SleepyHead Newbie -- help appreciated

[BuddhaCat]

I've been on CPAP for 8 nights and just downloaded SleepyHead. The data feels a little overwhelming. I know that Pugsy's got a tutorial but I'm having a tough time capturing the images for you.

I just wondered if, looking at this, you could give me someplace to start. What should I really be paying attention to, other than AHI and pressure?

Last 7 days
Ave Hours: 8:34
AHI: 2.23
OAI: .23
HI: 1.10
CAAI: .90
FLI: 1.10
RERAI: 1.33
%Periodic 0.00
Ave Leak .68
90% Leak 0.00
Ave Pressure 5.78
Min Pressure 4.0
Max Pressure 11.50
90% Pressure 7.20

P.S. -- if you take the data card out of the computer, can you still see the data on the screen? Thanks!

[Pugsy]

Yes, once you have downloaded the data into SleepyHead you can see any of the data in SleepyHead without having the SD card in the computer. You do have to manually tell SleepyHead to download each time you want to add new data though. I mention it only because we have had some people not realize that SH doesn't do the download without being told. They kept saying there was no more new data but they weren't downloading.

Anyway for newbies I usually suggest they concentrate on the basics. AHI and leaks...if those data points are within acceptable limits there's really no urgent need to go digging deeper. That's pretty much all I do even now.

And both your AHI and leak data are well within acceptable limits.
In other words I don't see anything here that points to something that needs to be worked on. Looking good. Nothing that I would change at this point.

Are you having problems or issues other than the normal adjusting issues? Leaks waking you up? If you are having leaks they don't appear to be huge but even if tiny leaks and they are waking you up then they need to be worked on but because they are disturbing your sleep and not because they are negatively impacting therapy itself.

[BuddhaCat]

Thanks -- I feel relieved by your diagnosis!

I've mentioned this before (don't want to sound like a broken record ), but I am still adjusting to my P10 For Her. I've tried all the pillow sizes and am switching between the small and medium sizes. The small seems to poke inside my nose a bit too much; the medium does that less (and I like the airflow), but the air seal breaks more easily. Hence I feel like I'm moving my head on the pillow a lot, searching for the "sweet spot."

Princess and the pea much????

Sometimes I wonder if it's the head pillow itself. I use a memory foam pillow (maybe too firm?) but the down pillow is too soft. I'll keep trying.

I called the DME today (Apria) and they suggested that I was making good progress, so I should wait at least a week to see what happens before trying a new mask. (I've had the machine and mask since 7/9/14.)

[Pugsy]

The right bed pillow can be a challenge. I have had good success with both a buckwheat hull pillow and a water based pillow (Chiroflow type). I need firm for my cervical spine but not so firm as to push the nasal pillows all over the place when I am on my side or stomach. The buckwheat hull pillow lets me make a little "nest" for the mask when I lay on my side to lessen in pressure points on the mask.
There are special cpap pillows with cutouts for the mask. I have never needed one myself so can't comment on them except to say they are available. Bed pillow preferences are highly individualized just like mask preferences are. You just have to keep trying them to find out which suits your needs the best.

If you like the nasal pillows in general but can't get the P10 to be more stable you might look at the Swift FX nasal pillow. Similar in design but straps are more adjustable to help with stabilization of the pillows. Less chance of movement which might wake you up with minor leaks from minor movement.

[BuddhaCat]

Thank you, Pugsy. I've been wondering about a buckwheat hull pillow and will look into it. Looks like we have the same need for stability of the C spine.

[The Latinist]

I've actually been experimenting with pillows; I've long used a memory foam "contour" pillow, but when I forgot my pillow at home while on vacation I found that my AHI dropped by almost 2, nearly all of it OA's. So last night I turned my memory foam pillow around and I'm going to sleep with a little less cervical support to see if it helps my apnea. I never even thought about my pillow making a difference.

Oh, and OP, your stats look great to me. I wish I could get my AHI as low as yours; mine is still averaging ~7.

[sc0ttt]

For me, the most interesting chart is the one with flow that has the events tagged. For an apnea even you can see normal breathing and then no breathing - makes it real for me, knowing what I was going through.

Kind of like this: (not mine)

[BuddhaCat]

[quote="The Latinist"]I've actually been experimenting with pillows; I've long used a memory foam "contour" pillow, but when I forgot my pillow at home while on vacation I found that my AHI dropped by almost 2, nearly all of it OA's. So last night I turned my memory foam pillow around and I'm going to sleep with a little less cervical support to see if it helps my apnea. I never even thought about my pillow making a difference.

Wow -- never even considered just turning the pillow over!! The pillow is a TempurPedic Symphony and it has two distinct sides. I 'll give it a shot! Thanks.

[BuddhaCat]

For me, the most interesting chart is the one with flow that has the events tagged. For an apnea even you can see normal breathing and then no breathing - makes it real for me, knowing what I was going through.

Kind of like this: (not mine)

Thanks -- I checked out the fine-grained detail and saw that last night (a bad night for me) I had 5 incidents of respiratory effort related arousal, 8 episodes of flow limitation, 4 hypopneas, 2 incidents of clear airway apnea and 1 incident of obstructive apnea.

Not sure what the upshot is, but there you go!

[library lady]

I use a regular memory foam pillow, Tempurpedic, no contour.... it works well for me, even with C-spine issues.

[BuddhaCat]

I use a regular memory foam pillow, Tempurpedic, no contour.... it works well for me, even with C-spine issues.

Good to know, LL. Thanks!