Need Some Sugestions

[droo_d]

I was recently diagnosed with borderline mild/moderate obstructive sleep apnea with an AHI of 15. My dad was also diagnosed with severe sleep apnea but chose to go untreated over the past 15-20 years and never mentioned it to me until I told him this past week.

Could you anyone please provide me some suggestions to lower my AHI level? The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

Any suggestions would be excellent. Thank you in advance!

Oscar AHI = 5.62

[zonker]

Could you anyone please provide me some suggestions to lower my AHI level? The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

your doctor isn't giving you good advice, which i suspect you already knew!

the default settings rarely work out for anyone because that minimum of 4 is just too hard for most of us to breathe with. plus, it's pretty much useless in fighting of events during the night.

take a look at your chart, the section that is labeled "pressure". see how it rises to 7 and NEVER goes back to 4? that's a big hint, right there. i say raise your minimum pressure to 7, at least, to let your machine have a proper start at things.

others may suggest a higher starting pressure and i wouldn't argue with them. i'm just more conservative about this and keenly aware that, in my case, bumping up pressures too quickly results in aerophagia. but that's me. might not effect you at all.

good luck!!

[Dog Slobber]

I agree with Zonker, doctor gave you lousy advice. The machine minimum of 4 is often not enough, many feel air starved and it has to far to go, in to short of time to treat events.

I think Zonker's suggestion of 7 is a bit conservative, but that's where you, your comfort level and tolerance to pressure plays an important role.

If you are comfortable with higher pressures start off at say 9. No problem starting at 7 though and seeing where the machine wants to go, then gradually easing it upwards.

Good idea getting the heated hose, when you get it you can try higher humidity. Don't make to abrupt a change. Go up by 1 notch see how you do, wait a few days, and repeat.

Some other considerations.

You have EPR turned off. EPR reduces pressure on exhale, many find this helpful to tolerate pressure. Consider turning it on and setting it to the maximum 3. This can also be beneficial if you increase your pressure beyond 7.

You have Ramp set to 4 and lasts 45 minutes. Consider setting Ramp to Auto, this way therapy will kick in when the machine detects you've fallen asleep. Right now for the first 45 minutes your machine isn't monitoring you.

You're covering your AHI value, it was a bit of a PITA seeing in-graph AHI was 5.62.

And then there's the leaks. We want to try to reduce those. Use the mask fit while laying down options and experiment with tightening or loosening the straps. There are times where the leak is so great therapy and apnea detection is unreliable.

So in summary, I would:

• Turn EPR on value 3.
• Set min pressure 9, max pressure leave at 20.
• Turn RAMP to Auto and pressure to 7 during ramp.
• When you get your heated hose, try it on Auto for a few days, then gradually move up a notch.
• Try those out and see what the machine wants to do next.

[palerider]

The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

Your doctor is completely ignorant of how auto cpaps work, whether or not the doc is a certified idiot remains to be seen.
The default settings are right for probably 1% of the population. (that's why the machine will go down to 4) but very very few.

Based on the posted pressure chart, I recommend setting your min pressure to 9. (possibly higher, but let's see what it looks like after a few days at 9.

[zonker]

I agree with Zonker, doctor gave you lousy advice. The machine minimum of 4 is often not enough, many feel air starved and it has to far to go, in to short of time to treat events.

I think Zonker's suggestion of 7 is a bit conservative, but that's where you, your comfort level and tolerance to pressure plays an important role.

is it time yet for me to call you a bully and storm off in a snit?

[droo_d]

Could you anyone please provide me some suggestions to lower my AHI level? The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

your doctor isn't giving you good advice, which i suspect you already knew!

the default settings rarely work out for anyone because that minimum of 4 is just too hard for most of us to breathe with. plus, it's pretty much useless in fighting of events during the night.

take a look at your chart, the section that is labeled "pressure". see how it rises to 7 and NEVER goes back to 4? that's a big hint, right there. i say raise your minimum pressure to 7, at least, to let your machine have a proper start at things.

others may suggest a higher starting pressure and i wouldn't argue with them. i'm just more conservative about this and keenly aware that, in my case, bumping up pressures too quickly results in aerophagia. but that's me. might not effect you at all.

good luck!!

I feel so naive after reading this. I actually believed her. She said my AHI fell as low as 1.0 with the default settings that’s why I’m surprised to see an AHI of 5-8 at home. I should’ve hopped on this forum sooner and downloaded oscars to import the data from the rental’s SD card to confirm before returning it.

Thank you for the great tips! I will test one change at a time and try 7 before steadily increasing.

