hi, newbee from Belgium here

[Dom]

Hello all,

First, please excuse my language, and spelling errors, as I'm from Belgium, I'l do my best, don't hésitate to correct me. French is my mother language.

So, my name is Dominique, I'm 46 since thuesday, and I'm using cpap since 3 weeks.

I think I'm lucky, because since the very first night with my cpap, I sleep like a baby...That didn't happened since a loooong time...

Don't know exactly how you count apnéa there, here, I had a clinical sleeping test saying I had 38 hypopnea per hour. They says we have to do something to counter it.

Here, in Belgium, we are quite lucky: if the clinical test says we have a certain number of apnée per hour, we receive material: in my case, I get a resmed machine, and mask to rent. I got it within 2 weeks, and it will cost me 7 euros per month. I got it from the hospital, all brand new material. If anything happen, I just have to ring them, and go there, they will replace or fix it free.

So, now, I' here to get your help, please: Thinks are quite well doing, but I think it could be better: From what I saw with the resmed web page, I have almost time 100/100 compliance, with few leeks, and about 2 to 4 apnéa per hour.

So, question:

1.I downloaded oscar, got the sd card into oscar, but now what to do? Could you tell me how and witch oscar graph I can show you? I'd like to be sure about what kind of apnéa, and how much I have.

2. My machine is getting noisy, after 3 weeks of use, do you thing it is normal? first it makes no noise at all, the i heard some noise while I was inspiring, and this night, my wife, who speep the other side of the bed, asked me if something was wrong, cause she heared something for the first time...

I think I enterred all in my profile, if something is wrong, sorry, just tell me.

Thanks , and thanks for that nice forum.

[khauser]

Hi Dominique,
Welcome! Yes you are having a great start. Most people struggle at the start, so in that way you're in the minority!
If you look at the top section of the forum you'll find a thread about setting up and using Oscar. Give that a read...

The machine should not get noisier. I have the same machine, it's as quiet as when I first got it.

But noise can be caused by several things. A common cause on this machine is if the humidifier tank is not fully inserted.

Can you describe the noise? And where you think it's coming from on the machine?

P.S. your English is fine. On the other hand I know very little of any other language unless you count those used by computers!

[Dom]

Thanks for the answer.

So, I don't have any humidificator, and no more problem, as they exchanged it without problem...well the only think they said was..."ok, I don't see anything wrong, take this other cpap, test it with your setup, and if anything wrong, come back to me monday with all your stuff"... What can I said except thanks...

Yes, sounds like I'm in the lucky minority, great !

Sound was like a whistle when I inaled (hinaled?), like if I was turning the turbine faster myself.

I'll take a further look at oscar, and come back to you.

Takes care

Dom

[Dom]

I think I understood a little oscar, can you take a look at this, and tell me your thinkink about it?

Thanks again !


Take care !

screenshot-20201010-140059.png (128.64 KiB) Viewed 1354 times

[A KLERK]

Hi Dom, I am the Translations Coordinator for OSCAR, from the Netherlands. You might try to use Google Translate for your posts. Just copy and paste you French question in 'translate.google.com' and paste the translated text back to this forum... An even better one is deepl: go to deepl.com and after installing (for free) you just type <ctrl> c twice to get the translation...

Is there any French Forum or Facebook page in Wallonia (the French speaking part of Belgium)? Ever heard of apneuvereniging.be for Flandres?

[Dom]

Hello,

Thanks but no for automatic translator, I prefer trying to speak/write myself, I don't like google translator,I prefer to learn by myself, so much better.

Don't know of any french speaking cpap forum, and I'm not on facebook, and finnaly, I don't like speaking deutch...so can't answer your question.

No one to take a look at my graph?

Have a nice day all,
Take care

Dom

[Julie]

Your graph looks pretty good, but you spelled AHI wrongly (IHA).

The translator is a good idea as it helps us to help you - don't make it harder to get help when you need it.

[Pugsy]

Your graph looks pretty good, but you spelled AHI wrongly (IHA)

Actually he didn't do it...the software did with his choice of language when he installed the software. Other languages list it as IAH. That's okay...I know what it means.

To Dom...
Now the other graphs...I am not so good with since I barely do English only.

But it looks like your flow limitation graph is a bit active...not horribly horrible but likely a factor in what is causing all the pressure changes since flow limitations are an important factor in auto adjusting machine algorithms.

If you aren't having much nasal congestion then I would suggest a 1 cm increase in the minimum pressure and see if that cleans up your report a little. It's not horrible but could stand a little bit of cleaning up if it were my report that is what I would be doing.

Now if you are having much nasal congestion at all....we can't fix flow limitations from nasal issues with more pressure but instead have to go about it with the traditional ways to deal with nasal issues....saline sprays, OTC meds, etc.

We don't need that bottom IAH graph...it's redundant information and we can see clustering (if present) on the Events graph on the top.
So if you remove that graph it will allow you to make the other graphs a bit larger and easier to evaluate.
Don't need the snore graph either. It's not very exciting.

