New Member - Not New to OSA Therapy

[StephenK]

Good morning!

As an introduction, I was diagnosed with moderate OSA June 2017 at 44 after my wife suggested a discussion with my Internist. After weeks of my internist and I arguing with DMEs and the sleep disorder specialists, I was finally "issued" my devise in September '17. I won't go into all the ridiculous fun with the DMEs and sleep disorder folks, but essentially I've had to figure this stuff out on my own. Fast forward to the last week, I've decided to switch to a full face mask after using nasal pillows for 18 months. I've tried every trick I can think of, but for whatever reason the nasal pillows started causing sores on my nostrils in December. This also correlates with a recent trend of having an extremely difficult time waking up in the morning/severe sleep inertia.

I've fulfilled the financial requirements of the device with the DME and my Insurance carrier. As far as I'm concerned, they're about as useful for OSA therapy as a water boarding specialist. I fully acknowledge that any responses and advice here is simply support and encourage - it is not medical advise.

I've read many threads here, and bought an SD card for my device yesterday (Different topic: during "training" at the DME office, the staff actually removed the SD cards from everyone's device stating that part of their service is monitoring and support. The SD cards wouldn't be needed). I also decided to erase the past 18 months worth of data and start new with the SD card and Sleepyhead.

Here are is the summary from last night. Not too bad!

https://imgur.com/pLYmWWf

But I would appreciate hearing what others with more experience reading the data have to say.

https://imgur.com/vEB8QCQ

I'm personally puzzled by what is going on between 01:45 and 02:30. Seems like the pressure maxed out for no reason, and my respiratory rate more than tripled during this time. I realize this is just one night, and have no intentions of making any setting changes at this time.

Best Regards!
Stephen

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Can you review this thread for the format and which graphs to post.
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

I am betting that the increase in pressure you see and don't think there is a reason will be related to Flow Limitations.
Just because you don't see an OA or hyponea flag doesn't mean that other stuff might not be going on that the machine wants to try to prevent.
Snores and Flow Limitations are also significant factors in the auto adjusting algorithm. The machine will increase the pressure in response to snores and flow limitations too and those aren't easy to spot on the reports and not part of the AHI.

[StephenK]

Thanks, Pugsy.

Capture.JPG (333.7 KiB) Viewed 662 times

[Pugsy]

Yep...flow limitations the culprit from roughly 1:45 to 2:30. Fairly easy to spot it.

To give you a reference....here's a recent graph of mine. Mine does the same thing. It's a normal function of the auto adjusting algorithm.

[StephenK]

What is flow limit measuring? The volume I am inhale/exhaling?

[bonjour]

Event Definition Apnea, Hypopnea, Flow Limitation
* Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)|Apnea: 80% to 100% reduction in airflow for >= 10 seconds
* Hypopnea: 50% to 80% reduction in airflow for >= 10 seconds
* Flow Limitation: <50% reduction in airflow for >= 10 seconds
These events may be either Obstructive or Central in nature
They represent different degrees of similar events. All of these may be disruptive.

[ChicagoGranny]

uring "training" at the DME office, the staff actually removed the SD cards from everyone's device stating that part of their service is monitoring and support. The SD cards wouldn't be needed

I'd like to choke the morons.

[palerider]

What is flow limit measuring? The volume I am inhale/exhaling?

A flow limitation is a charicteristic change in the flow rate of breathing. Instead of nice rounded inhalation curves, they're flat topped, or chair shaped, or a few other abnormal shapes.

Try breathing through a straw, flow limitation is like that, it makes breathing harder work.

[StephenK]

Gracias. Just curious.

[palerider]

Gracias. Just curious.

https://youtu.be/-gie2dhqP2c

[ChicagoGranny]

Try breathing through a straw

Should the straw be in my mouth or my nose?

[zonker]

Try breathing through a straw

Should the straw be in my mouth or my nose?

neither. in your right ear.

[ChicagoGranny]

neither. in your right ear.

As you can see from my avatar, I only have a left ear.

The pigs ate my right ear.

[palerider]

Try breathing through a straw

Should the straw be in my mouth or my nose?

Whichever you'd rather shove it into.

[zonker]

neither. in your right ear.

As you can see from my avatar, I only have a left ear.

The pigs ate my right ear.

oh, poor baby.

i take it you don't wear a hat?