Newbie has concerns--

SparklyPumpkinLady · Post by **SparklyPumpkinLady** » Thu Feb 06, 2020 11:32 pm

Hello, I'm a newbie here. I was diagnosed with very mild sleep apnea and sleep-induced hypoxia in Oct. Got my Resmed AirSense 10 Autoset in Nov. Waited until right before Christmas to use it. Now I use it every night. I put in the numbers the sleep doctor prescribed for me. I did feel better. What's interesting is the day after my birthday (Jan 1), I felt incredible. I had NEVER felt that good, NEVER. I have leveled off now. I do have more energy, and get more done. I haven't felt incredible, but for that one day. What concerns me is my oxygen levels. I wear to bed every night a Wellue Oxymeter. It doesn't sync with OSCAR, but that doesn't bother me. Every night I begin sleeping with a oxygen level of 98-99%, but sometime during the night the level drops any where from 90 to 79%. I've got a appointment with the sleep doctor in March. Is there something I could be doing different, so far as the machine goes? Would anyone like to see one or two of the oxymeter reports?

Thanks.

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 12:05 am

SparklyPumpkinLady wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 06, 2020 11:32 pm
Every night I begin sleeping with a oxygen level of 98-99%, but sometime during the night the level drops any where from 90 to 79%.

90 is ok, for sleeping, (O2 levels usually drop while sleeping), but 79 is too low.

But, how do they drop? ie, movement artifacts will cause erroneous SpO2 readings... so any very brief drops are probably false readings.

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:39 am

Your Oscar chart looks good. Your minimum pressure is like mine and your 95 percentile is the same. You have a higher AHI though.... but I wouldn't be concerned. Looks as though everything's ok. I've been on cpap therapy about 10 years, and I still remember the similar to yours. I felt refreshed and it was a great day. Mine was also early on. To me, feeling better and treating apnea are two separate things. Some folks aren't feeling as good as the hoped, but they are properly treating this disease.... and extending their life. Some people are blessed to get both. I look back and I realize I feel much better day in and day out. Not ready to conquer the world, but much better.

Sheriff

SparklyPumpkinLady · Post by **SparklyPumpkinLady** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:27 pm

Ok, thanks Palerider. Sheriff, thanks for the encouragement-I need all the help and encouragement I can get on this journey.

Now, I have questions. I have started a log of my oxygen percentages. Should I also log my AHI's? Here are my oxygen numbers:

Jan 22-- 98,90% Feb 1-- 98,85%
Jan 24-- 99,87% 2-- 99,86%
Jan 25-- 98,85% 3-- 99,83%
Jan 26-- 98,86% 4-- 98,89%
Jan 28-- 98,84% 5-- 98,85%
Jan 29-- 98,83% 6-- 98,83%
Jan 30-- 99,79%
Jan 31-- 98,85%

On Jan 30, that drop could have been an idiopathic anomaly. Are these numbers in the sleep world normal? The doctor prescribed "Auto" for the mode of operation for my machine. Would I do better on CPAP? How does one ever find "the right" mask? Is it based on which is the least annoying? Should I take all/most of my oxygen reports to my doctor?

Thanks.

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 3:49 pm

SparklyPumpkinLady wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:27 pm
Ok, thanks Palerider. Sheriff, thanks for the encouragement-I need all the help and encouragement I can get on this journey.

Now, I have questions. I have started a log of my oxygen percentages. Should I also log my AHI's? Here are my oxygen numbers:

Jan 22-- 98,90% Feb 1-- 98,85%
Jan 24-- 99,87% 2-- 99,86%
Jan 25-- 98,85% 3-- 99,83%
Jan 26-- 98,86% 4-- 98,89%
Jan 28-- 98,84% 5-- 98,85%
Jan 29-- 98,83% 6-- 98,83%
Jan 30-- 99,79%
Jan 31-- 98,85%

On Jan 30, that drop could have been an idiopathic anomaly. Are these numbers in the sleep world normal? The doctor prescribed "Auto" for the mode of operation for my machine. Would I do better on CPAP? How does one ever find "the right" mask? Is it based on which is the least annoying? Should I take all/most of my oxygen reports to my doctor?

