Can I run a test on myself?

[Country4ever]

Hi all,
Can I turn my pressures down as low as they will go, and see how I do?
I've got a ResMed Auto Vantage and I think I can only go down to 4. Can I set both limits on 4, and see what the numbers are in the morning?
Too bad we can't set them to zero for the test. I'm just very curious how I would do without the help of the machine. My sleep test was several years ago. I don't want another one, plus I don't think it would be accurate, as I'm very anxious, don't sleep, and need medication to sleep at all there.
Thanks.

[ozij]

4 is almost the equivalent of non-pressure, yes, that's what you would set the machine at if you wanted a non-cpap supported reading.

I've often thought of trying that test - but I treasure my good sleep too much to do it.

You can do it - but should you?
O.

[LavenderMist]

I don't think I'd be able to do that. I'd feel like I was smothering while awake on a setting of 4. What is your current pressure?

[Slinky]

Since you know how to reset your pressure you can set it anywhere your little ole heart desires - as long as you are willing to accept any consequences for doing so.

Personally, altho my scripted pressure is only 8 cms I don't even use Ramp any more as I can't breathe comfortably w/it starting at 4 or 5 cms. As a matter of fact, altho I appreciated the EPR at first, I don't even use that anymore and have turned it off too.

[billbolton]

Too bad we can't set them to zero for the test. I'm just very curious how I would do without the help of the machine.

You seem to be completely misunderstanding what the scoring algorithms in flow generators do.

They monitor treatment, and will not give you any useful information if you set the machine to something which is unable to get you into the basic treatment zone for your OSA condition. At a setting of 4 you will get readings but the readings are likely to be effectively meaningless in terms of indicating what is really happening.

If you really want some idea of what your current non-treatment condition is, you may be able to hire an overnight testing kit, which will monitor your breathing and SpO2 levels, but even so this is a fairly gross measure and is usually only useful as an indicator on whether a full PSG is required.

Cheers,

Bill

[Slinky]

Hey, Bill Bolton!!! What do you know about Resmed's ApneaLink??

Our local hospital's sleep lab is offering free ApneaLink trials. I haven't been able to convince hubby to go in for a sleep study, I don't go to his doctor, and when I go w/him to his doctor what I have to say gets ignored by the doctor.

So I made an appointment for Monday morning for "us" to go pick up the ApneaLink for him to use Monday night. I figure since the hospital sends a report of the ApneaLink download its gonna be kinda hard for his doctor to ignore a written copy in my husband's medical records.

Of course, now I have to break the news of this appointment to my husband ..... they did say I could pick it up for him if he "couldn't" come in Monday morning .... so if you hear some rumbles Monday morning early, don't panic. Its just hubby finding out he's got this appointment ....

[Perchancetodream]

Congratulations, Slinky!!!

Whatever it takes...

Susan

[billbolton]

Hey, Bill Bolton!!! What do you know about Resmed's ApneaLink??

I've never personally had any expereince with one, but I have been thinking about hiring one overnight for our youngest boy, (24 years old, still at home) who is snoring a lot, just to see what his numbers look like and whether a PSG is indicated.

We've already gone down the nasal surgery route but that hasn't really made any significant difference for him.

ApneaLink Clinician brochure

Cheers,

Bill

[echo]

Go slinky, you evil partner you! let us know if it works

[rested gal]

Hi all,
Can I turn my pressures down as low as they will go, and see how I do?
I've got a ResMed Auto Vantage and I think I can only go down to 4. Can I set both limits on 4, and see what the numbers are in the morning?

Yes, you can. As Bill Bolton said, that kind of test won't be like having a PSG, but I think it can be quite a bit more informative than "will not give you any useful information" or "At a setting of 4 you will get readings but the readings are likely to be effectively meaningless in terms of indicating what is really happening."

If your prescribed pressure is 7 or more, then I think using your machine at 4 cm could likely be sub-therapeutic enough to give a rough idea of what your AHI would be untreated.

I did that a couple of times with two different brands of autopap - a REMstar Auto and a PB 420E. At a straight pressure of 4, both came up with essentially the same AHI I received later from a full PSG sleep study diagnostic night.

Certainly a full PSG would be tons more informative. In second place would be a home sleep study while monitoring SpO2 throughout the night.

What you propose would be less informative, but not useless. As I understand it, that's what the "split night" setting was designed for in Respironics autopaps. If a person could not go to a sleep lab, using "split night" with the machine would at least yield several hours of rough diagnostic information, followed by the remainder of the night getting treatment. Could give an idea, however approximate, of how things went -- "almost without" cpap, and then with the machine finding the pressure needed to correct the OSA problem.

[Country4ever]

Thanks for that good info Rested gal!

[NarcoApneac]

My untreated AHI was 50, and with CPAP my best thearapy gives me an average AHI of about 2. When I tried 4, 5, and 6cms I got an AHI of about 6.5. All I learned from trying low pressures is that for me they are surprisingly, but not entirely effective.

Depending on your response to low pressures, several nights of oximetry (treated and untreated) might come closer to telling you how you are doing now. I say several nights because I see a lot of variation from night to night in my oximetry.

[Country4ever]

Thanks Narcoapneac.
What pressure are you at, to get the good AHI?

[billbolton]

At a straight pressure of 4, both came up with essentially the same AHI I received later from a full PSG sleep study diagnostic night.

A sample of 1 user is not any sort of reliable indication that it would apply to a cross section of users with a variety of possible SDB presentations.

I stand by my earlier comments above.

Cheers,

Bill

[Slinky]

So much for the ApneaLink trial. *sigh* The only man I've ever met who can be more bullheaded than I am. *sigh* Probably why I was attracted to and married him.

No way was he having any part of going w/me to pick it up this morning. Still I went and picked it up in the hopes my daughter and I could convince him. Ha! Of all nights daughter couldn't stop on the way home from work. She had to call and ask us to feed the horses since she had a dental appointment and then Parent/Teacher conference at schoo. *sigh*

He would NOT wear the finger sensor. He would NOT wear the 02 type cannula on his face. The chest band is only to help keep the ApneaLink itself nearby. They suggested just laying it near his pillow.

So .... I get to take it back tomorrow unused. *sigh* D*amn bullheaded Frenchmen!!! Grrrrr. I should trade him in on a goat and shoot the goat!