First sleep study consultation tomorrow

There's probably tons of newbie stuff I should be reading before posting for the first time, but I don't feel up to it due to other(?) health issues that make it uncomfortable for me to sit at my computer.

So... I had my first sleep study a week ago, and I'm seeing the doc tomorrow.

Diagnosis: Moderate OSA Syndrome and REM sleep without atonia.
Total number of OSAs was 0. Hypopneas 75, Central apneas 3. The overall AHI was 15.5.
Total sleep time 302 minutes.

My history: GERD with Barrett's Esophagus. Atrial Fibrillation. Abdominal muscle weakness and pain possibly due to pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.

I am a 62 year old male, 6 ft tall, 180 lbs.

I typically only sleep about 5 hours per night, but it's not really a problem during the day. At initial consultation when I complained of waking at 3am or so, and not being able to get back to sleep, after falling asleep easily around 10 - 10:30 pm, Doc suggested I may not need any more sleep than that and that I should try to stay up later so when I wake up after 5 hours it's an acceptable time (for me) to get up.

Any comments and or advice greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Start reading this
https://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/
and this
https://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what- ... me-part-i/
and this
http://adventures-in-hosehead-land.blog ... -test.html
and at this last link read the "for those newly diagnosed" section also

It sounds like the advice you need is going to come from your doctor at the upcoming consultation. Having a medical history means that only a physician should really provide the type of advice I feel you're looking for. Keep in mind that the diagnosis as "Moderate OSA" only takes one data point into account: AHI. There's a lot more going on that the doctor needs to review and match to your medical history to have that discussion with you.

[quote="Pugsy"]Start reading this...

Pugsy - Thanks for your help!

[quote="QualityDMEGuy"]

I appreciate your input.

Fast forward to June 5. I have used my machine 3 nights, and a couple of naps. So far so good! I'm amazed I've been able to sleep relatively well right off the bat. I'm a very light sleeper.

I've also downloaded SleepyHead and learned how to deal with the SD card, etc. I wonder how often people forget to reset the card from read-only when putting it back in the machine.

Question: If I have to get up to answer nature's call, is there any reason I shouldn't just disconnect the hose from the mask and let it blow, as opposed to shutting the machine off for that short time? It generates a "major leak" data point, but since I know why, that doesn't bother me.

philajohn wrote:
Question: If I have to get up to answer nature's call, is there any reason I shouldn't just disconnect the hose from the mask and let it blow, as opposed to shutting the machine off for that short time? It generates a "major leak" data point, but since I know why, that doesn't bother me.

Most of them shut off automatically after a short time of free-blow. Won't hurt the machine but it'll make a lot of noise and you'll probably have to turn it on again when you get back anyway.

Most of them shut off automatically after a short time of free-blow. Won't hurt the machine but it'll make a lot of noise and you'll probably have to turn it on again when you get back anyway.

No, they must be set to turn off after a period of "large leak". Unless that feature is turned on the machines can blow for hours and hours and hours.
With Respironics machines it is called "Auto Off" and when it is turned On then after 60 seconds of the machine not sensing a human breathing on the other end then it will turn itself off. If Auto Off is set to Off...Respironics machines will blow for hours until the machine is manual turned off or power is disrupted.
With ResMed machines this feature to turn itself off is tied to SmartStart.

If the noise doesn't bother a bed partner and you are good with the large leak showing on the software reports then it really hurts nothing to let the machine just blow until you return to bed. It can sort of mess with the overall leak numbers a little but again it's easily seen if that happens so not the end of the world.
I found that it annoyed me because that large leak would mess with the leak graph scale and made it harder to see where large leak territory was but that's just me. It doesn't hurt the machine to let it run and if you are okay with what it does to the leak reports....do whatever you wish.