Help with Last Night's Numbers - Please!

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Friends,

I switched to a Swift FX and last night was my second night. I find the Swift FX to be really comfortable, but I seem to be getting higher numbers with it as follows:








Oh, that last photo is my dog, Petunia - she's so sweet!

I really love the Swift FX - I feel that I have found my perfect mask, but last night my numbers were the highest they've been lately - any thoughts?

Oh, and that first really big leak was when I got a phone call late last night and had to take off the mask.

Jersey Girl

[ifrimmel]

Petunia is Cute!!! I wish they would develop some sort of white eye reduction for cameras!! Photoshopping dogs eyes to look natural is a REAL pain

Well it seems you don't have any problems with leaks !! Don't know .. your pressure looks to low ??

[Jersey Girl]

My doctor told me to leave my pressure at 8. I don't love these numbers....

Any thoughts?

Jersey Girl

[h45432]

Nope. Especially the apneas. Gotta go up .. I would go 8-12 Auto for a few days and see what the s8 does with you ..

Your call ultimately ..

[KatieW]

What was your AI? Did your AI's correlate with the leaks? Take your Detailed Graph, and draw a line from each apnea to the leak for that specific time. If there was a leak close to the apnea, then you know you need to work on your leaks.

As a newbie, I got obsessed with the numbers each day. What I was told by the veterans here is, that the numbers are useful to look at as a trend. Rather than worry about how many apneas you have each day, and trying to fix them, look at the overall trend. Are they going up, down, stable? How do you feel?

Hope that's helpful.

Your dog is a sweetie!

[ifrimmel]

She has virtually no leaks. So it's not related. Apneas are real. HI is for another day... I agree with the going 8-12 on Auto for a bit and see what your data looks like.

[GaryG]

JG,
Petunia looks very huggable. Also I really like your avatar.

As far as results, first of all, its a bit premature to make any adjustments based on 1 and even two nights. Typically, I keep settings at a minimum of a week before I change. (And most of the time I follow my rule.).

But even before you tweak, the most important question to ask, is how do you feel? I, along with Katie, are numbers freaks, and we love to fiddle. But really the most important thing is how you feel. My doc seems to think that as long as your AHI is below 5, that its not worth the hassle of tweaking. I don't totally agree with that, but I do believe how you feel is really the key. You showed us your graph, but didn't share the numbers.

If your results are somewhat consistent with what you've shown us here, for a number of nights, then it is not unreasonable to consider an increase in CPAP or switch to APAP with a higher range. There are folks that do well on either CPAP or APAP or both, and its really a personal thing as to what works best for each of us. You won't really know what works best until you try it.

What I suggest is that you make an appt to review your results with your doc, and I think he will most likely agree to a pressure increase, or switch to APAP with a higher range. If you show that you know what you're talking about, and based on many of your posts here, you do know, over time, you may feel more comfortable with changes on your own, and/or getting the ok from your doc to do it.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Gary,

I guess that I was alarmed because I had just switched masks - to the Swift FX. It was only my second night with the Swift FX but these are the worst numbers that I've had in over a month. The numbers were not typical of me. I usually have an AHI between 1.4 and 3.4 with a low number for AI of around .1 or .2. So, last night when my numbers were:

AHI: 3.9
AI: 0.4
HI: 3.5

I became kind of alarmed...also, one of my apneas was 17 seconds long.

My doctor told me that unless I am consistently having AHI for 1 week of 5 or above, he did not feel that I should change my pressure.

Your thoughts?

Jersey Girl

[GaryG]

JG,

Now there isn't that large a difference between AHI of 3.4 (top of your usual range) and 3.9, which you got last night. Also, on the Autoset S8, it has been known to overreport on HI's. However, you've been using this machine all along I assume, so that shouldn't be a factor in comparing masks.

Also note there isn't that much of a difference in an AI of .1 or .2 vs .4. Numberswise by themselves, what your showing isn't that big of a deal.

I recall you stating how you thought the Swift FX was your perfect mask. I assume that means you find it comfortable. If I found a mask I thought was really comfortable and my numbers went up a little for one night I personally wouldn't change anything. Comfort is #1, as long as numbers are reasonable. And yours are.

There are so many factors that go into what ultimately results in the numbers you see in the morning - what type of day you had, your mood, what you ate, how much or little you exercised, how late you had your last meal or snack before bed, whether you have a cold ,etc, - that's its really hard to take one nights readings and come to any conclusions that require immediate setting changes. You might want to keep a diary and keep track of these and/or other variables in your routine over time, along with your numbers.

My advise is to stick with the mask you find most comfortable, get used to it, and then worry about the numbers, after you've collected some data.

[Jersey Girl]

Thanks Gary!

I found your post most comforting. And, yes, I do just love my Swift FX. It's so light and I feel so comfortable. It looks and feels so light - like a little nothing. I couldn't believe that this little thing, that looks like nothing more than a nasal pillow and a headband, could deliver. On the first night I tried it, I actually purposely opened my mouth to see if it was still on!

Thanks again for writing. I really appreciate your help.

Warmly,

Jersey Girl

[DreamOn]

Hi, Jersey Girl. I would just keep things as they are for a week or two and see what your results numbers look like and how you feel. I find that my numbers often come down within a few days after switching masks.

I loved it when I was scrolling down, examining your charts, and then there was Petunia! Her photo really caught me off guard, as I was expecting more report graphs! She looks like a happy, much-loved companion.

[ifrimmel]

Nope. Don't agree. Daily changes are no problem. As long as you are not limiting your therapy. The doctors are not there with you day to day. Everyday brings some new hope/enlightenment/suffering/pain - ONLY your subjective opinion matters.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Dreamon,

Yes, Petunia is a very sweet, well loved little girl pug. I also sometimes call her the "nudge", because whatever we are doing, she just has to get right in there! She has the sweetest temperament of any dog I've ever had and I feel very blessed to have her. The first night I had a mask on - a big, thick nasal mask, she came over, looked at me really close in the face, and licked the outside of the mask. I guess she figured, that it was just an extension of me, anyway!

Yes, I will keep my pressure as it is, for now. I was worried that my numbers were going up due to the change in mask - I finally found my perfect mask, but I didn't want the exchange to be bad numbers.

Best regards,

Jersey Girl

[ifrimmel]

Nope. Don't agree. Daily changes are no problem. As long as you are not limiting your therapy. The doctors are not there with you day to day. Everyday brings some new hope/enlightenment/suffering/pain - ONLY your subjective opinion matters.

OK.. ready Gary's full post.. sorry Gary.. you are right. One should not be reacting on every little piece of data. Cadence is still required- a week or 2 .. on mask switch.. not so much.. a FEW days.. sure.

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Ifrimmel,

Thanks so much for posting. I really do appreciate all your thoughts and advice!

Warmly,

Jersey Girl