Help needed interpreting data/making adjustments

[prayerful-one]

This is my first time abstracting the data from my machine. Now that I have the data I don't know how to properly interpret it and what if any changes should be made from the findings so I can improve on my therapy.I hope I'm forwarding the correct info?? Any help and suggestions would be deeply appreciated!!
additionally I was on straight cpap with a setting of 12 with terrible results for the last 7 months. I just picked up my new auto machine 2 weeks ago. 2 nights ago I decided to reset the machine from straight cpap w/12 cm to auto pap set at 10/14.
I feel moderate improvement. I now it can take time. I have been struggling with cpap therapy for over a year with terrible results.I'm feeling optimistic with the success post's I've read here and with the capabilities of the new equiptment.

Summary of Daily Events Per Hour
7/8/2010 - 7/15/2010
Total AHA: 1.3
P 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 .11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
MaP 6.8 0.0 0.3 10.3 0.0 0.0 547.2 210.4 67.1 2.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
% 0.8 0.0 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.0 64.8 24.9 7.9 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
FL 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
VS 0.0 0.0 960.0 29.0 0.0 0.0 3.9 3.4 2.7 29.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
OA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
CA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.9 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
H 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.6 0.0 29.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
RE 8.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.3 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
AHA 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 2.1 0.9 29.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
90%
P - Pressure, MaP - Minutes at Pressure, % - Percent of Night, FL - Flow Limitation, VS - Vibratory Snore, H - Hypopnea,
OA - Obstructed Airway Apnea, CA - Clear Airway Apnea, RE - RERA, AHA - Apnea/Hypopnea Index

[Wulfman]

It's kind of hard to follow those numbers when they're all jammed together like that, but from what I can tell, it looks like you're doing pretty good.


Den

[jdm2857]

The numbers were probably typed in nice columns but the damn board software squeezes multiple spaces down to a single space.

[unadog]

.

[Uncle_Bob]

i hope someone can help you

[Spark11]

HI,

I am a newbie also and am interested in learning how to interpret the machine's stats. I had to figure it out on my own after seeing that everyone on this board seems to know their stats. I just figured it out this morning!

I was on a fixed setting CPAP before and shortly after my surgery 8 weeks ago. Before surgery my pressure was about 10 (my own adjustment up from 7 to what "felt right" since I didn't know much else about titrating my pressures). My surgeries were: Septoplasty, Bilateral submucous resection, Bilateral outfracture inferior turbinate, Removal of maxillary bone spurs, Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, Tonsillectomy, Bilateral partial pharyngeal wall resection, Musculomucosal palate flap, Bilateral tongue base reduction with radio frequency probe (AKA Phase 1).

Post-op I required CPAP by week 2 to prevent snoring which was loosening my sutures. It helped in the healing, however by week 7 I developed Aerophagia and was switched to an automatic machine (RemStar Auto Aflex with humidifier - not heated). I was told that it was set to a lowest setting of "4". After 1 week, I'm not really sleeping very well and even discovered one morning that I had water in the hose and the machine had shut itself off. This morning, I figured out how to check the data and found the following numbers for this week: AHI: 3.3 / 5.24 7 day average / Blower hours 47.7 / Large leak 4%, Periodic breathing 0 / 90% pressure 7.1

I'm not sure what is the best resource to figure out how I'm doing. I think my AHI is ok since it's under 5, but I don't understand why the machine shut off last week or why I'm not sleeping well. I go back and forth between nasal pillows and a full face mask (Quattro) all night long. I've tried meditation, benadryl, staying up late, no caffeine and nothing helps. Before surgery I slept fine on the CPAP.

I won't see the sleep specialist until the fall when I've fully healed from surgery. If anyone can help interpret the numbers or refer me to a resource, I would appreciate it. My 2 cents: I think the DME company should offer education on this when the machine is set up or the sleep center should offer training when CPAP is first prescribed.

[jdm2857]

I just read this today but I think it applies. Is your machine set to shut off automatically when you remove the mask?

If it is, it's possible that you developed a large enough leak during the night that the machine thought you took the mask off and shut off. Then you moved around a bit, the mask reseated, but the machine was still off.

[Spark11]

Thank you very much, jdm2857; I'll see if I can adjust that setting for the face mask removal shut off.

[insomniac51]

[quote="prayerful-one"]This is my first time abstracting the data from my machine. Now that I have the data I don't know how to properly interpret it and what if any changes should be made from the findings so I can improve on my therapy.I hope I'm forwarding the correct info?? Any help and suggestions would be deeply appreciated!!
additionally I was on straight cpap with a setting of 12 with terrible results for the last 7 months. I just picked up my new auto machine 2 weeks ago. 2 nights ago I decided to reset the machine from straight cpap w/12 cm to auto pap set at 10/14.
I feel moderate improvement. I now it can take time. I have been struggling with cpap therapy for over a year with terrible results.I'm feeling optimistic with the success post's I've read here and with the capabilities of the new equiptment.

