the results.

[piwtorak]

Hello !

I have 2 nights using my cpap device.
I would like to understand the generated dat from my system to see if I'm going well.
someone has one table with the values and yours limits ?

one information: my mouth is dry during this 2 nights. before I did not have this problem. the cpap recomendation was because I'm snoring high and my wife was angry with this.

I have more informations: my region has 85 a 95% umidity all the time...( is amazon) and my device has a reservatory to put water ( i'm not using this) is necessary for me ? will help to reduce the dry mouth ?

thank you for all and congratulations for the website !

[Sheriff Buford]

I'm not sure what you mean by limits, but any AHI below a 5 should be your target. Most folks will get a lower AHI reading. You should also limit your leaks to a zero l/min as your target. I can get zero leak rates with my mask, but some folks can't, but try to keep them to a minimum. Your dry mouth is a symptom of mouth breathing. Using a nasal mask, you must keep your mouth closed all night. You can train your mouth by using tape or purchasing a chinstrap. Look at the ones on our host site: cpap.com. Mouth breathing is ok with full face and total face masks, but not with nasal masks. The air will escape out of your mouth instead of entering your body/windpipe. This will reduce your cpap therapy. Read the section for newbies and educate yourself at this site. Work all your issues here.

Sheriff

[Pugsy]

Target values....AHI less than 5.0 is generally considered acceptable.

Leak rate....you won't ever get a 0.0 leak rate because your machine reports total leak which is mask vent rate plus any excess leak.
I know Sherriff said to try for 0.0 but that's because his machine only reports excess leak and he didn't realize that your machine reports leaks differently.
Large leak territory on the Devilbiss machine is 95 L/min. I don't know your pressure but vent rate goes up as pressure goes up and also chance of leak goes up due to higher pressures.
As long as you are well below 95 L/min is acceptable with your machine.
That said..if any leak is waking you up (even a small leak) then you want to try to limit it but because it is disturbing your sleep and not because it is compromising therapy.

Dry mouth is a sign of mouth breathing. You don't say what kind of mask you are using but if you are using a full face mask then yes, adding the use of the humidifier and added moisture to the air could possibly help relieve the dryness somewhat.
Dry mouth is just a by product of the extra air moving through the mouth.

Also, it does not take but a little mouth breathing to dry the mouth out....I have it sometimes (I use nasal pillow mask) when my mouth drops open when I am sleeping. Sometimes I can see evidence of this on the software report...a little excess leak beyond my normal and flat 0.0 the rest of the night but I get horrible dry mouth with just maybe 10 minutes of mouth breathing.
So dry mouth doesn't always mean that you have been mouth breathing the entire night...it might just be for 10 or 15 minutes and it may or may not have been enough to even get near large leak territory.

Each machine reports things a little differently.

What values are you seeing that you don't understand?

[piwtorak]

Thanks for all...

my values for 2 days are:

1st day:

% Days of at least 4 hours (not
continuous) in a 24 hour period 100%
Day Count 1
Days at least 4 hours 1
95th Percentile Pressure 8.5
90th Percentile Pressure 7.5
AHI 7.0
Pressure Plateau Time 0%
High Leak Flow Time 1%
NRI 1.50
EPI 31
SmartCode FWEF-3C7-VD54
While Breathing Hours Last Day 8.4

2nd day...

I will post this afternoon because I must have note from code on screen...
has my device some kind of port to connect with my computer or only typing the code on devilbiss website to see results ?
with my device I received one CD but that cd is not a readble CD on my computer...some one knows why ?

my device is this..

http://www.thecpapshop.com/devilbiss-in ... nasal-mask
and I buy another mask:

http://www.thecpapshop.com/resmed-swift ... low-mask-2

and I have used 1 mask at each night...

thanks !

[Pugsy]

Don't know about the CD because I don't know what it is for.

I found this..check it out to see if it helps you understand things.
http://www.devilbissclinicaleducation.c ... nology.pdf

I use the same mask as you bought..the Swift FX.

You can add your equipment to your profile...see mine right below this post.
wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile
That way we can see at a glance what you are using.

