Suffering Need help.

The AHI is a little higher than what we would like to see so we really need to see what the AHI is made up of....so that's why we need the software reports.

Before we can offer any ideas we really need the detailed data from the software reports.

Did you have an in lab sleep study with a machine to determine what settings to use? If so, what were they?

I don't know if the elevated AHI is totally responsible for your not feeling well but it isn't impossible and it could impact how you feel.

What was your original diagnosis? Do you have a copy of your diagnostic sleep study?

You're already getting the best advice, so I'll just say "welcome"! You can get the help you need here.

People will need to see the data recorded by the machine - check out pugsy's SleepyHead post at the very top of the forum.

You only need to understand it enough to download and install the software and read the data on your card. No need to get into all the details yet.

Pugsy wrote:The AHI is a little higher than what we would like to see so we really need to see what the AHI is made up of....so that's why we need the software reports.

Before we can offer any ideas we really need the detailed data from the software reports.

Did you have an in lab sleep study with a machine to determine what settings to use? If so, what were they?

I don't know if the elevated AHI is totally responsible for your not feeling well but it isn't impossible and it could impact how you feel.

What was your original diagnosis? Do you have a copy of your diagnostic sleep study?

Thank you Pugsy for that information. Interesting. I should have copies of all the information you need. I will find them and work on getting posted in the next day give or take. Once I learn how to access my reports from my machine I will send that to you as well.

I want you to know I am very grateful for your time and assistance. I'll get you that info very soon. Thank you again!!!!

yaconsult wrote:You're already getting the best advice, so I'll just say "welcome"! You can get the help you need here.

People will need to see the data recorded by the machine - check out pugsy's SleepyHead post at the very top of the forum.

You only need to understand it enough to download and install the software and read the data on your card. No need to get into all the details yet.

Thank you yaconsult for your hospitality. Hello to you. I am very happy with the warm welcome and help I have received so far. Will do. Hope you are having a great weekend. Sleep Well.

Hi, I know you said that you weren't taking any meds but I just wondered if the acid reflux and anxiety that you listed as suffering from, might possibly be attributing to your lack of sleep? Have you talked to your doctor to see if treating these, even for a short time, might help with getting more sleep? Just a thought. Some of us can use a little extra med help, especially in the beginning.

Hey Everyone,

I have first part of documents for you to view. Please click on this link to view them. http://1drv.ms/1GRnpMS

I will now work on the machine reports. This could be a day or so, but hopefully sooner.

Thank you all for your help. I do appreciate it.

jagzoo wrote:Hi, I know you said that you weren't taking any meds but I just wondered if the acid reflux and anxiety that you listed as suffering from, might possibly be attributing to your lack of sleep? Have you talked to your doctor to see if treating these, even for a short time, might help with getting more sleep? Just a thought. Some of us can use a little extra med help, especially in the beginning.

Hi jagzoo,

Thank you very much for your help. I am not fully understanding yet what anxiety that they say I have. That can be something I look into further. I am able to fall asleep, but not able to get 7-8 hours of sleep. Averaging from 4-6 hours. The acid reflux is under control, but does come up on occasion. I don't think those are causing my sleep issues, but it is something to think about to make sure. I can look into the med help and see what is out there.

Thank you again for your suggestions.

Hey Everyone,

I have sleep results and machine report to view. Please click on this link to view them. http://1drv.ms/1GRnpMS

Any problems etc. please let me know and I will do my best to correct.

Thank you for any help you can give. Hope everyone is having a blessed day!

Since you have already been doing your own dialawingin and changing things...
The PS minimum of 8 is maybe a little too high.
The minimum EPAP probably needs to be a little higher.

Your hours of sleep and the sessions point to some severe sleep fragmentation issues...insomnia maybe? Other health issues? Meds? Your AHI isn't horribly horrible but your sleep quality leaves a lot to be desired and it's not surprising that you feel like crap. I don't know if improving the AHI is going to help all that much but you could try. At the same time I would take a hard look at why the hours are so abbreviated and fragmented. Even the best AHI in the world isn't going to likely help general feelings with such fragmented sleep.

