Sleephead Interpretation for Dummies

I am not a dummy. However I get lost in the language so fast then I can't seem to make sense of how to read things. I have googled, youtubed and I have to admit my brain shuts down almost immediately because I feel like its all too much.

So is there a real simple explanation somewhere assuming one is dealing with a real newbie.(even tho I am not, tell that to my brain.)

Only thing is the little tutorial that I did. Top of the Announcements box on the forum..look for the SleepyHead tutorial.
I tried to just do the basics because the fancy stuff really isn't needed anyway.
Then just ask questions about what needs further clarification.

Thank you Pugsy. I did print it out. (I have little notebooks for all my sleep apnea notes) I don't know if its the visual piece that blocks my understanding but that seems to be a piece sleep deprivation has affected. I'll keep pitching till I win I guess. I feel bad asking you too many questions.

lliann wrote:Thank you Pugsy. I did print it out. (I have little notebooks for all my sleep apnea notes) I don't know if its the visual piece that blocks my understanding but that seems to be a piece sleep deprivation has affected. I'll keep pitching till I win I guess. I feel bad asking you too many questions.

Don't worry about asking "too many" questions. That's what this forum is here for, and I guarantee that whatever question you have, others have the same question.

I think what Llian wants is a cheat sheet on how to read the print outs once she downloads the data. The stuff under the announcements are very hard to read as it reads like an a very confusing encyclopedia to most of us. Is there soe thing that says here's 1, 2 and 3 on how to read the charts?

SleepyHead works with 4 brands of machines and the data is presented a bit differently and large leak territory isn't the same for all brands. The tutorial has to be generic.

If someone wants an abbreviate cheat sheet...we need to know what they want to understand better.

If someone wants me to do a chart that says "so and so AHI means you need to do such and such"....not going to happen.
Too many variables and I don't really want to be telling people to change this or change that.
What I want people to do is learn/educate themselves on what their data is showing them and then they make a decision on how to proceed and that they understand the mechanics behind the changes....not just something that someone on the forum suggested. No plug and play for these results mean you need to do this or that.

The idea being that they manage their own therapy...not that I manage their therapy. What would they do if the forum wasn't here? If they get educated...they can feed themselves and not have to count on someone hand feeding them.

I know what you are saying Pugsy. Truth is I am not sure I even know what I want. I think I am overwhelmed with the complete size of information. I am trying to figure out the best way to approach my learning of it. Just the big picture first? Then the smaller picture? Or one graph at a time with questions confined to that one topic? There is so much info here, it's actually difficult to hone in on just one thing at a time.

But I agree with you that for starters, its what is one looking for? I think I am looking for to be able to interpret my own data enough at first to ask good questions, and then ultimately to understand exactly what I am trying to interpret.

If that makes sense.

Yeah, it makes sense.
Part of the "problem" is SleepyHead showing every single graph or piece of data that these machines gather and the bulk of it simply isn't needed to understand the basics and people look at all those graphs and their eyes glaze over.

That's why I tell newbies to the software to just concentrate on AHI and leak data first. If leaks are well controlled and acceptable for the bulk of the night and the AHI is acceptable there is no real need to put all that other data under the microscope at this time.
Heck, even now I don't bother with all those other tidal volume, minute volume, resp rate or all those other graphs. I never even look at them.

I only look at pressure graphs as a side glance to see if the pressure is maxing out for those people who use a limited maximum or range of pressures.

The 90/95% numbers are too easily skewed to get real excited about on a per night basis....long term for trends yeah, they are useful but one night is too easily skewed.

People try to put every little thing under the microscope and try to analyze every little breath and it simply is not needed in the majority of the cases. I look at it this way...what am I going to do about what happened last night anyway?

So just concentrate on the basics and it will come to you. It slowly starts to sink in and one of these days you will have an "aha" moment and see what I mean.

Basics...
AHI less than 5.0
Leaks...understand what the leak graph is showing you and where your large leak territory begins...and above all don't panic if you make short briefs trips into large leak territory..it isn't the end of the world and 15 minutes of big leak certainly doesn't put the entire night's therapy in the toilet.

It gets a bit more complicated trying to understand bilevel pressures and the response we expect but again the basics
EPAP for OAs and IPAP for hyponeas.
Aerophagia...well sometimes we have to make compromises with EPAP and IPAP if we have aerophagia rearing its ugly head but it normally can be done fairly simply.

Pugsy wrote:Basics...
AHI less than 5.0
Leaks...understand what the leak graph is showing you and where your large leak territory begins...and above all don't panic if you make short briefs trips into large leak territory..it isn't the end of the world and 15 minutes of big leak certainly doesn't put the entire night's therapy in the toilet.

It gets a bit more complicated trying to understand bilevel pressures and the response we expect but again the basics
EPAP for OAs and IPAP for hyponeas.

LLIA... Just thought I'd tell you that this is about all I want to know. Not all of us want to delve deeply into this stuff. If my AHI is under 5 and there are no big leaks to speak of, I let my doctor see the data once a year and that's about it. Better to be concerned about a good night's sleep.

ems wrote:

Pugsy wrote:Basics...
AHI less than 5.0
Leaks...understand what the leak graph is showing you and where your large leak territory begins...and above all don't panic if you make short briefs trips into large leak territory..it isn't the end of the world and 15 minutes of big leak certainly doesn't put the entire night's therapy in the toilet.

It gets a bit more complicated trying to understand bilevel pressures and the response we expect but again the basics
EPAP for OAs and IPAP for hyponeas.

LLIA... Just thought I'd tell you that this is about all I want to know. Not all of us want to delve deeply into this stuff. If my AHI is under 5 and there are no big leaks to speak of, I let my doctor see the data once a year and that's about it. Better to be concerned about a good night's sleep.

For some reason, my variables seem real wiggly. I have yet to bring my AHI below 4.80 ish(which when I see I know I am ok but something still isn't being identified. I am thinking some of my apneas are just me constantly waking up, taking random full breaths, or none. I think I feel challenged that there is a solution to this if one understand the whats and whys and then keep trying different solutions. I am not an alarmist about my health or numbers. I wish I was, but I tend more to look at things and say why did that happen. I do agree that I need to start with the simpler basics because I can see where I get overwhelmed with the sheer availability of info, but by nature I am a trend watcher/analyzer, so this stuff is right in my eventual wheelhouse.<g>

I think too, and I don't want to constantly bash drs or dme's (ins companies yes. They are just plain greedy), but I have 2 conditions that I am finding 1. most doctors don't know about and yet its becoming quite prevalent and noticable in post menopausal women and then this sleep stuff. Maybe its just around here, but the sleep doctor (most doctors around here) are under reimbursed and overbooked. I went to my last appt with graphs and how about scenarios and even had enough understanding to show her that I understood what I was asking for.

Frankly when she heard auto 17, she turned off and never really turned back on. Despite the fact that my orig settings had been 19/15. My vitals were not taken, I don't think she looked at my chart until she asked how are you doing and I said I have some problems, and then she was playing catch up with the info I brought to the table.

So its becoming more and more important to be proactive in our own health history/treatment.

My friends are thrilled that I am finally taking an interest in my own health. I have spent most of my time helping others in other areas, so I guess I accept its finally my turn. And yet, like you said, keeping it simple is always a good reminder so we don't get lost in too much too soon.