My CPAP Story

[cpaptex]

Let me see if you can figure out when I changed from a CPAP with Auto (for 30 days) to a real Auto CPAP. Real DRAMATIC difference. I wonder if it's just an unfortunate Algorithym and was I being properly treated.... I'm now using the Respironics System 1 PR1 Auto, it was the PR1 CPAP with Auto (for 30 days). The end of the period creeps up, why? Did it autoadjust the wrong way.

Did anyone else notice this? Was my old machine defective? Or was it just my body playing games.

[Pugsy]

More likely your body was playing games but I see what you are talking about. You know we don't know for sure if the Auto IQ does anything different than the regular APAP does. We simply don't know.
We do know that from time time weird things happen and our data is just plain screwy.

We don't have a lot of Auto IQ users here and even less that have made the switch to full time APAP machines when the 30 days was up.

[cpaptex]

Probably so, I was looking much more closely over the waveform this morning and I noticed that I have quite a few events that don't make it to the 10sec threshold to count as an event. They are about 8 seconds and are flatline events. Wouldn't/shouldn't that qualify for something? I see a dot sometimes, not always. This is not a Sleepyhead issues. When I checked with the DME with my SDCard, the data intepretation is exactly the same.

I'll be talking to my Pulmonologist about it, he's also my Sleep Dr. He'll stare at me for a second and say, "you are not typical of most of my patients". Most of his patients are 20 years my senior and have Critical Lung Issues and they trust their Dr. It's not that I don't trust the Dr., but I check my change when I make cash purchases too.

I ask too many question.

[Pugsy]

I was looking much more closely over the waveform this morning and I noticed that I have quite a few events that don't make it to the 10sec threshold to count as an event. They are about 8 seconds and are flatline events. Wouldn't/shouldn't that qualify for something? I see a dot sometimes, not always.

The little dot that you see is a pressure pulse. Sometimes the machine sends out a little extra puff of pressure to help it decide if the event in question is a collapsed airway event or open airway event.
Sometimes it needs the little puff to help it make up its mind and sometimes it doesn't.

And yes, we do see less than 10 second reductions in flow. There has to be a line somewhere and the medical community has determined that the line should be 10 seconds. Having a whole lot of 8 second reductions is probably more of a stressor than a single 10 or 12 second reduction but 10 is the cut off line. It is what it is. Kinda like blood tests when a normal range in cholesterol is up to 200...I am at 201..how bad is it really?...

Even people without an OSA diagnosis would likely have some occasional events just like you describe...just not as many of them.

[cpaptex]

It was time to go get replace parts for my Respironics EasyLife Nasal Mask, try another Nose Pillow or get something else.

I opted to get the ResMed Mirage Activa LT. I had this as one of my mask during the tryout and I liked it. It leaked a bit so I decided to move along. Now I need a break from the Respironics EasyLife Mask. It puts pressure on the Bridge of my Nose and it becomes sensitive from time. So the break will be nice, my Nose is almost accustomed to being smashed every night.

I like being able to to get an assortment of Masks during this first year so that I have more options. Next year it's a new deductible.....

[cpaptex]

I'm sick so the numbers may not mean much right now. But....

I thought that the pressure would go up even with CA events, am I wrong?

[n0hardmask]

[quote="cpaptex"]I'm sick so the numbers may not mean much right now. But....
I thought that the pressure would go up even with CA events, am I wrong?
Hi, CpapTex. I'd say you're sick! .. did you notice the few minutes of sleep vs the 6:3x of wake time? I'll leave the CA question to those who know. I would just be trying to regurgitate what I think I read on the forum. Hope you get well.

[DrPepper00]

I'm sick so the numbers may not mean much right now. But....
I thought that the pressure would go up even with CA events, am I wrong?
Hi, CpapTex. I'd say you're sick! .. did you notice the few minutes of sleep vs the 6:3x of wake time? I'll leave the CA question to those who know. I would just be trying to regurgitate what I think I read on the forum. Hope you get well.

Don't panic for him. Sleep is the time he went to sleep...shortly after midnight. Wake is the time he woke up. Shortly after 6. More accurately, the time the machine started and stopped. It cannot tell if you are awake or asleep.

[Pugsy]

I thought that the pressure would go up even with CA events, am I wrong?

The APAP machines will NOT increase the pressure in response to Clear Airway events (PR S1) or Centrals by other machines. The airway is already open and thus no amount of pressure can open it any further than it already is. The purpose of the pressure is to maintain or hold an airway open so the tissues don't collapse. APAP machines will sit and twiddle their thumbs while any Clear Airway events come and go because they aren't designed to respond to those open airway events.

Now if a person has a diagnosis of complex or central sleep apnea then there are machines that will force a person to breath (ASV machines) and they will respond because they are designed to more or less breathe for you when you simply stop breathing and the airway is open. That involves a whole different need, diagnosis and discussion.

[DoriC]

I'm sick so the numbers may not mean much right now. But....
I thought that the pressure would go up even with CA events, am I wrong?
Hi, CpapTex. I'd say you're sick! .. did you notice the few minutes of sleep vs the 6:3x of wake time? I'll leave the CA question to those who know. I would just be trying to regurgitate what I think I read on the forum. Hope you get well.

Wake means he turned the machine off at 6:30AM and turned it on a little after Midnight so it was on for 6hrs/15mins. It doesn't record when you're asleep and when you're awake. I wish it did.

[cpaptex]

Thanks for all the replies. You're right Pugsy, I spoke to the DME and the PA for my Pulmonologist who both said that I may have the wrong machine. When my Pulmonologist get back next week the PA said that she would pass the info on to him and they would see what to do next.

[cpaptex]

I've been developing a cough, I have a Interstitial Lung Disease, and for the last week my AHI numbers have been creeping up and up. Thursday was a GREAT day with only a .53, but Friday returned negative with a AHI of 9.97. only .97 of that was OA. 5.54 was CA and 3.51 were Hypopneas.

Here's my question, do your numbers go UP when you have a Lung Congestion, Cold, Flu, Pneumonia or any other Lung related condition?