Am I Cured?

Last year I tried self-titrating, stopped at 7" when I couldn't imagine a lower pressure being any more comfortable than 7. My events on sleepyhead were always few, and virtually all were from 11-15 seconds long, so they barely counted as events.

This month I tried again, to find out what my minimum pressure is, or if I even have a minimum pressure.

I've gone as far with that as I can go, my AS10 won't go below 4". Last night I did 6 1/2 hours at 4.0" with 0.3 AHI (two events all night). Last week I had a 0.0 AHI with 5.x" of pressure. When I got below 5", I had to switch from the pillows to the nasal mask because it felt like I was struggling to suck air through the little holes in the pillows instead of the machine blowing through them.

So, how do I know if my AHI would stay under 1.0 without the CPAP?
14 months ago I had untreated AHI=45 in my sleep study.

Maybe get a recording oximeter and compare my o2 levels with and without CPAP?

Taxmantoo wrote:Last year I tried self-titrating, stopped at 7" when I couldn't imagine a lower pressure being any more comfortable than 7. My events on sleepyhead were always few, and virtually all were from 11-15 seconds long, so they barely counted as events.

This month I tried again, to find out what my minimum pressure is, or if I even have a minimum pressure.

I've gone as far with that as I can go, my AS10 won't go below 4". Last night I did 6 1/2 hours at 4.0" with 0.3 AHI (two events all night). Last week I had a 0.0 AHI with 5.x" of pressure. When I got below 5", I had to switch from the pillows to the nasal mask because it felt like I was struggling to suck air through the little holes in the pillows instead of the machine blowing through them.

So, how do I know if my AHI would stay under 1.0 without the CPAP?
14 months ago I had untreated AHI=45 in my sleep study.

Maybe get a recording oximeter and compare my o2 levels with and without CPAP?

How do you feel compared to before you were diagnosed? If you feel great now but lousy back then, just don't use the CPAP for a couple of nights and see if the crappy feeling comes back.

Taxmantoo wrote:Last year I tried self-titrating, stopped at 7" when I couldn't imagine a lower pressure being any more comfortable than 7. My events on sleepyhead were always few, and virtually all were from 11-15 seconds long, so they barely counted as events.

This month I tried again, to find out what my minimum pressure is, or if I even have a minimum pressure.

I've gone as far with that as I can go, my AS10 won't go below 4". Last night I did 6 1/2 hours at 4.0" with 0.3 AHI (two events all night). Last week I had a 0.0 AHI with 5 . x" of pressure. When I got below 5", I had to switch from the pillows to the nasal mask because it felt like I was struggling to suck air through the little holes in the pillows instead of the machine blowing through them.

So, how do I know if my AHI would stay under 1.0 without the CPAP?
14 months ago I had untreated AHI=45 in my sleep study.

Maybe get a recording oximeter and compare my o2 levels with and without CPAP?

Going from AHI of 45 to ???, it's extremely unlikely that you could be "cured".

There were apparently reasons for you to have the sleep study done to begin with. Unlikely that things have changed.

Even at the lowest pressure levels there can be some therapeutic value. The only way to know for sure if your not having problems with out cpap would be another sleep study. Not necessarily one done in a lab but at least one of the better wear at home systems.

Also given you had or still have sleep apnea if you are currently not showing signs of it that doesnt mean it wont come back.

Couple of things to consider. How was your original diagnosis of sleep apnea done? Sleep lab test or what?

The AHI of 45 was that your official average from the night of your test?

What has changed in the last 14 months since you got that 45 number?

Did you lose a lot of weight? Etc...



It is very unlikely your apnea is cured but not impossible. Still it could be temporary and even if you go years with out cpap, you'll know you had it and there is a good chance it will come back. Apnea gets worse for most of us as we age.

Let us know what happens ultimately.

Rest well

Gryphon

I just would like to add that even in the absence of significant desaturations of oxygen there are still negative effects of SDB. If you are being aroused by SDB you are being sleep deprived and your health is being negatively affected. Desaturation of O2 is not the be all end all of SDB, if it were than sleep studies would need only a recording pulse oximeter and could dispense with all that other annoying crap.

There is no "cured".
There is only treated, or not treated.
You choose . . .

I'm the same way... AHI of 53, but even with 7 pressure my AHI is generally below 1. Some "bad" nights it will ramp up to 12 pressure... I usually just keep it at 12 though, because I think it eliminates the "less than 10 second" episodes that occur at 7 and I end up feeling better.

I also had a cold when I had my study done, so it's totally possible that my "normal" ahi is much lower than 53, but either way, over the months I've felt a huge recovery difference.

Testing the oxygen is a good idea, but keep in mind even then different things could activate worse apnea... including allergies, sickness, and even eating "inflamation" causing foods.

Gryphon wrote:
1. How was your original diagnosis of sleep apnea done? Sleep lab test or what?

2. The AHI of 45 was that your official average from the night of your test?

3. What has changed in the last 14 months since you got that 45 number?

4. Did you lose a lot of weight? Etc...

1. In lab.
2. Yes.
3-4. Not much. Been trying to lose weight, five pounds came off easy but I've been stuck there for months.

When I had my 2nd lab study, with CPAP to get my prescription pressures, my housemate told me I snored a lot less after the study.

It might not be much of a stretch to assume that my apnea was from airway collapse and I've strengthened greatly in the last 13 months with positive pressure. It might also be reasonable to assume that if I go off the CPAP, or even if I leave the pressure at 4" for several months, my airways will fail just like they did 10-12 years ago when I started feeling tired all the time.

What did I gain from CPAP therapy?
I went from being constantly exhausted to being less tired. Before CPAP, I'd constantly fall asleep in front of the TV, and sometimes at work if I didn't have a client in my office. Now, if I stay up late, or the dog keeps waking me up, I'll fall asleep in front of the TV or while reading a book, but that won't happen the next day if I get a full night's sleep.

Cure?? None. Keep it under control with cpap.

that question comes around from time to time. no you're not cured. keep using the equipment &
Don't run out and sell the equipment. You'll soon be buying it again.

nicholasjh1 wrote:I'm the same way... AHI of 53, but even with 7 pressure my AHI is generally below 1. Some "bad" nights it will ramp up to 12 pressure... I usually just keep it at 12 though, because I think it eliminates the "less than 10 second" episodes that occur at 7 and I end up feeling better.

I also had a cold when I had my study done, so it's totally possible that my "normal" ahi is much lower than 53, but either way, over the months I've felt a huge recovery difference.

Testing the oxygen is a good idea, but keep in mind even then different things could activate worse apnea... including allergies, sickness, and even eating "inflamation" causing foods.

I doesn't matter what AHI number you have at testing, only whether you have Sleep apnea and the presure you need to control it. Jim BTW: mine was 150 per hour for 3 hours.