New to the forum

[palerider]

How accurate can the event count be if the mask is leaking/causing excessive arousals?
As time passes, many things tend to level off by themselves.
Also, I have found a mask liner to be effective in keeping the mask quiet--even if leaks still occur.

Depends on how bad the leak is, basically, the machines can catch events up to truly ridiculous levels of leak, though they might not be able to tell what kind of event it is.. hence resmeds "UA" unknown apnea. leaks could be causing disturbances, that's quite possible.

And yeah, mask liners were a game changer for me when i was doing the FFM thing.

[SirGaspAlot]

I'm thinking it's time for a chat with the Doctor.

Post some charts, let's see if you have a central problem... Howtos in my sig.

I'm nowhere near a computer but last nights AHI was 53 clear airway events and 35 obstructive apneas. That's from my Dreammapper app.

The *count* of events is meaningless without the hours, which is why AHI is an hourly average.

If you only slept two hours, then those are terrible numbers. if you slept 10 hours, then it's 'good enough' for doctors purposes (but not mine).

The fact that it says 53 centrals, however, is further evidence that your machine does nothing for centrals.

This was a 7.5 hour night. The average was 15.3 It never really has been a stable number at all, but 15 (ish) has been often

[Pugsy]

Heck, the bipap could exacerbate the centrals.

Very true if someone happens to be one of the small percentage of people where PS causes centrals. Double whammy...cause more centrals and then sit back and twiddle their thumbs when the centrals happen.
And sometimes there is a very fine line there where PS can cause the centrals and just a little less doesn't.
I know one woman where PS of 4 causes maybe 15 to 20 centrals per hour and with PS of 3 maybe she shes 1 per hour which could very well be normal sleep onset or a SWJ central from an arousal. We ended up with PS of 3 as being optimal compromise because with lower than 3 PS she just had a really hard time exhaling against her starting pressure needs of 17 cm. We did try lower PS but she simply couldn't sleep well with the exhale discomfort. She needs PS of 3 for comfort. Fortunately 3 PS doesn't cause the centrals that PS of 4 did.

[SirGaspAlot]

Thank you all for this, its actually helped me decide to write my Doctor, and I will also call. Last nights numbers were AHI:12.5, 7:27 hours sleep, 100% Mask fit, 35 Open Airway Apneas, 37 obstructive. Total hypopneas: 21.

Just like evry other night, I wake up at midnight for no reason except my circulation feels weird and it takes me 20 minutes to get the leaks to stop so I can fall asleep. Every single night since we started this. I also started jogging (horribly due to stress induced weight gain) and dieting. I should have been so wiped out that id sleep until next week. Nope.

The other thing- I have a 5 year old grand daughter we are raising, with these numbers all over the place and the stress they cause, I think I will press for the proper equipment. I think if the doctor writes them of the seriousness of it, they will cover it. I need every ounce of energy I can spare.

Yesterday after work, I was at square one, totally wiped out and unable to get out of my chair. I am the father she recognizes at the moment. Not a good thing being like this. This Does NOT feel good.

[SirGaspAlot]

So I sent an Email to the Dr. and also called. I do have a followup on 8/11and of course will be going, I spoke with them and did in fact find out I do have complex/mixed/both- eh- whatever. Apnea. And according to them, this is the correct machine I was supposed to get

This will either be addressed via my regular physician and/or the Apnea Dr. in August. More to come. I'm not done.

Thank you again. Youre all so right about the whole networking thing. I would have kept on the same road otherwise.

[squid13]

Looks to me like your Doctor and staff do not know what machine to use for what type apnea, they need to do a little studying. You need an ASV machine.

[palerider]

So I sent an Email to the Dr. and also called. I do have a followup on 8/11and of course will be going,

There *might* be something you can do in the meantime, but until you post some charts, we'll never know.

I spoke with them and did in fact find out I do have complex/mixed/both- eh- whatever. Apnea. And according to them, this is the correct machine I was supposed to get :roll

To put it delicately, they're full of shit. Unless, as someone else suggested, they're waiting for you to fail, which you are failing, and failing hard.