[droo_d]

I agree with Zonker, doctor gave you lousy advice. The machine minimum of 4 is often not enough, many feel air starved and it has to far to go, in to short of time to treat events.

I think Zonker's suggestion of 7 is a bit conservative, but that's where you, your comfort level and tolerance to pressure plays an important role.

If you are comfortable with higher pressures start off at say 9. No problem starting at 7 though and seeing where the machine wants to go, then gradually easing it upwards.

Good idea getting the heated hose, when you get it you can try higher humidity. Don't make to abrupt a change. Go up by 1 notch see how you do, wait a few days, and repeat.

Some other considerations.

You have EPR turned off. EPR reduces pressure on exhale, many find this helpful to tolerate pressure. Consider turning it on and setting it to the maximum 3. This can also be beneficial if you increase your pressure beyond 7.

You have Ramp set to 4 and lasts 45 minutes. Consider setting Ramp to Auto, this way therapy will kick in when the machine detects you've fallen asleep. Right now for the first 45 minutes your machine isn't monitoring you.

You're covering your AHI value, it was a bit of a PITA seeing in-graph AHI was 5.62.

And then there's the leaks. We want to try to reduce those. Use the mask fit while laying down options and experiment with tightening or loosening the straps. There are times where the leak is so great therapy and apnea detection is unreliable.

So in summary, I would:

• Turn EPR on value 3.
• Set min pressure 9, max pressure leave at 20.
• Turn RAMP to Auto and pressure to 7 during ramp.
• When you get your heated hose, try it on Auto for a few days, then gradually move up a notch.
• Try those out and see what the machine wants to do next.

Thank you so much!

This is excellent advice! I’ll make sure to change the settings tonight.

The doctor had been working at kaisers sleep clinic for over 20 years so I actually believed there was truth in what she was advising. So glad to be a part of this forum otherwise I would’ve never found out

[droo_d]

The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

Your doctor is completely ignorant of how auto cpaps work, whether or not the doc is a certified idiot remains to be seen.
The default settings are right for probably 1% of the population. (that's why the machine will go down to 4) but very very few.

Based on the posted pressure chart, I recommend setting your min pressure to 9. (possibly higher, but let's see what it looks like after a few days at 9.

She was also very pushy and wanted me to order the CPAP through her. When I told her I’d prefer to buy it elsewhere without insurance who only provided me with Apria Healthcare, she asked me again 4 to 6 times throughout a 10 min call....

Would rather run than order from them. Got my CPAP on here and couldn’t be happier.

I’ll change the settings to min 9 max 20 tonight. Thanks for the tips! Hope CPAP therapy has been great for you!

[zonker]

I feel so naive after reading this. I actually believed her. She said my AHI fell as low as 1.0 with the default settings that’s why I’m surprised to see an AHI of 5-8 at home. I should’ve hopped on this forum sooner and downloaded oscars to import the data from the rental’s SD card to confirm before returning it.

Thank you for the great tips! I will test one change at a time and try 7 before steadily increasing.

meh. you weren't born knowing this stuff. when i first came here, i thought *I* was the only one with a crappy doctor. there are a few on here who have had a great relationship with their knowledgeable doctors, but those appear to be few and far between.

please update us on how the minimum raise works out for you.

[Stephaniedp3]

Could you anyone please provide me some suggestions to lower my AHI level? The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

your doctor isn't giving you good advice, which i suspect you already knew!

the default settings rarely work out for anyone because that minimum of 4 is just too hard for most of us to breathe with. plus, it's pretty much useless in fighting of events during the night.

take a look at your chart, the section that is labeled "pressure". see how it rises to 7 and NEVER goes back to 4? that's a big hint, right there. i say raise your minimum pressure to 7, at least, to let your machine have a proper start at things.

others may suggest a higher starting pressure and i wouldn't argue with them. i'm just more conservative about this and keenly aware that, in my case, bumping up pressures too quickly results in aerophagia. but that's me. might not effect you at all.

good luck!!

I feel so naive after reading this. I actually believed her. She said my AHI fell as low as 1.0 with the default settings that’s why I’m surprised to see an AHI of 5-8 at home. I should’ve hopped on this forum sooner and downloaded oscars to import the data from the rental’s SD card to confirm before returning it.

Thank you for the great tips! I will test one change at a time and try 7 before steadily increasing.

How long have you been using cpap? There’s definitely adjustments we have to go through it’s not as easy as the dr says use this and it works. (It was for me but everyone is different and bodies are weird!)
And hey, at least you didn’t think the cpap pushed air in and out and you had to time your breath with it! What idiot did that. Me. I did that.

