OSCAR Assistance

[royb8829]

Hello, I recently joined the forum and have been reviewing a lot of the threads to try and better understand Sleep Apnea and things that can help increase efficiency of using CPAP. About three weeks ago I downloaded OSCAR. My computer skills and knowledge is very weak and it takes a bit for me to understand and get the hang of things. My machine is the Resmed Airsense 10 Auto set to CPAP and I use a F20 Airtouch mask because I have a beard. I think it was on 8/1/19 that I started to use OSCAR. Between 8/1 and 8/6 I was getting only a summary and no graphs on the report The pie chart and statistics screen were listing data which appears to be basically the same as what myair reports. On 8/7 the graphs appeared on the report, on 8/8 no graphs, 8/9 graphs appeared again, 8/10 no graphs and no data available ( I think I didn't put the SD card in that night ), 8/11 graphs appear, 8/12 no data available ( again I think I didn't put the SD card in ), 8/13 to 8/16 no graphs and then on 8/17 graphs came up.

I've got to be doing something incorrectly but not sure what it is. I make sure the SD card is unlocked when I put it in the machine and then lock it before putting it in the computer. I have windows 10. If someone knows what I'm doing wrong please let me know.

Once I have learned how to get the graphs to come up I want to post a couple of them and ask for someone to help review them for me.
Thank you.

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

The SD card absolutely MUST be in the cpap machine all night if you are going to get any detailed data (those graphs and stuff).
The machine will only store the summary data in its internal memory.
For anything else it gets written directly to the SD card and if no card in the slot there is no place for the detailed data to go to.

[royb8829]

Pugsy Thank you for your response. I think I figured out what I was doing wrong, I was inserting the SD card after I turned the machine on. I now insert the card before I turn it on and have had some better luck with getting the data on the card. I have a couple of times where OSCAR is off on the times when I start the machine ( I write down each day the time I go to bed and get up ).
8/17: Turned on 11:20 pm and off at 7:28 / OSCAR showed Start 11:23 pm and end 8:24 am (difference in end time)
8/18: Did not get any data this night / myair showed 7 hours 11 minutes use
8/19: Turned on 10:30 pm and off at 6:00 am / Oscar showed Start 10:59 pm and end 5:59 am (difference in start time)
8/20: Turned on 10:33 pm and off at 6:00 am / Oscar showed Start 3:56 am and end 5:31 am for use of 1:31 hours/ myair showed 6 hrs 21 min
8/21: Turned on 10:35 pm and off at 6:00 am / Oscar showed Start 2:08 am and end 5:59 am for use of 3:47 hours/ myair showed 6 hrs 59 min
8/22: Turned on 10:45 pm and off at 6:00 am / Oscar showed Start 10:42 pm and end 5:58 am (times are dead on)
8/23: Turned on 12:05 am and off 7:49 am/ Got a Summary Only for OSCAR and was showing Start 00:05:00 with end at 07:57:00 (almost dead on times) but no charts or graphs.

Not sure why I didn't get data on the card for 8/18 and 8/23 or why the data started recording so long after starting the machine on 8/20 and 8/21.

I'm suspect I'm doing something incorrectly but not sure what it is. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would appreciate the input. My computer skills are limited.

One other question: If I get up to go to the bathroom is it best to turn the machine off or just unhook the hose and let it run and then re-hook it when I get back to bed?

Thank each of you,
Roy

[Okie bipap]

When I get up at night, I turn my machine off. If you leave it running without being connected to a mask, it may show up as a large leak before the machine finally figures out there is no one connected to it at the other end.

[royb8829]

Thank you for the information. The same thing happened last night, OSCAR start time not correct. I went to bed at 11:05pm and started the machine. I got to looking at the past days the start time is not right and this is what I noted (I write down the times I go to bed and get up for the day. If I get up to go the bathroom I write it down also).
8-9: Start time showing 1:31am, I got up at 1:30 for the bathroom
8-11: Start time showing 1:09am, I got up at 1:04 for the bathroom
8-20: Start time showing 3:56am, I got up at 1:28 for the bathroom and went back to bed then aroused at 3:55am and dozed from then til I got up.
8-21: Start time showing 2:08am, I got up at 2:01 for the bathroom
8-24: Start time showing 3:05am, I got up at 3:03 for the bathroom

The start times are within minutes of me getting up. I make sure the SD card is inserted all the way when I go to bed and I also watch to make sure the amber light comes on to let me know the card is all the way in. I don't take the SD card out until I get up in the mornings.

Any clue as to what may be happening? I'm going to get a new SD card just in case the one I have is messed up.

Thank you,
Roy

[jimbud]

Have you set the time correctly on the machine?
Did you set the correct time zone on Oscar?
I haven't run into that trouble so I am just throwing that out there.
JPB

[royb8829]

Hello, Thank you for responding. I have checked the machine and OSCAR and times are correct. It's just some of the nights it starts recording at the wrong time and other nights it's fine. Got a new card today so I will try it tonight. Just strange that it started recording the data a few minutes after I got up and went back to bed and I hadn't touched the machine or card.
Thank you again for your response.
Roy

[Pugsy]

If the clock on the machine is correct...and the time zone is correct in OSCAR....and the times and hours of use are still whacko....it wouldn't be totally impossible for there to be a problem with the machine actually recording and writing to the SD card.
Meaning machine malfunction is possible.

My suggestion is to get and use ResScan (if you can since it is Windows only) and verify with ResMed's own software that the machine is not recording properly....and if it is still whacko then get in touch with the machine supplier.

If you want ResScan...send me a PM and I will help you out. Windows only though.

