AHI Success - try stopping CPAP?

[RipSnorter]

Hi All,

Firstly, I want to thank everyone who helps with this board - it's a fantastic resource which has a massively positive impact to peoples lives - myself included.

Since around august last year when I started on this, I had an AHI of 76 which was pretty shocking for me. I have been finding that my AHI levels and AI levels have continued to drop since using CPAP therapy - most of the time since the first few weeks it would consistently be under 5 - and yes, the effects on my life have been overwhelmingly positive.

The reason I am posting is that particularly over the last month, my AHI levels have gotten to the point where they are consistently under 0.5. A couple of nights now, it came out as 0.1 - which I was extremely stoked to see. For many months now, I have been considering cutting my pillow in half because my sleeping position hardly moves at all during the night.

Whilst I have read that OSA is a chronic disease/condition and that ceasing treatment is uncommon, however, I am tempted to see what would hap[pen if I tried a night without it. Of course, judging by my experience a year ago, I am apprehensive about even trying it.

What are other peoples' thoughts?

[squid13]

The machine is treating your sleep apnea, If you come off of it you'll go back to the way you were before using the machine. The machine does not cure your sleep apnea it treats it .

[LSAT]

You will most likely have an AHI in the 70s again. Your AHI is only reduced because of the CPAP.

[Nick Danger]

I agree with the above... CPAP doesn't cure anything. It only treats the symptoms. That would be like a diabetic deciding to quit taking insulin because it was working so well. It is highly unlikely that anything about your throat anatomy has changed sufficiently over an 8 month period that you would go from severe apnea to no apnea.

[RipSnorter]

Thanks Everyone,

Hey it was worth a shot right?

Wishful thinking I guess...


Cheers,

[Nick Danger]

I agree - even though I actually can't fall asleep without the machine, I'd chuck it in a minute if my apnea cured itself. I wish it worked that way.

[chunkyfrog]

Next time you see a person using crutches, just kick one out . . .
NO! STOP! But you do know what would happen. That could be you--OFF cpap.

[palerider]

Whilst I have read that OSA is a chronic disease/condition and that ceasing treatment is uncommon, however, I am tempted to see what would hap[pen if I tried a night without it. Of course, judging by my experience a year ago, I am apprehensive about even trying it.

What are other peoples' thoughts?

think of sleep apnea like bad eyesight, and cpap like glasses.

does it get better when you wear your glasses? yes, you can see things clearly. does it fix your eyes? nope!

[TangledHose]

if you are really curious instead of trying a night without the CPAP why don't you just decrease your therapy pressure below where you have it now, below an "optimum level" and then see what your AHI does. Now, I don't advocate this, but I would bet you that your resulting AHI on a less than optimal pressure setting would certainly shoot up which would indicate that you do indeed need the machine just as all the above posters have pointed out. I am just suggesting this little experiment so that you can prove to yourself that you need the machine to effectively treat your OSA........this would be better than trying a night "in the blind" without the machine.

[Pugsy]

I agree - even though I actually can't fall asleep without the machine, I'd chuck it in a minute if my apnea cured itself. I wish it worked that way.

That's me. I don't mind using the mask and machine but I would chuck it in a heartbeat if by some miracle my apnea cured itself. I know that I can't though....heck, the other day I fell asleep on the couch...sitting totally upright and I snored and woke myself up....hubby was sitting over in his chair laughing his ass off at me.

[kaiasgram]

Thanks Everyone,

Hey it was worth a shot right?

Wishful thinking I guess...


Cheers,

You're not alone. I would love to be able to drop kick my machine!

[Sircadian]

....hubby was sitting over in his chair laughing his ass off at me.

Yes, seems we can be quite entertaining ... my wife laughs at the head bob and the sudden snap back up, the laughter is often followed with a little pity/mercy as she brings me a pillow to prop me up.

[yaconsult]

Thanks Everyone,

Hey it was worth a shot right?

Wishful thinking I guess...


Cheers,

Try thinking of your wonderful cpap machine as a friend that diligently watches over you all night long, and helps you out whenever you need it. You are one of the lucky ones that cpap works very well for - so am I!

Of all of the incurable diseases we might have, at least this one has effective therapy available for it. There is a cure, although I don't recommend it even though my first doctor did. You can read about it here: http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/slee ... -Apnea.htm

[sleepstar]

If it's working for you I see no reason to sleep without it. CPAP doesn't cure sleep apnea.

[Julie]

And don't be fooled by something else - you may find that if you go off Cpap for a night or two things don't change much, and therefore think you can quit it, but 1-2 nights are nothing and within at least a week and probably sooner, you'll feel just as bad as you used to.