Overall...actually a decent report for being new to cpap therapy and no urgent need to change anything but if it were my report I would increase the minimum just 1 cm and see what happens.

BTW.....humidification helps a lot of people with nasal issues so if you are having nasal issues..might want to add some moisture.
Most people need at least a little and some people need a lot added.

[Miss Emerita]

It will be good to see what happens when you increase your minimum. I hope you'll post another chart after you make the change.

It is possible that you would benefit from raising your minimum even higher and increasing your EPR. But one step at a time. Start with what Pugsy has recommended.

[Pugsy]

It will be good to see what happens when you increase your minimum. I hope you'll post another chart after you make the change.

It is possible that you would benefit from raising your minimum even higher and increasing your EPR. But one step at a time. Start with what Pugsy has recommended.

Yep...more EPR for the FLs maybe but only once we figure out if the FLs are from nasal issues or not since no humidification was being used and see if a little more minimum helps reduce the OAs and hyponeas a bit.

I can't imagine no humidification myself. I cringe when I think about it but I know some people do well without it but that FL graph sure looks like it might be nasal related to my eye.
But in Europe they often don't supply the patient with the water chamber and they often tell people it isn't needed or it costs a lot more to add the humidifier...when all they need with the AirSense machine is the water chamber. DMEs lie all over the world...not just here in the USA.

[Dom]

Ok, great, I'll do +1 on the min pressure, should not be a problem.

When I received the cpap, the min was at 7, I raised it by myself to 8, cause I have nasal problems, and it helped me breathe a lot.

Long story short: 2 times noze broken (one on duty, the other on a road accident), 2 surgery to fix it, 2 mess...

The last specialist that I saw said stop, enough damages have been made, so I'll have to live with a deviated septum...It turn, that the cpap mask I use help me to breath, funny no?

So, I'll raise my min pressure to 9, try to put oscar in english, and go back to you !

Thanks!

[Pugsy]

You can create a second profile in OSCAR in English if you wish but I can figure out most of what I need to see in your chosen language.
Mainly what I look at is the pressure graph and/or the events and flow rate with FL graph. I don't really need the words...I go by what the graphs show more than anything else.

If you aren't using humidification...might consider giving it a try as often it will help. Google "cpap rhinitis" and start reading.
Now it may not help the deviated septum part but sometimes the added moisture actually helps the nasal mucosa part. Worth trying.
A lot will depend on where you live and what your local ambient humidity might be. If you live by the seaside...probably won't need more moisture but if inland or using wood heat or furnace is turned on (which dries the air out) then it might help.

[Dom]

Got it, no seaside...saddly...

I'll try to get an humidificator.

[Pugsy]

You already have the ability to add humidification....you just need a water chamber which isn't a big deal.
See in the manual.
https://www.respshop.com/manuals/ResMed ... %20her.pdf

Don't let anyone charge you much for the water chamber. I don't know about where you live but here in the US about $20 from Amazon.

The reason I mention this is not long ago a guy in England was told he needed to pay the equivalent of about $200 US to add humidification to his AirSense machine which was simply a rip off. All the AirSense/AirCurve models have the ability to add moisture built in already to the machine. All that is needed is the addition of the water chamber which is cheap.

Sorry about the lack of seaside but what with all the bad weather lately seaside...might be a blessing.
I am pretty much in the middle of the USA...so no seaside for me either.

Your Flow Limitation graph might always look like it does simply from the deviated septum stuff. It is what it is but as long as you are sleeping good and feeling decent then let your body be your best guide.
Your Flow limitation graph is far from horrible. I have seen much worse and it was from nasal issues as well. Not much we can do when FL graph activity is related to nasal issues but the machine itself doesn't have any way to know it's from nasal issues and it will still respond like it is lower in the airway where typical OSA issues reside. We deal with it sometimes in various ways depending on if the machine wanting to fix nasal issues (which it can't) with more pressure causes a problem or not.

[Dom]

Hello, me again.

So, I raised the min level a little for 2 night, nothing wrong with it for me.

I should have the humidifier tomorrow.

Thx for your advices about the price of it, here, in Belgium but I just rang the hospital, tell them about it, saying my nose was feeling very dry, the asked since how long, I said about 2 weeks now, they said ok, come back tomorrow at 10.30, with your cpap, we'll add the humidifier to it, and explain you how to use it. They spoke about some electrical thing too, so I think I'lll get a heated hose too(don't know how to name it in english).

As I have said, here, in Belgium, the cpap is not mine, I rent it (7 euros a month, about 8.22 us dollars), but when I need stuff (broken or used mask, humidificator, think like that), it usualy is comprised in the 7 euros (in fact our compulsory health care insurance takes the surplus in charge).

Soooo, Other thing now, I'll joint the oscar chart of my last night, with min pressure at 9. I changed my mask for a brevida, because I wanted to sleep without the anti-storm pillow that usually seats between my wife and I...

screenshot-20201013-170759.png (141.33 KiB) Viewed 1253 times

Feel free to comment

(Ps I talked to you with a friend who's on cpap since 6 years, and having some trouble and no help with it, I named you my "medical over the sea team" )