Importance of Software/oximeter/ZEO

[SuzyFor2]

Before I spend the $$, I just wanted an opinion about whether it is overkill to invest in a Zeo and a constant read oximeter. I just started using EncoreBasic and was amazed to see the data available. I am considering upgrading to Encore2.0 as well. I have no problem falling alseep but wake up around 4 hours later and am then wide awake. I don't want to take any sleep meds although once in a while I will take an Advil PM -- I work 12-14 hour days and cannot be exhausted during the day. My doc recently lowered my CPAP pressure to 6.5 because I began developing CA on 8. My last 2 week AHI was 11.2 but mostly CA's. Any opinions? I figure the additional outlay will be $300-400 so I don't want to waste my money. TX for any feedback! I have learned so much from these boards. I am very grateful.

[Pugsy]

I would buy the pulse ox before I would buy the Zeo if it were me.

BTW Encore 2.0 (that is Viewer) is older than EncoreBasic. EncoreBasic is the latest version. Encore Pro has a new version but it doesn't give anything that Basic doesn't give. If you were thinking of spending your money on Viewer....don't.
It won't work on the new 60 series machines and it won't install on 64 bit computers and it doesn't offer waveform.
Pro is bloated hog...install failure rates are high..PITA to manage and you gain nothing with using it except headaches.

[The Sheikh]

Hi Suzy,

Much depends on whether you are keenly interested in learning to interpret and tweak things using your data or not. You sound like you are. I am one too, and get excited every day I get to display my SleepyHead, O2 and Zeo data. Zeo has opened up a new world to me. It happens to work better than most folks report - using my own brain waves. I've checked it against the waveforms and am impressed.

Over the last few weeks I've been able to fine tune my sleep even further. I am able to spot immediately if I had a poor data sleep night and it usually shows up as yawns during the day. I've found the triggers that create a poor night and the optimum things that make the night good. We have limited data, so get as much as you can.

At least your attitude is not like a friend of mine... I just got off the phone with him and found out for the first time he has been using a cpap for 2 years now. I asked him what kind he had. He said, "I dunno - it's just a box and I could care less. I hate it but I use it cuz I must." See what I mean?

For me, I want to know everything possible about all this gear.

So if you are excited about your treatment and want to take the next step to self-help, then by all means buy the new gadgets and have fun!

Tom

[robysue]

I'll second Pugsy's non-recommendation about "upgrading" from EncoreBasic to Encore Pro 2.*. You won't gain anymore data and Encore Pro really is a pain in the you-know-where. (Most irritating to me is the three strikes and you are permanently locked out when it comes to mistyping the password for Pro.

As for the oximeter or Zeo or both: I think you need to think about what additional data you think you need and what you want to do with it.

If your diagnostic test showed you had some serious problems with O2 desats, then the oximeter makes sense. But if O2 desats were not a serious issue (and they aren't for some of us), then an oximeter may not add much useful data.

As for the Zeo: It's a mass-market gadget. It is not always accurate in detecting the difference between REM, LIGHT SLEEP, and WAKE. For some people, the accuracy of the Zeo seems to be a bigger issue than for others. But even with its limitations, it has its uses---particularly if you want something that will give you some kind of (possibly crude) measure of your overall sleep cycles and sleep architecture. (I say this as someone who uses the zeo most nights). I got my zeo for one big reason: I failed to get any DEEP sleep on two of my three titration sleep studies, even though I'd gotten an almost reasonable amount on my diagnostic sleep study. And during the worst part of my insomnia, I often felt as though I was simply not getting into restorative sleep, but I knew that I was dreaming, so REM was probably not a big problem. So the zeo gave me a way to see whether my ability to get into DEEP sleep improved as my insomnia improved. And it has helped me have a much better sense of how much DEEP sleep I get on a regular basis. It also helps provide a reality check for when I think I've been really restless during the middle of the night. But for me, the REM/WAKE scoring seems to be problematic on nights where I subjectively remember very few wakes.

So---what data would you like to see that can't be provided by your CPAP machine?