Want to see all the data stored on your CPAP machine's SD Card?

@johnbishop - I think your idea about a way to view all the data at home from your CPAP's SD card - including all the information over the time you've used your CPAP - using the program you found and downloaded will be interesting to other members who use this machine.

I'd like to invite into this conversation @thankful @franle @beatricefay @mikey1 @macjane @rachelanne @johnbuckler @macjane @sanibelsandy @bernese53 @rooster53 @tinybeads2004 @alanbruce @johnhans @dawn_giacabazi @oldkarl @ecook @etaniguchi @doodle75bug @menotpvcs @steve1948 @jolynn60 @doug2018 @gailb @usafretired15 @elwooodsdad @techi.

@johnbishop - you mentioned you were amazed when you looked at all your data from your CPAP usage using this program you found online. Wondering how you would say it was helpful to you with your sleep apnea? Did you make any observations looking at your information that led you to make any changes with your CPAP usage?

@lisalucier I haven't had the chance to spend any time going through all of the data yet to figure out what I can learn from it. I listed the currently supported machines by SleepyHead in the discussion description above. Here are a few screen shots as a teaser. There is also a frequently asked questions and a user's guide you can access from the programs help menu. Here's the link to the user's guide.

-- http://sleepyhead.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?title=SleepyHead_Users_Guide

I'm thinking I need to go through the user's guide first. Being somewhat techie I normally only use them when I can't figure it out using the program.

John

Sleepyhead has shut down. 🙁 See screenshot. I was so excited about this, and now I go to try it and it's gone. I'm devastated because I was so looking forward to looking into the secret world of the SD card, but alas unless you have found another option, it's gone. I will try the test build link and see if it works, but I guess there will be no further work on this project. Will post when I try and see if that works for me?? There is a link to the full explanation from the announcement page.

Also, I'm curious if you know how to download to SD card new software or firmware for the DreamStation? I have no modem or any of those other connections. Just the Bluetooth and the SD card and Dreammapper app.

More info re SleepyHead. When I clicked on your wiki link I got this. See screenshots. Hmmmm.

Hello @ilovedoodie, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I don't have a modem either on my Dreamstation or my Dreamstation Go. I did like playing with the SleepyHead program and downloading the data from my SD card into the program. I used it for a few months and it was a little information overload for me. I do use the Dreammapper app on my phone to upload the data on the SD card into the app and it also uploads it to the MyDreammapper site -- https://www.mydreammapper.com/Home/Sleep

My daily goal is to improve the AHI and try to keep it under 4.0. A lot of my issue is falling back to sleeping on my back. I get the best numbers sleeping on my side until I have to move due to pain in my hip...wakes me most nights. I think I'm a side sleeper because I have a deviated septum and my nasal path is not always clear so I breath through the mouth a lot. I use a ResMed AirFit F20 full face mask.

Do you currently view your SD card data this way for your Dreamstation?

It's not too hard to install the Windows version of Sleepyhead from your links. You just have to identify whether you have the 32 bit or 64 bit Windows Operating system and download the appropriate version and if you have Kapersky Antivirus you may have to disable it temporarily due to the issue of it thinking it's malware when it's not. You may find it useful as you get to see what the sleep techs see when you take your CPAP machine into your doctor for usage compliance verification.

Your question on updating the Dreamstation firmware - If it were me, I would leave it alone - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's easy to brick a device by updating the firmware and have something go wrong and then you have to get a new one. I had an issue with my Dreamstation last year when it was under warranty and had to send it in. It failed the Performance check which you can use to tell if your Dreamstation is working normally.

Thank you for the response @johnbishop I use the Bluetooth connection on my DreamStation Auto which connects to my phone Bluetooth DreamStation app to get the information easily daily--the minute I wake up. I'm always curious how my night went, especially since the last few nights I have had dreams which is something that hasn't happened in quite some time. The night before last I also had more hypopneas which I think I read somewhere may be associated with REM sleep as well as several other factors.