Summary of Daily Events Per Hour
7/8/2010 - 7/15/2010

Hi,
I just found a place where they tell you how to access your adjustments on your machine. I don't know if they can interpret all those numbers but it won't hurt to ask.
They showed me how to increase my IPAP on my BiPAP machine. Now I'm breathing a little easier. They're called Apnea Board and they have manuals for a lot of different types of CPAP and BiPAP machines.
Good Luck

[Wulfman]

This is my first time abstracting the data from my machine. Now that I have the data I don't know how to properly interpret it and what if any changes should be made from the findings so I can improve on my therapy.I hope I'm forwarding the correct info?? Any help and suggestions would be deeply appreciated!!
additionally I was on straight cpap with a setting of 12 with terrible results for the last 7 months. I just picked up my new auto machine 2 weeks ago. 2 nights ago I decided to reset the machine from straight cpap w/12 cm to auto pap set at 10/14.
I feel moderate improvement. I now it can take time. I have been struggling with cpap therapy for over a year with terrible results.I'm feeling optimistic with the success post's I've read here and with the capabilities of the new equiptment.

Summary of Daily Events Per Hour
7/8/2010 - 7/15/2010

Hi,
I just found a place where they tell you how to access your adjustments on your machine. I don't know if they can interpret all those numbers but it won't hurt to ask.
They showed me how to increase my IPAP on my BiPAP machine. Now I'm breathing a little easier. They're called Apnea Board and they have manuals for a lot of different types of CPAP and BiPAP machines.
Good Luck

All of those instructions have been available and posted on this forum for a lot longer than that site has existed. This site just doesn't have a "section" where they're all listed, but if anybody needs them (which is frequently), they just make a post and ask for them and somebody sends them the information by PM.......or lists them with a follow-up post. In reality, the manufacturers have gotten all bent-out-of-shape by having their "secret" instructions and manuals posted in the open and because they're copyrighted material. That site you're referring to (and others) have had to curtail some its offerings in the past. The manufacturers read and monitor all of the forums and vendor sites on the Internet. We try not to piss them off any more than necessary.


Den

[Spark11]

I would be very interested in obtaining that information. Thank you!

[jdm2857]

Sparky --

Which machine do you have? You say Remstar Auto A-Flex above, but is it the System One? M-Series?

[Spark11]

It is a System One. Also, it says it has heated humidifier on the back, but it doesn't seem heated to me.

[Wulfman]

It is a System One. Also, it says it has heated humidifier on the back, but it doesn't seem heated to me.

Check your PMs.


Den

[insomniac51]

HI,

I am a newbie also and am interested in learning how to interpret the machine's stats. I had to figure it out on my own after seeing that everyone on this board seems to know their stats. I just figured it out this morning!

I was on a fixed setting CPAP before and shortly after my surgery 8 weeks ago. Before surgery my pressure was about 10 (my own adjustment up from 7 to what "felt right" since I didn't know much else about titrating my pressures). My surgeries were: Septoplasty, Bilateral submucous resection, Bilateral outfracture inferior turbinate, Removal of maxillary bone spurs, Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, Tonsillectomy, Bilateral partial pharyngeal wall resection, Musculomucosal palate flap, Bilateral tongue base reduction with radio frequency probe (AKA Phase 1).

Post-op I required CPAP by week 2 to prevent snoring which was loosening my sutures. It helped in the healing, however by week 7 I developed Aerophagia and was switched to an automatic machine (RemStar Auto Aflex with humidifier - not heated). I was told that it was set to a lowest setting of "4". After 1 week, I'm not really sleeping very well and even discovered one morning that I had water in the hose and the machine had shut itself off. This morning, I figured out how to check the data and found the following numbers for this week: AHI: 3.3 / 5.24 7 day average / Blower hours 47.7 / Large leak 4%, Periodic breathing 0 / 90% pressure 7.1

I'm not sure what is the best resource to figure out how I'm doing. I think my AHI is ok since it's under 5, but I don't understand why the machine shut off last week or why I'm not sleeping well. I go back and forth between nasal pillows and a full face mask (Quattro) all night long. I've tried meditation, benadryl, staying up late, no caffeine and nothing helps. Before surgery I slept fine on the CPAP.

I won't see the sleep specialist until the fall when I've fully healed from surgery. If anyone can help interpret the numbers or refer me to a resource, I would appreciate it. My 2 cents: I think the DME company should offer education on this when the machine is set up or the sleep center should offer training when CPAP is first prescribed.

Some machines have an Auto shut off. If the machine senses that you removed the mask it will turn it's self off.
Every machine is different so I can't tell you how to change anything. To get help with making adjustments try going to to the "Apnea Board". They have very helpful technical info. Give them a try, they have some very useful information