Have you tried in the past something like 7 to 7.5 minimum EPAP and PS minimum of 4?
Your AHI is primarily hyponea which is what we often see with this machine. I am going to assume they are obstructive in nature and usually for hyponeas with bilevel we look at IPAP but in this situation I think I would look at pushing IPAP up by increasing minimum EPAP.
The PS minimum of 8...that's a bit high unless someone has some sort of chronic lung condition...most usually 4 or 5 is the usual choice and is the most common starting point.

This may be over your head but some of it may help you understand the whys of these settings.
http://www.isetonline.org/yahoo_site_ad ... 190318.pdf

Now if the machine settings are contributing to the poor sleep...we can maybe work on that too.
If it were me...I would look at increasing the minimum EPAP to 7 or 7.5 and reducing minimum PS to 4 and leave everything else the same....if you haven't already tried those settings.

Thank you Pugsy for your information.

I have taken note of what you asked and mentioned here in your post. I will be asking my doctor on Friday.

I tried the 7 to 7.5 minimum EPAP and PS minimum of 4 and it seemed like not enough air for me to breathe. I don't think those settings is good for me. I did some dialawingin, but so far no luck. The bottom line is to find out if it is the machine settings are the culprit or other health stuff etc that is going on. So, I have to keep trucking and hoping soon will find the answers.

If you feel that PS of 4 or 5 simply isn't moving enough air then do chat with your doctor about it because there could be some sort of underlying lung issue going on.
I am not saying that there is...just that it is possible because most people find 4 to 5 PS very comfortable and when someone doesn't then it may not mean anything but they just like bigger breaths but I would want to check it out just in case.

A person needs to feel comfortable in their breathing to sleep well and that sleeping well is very important in this therapy.

Pugsy wrote:If you feel that PS of 4 or 5 simply isn't moving enough air then do chat with your doctor about it because there could be some sort of underlying lung issue going on.
I am not saying that there is...just that it is possible because most people find 4 to 5 PS very comfortable and when someone doesn't then it may not mean anything but they just like bigger breaths but I would want to check it out just in case.

A person needs to feel comfortable in their breathing to sleep well and that sleeping well is very important in this therapy.

Thank you! Maybe I will try that setting again on Friday night after I see this doctor. This way my doctor can get some consistent results. Maybe it was something I needed to get used to. I saw my past sleep doctor last week and he listened to my lungs and said it was very clear. So, maybe something he missed, but I will ask that question to my doctor on Friday. I'll keep posting updates as I find other information.

So I can prepare for Friday's appointment. Do you think I should stress to him about changing any AHI settings? Also, I heard about maybe changing the system one resistance to a number for the mask. Anything on that front I should try to attempt?

Thank you very much again for your time and assistance. Anything else please let me know.

One more thing Pugsy, Do you think an ASV machine is the wrong machine to use? Maybe I should get or use a regular CPAP? I thought about that. maybe I am wrongly diagnosed. That is food for thought.

The System One Resistance settings are mainly for Respironics masks.
In general when using a non Respironics mask we are told to turn off the Resistance Control setting which would mean a setting of 0.
I don't think that the Resistance setting is the issue and it would be difficult to match up your ResMed mask with a similar Respironics mask with similar resistance...resistance isn't the same as vent rate.

As to whether or not the ASV is what is needed...in general if you had enough centrals during either your diagnostic sleep study or subsequent titration sleep study...the usual therapy is ASV.
Now there might be other situations where some type of ASV is used but one doesn't normally end up on ASV without a good reason and it's usually after cpap has failed or simply wasn't indicated in the first place.

Pugsy wrote:The System One Resistance settings are mainly for Respironics masks.
In general when using a non Respironics mask we are told to turn off the Resistance Control setting which would mean a setting of 0.
I don't think that the Resistance setting is the issue and it would be difficult to match up your ResMed mask with a similar Respironics mask with similar resistance...resistance isn't the same as vent rate.

As to whether or not the ASV is what is needed...in general if you had enough centrals during either your diagnostic sleep study or subsequent titration sleep study...the usual therapy is ASV.
Now there might be other situations where some type of ASV is used but one doesn't normally end up on ASV without a good reason and it's usually after cpap has failed or simply wasn't indicated in the first place.

Thank you! I have an appointment with two different doctors in the next two weeks. I am hoping one of these doctors will come up with a solution. I just can't wait or take any chances of wasted time anymore. Will see.