Have OSA - AHI is in 5-6.8 range for 2 yrs

Hi all,
Can’t believe I didn’t take advantage of This forum about two years ago when I learned I have OSA.I guess I’m a slow learner. if feels wonderful that there are other apnea sufferers to gain support and knowledge from. This is my first post . I have many questions but will start w a couple.
Background:have been using CPAP therapy religiously for about two years, only taking a one month break to test an oral appliance that I had made to see if I could use the oral appliance instead of a CPAP machine . The oral appliance did not work I still felt daytime fatigue . After a few different mask tryouts and months of time wasted thru Trial and error I have finally landed on a mask that I can keep on my face longer than three hours. Long story short I now use a full face mask that I am managing with no issues. BUT many days of the week I feel daytime fatigue and my Quality of life is suffering AHI numbers have been somewhere between 4.8-6.8 every night.

I recently received Results from an in lab titrated sleep study.. Dr ordered titrated study bc it’s very comprehensive and hopefully will give her all the information she needs to set my CPAP machine at a pressure that could improve my quality of sleep .I went to the doctor and she told me I need that to determine the pressure that works best for my body. In the past I’ve had two at home sleep studies.
Dr told me today that the new range she will set the machine to is 9 to 17 . I’m not sure what all that means my knowledge of sleep apnea has only recently improved as my desperation has risen I’m forcing myself to learn what I need to learn .
Question 1:II would like feedback from you on what the range of 9-17 really means. I guess after using the machine at the new range if my AHII number is reduced that would be good. What is the number that most patients achieve that they start feeling less and less tired during the day?

Question 2:Mouth breather. I recently met someone who has been diagnosed with severe OSA. I I have Mild OSA. and I mentioned that I am a mouth breather. I have nasal allergies and I know I breathe through my mouth most of the time at night . He told me that that could be a huge problem because he saw an ENT recently who diagnosed him with sleep apnea and recommended turbinate reduction and septoplasty etc.and tissue removal from his throat. What are your thoughts on mouth breathing at night —-problem or not ? This gentleman suggested that if I can get my nasal airway opened up perhaps my AHII number will be improved. I feel like I’m getting almost no benefit from CPAP therapy and I’m getting highly frustrated.
I have appointment next week with an ENT for an examination.
Thank you for any advice and feedback!!!

Welcome!

If you have time. please add your equipment to your user profile here to help us understand your situation more completely.
wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile

I have sinus allergies but have been able to use nasal pillows while trying to train myself to keep my mouth closed. Some people use chin strap or tape their lips shut. Others use a full face mask where they can mouth breathe when needed but mouth breathers generally get a very dry mouth, even with a CPAP humidifier. It is designed to humidify the sinuses, not the larger mouth cavity.

You must have an APAP or automatic CPAP machine. It varies the pressure, as needed from 9 to 17 cm of water (that is the way the pressure is measured for CPAP).
APAP is supposed to be more comfortable and more effective than the old one pressure CPAP

Although the medical community considers below 5 AHI as technically treated, lower is better. Many people (not me) have AHI below 1. If we have more information on your equipment. you may be able to share some data to help us help you further. Although many machines today are "full data" some only generate minimal data. We call them "bricks".

Welcome to the forum.

Please add your equipment to your profile like I have mine
wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile

Hopefully you have a full data machine that is compatible with easy to obtain and use software.
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

In general there is no magic number for when we might feel better because there's more to getting good restful sleep than just numbers from the cpap machine but let's start with the software reports...maybe something is just screaming "fix me and you will feel better".

As far as mouth breathing..it can impact therapy effectiveness unless someone uses a full face mask but you need to evaluate the software leak graphs to find out for sure if mouth breathing large leaks are a problem or not.
Don't guess at it.

Having surgery to open up the nose...might help breathing both day and night but just opening up the nose isn't likely to reduce OSA because usually with OSA the obstruction is farther down the airway (like behind the tongue area) and not up in the nasal cavity.
Anything that helps daytime and nighttime breathing...makes life better in general but I wouldn't look at it as curing OSA.

thanks.
I will attempt to ADD MY EAQUIPMENT but I am a slow learner with computer things generally speaking.
I will follow links and give it a go.

Thanks for helping me- I really need to get support from others who have Been there done that!

gabnina96 wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 26, 2018 5:51 pm

thanks.
I will attempt to ADD MY EAQUIPMENT but I am a slow learner with computer things generally speaking.
I will follow links and give it a go.

Thanks for helping me- I really need to get support from others who have Been there done that!

We have all been there, done that - and are eager to help.
See the three links below for help. Without data, help is nothing but sharing stories.

I am having difficulty registering my equipment. i'm using links you nice people have given me.
I have A Philips Respironics Auto CPAP with Humidifier.
I can find the CONTROL PANEL area but can't seem to "Mouse" over and choose my machine....
Frustrated and confused. My husband will be home tonite and hopefully can figure it out.

is there a phone # I can call on Monday??
THANKS

Perhaps I need to open up cpaptalk.com in a different browser?
Advice as to which browser is best? Firefox?
THANKS

gabnina96 wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 29, 2018 12:21 pm

Perhaps I need to open up cpaptalk.com in a different browser?
Advice as to which browser is best? Firefox?
THANKS

I do not know which is best but I generally use Chrome on Windows 10.

Ok I was able to enter my equipment but am unsure if some of my selections are correct.
Since i have a Philips Respironics DreamStation i was able to correctly choose the first option "equipment" type.
However the MASK TYPE i'm unsure of- I know I use FULL MASK but wasn't sure of EXACT MODEL
. I'm also unsure about SOFTWARE TYPE. For SOFTWARE TYPE- can anyone tell me if AUtomManager, SMartlink3.0 or Sandman is best choice???
Lastly- should I choose results to be displayed as IMAGE or TEXT??
THANKS

My thumb drive or flash drive? (the little card that is small and removable from side of machine) says LEXAR on it.
I don't see a SOFTWARE option of LEXAR.
any suggestions?
THanks

gabnina96 wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 29, 2018 12:51 pm

My thumb drive or flash drive? (the little card that is small and removable from side of machine) says LEXAR on it.
I don't see a SOFTWARE option of LEXAR.
any suggestions?
THanks

You do not need to fill in all categories. I did not fill in Humidifier or Software because they do not apply. My machine has the humidifier built in. Some earlier machines used different add on humidifiers.

Ignore and remove any software choices in the equipment profile. That's really for way back in the dark ages and we bought available software like ResScan or Encore. We no longer buy it and it isn't openly sold on cpap.com like it used to be a long time ago.
The choice is for information about which software you might use to see your data that the machine collects.
So just don't choose anything because none of your choices pertain to now. Not a big deal to leave it blank.

Main thing is machine brand and model and the mask used (but masks can change because people often change masks).

Thanks!
Now that I've entered the 2 main parts under EDIT EQUIPMENT what else is there to do for you to take a look at my "graphs" or whatever. the Data?
THANKS

Having the equipment easily seen means we don't have to waste time asking what you are using.

So yes...now for posting data.

Here's how I like it.
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

Note...if you happen to see some instructions that mention a flow limitation graph and you wonder where yours is....you don't have one.
The Flow limitation graph is mainly available on the ResMed machines.
Respironics doesn't do a separate FL graph but instead flags the FLs up on the events graph. You get a separate flag for FLs just like OA or hyponea event flag.

THANKS pugsy!!
so helpful

I know I am out of my element now. my hubby will hopefully help me tonight or sometime this week!! very busy lives lately with our daughter graduating high school next month!!
Looking forward to everyone's feedback!