Thanks.

I hope that thing of yours gives you something that's actually *useful*, not just min/max. like, a chart of what happened during the night.

babydinosnoreless · Post by **babydinosnoreless** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:37 pm

SparklyPumpkinLady wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:27 pm
Ok, thanks Palerider. Sheriff, thanks for the encouragement-I need all the help and encouragement I can get on this journey.

Now, I have questions. I have started a log of my oxygen percentages. Should I also log my AHI's? Here are my oxygen numbers:

Jan 22-- 98,90% Feb 1-- 98,85%
Jan 24-- 99,87% 2-- 99,86%
Jan 25-- 98,85% 3-- 99,83%
Jan 26-- 98,86% 4-- 98,89%
Jan 28-- 98,84% 5-- 98,85%
Jan 29-- 98,83% 6-- 98,83%
Jan 30-- 99,79%
Jan 31-- 98,85%

On Jan 30, that drop could have been an idiopathic anomaly. Are these numbers in the sleep world normal? The doctor prescribed "Auto" for the mode of operation for my machine. Would I do better on CPAP? How does one ever find "the right" mask? Is it based on which is the least annoying? Should I take all/most of my oxygen reports to my doctor?

Thanks.

The experts I'm sure will be by to help you with numbers. They generally go off of the Oscar reports. I don't know that the oxygen numbers are something they can help with. What I do know is automatic is generally preferable to cpap unless you have aerophagia issues or if the pressure changes wake you up. If rem or supine sleeping make your AHI go up like mine you can sleep with a lower pressure most of the night and the machine can automatically adjust if you need it to go higher.

The search for the right mask is trial and error. Some people luck out the first try but most of us have been through several masks to find the one that fits comfortably for their face and features. I personally like the N20 because it fits my face well, comes in the smaller "for her" sizing and also generally fits like the braces headgear I wore as a kid so its not quite the alien on my head some of the other masks are. I can manage to scrunch my pillow up so I don't dislodge the mask while I'm sleeping (I'm a side sleeper). I had a horrible time with claustrophobia with some of the other masks I tried. This one has magnets so I can pull it off easily if I'm panicking. While this feature works great for me, I've heard the magnets can interfere with other things like pacemakers. If you go to cpap.com you can browse the different masks and see what looks interesting to you. Unless you have one of the mini travel machines mosts masks are compatible with all the machines.

If you have any further questions about your therapy it is best to keep them in the same thread so people can see the history of what you've posted. You can change the title of your post to reflect your current question or you can make it something generic like insert name therapy thread.

Ok experts did I miss anything ? Oh yeah welcome to the zoo.

Okie bipap · Post by **Okie bipap** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:19 pm

I would recommend a minimum pressure of 9 instead of 8. You are spending more time around 9 than you do at 8, and your flow limit chart is a little more active than I like for mine.

zonker · Post by **zonker** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:29 pm

babydinosnoreless wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:37 pm

Ok experts did I miss anything ? Oh yeah welcome to the zoo.

meerkat.gif

are you accusing me of being an expert?!?!?!

babydinosnoreless · Post by **babydinosnoreless** » Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:51 pm

zonker wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:29 pm

babydinosnoreless wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:37 pm

Ok experts did I miss anything ? Oh yeah welcome to the zoo.

meerkat.gif

are you accusing me of being an expert?!?!?!

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Sat Feb 08, 2020 7:49 am

zonker wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:29 pm

babydinosnoreless wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:37 pm

Ok experts did I miss anything ? Oh yeah welcome to the zoo.

meerkat.gif

are you accusing me of being an expert?!?!?!