I'm curious if the data on the SleepyHead screenshots you provided is yours or just a generic one from the website. If it is yours, it appears that you are on the Auto setting with Min Pressure at 8 and Max pressure at 13.2 with a 90% pressure of 11.70. The next night shows Max at 18 and Min at 8 with 90% being 13.5. Sorry if I'm being too technical, but I'm curious because I did the YouTube video trip and decided to change my settings from CPAP to Auto 2 nights ago, just for a test because I was waking up with serious heavy airflow in the early morning after being comfortable all night. I put my Max at 11 which was my previous setting and my Min at 6. I don't know the statistics in between, but the 90% showed 11 and I believe it should have shown a lower number. That night of sleep was awesome, but I wondered if I should change my Max because with Auto technically the Max should be set a bit higher than your 90%. Last night I turned the Max to 12 thinking it would probably not 90% at 12, but it did and again I woke up early with pressure way too high. I wonder if mine is not working correctly? Do you know anything about this, or are you still just focusing on AHI and haven't attempted to crack into the secret settings system? I'm a rebel I guess and always have to fuss with pressure and comfort settings until I get it too my liking. Don't tell anyone. 🤐

Final question: Do you think I should try the Oscar? I'm tempted. I have Windows 10 Pro 64 bit, btw.

Hi @ilovedoodie, The SleepyHead data above was mine that I downloaded from my SD card. My Dreamstation CPAP was set to Min 8 and Max 18 for pressure. I did try tweaking the Max pressure down on my own but put it back after one night due to the AHI results getting a lot worse. I had a lot of issues with several masks at first that added to my problems and I think that may be reflected on the SleepyHead data. I haven't uploaded data into SleepyHead for a long time so maybe I'll give it a try again and update you.

Fall of 2018 I purchased a Dreamstation Go Auto CPAP for traveling. I had it for about 6 months before using it on a long weekend trip to visit our inlaws in Illinois. My AHI numbers were lower than they had been since I started using a CPAP so I made it my primary machine and am still using it. It is set to the same settings so I'm wondering if my first Dreamstation CPAP is not an auto CPAP but haven't been able to determine if they are all auto or what the deal is. I feel the same about the pressure. I don't like it when I wake up and it's lifting my mask off my face and the air is going in my eyes. I normally reach over and turn off the CPAP and then turn it back on which gets me back to 8 for pressure. It does have a drop to 4 ppm if you tap it but that setting feels like it's not enough air. A lot of my issue I'm sure is my deviated septum but not sure I want to do anything about it right now it the AHI numbers can be held under 4.

I just checked on my laptop where I have the SleepyHead program installed and I have version 1.0.0 - beta-2 and I am running Windows 10 Pro. I will see if I can upload some new data and show you a screenshot.

@ilovedoodie, I downloaded the WinXP/Vista/7/8/10, 1.0.0-beta-2 from https://sleepyhead.jedimark.net/ to my Windows 10 Pro x64 bit desktop and copied the old data from my laptop then uploaded the data from my Dreamstation Go and everything was there. When I first opened the program it said I hadn't updated it for 319 days :-). I had forgotten my password and had to search how to fix it but it wasn't too hard. Hope this helps.

@johnbishop You should use a password manager. 😁 Thanks for the updated chart. I find the extended details fascinating and very helpful as they breakdown the different events that together comprise your AHI as well as showing the average pressure which DreamMapper does not show--only the 90%. AHI is not the whole story because certain events in this category are more critical than others. I will definitely download the app. I have been using PAP therapy for approximately 8 years and have tried pretty much every brand/type of mask available and just recently settled on the Respironics Nasal Pillows. My old machine died a few months ago. I just received my Dreamstation Auto about 3 weeks ago and I love it. Regarding your comment that you are uncertain which machine(s) you have, there are five DreamStation Models (not including the GO), four of them capable of more than one type of therapy. See screenshot above.

