AHI 131 !! - Help me understand my SleepStudy & CPAP results

[Kenwood]

Here's last nights charts with the Mirage Quattro FFM. Looks like a good night with an AHI of 1.78 and much lower leak issues last night than Saturday night. But I did have an hour of a major leak - I was sleeping on my stomach last night, so I guess my mask was getting pushed by the bed/pillow/arm. The mask was also riding up my face/eyes and I had to pull it down. Look at those LOW snores tho (minus that hour - where it probably wasn't getting detected). Funny how you can sure tell when my alarm goes off at 5:20am and I start hitting the snooze.

I have my follow-up appointment tonight with my Sleep Doctor.

Sunday night's data - Night #3 with the Mirage Quattro FFM. :

[Pugsy]

Hey, that's pretty nice report from last night. I will take one hour of large leak over what you used to have any day of the week.
It's better than 1 hour of minimal leaks and 6 hours of big leaks.
Always look at the positive.

What kind of bed pillow are you using? Wonder if one of those special cpap pillows might help limit mask movement with face squished into the bed pillow? Just a thought to keep on the back burner.

[Kenwood]

I have a Regenesis Buckwheat hull pillow from SleepPur that I've had for about 2 weeks now.

[Pugsy]

I like the buckwheat pillow myself. It allows for me to make a sort of nest for my mask when on my side.
It is a big firm (good for my neck) and I could see the firmness causing a little full face mask movement if you are squishing your face into pillow while asleep and not able to fix the "nest" a little better.

Sometime you might think about getting a cheap memory foam pillow from Walmart and cutting out some large holes on the side so that when you are on your side you can let the mask sort of lay in the whole to reduce pressure on the mask.
Unfortunately if you try to squish your face into the foam part...it still might cause the mask to move a bit. Let's face it...there's a lot real estate on those FF masks.

[Kenwood]

Monday night's data - Night #4 with the Mirage Quattro FFM. :

[Pugsy]

Not a bad report except for that ugly mess at 1:30 or so.
Do you remember waking up or being restless?
You may not...sometimes we don't remember...those are the times I blame it on aliens.

[Kenwood]

Damn Aliens.....and I even played Halo last night, so I thought I got em all!! LOL

My appt with my Sleep Doctor went as expected. They never received my data from my SD card from the DME that they said they faxed on Friday. Figures! I brought my laptop and have my Sleep Doctor a Sleepyhead presentation. She's never had a more well prepared patient. I told her I have a great mentor and support group in this forum. Doctor was also annoyed with my DME and my RX prescription is being sent to them now. I also obtained my own RX prescription so I can get whatever I want on online. Doctor agreed even though I have a big melon head, I have a small CPAP face....at least according to ResMed. LOL. So there is a fitting issue with the mask.

[Drowsy Dancer]

I brought my laptop and have my Sleep Doctor a Sleepyhead presentation. She's never had a more well prepared patient.

I got the same reaction from my doc when I made a SleepyHead presentation as well. It was much easier than glossing over my previous use of Encore Pro versus Viewer <coughs> at a previous appointment, although they didn't pick up on that detail.

[Kenwood]

The sleep doctor was also impressed with my Pad-a-Cheek "Anti Leak" strap. So I explained the products she makes for CPAP users. She wrote down the website and was going to look at all the products they offer to recommend to their clients. She previously saw my Mask Liner during my last visit and was very impressed. But somehow...that mask liner has disappeared in the house and I can't find it.

[Pugsy]

But somehow...that mask liner has disappeared in the house and I can't find it.

Damn aliens....they just won't leave well enough alone.

Was your doctor cool with what we have done? Did he agree about the Auto BiPap so you wouldn't have to use such high pressures all the time?

[Kenwood]

Was your doctor cool with what we have done? Did he agree about the Auto BiPap so you wouldn't have to use such high pressures all the time?

Yes! She was fine with my current settings: 20/16

Here was the RX says......Autotitrating bilevel: EPAP 4-15 cmH20 and Delta max 8 cmH20

[Pugsy]

Delta max 8 cmH20

Huh???
Is that supposed to be Pressure support maybe?

On the Auto BiPap...model 750
you have minimum EPAP but no maximum setting for EPAP available
Pressure support ranges from 2 to 8 (I think, I would have to look to make sure) you don't want 8..you want maybe 4 or 5 PS...maybe a little less.
But there is a Maximum IPAP available.

on the models 760 there is now a Pressure support minimum and maximum which is really cool.

Minimum EPAP of 4 is WAY too low for you..probably will need the 15 based on what we have seen with the BiPap Pro..might get by with 14 but I have my doubts.

The machines that allow minimum and maximum EPAP are those high dollar ASB Bilevel machines which in the PR S1 line is model 950 and the DME will have a fit.

The RX is poorly worded in regards to pressure settings.

[Kenwood]

Delta max 8 cmH20

Huh???
Is that supposed to be Pressure support maybe?

On the Auto BiPap...model 750
you have minimum EPAP but no maximum setting for EPAP available
Pressure support ranges from 2 to 8 (I think, I would have to look to make sure) you don't want 8..you want maybe 4 or 5 PS...maybe a little less.
But there is a Maximum IPAP available.

on the models 760 there is now a Pressure support minimum and maximum which is really cool.

Minimum EPAP of 4 is WAY too low for you..probably will need the 15 based on what we have seen with the BiPap Pro..might get by with 14 but I have my doubts.

The machines that allow minimum and maximum EPAP are those high dollar ASB Bilevel machines which in the PR S1 line is model 950 and the DME will have a fit.

The RX is poorly worded in regards to pressure settings.

The RX is is being sent to a new DME (US Med). Machine wise....maybe a ResMed Auto BiPap since the Sleep Doctor has them on display everywhere in the office?

[Pugsy]

ResMed's Bilevel Auto is the S9 VPAP Auto...I have one to go along with my PR S1 BiPap Auto.
Their pressure support isn't called Delta either.
Same thing in regards to EPAP though...there is no minimum and maximum setting for EPAP on the VPAP Auto.
Again..minimum and maximum EPAP points to ASV type of machine.

If you can get the S9 VPAP Auto...you will like it. There's a reason why I have both....I like them both. Minor pros and cons but none are deal breakers. Since I don't have the heated hose model PR S1, I do prefer the S9 VPAP and the Climateline heated hose during winter because I like a cold bedroom.

Just make sure if the new DME has questions that they contact your doctor for model clarification.

[Kenwood]

I've been really struggling the last couple nights with mask leaks with just "giving up" sometimes and just trying to go back to sleep. Thursday night had a massive grouping of OA's around 1am. Friday night, just sucked....I eventually got up and switched back to the ComfortGel.

Wednesday night's data - Night #5 with the Mirage Quattro FFM. :


Thursday night's data - Night #6 with the Mirage Quattro FFM. :


Friday night's data - Night #7 split with the Mirage Quattro/ComfortGel. :