[SirGaspAlot]

I'm at my limits of your opinion and my insurance.

One, My insurance doesn't cover ASV machines, so I have to work with my Physician in order to get the right machine and already discussed with them about changing Doctors. I was advised by them to follow through to the follow-up appointment on the 11th and get a new referral for a new Doctor to request a second opinion. That has been done already as of today. Unfortunately I don't get the luxury of bypassing the system, as maybe some peoples insurance allows room for.

Perhaps you could explain the whole condescending "failing hard" comment?

Two, As for posting charts, I'm at work on a government computer where all those niceties are cut off. I gave the numbers already. The charts fro Dreamapper are nothing fancy and I have to do it at home.

[bombayone]

I'm at my limits of your opinion and my insurance.

One, My insurance doesn't cover ASV machines, so I have to work with my Physician in order to get the right machine and already discussed with them about changing Doctors. I was advised by them to follow through to the follow-up appointment on the 11th and get a new referral for a new Doctor to request a second opinion. That has been done already as of today. Unfortunately I don't get the luxury of bypassing the system, as maybe some peoples insurance allows room for.

Perhaps you could explain the whole condescending "failing hard" comment?

Two, As for posting charts, I'm at work on a government computer where all those niceties are cut off. I gave the numbers already. The charts fro Dreamapper are nothing fancy and I have to do it at home.

Sorry about your difficulties. Unfortunately, condescending comments happen all too frequently on this forum. The value of good suggestions from knowledgeable members is often diminished by the tone of their posts.

[SirGaspAlot]

I still appreciate the help. I'm doing what I can with what I have. Ill download whatever this software is and see if I can make heads or tails of it. Then ill see if I can fail once again to post a graph to appease the CPAPTALK Gods.

[Pugsy]

Here's the deal about the report images vs just the numbers.
With just the numbers we know the total number but not when they occurred. It might be that the bulk of your flagged events are at known awake times and if that's the case they aren't real.
http://freecpapadvice.com/sleepyhead-free-software
When you have time watch the videos at the above link.

If you had a large number of centrals on the diagnostic sleep study...it's unlikely that we can blame all of the centrals now on awake breathing but we might be able to blame some of them on awake breathing and thus maybe things aren't so bad.

I don't understand why your insurance won't pay for ASV....unless they want a person to try the less costly machines first or give it time thing. Even Medicare will pay for ASV as long as all the requirements are met.

[SirGaspAlot]

I don't know why either, perhaps its a blanket statement requiring more medical information, I don't know. But I will continue to try and find out what I have to do. I really need it resolved. Also, Since its a Dreamstation, does that software work with it? The link to the site says it doesn't. HA! Look, the Gubmint computer haz not stopped me from sending the graph. Ok, good to know.

download/file.php?mode=view&id=1509

[Pugsy]

SleepyHead from this webpage does indeed work with the DreamStation bilevel machines up to the ASV model which it won't work with yet.

You should be able to use SleepyHead just fine. It's a lot easier to manage than Encore Pro.
I don't know where you found it but at this link...I know for sure it works with the BiPap Auto DreamStation. Might not be totally perfect in some of the settings reported but in terms of the graphs and stuff...it is correct.
https://sleepyhead.jedimark.net/

[SirGaspAlot]

Ok, thanks, Ill look into that and post when I get home.

[Pugsy]

You might want to read this at some time.
http://www.isetonline.org/yahoo_site_ad ... 190318.pdf
It talks about the older machine but the basics are the same no matter if the older model or the newest model.

You might get lucky and your centrals will resolve with this machine...to be honest I have my doubts because it sounds like you had them before you ever started cpap and the ones that go away are usually centrals that come on because of cpap therapy.
But it wouldn't be totally impossible I suppose. The machine you have though...can't do anything about the centrals because it can't give you the rapid burst of PS that is needed to force a breathe. Now if the centrals reduce on their own..that would be great but the machine itself can't breathe for you.
It can of course treat the obstructive stuff and maybe with the obstructive stuff being treated optimally...maybe whatever was causing the centrals might reduce. I will be honest...it's a very long shot but not totally impossible. It all depends on what caused the centrals in the first place.