Forgive me if I sound like a know-it-all. I was ignorant of most of the terms on your chart as well as the types and capabilities of various DreamStation devices so I spent a significant amount of time with Mr. Google before composing this response. I have the DreamStation Auto which is capable of Fixed CPAP, CPAP check (dunno what that is) and Auto-CPAP. I was set up with fixed because that is what I have always used, but I have been playing with Auto Settings courtesy of a YouTube video. I may give up the fight and return to fixed. From your statistics, I am thinking you may be using the DreamStation Auto-BiPAP machine currently, so either your two machines are different or they are set up differently. These machines are crazy expensive and you don't want to wear out your GO--how would you travel--and why allow a perfectly good machine to go unused. Maybe think about browsing the built-in menus or having a professional do it so you can find out the types of machines you have and the ways they are set up? It seems kind of random that the GO would give you different results than your home machine unless it is a different model, is set up differently or is defective, doesn't it? My mommy taught me not to waste. 😁

Below is a list of terms and definitions I learned from my research, with the disclaimer that I will not be held responsible for the content of any website and I did not copy directly from any website but put together summary information from several. The "System" previously did not allow me to add links so I cannot share specific website names. Some terms I'm sure we both already know, but I listed them as a reference to the ones I found on your report that I did not know. If you already have knowledge of these terms and definitions, please forgive me and the Google Search that brought me to your post and Mayo Connect due to my fascination with details.

COMPONENTS OF AHI: Average number of combined Apneas and Hypopneas per hour.
⦁ APNEA -- when you stop breathing for at least 10 seconds while sleeping
⦁ OBSTRUCTIVE APNEA -- events that include continued or increased effort to breathe due to an obstruction in the airway.
⦁ CLEAR AIRWAY EVENTS or CENTRAL APNEA -- a neurological issue. No attempt to breathe is made during these events.
⦁ HYPOPNEA -- at least 10 seconds of slow or shallow breathing that causes a drop in blood oxygen saturation and then arousal
⦁ FLOW LIMITATION INDEX: No clue
⦁ RERA -- A RERA does not qualify as an Apnea but causes arousal or a decrease in oxygen saturation; i.e., brain waves change to alpha wave, meaning you have woken up but don't realize it. RERAs are NOT included in AHI but are now recognized as an indicator of the severity of sleep apnea.
⦁ RDI -- a term I do not see on this chart is the Respiratory Disturbance Index which includes apneas, hypopneas and RERAs per hour of sleep. It may be on your chart under another name?

If you had not been kind enough to update and post your chart, I probably would have never known of RERAs or the RDI. From your chart, the Hypopnea events are the greater number and contributor to your AHI (mine also from DreamMapper). Hypopneas have many possible causes, some of which a person may be able to control. Since you are watching your AHI, and Hypopneas are a large factor maybe Google or your doctor can help you with ones that you can control. One of the factors is being male 😂. Sorry. I fit into almost all of the high-risk categories, which tells me that I need to lose weight (already know that) and try to better control my allergies. Also, I take sedatives and other medications that could potentially slow my breathing. I'll have to ask my doctor about that.

I am definitely interested to see my RERA Index numbers and would love to know my RDI which I don't know if it will be on the chart. I'm downloading today. If doctors and even insurance companies are now using the RERA numbers to assess the benefit of treatment when previously they did not, I think APNEA sufferers should also consider it important. Maybe I should inform the makers of DreamMapper, no? Should we stage a protest or take a poll? Thanks again for sharing this valuable information. Maybe this will answer the question posed by @lisalucier on your first post about this app.

Sweet Dreams!

Thanks @ilovedoodie! I found out my Dreamstation CPAP is an Auto-CPAP the same as my Dreamstation Go. I also use a CPAP mask Comfort Cover which is a reason the mask I use leaks more. It's a trade off for me as I hate the silicone on my face and the nasal pillows would never work for me due to my nose always being stuffy. I can breathe through my nose clearly about 20% of the time which is why I have a full face mask. I still try to only breathe through my nose when possible and I'm able to sleep better when I'm able to breathe through the nose. I may have to share a printout with the Sleepmedicine doc if I ever have another appointment.

I wake up several times a night due to the old man syndrome 🙂 I've been thinking about getting a new adjustable bed with a zero gravity setting as I think that may help with sleeping/breathing issues. I've looked at a few but we have to do some other home fix ups first.