Help interpreting Oscar data - is doing anything?

[user13498]

Started in November using the ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset. Was diagnosed with UARS. I'm using a nasal mask.

My stats always seem to look fine but I haven't really noticed much of a difference. No idea how to interpret this Oscar data to see if there's anything I'm missing. This is a typical night. I can upload more nights if needed.

Pictures won't attach so here's the link instead:

https://imgur.com/a/Side9UP

Thanks!

[Pugsy]

You need to be having a chat with your doctor about your lack of improvement with the UARS.
These machines don't/can't treat UARS....they were never designed to treat UARS.
There is nothing on the data the machine reports that is very useful for figuring out why UARS symptoms aren't lessening.

It is very possible that the pressures used by the machine simply aren't enough to deal with UARS.

In an ideal world you need a sleep study done in a lab using cpap and a Pes device to figure out what pressure is needed to deal with UARS. Unfortunately using the Pes device isn't common and it's hard to find a lab that will/can do it.

While cpap therapy is usually the first thing tried for UARS....it often comes up short because UARS isn't the same as obstructive sleep apnea (which is what the machine is designed to deal with).

Are you experiencing any nasal congestion at night?

Past history from UARS patients (diagnosed with a Pes device) who tried cpap usually meant that more pressure is needed to resolve the UARS situation than the machine was wanting to deliver. One comes to my mind....her cpap was only going to about 8 cm and not higher but a titration sleep study done in a lab setting with the Pes device showed she needed 13 cm pressure and it wasn't until she started using 13 cm that she starting seeing improvement in how she felt or slept.

Otherwise about the best you can do is systematically start increasing the pressure and monitor the results subjectively because you aren't going to see much on the software reports because it was never designed for UARS.

[user13498]

Thanks for the reply. I don't really have congestion at night and actually can breathe pretty good. There's been a few nights where the pressure at the higher end of the range seemed to have actually woken me up (8 for me). I then turned it off/ on so it'll auto ramp up again after I fall back asleep. I can't set the pressure settings myself so will ask my doctor next time I ask if the range should be/ can be higher. Something to try anyway.

[Pugsy]

I suspect that the problem isn't so much the limited range as it is the fact that with the current settings the machine simply won't go increasing the pressure because it doesn't have a reason to.

These machines will NOT increase the pressure when only UARS is going on.
It's only briefly hitting the current max of 8 as it is. I have my doubts as to whether increasing the max above the current 8 cm is going to be the magic fix for you.....but it is worth trying.

You most likely will need more minimum as well. How much more??? We simply don't know.

[Pugsy]

BTW just how did they come up with the UARS diagnosis?

[user13498]

I suspect that the problem isn't so much the limited range as it is the fact that with the current settings the machine simply won't go increasing the pressure because it doesn't have a reason to.

These machines will NOT increase the pressure when only UARS is going on.
It's only briefly hitting the current max of 8 as it is. I have my doubts as to whether increasing the max above the current 8 cm is going to be the magic fix for you.....but it is worth trying.

You most likely will need more minimum as well. How much more??? We simply don't know.

Got it. Oof, don't really like it when it's on a higher pressure. Feel like it's just forcing air into my nose but I guess that's the purpose of it, right?. Would be very difficult to get used to.

I believe they came upon UARS because on the at home apnea test, the pAHI was 7.4 and pRDI was higher - 18.5. I also went to an ENT and was told my nasal cavity was very narrow and obstructing a lot of airway/ deviated septum as well. Wanted to do surgery to clear it out but I'm very hesitant on that.

[zonker]

Got it. Oof, don't really like it when it's on a higher pressure. Feel like it's just forcing air into my nose but I guess that's the purpose of it, right?. Would be very difficult to get used to.

it's not really "forcing" anything. the amount of air coming into your airway isn't even enough to inflate a toy balloon. having said that, i know it's rough at first because it just feels that way. but yes, you DO get used to it.

i well remember my early times with cpap. as i was laying there getting drowsy i suddenly realized i couldn't feel the air coming into my nose! i had to lift the mask up to assure myself that, yes, air was coming out as it should.

give it time.

good luck!