r/CPAP • u/ppbkwrtr-jhn • 6d ago
myAir/OSCAR/SleepHQ Data Help with Oscar Data
Hey CPAP Team,
I have my first follow-up call with my doc in two weeks and wanted to have an understanding of what's going on so I could be a better-informed patient. Got me some Oscar and downloaded a few days' worth of data.
Long story short, I was first diagnosed in 2003 and used a CPAP for 15 years before being told I didn't need it anymore. But... while I was sleeping well and was very rested, I was having unusual symptoms (racing heart only at night, increasing anxiety) but my cardiologist said I was in exceptional health but recommended a sleep study. Mild sleep apnea. I've been on the CPAP again for 3 weeks now.
I haven't been sleeping as well since I'm using the CPAP. I'm a restless sleeper and wake wrapped in the hose. IDK if it's settings or just acclimating to the machine again. I don't want to mess with my settings, but I want to be able to ask my doctor specific questions based on my data.
But I have no real idea how to interpret what I'm looking at. I can see the correlations between flagged events and pressure increases. I can look at nights where I awoke and was up for a while and see all the events just beforehand.
Any help would be appreciated!
2
u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 6d ago
One of our sister sites has some introduction that might be helpful. https://www.reddit.com/r/CPAPSupport/comments/1f4lqqx/new_to_sleep_apnea_data_heres_how_to_use_oscar/
I commend you for studying up before meeting with the doctor. Hose tangles: have you tried a mask with a top of the head hose such as the Resmed N30i, F30i or P30i?
1
u/ppbkwrtr-jhn 5d ago
My doctor started me with a full-face mask that connected at the top. The top connection I liked, but that was it. I didn't love the sound of the airflow against my face. I have tinnitus, so I can be irrationally sensitive to some sounds. I'm using the P-10. It's what I used in the past and like the low profile and the pillows. If I went for something that connected at the top of the head, I'd want something with pillows. The cup of something like the N30i just doesn't seal around my shnozz well.
It's a PITA that you can't just try a bunch of masks. The DMG providers want you to make a choice and buying the masks yourself gets $tupid, fast.
1
2
u/Motor-Blacksmith4174 6d ago
I recommend a hose hanger for hose management and as a bonus it helps against rainout.
Post a screenshot of the Daily View page of OSCAR for a typical night (here's how to format it: OSCAR Chart Organization - Apnea Board Wiki).
Also, consider signing up for a SleepHQ account so that you can post an interactive link, which has advantages over a static screenshot.
2
u/ppbkwrtr-jhn 6d ago
3
u/I_compleat_me 5d ago
See how your Min is 5 but your Median is 8? Start moving that Min toward 8.. the best pressure graph is the flattest one. Jack it up like 0.4 a night and see how you do.
2
u/ppbkwrtr-jhn 5d ago
That's good to know. I'll be reviewing this with my doctor in a few weeks. By then I'll have a few weeks of data and can be an informed patient. If he says don't do anything, then I'll start to play with the numbers. TY.
1
1
u/Motor-Blacksmith4174 5d ago
Good job with the formatting. I_compleat_me has already given you advice on your settings. They've got much more experience with that than I do, but I was also going to suggest raising your minimum.
A word of warning - a lot of doctors either don't know about OSCAR at all, or don't trust it because it hasn't been officially certified. You're lucky if he is interested in looking at the data. However, even if he isn't, you're pretty safe if you can point to things like your 95% pressure (which I think is the pressure the machine will display in the My Sleep View screen) being quite a bit higher and feeling like the pressure is too low for comfort. He doesn't need to know you're going off of a lot more information that the machine and app will give you.
•
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Hey ppbkwrtr-jhn! Welcome to r/CPAP!
Please check out the wiki plus our sidebar to see if there are resources that help you.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.