[royb8829]

Hello, Could someone please review the attached charts and let me know if you have an ideas or suggestions for improvement. I missed the chart for 9-21, messed up putting the SD card in.
Background/Medical/Meds:

6'3" 210 lbs., 73 yo, former smoker, no alcohol, walking 1 to 1 1/2 miles 5 times a week. Basically a side sleeper, sometimes I wake up and I am partially on my back. I do get dry mouth pretty bad.

Started having sleep difficulties in November 2017. Started just waking up within a couple of hours after going to bed and being able to get restful sleep after that. Still doing it.
Diagnosed with emphysema January 2018. No heart problems. Blood pressure good. No other major health problems. Blood work within normal ranges.
Sleep study August 2018 diagonesd as mild apena. Titration November 2018 with recommended pressure of 4 cm. Started CPAP November 2018.

Meds: Pioglitazone 30 mg, Anoro Euipta 1 puff daily, Rosuvastain 20 mg, Flowmax 0.4 mg, Vitamin D-3 1,000 IU, Folic Acid 1 mg, B-12 2,000 mcg, Melatonin 10 mg take about 3-4 nights per week, Lunesta 3 mg typically only take on Friday and Saturday nights, Oxygen 2 liters at night started August 2019.

Tried 4 different masks since starting CPAP. I have a short beard and had big leak problems most of the time. Currently useing F20 airtouch, with boomerang gel pad, and most of the time leaks have been better sometimes they creep up on me. Past few weeks AHI has been below 5 and several times less than 1. Typically go to bed about 10:30 and go to sleep within about 15-20 minutes and sleep pretty good until between 1am and 3am. I wake up and don't get restful sleep after that. When I take the Lunesta I sleep all night and wake up rested and not sleepy during the day. I don't want to become dependant on the Lunesta so just take it on the weekends. Very tempting to use it all the time.
Thank you,
Roy

[jimbud]

I am not one of experts on here, but I do have past experience with Rosuvastatin 20 mg. (Crestor)
I tolerated it pretty well. It can make you fatigued and has other adverse side effects.
Some people tolerate it. Some do not.
My doctor changed me to two other meds. a couple of years ago.
I guess she thought I had been on it long enough.

Good luck,
JPB

I am sorry about my confusing Rosuvastatin (Crestor) for Atorvastatin (Lipitor).

[BlueDragon]

I am not one of experts on here, but I do have past experience with Rosuvastatin 20 mg. (Lipitor)
It is poison to me.
It caused all kinds of problems, and issues with sleep was one.
Felt like hell all day every day.
Some people tolerate it. Some do not.

fwiw, Rosuvastatin is Crestor, not Lipitor.

[jimbud]

I am not one of experts on here, but I do have past experience with Rosuvastatin 20 mg. (Lipitor)
It is poison to me.
It caused all kinds of problems, and issues with sleep was one.
Felt like hell all day every day.
Some people tolerate it. Some do not.

fwiw, Rosuvastatin is Crestor, not Lipitor.

You are right. I should have Googled.
It is Crestor, not Lipitor.
Atorvastatin is generic for Lipitor.

I actually tolerated Crestor/Rosuvastatin 20 mg pretty well.
Until I didn't.

I will attempt a correction.
JPB

[royb8829]

Good morning, I forgot to mention that I had taken 3mg Lunesta on 9/20. I noticed the AHI was some higher than previous. Will using a sleeping pill cause the AHI to increase? If someone could have a look at the charts and let me know their thoughts I would appreciate it.

Thank you,
Roy

[Pugsy]

I am not so sure that the Lunesta had anything to do with the higher AHI.
Looks to me like you had a significant cluster of OAs right at the beginning of the night that probably impacted the AHI some and I am betting you weren't asleep when those got flagged.

I suppose that technically the Lunesta (or really any sleeping aid) could maybe cause the airway tissues to relax more and thus greater chance of collapse but they don't typically create a huge difference if they do especially when using auto adjusting mode because the machine can just deal with it.
Only problem with that for you right now is you aren't using auto adjusting mode...you are using fixed cpap mode.
So the machine can't auto adjust.

You might have to just keep a detailed log of your AHI when you take the Lunesta and when you don't and see if you see a direct correlation.
I never form conclusions based on a single night's data. Sometimes we just have bad nights and we don't do anything different.
We simply don't sleep the same each night even without meds to help.
Maybe we are on our backs more some nights when can cause OSA to worsen and need more pressure.
Maybe we get more REM which can also cause OSA to worsen and need more pressure.
Maybe we get more REM and are on our backs at the same time....and need more pressure.

[royb8829]

Hi Pugsy, Thank you for responding. I will keep up with the Lunesta usage and AHI's. I had ask my Doctor about the auto setting and he had told me he wanted it on constant. Seems like to me that defeats the purpose of having an auto machine. I have an appointment today and will bring it up again. I am considering looking for another Doctor. The only thing that this one has done is have the pressure increased. All the time I was having big leak problems with the other masks I tried there was no suggestions on what other mask to try, etc. At one point he had told me not to worry about the leaks, they were running in the 50-60 l/m, the resmed limit is 24 l/m. That worried me. The DME they use doesn't have a fitting or try on program, so it's a shot in the dark with other masks. If anybody knows of or has a good sleep doctor in Houston I would appreciate knowing. I just don't get restful sleep and feel like I've been hit by a bus by the end of the day.

Do the charts look pretty good other than the leaks? Last night the leak rate was 58 l/m. with AHI 0.1. Maybe the leak was too much for the machine to keep up with resulting in the low AHI?

I appreciate everyone's insight.
Roy