Need help

Hello,

I'm a newbie and have some questions. My AHI is around 11-12 (AI 1-2) when I set my autopap to 10-16 (I was titrated at 12). My percentile is 10.2 most nights. The AHI either stays about the same or goes up a point or two when I set the S8 to cpap mode at a pressure of 12. I use an EPR of 2. My leak rate is around .3 to .4L/sec. What settings can I use to decrease my HI/AHI? It seems that the lower apap pressure and my titrated pressure do not help. Should I set my lower range or cpap value to something higher and see if that works? I have it but haven't tried the ResScan software yet.

My guess is that you are losing therapeutic O2 out your mouth during the night. Have you tried taping or using a chin strap to be sure your mouth stays closed? You could also try a full face mask or hybrid, but taping would be a good place to start to see if your numbers improve. Do a search on this forum using keyword 'taping' and you will find a lot of suggestions. You are having mostly hypopneas, I assume, and somewhere on this forum I read that the S8 tends to overreport those, but those who know better about your machine will be by to give you more information. Getting the software is important, but the S8 uses a smart card and special reader that is becoming more difficult to find. There is a person on ebay (in Israel) who sells them, and I read of someone who bought theirs from him and was pleased with the service. You'll need to research this more......

Best of luck!!

Thank you! I'll try taping and see how that works.

My AutoPAP range is set between 6 and 16 cm. Usually my report says it was between 12 - 13.5 during sleep. My leakage is usually low - around .1 liters / minute. My AI is usually between 0.8 and 3. But my AHI runs higher - between 15 - 30, even tho my AI is pretty low.

Lee Shane, If your AHI is between 12-13.5 your minimum setting of 6cms is probably set too low to prevent your events. The machine does not raise pressure immediately in response to an apnea but more gradually. An AHI <5 is considered adequate therapy but most patients feel more rested when it is even lower than that.

LeeShane wrote:My AutoPAP range is set between 6 and 16 cm. Usually my report says it was between 12 - 13.5 during sleep. My leakage is usually low - around .1 liters / minute. My AI is usually between 0.8 and 3. But my AHI runs higher - between 15 - 30, even tho my AI is pretty low.

Hi,

Did you get a titration study done? If so, what was your diagnosis, and what pressure were you titrated at? There are types of OSA and breathing disorders where folks have a lot of hypos, but few obstructive events. Your sleep doctor should be very interested in following up on this. It is possible that (1) your bottom pressure is set too low and the machine is responding too slow as a result, (2) you are one of the people that don't work well with APAP, and might want to try running in CPAP mode, or (3) you have one of the breathing disorders that responds better to an ST or ASV machine. I suggest having your data card read, and let your sleep doctor take a look at your graphs.

-john-