what else can I do???

harrywr2 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:55 am

"My husband said my breathing was at about 2.5 times the rate of his"

Your respiration rate data is in the OSCAR charts.

Yes, and the RR data do look somewhat on the high side. I'm glad you'll be seeing a pulmonologist to sort the dyspnea out.

For what it's worth -- very little, since everyone's different -- I'm very sensitive to pressure changes and have been using fixed settings. You could experiment. You could also experiment with turning off the ramp.

The normal respiration rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. A respiration rate under 12 or over 25 breaths per minute while resting is considered abnormal.Jan 23, 2019
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/my.clevelandclinic.org › health › articles › 10881-vital-signs
Vital Signs | Cleveland Clinic

You are not so far off.
Your 95% is just 21.20 so 95% of your night is below that.
JPB

Two sources I just looked up give the 'normal' resp rate while awake as between 12 and 16 or between 12 and 18. (The source you give, Jimbud, did not open for me.)

Ambulance crews where I live are taught that, for a patient at rest, a rate above 20 is a red flag.

Dr Claude Lum, the chest-medicine expert who did more than anyone to bring the issue of hyper-ventilation to the attention of his colleagues, said that below 12 (while awake) was desirable. And as low as 8 was no bad thing.

He also pointed out that the rate by itself isn't as important as the rate times the tidal volume.

With some patients, a 'small' increase in rate from 15 to 20 at the same time as a 'small' increase in tv from 500cc to 750 will soon bring symptoms.

rick blaine wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:23 pm

Two sources I just looked up give the 'normal' resp rate while awake as between 12 and 16 or between 12 and 18. (The source you give, Jimbud, did not open for me.)

Ambulance crews where I live are taught that, for a patient at rest, a rate above 20 is a red flag.

Dr Claude Lum, the chest-medicine expert who did more than anyone to bring the issue of hyper-ventilation to the attention of his colleagues, said that below 12 (while awake) was desirable. And as low as 8 was no bad thing.

He also pointed out that the rate by itself isn't as important as the rate times the tidal volume.

With some patients, a 'small' increase in rate from 15 to 20 at the same time as a 'small' increase in tv from 500cc to 750 will soon bring symptoms.

I did not say she should not have things checked out. Just that she was not far off at the 95% and below.
If you are having problems breathing during a normal day find out why. Common sense.

Just reporting what I read.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/a ... ital-signs

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324409.php

https://ouraring.com/track-respiration-rate-trends/

There are many more than this.

She stated that her husband told her that she was breathing 2.5 times faster than him. I just wanted to put things in more of a perspective for her. (if he was breathing at 12 that would imply that she was breathing at 30) Just trying to bring things back a notch.

Thank you for the information.
I very much enjoy learning.

This forum continues to be a cornucopia of information for me.

JPB

Wow! Thanks so much for the responses and links! I have an appointment next week for pulmonary lab tests. After that, but I'm not sure when yet, I'll be seeing a pulmonologist. I still have the dyspnea but the fatigue has improved a little over the last couple days. Nowhere near where I feel it should be, but baby steps, right? I upped the lower pressure on the ResMed to 9 so maybe that's helping. Should I increase it a little more? I am attaching graphs from the last two nights.

Susancpv1 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:53 am

Wow! Thanks so much for the responses and links! I have an appointment next week for pulmonary lab tests. After that, but I'm not sure when yet, I'll be seeing a pulmonologist. I still have the dyspnea but the fatigue has improved a little over the last couple days. Nowhere near where I feel it should be, but baby steps, right? I upped the lower pressure on the ResMed to 9 so maybe that's helping. Should I increase it a little more? I am attaching graphs from the last two nights. Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 10.44.49 AM.pngScreen Shot 2020-01-24 at 10.44.13 AM.png

Looks like you are trying to get some answers. Good for you. Glad to see the fatigue is improving.

As far as upping the minimum pressure. Bumping it up a little should not be a problem. Might help.
Many on here have tweaked their settings looking for that "best" setting. Sometimes a small change can result in better readings.
Just do not over do it. Called Dial winging.

When you do make a change just make one at a time and wait a few days to see what results you get after everything settles back down.

