Weekly Status

[khauser]

As a kind of experiment I am going to post my stats weekly to maintain a history and see what people thing. Considering how much time it takes to do this I can't say how long I'll do this. (Any advice on which graphs are less useful would be great. Right now each day is 4 clips, one for the summary and 3 for the graphs.)

I've posted the first week (actually, half-week) already but on a different thread. Just for consistency I'll re-post them here. They start Feb 6 when I got my current xPAP and the Aloha mask.
2/6





2/7





2/8

[khauser]

Adding 2/9 - 2/15

2/9





2/10





2/11





2/12





2/13





2/14





2/15

[khauser]

I should mention that I raised the minimum pressure early last week to 13 and max to 16.5 (which the machine instantly gravitated to), and to 17 mid week (which again, it gravitated to), so I think my max is too low. I'm going to keep raising it slowly in case CAs start.

I note that in general the snoring happens early in my sleep. I know why that is ... just have to decided which I care about more. I like a drink or two at night. I think that is contributing to the snoring.

I'm going to verify some of the data with Encore (I hate Encore). I also am not certain what some of these are. Do I care about Leaks or Total Leaks? And when?? What's the difference between VS and VS2? What is Minute Vent? Tidal Volume seems to be easily fooled if the mask is lifted from my face for any small bit of time...

[Pugsy]

Do I care about Leaks or Total Leaks?

Total leak is mask vent rate plus any excess leak..this is what Encore defaults to reporting but you can change it to report only excess leak if you want to. Large leak territory doesn't begin until somewhere around 80 to 90 L/min. We are never told an exact number but from past experience and seeing other reports (Encore's) we don't see a large leak flag till leaks get up in that area.
It seems to depend on the machine. My machine it was 90 L/min. Some of the new 60 series machines it seems to be around 80 L/min. Encore will give a specific large leak notation if you hit it. Generally if below 70 L/min..you haven't crossed over in to large leak territory.

Leak in SleepyHead would be the equivalent of excess only leak. Mark was having trouble with this calculation so it may not match Encore's leak if you change it to excess only. It will be close though.

Look in the SleepyHead glossary for the explanation of terminology. The minute volume and stuff..the normals vary so much we don't have a way to document them. Men, women, short, tall, where we live (altitude) all affect those norms. Google them to find the web Wiki more in depth definitions along with the wide range in norms.

VS and VS 2...I have forgotten the differences and don't have time to look but Robysue had a good description a while back.

SleepyHead graphs can be altered so you can get all the main graphs in one image. Just hover the mouse over the bottom line of each graph and click and drag. SH will remember the resizing. Unneeded graphs can be turned off via Preferences/graphs.
Some simply aren't all that important.
Main graphs I like to see
Events
Flow
Pressure
Leak
Flow limitation and snores.

[yoyoyomonica]

How do i get my machine to do this?

[khauser]

How do i get my machine to do this?

Hi yoyoyomonica!
If you look at Pugsy's signature you'll see links for SleepyHead, which you'll need to download and install on your computer (they work on both Windows and Linux).

Then, you'll need to remove the SD Card from your S9 Autoset, insert it in to your computer and tell SleepyHead to import the data. You can then click on the daily tab and specific days to see the graphs.

Don't forget to Eject (Windows) or drag the card to trash (MAC) before removing it from the computer to put back in the S9.

[Hawthorne]

Your snores are likely causing some events. If the snoring caused by having a couple of drinks every evening, my suggestion is to rethink that. My husband does not have sleep apnea (I do). We are Scotch lovers and have one Scotch about 2 nights a week but just before dinner (evening meal). If my husband has his later in the evening, he will snore a lot during the night!!

[khauser]

Your snores are likely causing some events. If the snoring caused by having a couple of drinks every evening, my suggestion is to rethink that. My husband does not have sleep apnea (I do). We are Scotch lovers and have one Scotch about 2 nights a week but just before dinner (evening meal). If my husband has his later in the evening, he will snore a lot during the night!!

Yeah, I think you are right ... at least it is worth a try. And I love Scotch too, though right now I'm on a martini kick.

[khauser]

This week's batch. New format with only important graphs.

Snoring hasn't improved

FYI, no alcohol in system since Thursday ... unfortunately that doesn't seem to have any impact on my stats. I'll be giving it more time...

Last night had tons of leaks. Just can't adjust the mask while I'm half-asleep.















Think I'm going to raise the pressure a bit more since CA's aren't a problem. (The few that are there are probably not real.) Thoughts??

[Pugsy]

Think I'm going to raise the pressure a bit more since CA's aren't a problem. (The few that are there are probably not real.) Thoughts??

Not enough centrals to worry about even if they are real.

I would just open up max to 20....maybe 0.5 more minimum to see if the snores and RERAs come down just a little.

