Help with CAs

[prodigyplace]

I feel I need to get my CAs better under control in order to improve my sleep. Although I have sinus allergies aI take an antihistimine to help clear at bedtime.
Here is am example from last night. Constructive suggestions are welcomed. Click to see full size.

[LSAT]

Exactly what is it about your sleep that needs improving?...Can't fall asleep? Can't stay asleep? Restless sleep? Amount of sleep?

[prodigyplace]

Restless and light sleep. It appears my ahi has been creeping up. I now see no OA but a bunch of CA.
When I originally had my home sleep study they just found OA and no CA.

[TedVPAP]

Restless and light sleep. It appears my ahi has been creeping up. I now see no OA but a bunch of CA.
When I originally had my home sleep study they just found OA and no CA.

Then your CA problem is either caused by treatment, or they are false and reflect arousals.
I would vary the pressure support (try 0 for a few days) to see if it helps.
Zooming in on the CA events (prior and post) my help to understand if it is caused by arousals.

[prodigyplace]

Pressure support. You mean EPR?

[TedVPAP]

Pressure support. You mean EPR?

Yes. The difference between Inhalation and exhalation pressure. Different machines call it different names (EPR, PS, FLEX, A-FLEX, C-FLEX, ).

[palerider]

Pressure support. You mean EPR?

Yes. The difference between Inhalation and exhalation pressure. Different machines call it different names (EPR, PS, FLEX, A-FLEX, C-FLEX, ).

It's better if you don't use inappropriate terms for the users machine. It just causes confusion.

[Jas_williams]

I agree with the above try reducing EPR to 1 or off completely you may find your CA’s halve or disappear. It may have no effect if the CA’s are not treatment induced by it’s worth a try.


Jason

[prodigyplace]

Pressure support. You mean EPR?

Yes. The difference between Inhalation and exhalation pressure. Different machines call it different names (EPR, PS, FLEX, A-FLEX, C-FLEX, ).

So why did you not use the standard EPR term as shown on my Sleepyhead screen??
Do you try to be confusing? The English language is already imprecise.

[TedVPAP]

Pressure support. You mean EPR?

Yes. The difference between Inhalation and exhalation pressure. Different machines call it different names (EPR, PS, FLEX, A-FLEX, C-FLEX, ).

So why did you not use the standard EPR term as shown on my Sleepyhead screen??
Do you try to be confusing? The English language is already imprecise.

Why are you an ingrate? Also a rhetorical question.

[palerider]

Pressure support. You mean EPR?

Yes. The difference between Inhalation and exhalation pressure. Different machines call it different names (EPR, PS, FLEX, A-FLEX, C-FLEX, ).

So why did you not use the standard EPR term as shown on my Sleepyhead screen??
Do you try to be confusing? The English language is already imprecise.

Why are you an ingrate? Also a rhetorical question.

Ted's true colors shine through.

Confuses someone, then calls them an "ingrate".

I'm sure teddy didn't use the right term because he doesn't bother with little details like which machine has PS, which machine has flex, and which has EPR... he's just got a vague idea about the concept, it's up to everyone else to figure out what he's babbling about.

[BTS]

[palerider]

I agree with the above try reducing EPR to 1 or off completely you may find your CA’s halve or disappear. It may have no effect if the CA’s are not treatment induced by it’s worth a try.


Jason

Yes, a small minority of people are more susceptible to the added ventilation that EPR can cause, it causes them to blow off too much CO2, and that depresses the bodies need to breath... which shows up as centrals. It's not necessarily harmful, (though it'd be interesting to monitor with a oximeter) but it does make for a messy sleepyhead report.

[TASmart]

I agree with the above try reducing EPR to 1 or off completely you may find your CA’s halve or disappear. It may have no effect if the CA’s are not treatment induced by it’s worth a try.


Jason

Yes, a small minority of people are more susceptible to the added ventilation that EPR can cause, it causes them to blow off too much CO2, and that depresses the bodies need to breath... which shows up as centrals. It's not necessarily harmful, (though it'd be interesting to monitor with a oximeter) but it does make for a messy sleepyhead report.

Interestingly, this was happening to me in my first several months on CPAP. If I used an EPR of 2 or 3 my CA events would soar. Now, after a little over a year, I am able to set a higher pressure, and if I do not use an EPR of 3 I get a lot of Hypopneas. But finally, I use an EPR of 3 and a high enough pressure to eliminate hypopnea and almost all of the flow limitations. I was seeing AHI in the 3 - 5 range, but the last few weeks with higher pressure and higher EPR I am around 1 or less most night.

[Barb (Seattle)]

question. The AHI is under 5, even though some ARE CA's.....I guess my question would be why would it be a concern?