You still need to get rid of the Mask Pressure graph. It is redundant, distracting and crowds the chart. It gets in the way of being able to expand the other charts for easier viewing.

Hope you get the answers you need. Having good nights so we can have good days is what it is all about.

JPB

Hiya! I got my results from my pulmonary tests back and they are normal. Yay! So, still no answer as to why I have dyspnea. The last couple of days have been better. Maybe due to the increased pressure? But I'm still feeling dreadfully tired all day. I'm posting screen shots of the last three nights. The average AHI is pretty good so why am I not feeling better? Wah! Wah! Wah! I reckon I shouldn't have listened to the ResMed people when they said using the CPAP machine would have life-changing results! Unless they meant in a bad way... lol

Hello again, Susancpv1,

You keep asking 'What else can I do?' I'm going to suggest something.

It won't cost you anything – there isn't a fee attached to my suggestion. And if you have been cleared by a pulmonologist, what I suggest can't do you any harm.

I'm sending you a private message about breathing exercises. All you have to do is: do them for a few days. See if they make any difference.

If they don't make any difference, what have you lost?

If they help, then do them every day.

Thank you, Rick! I look forward to receiving your message!

I think that I just don’t understand the graphs and what they are saying and what I should be doing in relation. I guess the main goal is to get AHI’s down to as low as possible. What part of the graph correlates to less AHI’s? The pressure? Is the goal to get the pressure as level as possible? I’ve read a lot of the links and the wiki’s but I’m still confused. I think I’d like to see an optimal chart (if that even exists! Lol).

We normally recommend more pressure for hypopneas and obstructive apneas. More pressure will not help central apneas and may make them worse for a small percentage of the people.

Susancpv1 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 03, 2020 3:59 pm

I think that I just don’t understand the graphs and what they are saying and what I should be doing in relation. I guess the main goal is to get AHI’s down to as low as possible. What part of the graph correlates to less AHI’s? The pressure? Is the goal to get the pressure as level as possible? I’ve read a lot of the links and the wiki’s but I’m still confused. I think I’d like to see an optimal chart (if that even exists! Lol).

this may sound to you like an absurd cop out, but what is optimal for YOU won't be optimal for anyone else. i'm pretty much optimized. i could post my charts but it wouldn't mean a thing in guiding you along. my minimum is set at 15.4 and my maximum is at 20. but i'm pretty sure that won't work for you.

but yes, broadly speaking, pressure is what does the trick in most cases. almost every single colorful dot you see on your charts can be eliminated with enough pressure. the trick is to find that pressure, for YOU.

listen, i don't understand much on the technical side of this. in fact, what i just said pretty much encompasses what i know! yet i got to my ultimate settings by following the expert advice here.

you may need to be more patient. for some of us, it takes a very long time to get to the point where we see benefits from therapy. you've mentioned a few times in this thread how you are feeling a little better. how are you feeling now?

keep at it. if you feel up to it, raise your minimum a tad. but try to stay with it and let your mind and body get more used to the settings and see if it works for you.

good luck!!

Susancpv1 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 03, 2020 3:59 pm

What part of the graph correlates to less AHI’s?

Fewer obstructive apneas and hypopneas.

Susancpv1 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 03, 2020 3:59 pm

The pressure? Is the goal to get the pressure as level as possible?

The goal is to have as few breathing events as reasonably possible.

Eventually you will need to "read" your Flow Rate graph to know which events are real and which are SWJ (sleep/wake-junk).
There are false events that happen when you are awake or during/after an arousal (you may not even remember most of them). The arousals that is.
That can wait though. We need to get you to the point that your pressure is at a place to stop the real obstructives and hypopneas.

Just thought I would throw that little tidbit out there.

Zonker said:
keep at it. if you feel up to it, raise your minimum a tad. but try to stay with it and let your mind and body get more used to the settings and see if it works for you.

Good advice.

JPB

This is so helpful! Thank you! Regarding the pressure, is the goal to have the red and the green lines at the same level? I'm not quite clear on what the optimum picture would be for pressure. I saw a screenshot somewhere on this board where this person's red and green lines were merged and I thought, "huh". Mine sure doesn't look like that! haha!