Though while not the prettiest of reports if you can clean up the snores and RERAs it might offer a little better quality of sleep.
I don't know if there is enough low level clutter there to impact the quality of sleep or not. That's one of those YMMV stickers.

You've been on the machine for quite a while (much longer than your forum join date) so you have some past experience.
Have you ever tried cpap mode? Do the pressure changes in apap mode appear to disrupt sleep?
Or do you go to bed, go to sleep and not remember much until lights on and you get up?
Any problem with pressures this high in general like with exhale?

What are your goals? Like is there something that you feel is lacking in your therapy or how you feel?

[khauser]

I would just open up max to 20....maybe 0.5 more minimum to see if the snores and RERAs come down just a little.

Worth a try!

Though while not the prettiest of reports if you can clean up the snores and RERAs it might offer a little better quality of sleep.
I don't know if there is enough low level clutter there to impact the quality of sleep or not. That's one of those YMMV stickers.

I'm definitely waking up more than I want to, but the last few weeks have held the promise of better sleep. I have two issues, leaks that wake me up, and apparently snoring that disrupts good sleep but doesn't get me all the way awake.

You've been on the machine for quite a while (much longer than your forum join date) so you have some past experience.
Have you ever tried cpap mode? Do the pressure changes in apap mode appear to disrupt sleep?

APAP has been MUCH more conducive to good sleep for me. I never find the machine to be the problem. Even if I'm fighting leaks I can reduce the pressure (turn machine off and on to restart, or hit ramp ... except I hate ramp) the leaks persist. I have VERY large nostrils and even with the largest pillows they sometimes want to sneak in. That usually means they aren't "square" with the opening ... but that's the hardest thing to control. At least for me!

Or do you go to bed, go to sleep and not remember much until lights on and you get up?
Any problem with pressures this high in general like with exhale?

Rarely! BUT the last couple of weeks have seen more times with me sleeping until 4AM than anytime in the last year or so! I am more rested, though waking up groggy (I have always done my best sleep in early morning for some reason).

No problems exhaling.

What are your goals? Like is there something that you feel is lacking in your therapy or how you feel?

Great question! Two goals:
1) Master the mask or find one I can
2) Wake up easier

Again, I am feeling better than I have in awhile, so progress is being made. I'm going to keep posting weekly updates for awhile ... don't feel like you HAVE to have answers. Its kind of a science experiment!

However, I do appreciate and even look forward to your posts!
-Kevin

[khauser]

Forgot to mention, I'm seeing my doctor (regular, don't exactly have a sleep doctor) Tuesday. I can go to a sleep doctor if it's worth while...

[Pugsy]

Great question! Two goals:
1) Master the mask or find one I can
2) Wake up easier

I had the number 2 goal but finally after a while I come to realize I was never ever a morning person...not even as a kid and I didn't develop any sleep apnea symptoms till menopause hit.
In fact my husband of 10 years says I never snored or stopped breathing until probably 2005 or 2006.
Effective cpap therapy was highly unlikely going to turn me into something I never have been.

Since we do see some things on your report that very possibly is an indication of not so great sleep quality and you report problems with leaks and masks, etc...then it is worthwhile to make an effort to improve on those possible factors in an effort to try to get you to where maybe you can achieve goal #2.

It's not like we are seeing a perfect (at least on paper) report where we can't see anything at all that might be a factor in not achieving your goals.
If we couldn't spot anything at all "on paper" then we go into further detective work in an effort to see what else might be a factor.
I suspect chronic pain is going to be a factor. I am speaking from experience. No matter how great the reports look if our sleep is maybe disturbed by even low level chronic pain it will sure mess with our overall sleep quality and how we feel when we wake up.

[khauser]

Agreed about chronic pain. I know it's good for a wake-up at least once at night, but I can live with one wake-up a night. So i guess that's the goal. Max of one wake-up a night! LOL

Anyway I'll update this thread next week, and may have some additional input from my doctor (but I have doubts because that's not the major reason for the visit).

[jweeks]

Forgot to mention, I'm seeing my doctor (regular, don't exactly have a sleep doctor) Tuesday. I can go to a sleep doctor if it's worth while...

Kevin,

With those pressure levels, you might benefit from BiPAP or VPAP. I know I have posted to a few threads like this, so I cannot remember if we were talking about this already. There are two features that you might be interested in. First, the split pressure levels might make it easier to exhale under pressure. That would help prevent any centrals from becoming an issue, and it would likely be more comfortable. The second feature is that BiLevel machines typically go to 25, where as CPAP and APAP generally top out at 20. I suspect a chance that you could potentially need more than 20 at time depending on your body position. I know that I can get my neck into angles where my BiLevel adjusts all the way up to 25.

-john-