[droo_d]

Could you anyone please provide me some suggestions to lower my AHI level? The doctor recommended that I stay on the default settings with min: 4 and max: 20 but I’m curious to hear some feedback based on data from Oscars.

your doctor isn't giving you good advice, which i suspect you already knew!

the default settings rarely work out for anyone because that minimum of 4 is just too hard for most of us to breathe with. plus, it's pretty much useless in fighting of events during the night.

take a look at your chart, the section that is labeled "pressure". see how it rises to 7 and NEVER goes back to 4? that's a big hint, right there. i say raise your minimum pressure to 7, at least, to let your machine have a proper start at things.

others may suggest a higher starting pressure and i wouldn't argue with them. i'm just more conservative about this and keenly aware that, in my case, bumping up pressures too quickly results in aerophagia. but that's me. might not effect you at all.

good luck!!

I feel so naive after reading this. I actually believed her. She said my AHI fell as low as 1.0 with the default settings that’s why I’m surprised to see an AHI of 5-8 at home. I should’ve hopped on this forum sooner and downloaded oscars to import the data from the rental’s SD card to confirm before returning it.

Thank you for the great tips! I will test one change at a time and try 7 before steadily increasing.

How long have you been using cpap? There’s definitely adjustments we have to go through it’s not as easy as the dr says use this and it works. (It was for me but everyone is different and bodies are weird!)
And hey, at least you didn’t think the cpap pushed air in and out and you had to time your breath with it! What idiot did that. Me. I did that.

Hahaha that’s hilarious!

I’ve used the CPAP for 9 nights in total. 7 nights with a Nasal Pillow and last 2 nights with a Full Face Mask. Experiencing more leaks with the FFM for sure

Will keep everyone updated in the process. Thanks for chiming in

[almostadoctor]

Please work with your doctor for the settings.

You people are completely misunderstanding the settings and you're completely ignoring how the Autoset algorithms work. The range 4-20 is for an intelligent startup process. Sure, you get very little therapy between 4-7. But it's much easier to fall asleep at 4 and the Autoset ramps up to 7 very quickly after recognizing regular breathing patterns of sleep.

And furthermore, it's not stopping there. It's monitoring your flow looking for signatures of apneic events in order to automatically titrate the pressure during the night.

Static settings are a thing of the past, at least with the ResMed Autoset technology.

Please don't go badmouthing your doctor and passing around superstition. Learn what your equipment is doing and what the settings are for. Or work with your doctor.

[palerider]

Please work with your doctor for the settings.

Go away.

You people are completely misunderstanding the settings and you're completely ignoring how the Autoset algorithms work.

No, we're not, and no, we're not.

The range 4-20 is for an intelligent startup process.

No, it's stupid.

Sure, you get very little therapy between 4-7.

For 90+% of the people, it's completely ineffective, therapy wise.

But it's much easier to fall asleep at 4 and the Autoset ramps up to 7 very quickly after recognizing regular breathing patterns of sleep.

Many people feel suffocated at such low pressures, All you're doing is *guaranteeing* that people have more breathing problems, it's ignorant and stupid, and you are ignorant and stupid.

And furthermore, it's not stopping there. It's monitoring your flow looking for signatures of apneic events in order to automatically titrate the pressure during the night.

Machines do not 'titrate', they increase pressure in response to breathing problems, far more than just 'apneic events'.

Static settings are a thing of the past, at least with the ResMed Autoset technology.

Which you don't understand how it works.

Please don't go badmouthing your doctor and passing around superstition. Learn what your equipment is doing and what the settings are for. Or work with your doctor.

Please go away and never post here again.

[harrywr2]

The range 4-20 is for an intelligent startup process

4 is like trying to suck a wendy's milkshake thru my nose with a straw.
There is nothing intelligent about it and nothing intelligent about the person that thought 4 would be a good starting pressure for me.

Please work with your doctor for the settings.

McDonald's can't get me a hamburger in the time my sleep doctor spent with me.
Reception had me fill out ESS test, doctor came in glanced in my mouth and marked my tongue position on a form, sent in a tech to explain how to use a home sleep test, dropped off the test, got a call that the DME would be contacting me, picked up my cpap at the DME(they had a course on house to turn it on), got a call from the sleep tech a week later that my numbers were under 5 and good luck. A nice quick $600 for the sleep doctor. He could easily process 10 patients an hour(12 without a coffee break).

[almostadoctor]

Well, I'm glad ignorance and hate reigns supreme on this board.