Does your machine have this module?
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... odule.html
this module lets you get your data onto a SD card and use software like SleepyHead to see your reports in much more detail than using the smart codes.

I think most of your questions will be answered at the above Devilbiss link but will offer comments on a couple things.

High Leak Flow Time 1%

This means that for 1 % of the night your leak was above 95 L/min. Without seeing the actual leak graph (this is where the software really helps) we can't tell if you spent much of the night maybe up almost to that 95 L/min line.

NRI 1.50

Explained in above link...this number is not part of your AHI (Devilbiss keeps it separate)

EPI 31

Exhale Puff index (hourly average) 31 per hour means you are likely doing some mouth breathing.
I don't think we are ever given an acceptable range for this number but maybe another Devilbiss user has an idea. I would think that single digit (under 10) would probably be acceptable...you want this number as low as possible.

AHI 7.0

This number we like to see less than 5.0 but don't panic because it is close...it does take a while to adjust to therapy and you did have a little bit of time in large leak...it's possible that this number can come down on its own if the mouth breathing and large leaks are reduced.

If you can possibly get that module we can get a much better idea what is going on by using the software.
For all we know the bulk of your AHI could have happened in a couple of clusters around the large leak time.
Check out SleepyHead user guide in my signature line....it works with your machine.

[Julie]

You don't need anything to see the codes on the website, but you'll find it easier to use the code generator on Cpap.com (I use both). Access the code on your machine by tapping the thin bar at your right hand twice (first thing is Adherence, but tap again for the code and after copying it, just tap once more to go to 'off' mode). Take the code, type it into the 'sample' form/box on Cpap.com with - between the 3 parts and then click on 'generate' for the graphic... copy or print out the whole thing and post it here for us to see.... BUT, you can't just copy+ paste to forum, so first do it to e.g. Photobucket, then import onto the forum page from there.

[Pugsy]

Here's a link to the cpap.com page where you can plug your codes in and generate a report like Julie mentioned.
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/devil ... tflex.html
Look under the Product Features page right under "Tracking your Therapy"

[piwtorak]

Hello Folks...

I can not upload the results on photobucket because only jpg files is allowed.
the system generates in pdf format.
I create a account on adobe to share this file...

please click in or paste this link on your browser to see the file:

https://sendnow.acrobat.com/Receive.asp ... tNCBRRrnbQ

it contains the results in 7 days format...I have only 2 nights using but the code I have today is for 7 days.
this afternoon I will copy the code for last night..then I can create each night in one file.

[Pugsy]

You can take a screen shot of the report image...don't have to do the pdf of the report.
Your link requires us to download the pdf to view it. Most people won't do it...even though it is probably safe to do so.

See this thread about screen shots...it's easier than going through all the pdf attachment stuff.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81072&p=737779#p737779

[jweeks]

Your link requires us to download the pdf to view it. Most people won't do it...even though it is probably safe to do so.

Hi,

I have a commercial anti-virus on my system, so I took the chance. It shows AHI of 10.5. It also shows the 95% pressure at 10.5, and 90% at 10. Most of the other graphs are unpopulated, and it doesn't show events, leaks, or pressure lines for the night. I'd like to know what the pressure settings are. My first thought is that the lower pressure number is too low, or it is maxing out on the high side.

-john-

[Pugsy]

My first thought is that the lower pressure number is too low,

My thoughts also...that would be my first suspect.
The Exhale Puff Index is 20 something...might have a little mouth breathing going on..but leak isn't horrible...so don't know what to think about that.

[Otter]

Forgive me if you already told us, piwtorak, but what are your pressure settings?

[piwtorak]

the device is all in AUTO mode....

I never have changed the factory settings...

where can I see the pressure and what is correct to use ?

thanks in advance...

[Julie]

You can get a clinician's manual from apneaboard.com - just be sure you request the one exactly right for your machine (not just the brand name but model numbers, etc.

[piwtorak]

I must solve my problem with open mouth during the night to correctly evaluate my therapy...

tonight I will close with a tape...

finally my tests in photobucket...

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q71 ... 1263dd.jpg

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q71 ... f3b75f.jpg

http://i1355.photobucket.com/albums/q71 ... 54d32f.jpg