Sheriff

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:03 am

For 10 years, I have posted numbers from the machine's screen in a spiral tablet. I record, Hours sleep, AHI, centrals, 95 percentile (pressure), leak rate and rest room breaks. I also make note of anything that will affect my night's sleep. Stuff like stressful events, alcohol consumption, medication, illness, etc. I seldom look back at the numbers, but it keeps me aware if significant cpap results are changing or something is gong on. For example, I know I need 5 hours of sleep per night to keep going..... but I need more to feel better. If I get 6 or 7 hours per night..... I'm ok. Several years back I went from straight cpap to the autoset mode. After a month or so, I felt much better. Also several years back, I bumped up my pressure and I felt much better. I attribute this to my daily record.

Some folks will call this overkill, but it works for me.

Sheriff

zonker · Post by **zonker** » Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:54 am

babydinosnoreless wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:51 pm

zonker wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 6:29 pm

babydinosnoreless wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 4:37 pm

Ok experts did I miss anything ? Oh yeah welcome to the zoo.

meerkat.gif

are you accusing me of being an expert?!?!?!

heh. no that's the oldest daughter when it comes to shoes. she is petite and learned a loooong time ago, that if the shoe fits.....

zonker · Post by **zonker** » Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:56 am

Sheriff Buford wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:03 am

Some folks will call this overkill, but it works for me.

Sheriff

oh, i dunno. it's not what i would do, but pugsy seems to encourage it.

and i agree about getting five hours of sleep. found that out before cpap, when sleep was still a struggle. i'd be able to FUNCTION at the lowest possible level. but have always felt better with 8+ hours of sleep.

TropicalDiver · Post by **TropicalDiver** » Sun Feb 09, 2020 12:58 am

palerider wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 3:49 pm

SparklyPumpkinLady wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 07, 2020 2:27 pm
Ok, thanks Palerider. Sheriff, thanks for the encouragement-I need all the help and encouragement I can get on this journey.

Now, I have questions. I have started a log of my oxygen percentages. Should I also log my AHI's? Here are my oxygen numbers:

Jan 22-- 98,90% Feb 1-- 98,85%
Jan 24-- 99,87% 2-- 99,86%
Jan 25-- 98,85% 3-- 99,83%
Jan 26-- 98,86% 4-- 98,89%
Jan 28-- 98,84% 5-- 98,85%
Jan 29-- 98,83% 6-- 98,83%
Jan 30-- 99,79%
Jan 31-- 98,85%

On Jan 30, that drop could have been an idiopathic anomaly. Are these numbers in the sleep world normal? The doctor prescribed "Auto" for the mode of operation for my machine. Would I do better on CPAP? How does one ever find "the right" mask? Is it based on which is the least annoying? Should I take all/most of my oxygen reports to my doctor?

Thanks.
I hope that thing of yours gives you something that's actually *useful*, not just min/max. like, a chart of what happened during the night.

When thinking about desating events, it is important to know frequency, duration, and depth of the events. Are the low 80s most measurement artifacts or "real" Do they last for 10 seconds a night or is more frequent (and/or longer duration)? If you can obtain the sort of info PR referencing, I would share with my doc.

Someone might do better in CPAP mode if they are very sensitive to changes in therapy pressures. Unfortunately, pressure support needs change day-to-day (and during the night as well).

Masks are really all about the fit. Large leaks can impair therapy -- but smaller leaks might disturb your sleep. Comfort is important. The first choice is style of mask (FF, nose, etc.)

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Sun Feb 09, 2020 8:00 am

zonker wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:56 am

Sheriff Buford wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:03 am

Some folks will call this overkill, but it works for me.

Sheriff
oh, i dunno. it's not what i would do, but pugsy seems to encourage it.

and i agree about getting five hours of sleep. found that out before cpap, when sleep was still a struggle. i'd be able to FUNCTION at the lowest possible level. but have always felt better with 8+ hours of sleep.

I was just talking about this with the wife. I get 5-6 hours of sleep during the weekday, tho I have been known to take a nap in the ole' recliner

. Seems that I'll get about 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday. I was telling her I use the weekend as "makeup" sleep. Works for me.

Have a Blessed Sunday!

Sheriff

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