How to Know if "Positional Therapy" is working?

[RKGraves]

Thank You For Your Help, I am a Newbie to sleep apnea.

Not sure if I am in the "denial" stage, but recently I had an at-home sleep study followed by an overnight stay at a sleep-hospital. Last week I reviewed the results with my doctor, O2 levels bottomed out at 71% and scored 8/24 with 20 apnea episodes during overnight study. The diagnoses is "airway obstruction" sleep apnea. My doctor gave me a step-1, 2, 3, 4, to try. Step-1 is loose 10 lbs and learn to sleep on my stomach and side (instead of my back). Step-2 lose 10 lbs. dental appliance, 3- lose 10 lbs CPAP, 4- eat all I want and surgery (don't care for this option). Currently trying Step-1.

My question is:
How do I know if this is effective in treating my airway obstruction sleep apnea? I am waking up less tired but don't know what "normal" should be or how my O2 levels are during the night. I talked with a local business about renting a CPAP to use as reference but no-go, purchase only.

Any thoughts or advise?

Thank you,
Newbie RKGraves

[Pugsy]

At least get an overnight recording pulse oximeter so you can keep an eye on your oxygen levels while you are experimenting.
http://www.pulseoxstore.com/Downloadable-Pulse-Ox.html
Your oxygen level went scarey low. Not something to mess around with.

[kaiasgram]

Welcome to the forum. Would you post a copy of your sleep study report (name whited out) so we can offer more informed feedback? For example, is there convincing evidence from your sleep study that sleeping on your stomach keeps you apnea free? If you don't have a copy of your sleep study report, it's wise to get one for your records.

With desats down to 71% I would not delay in getting treatment. Losing 10 pounds takes time and there's no guarantee that it would obviate the need for treatment (cpap or dental appliance). Doctors all too often tell patients that they can avoid cpap by losing weight when in fact there's no way to know if that's going to be the case.

If you're going to do anything other than starting on cpap, including trying a dental appliance, please follow Pugsy's suggestion to get a recording pulse oximeter so you can at least monitor your blood oxygen levels.

[Wulfman...]

Thank You For Your Help, I am a Newbie to sleep apnea.

Not sure if I am in the "denial" stage, but recently I had an at-home sleep study followed by an overnight stay at a sleep-hospital. Last week I reviewed the results with my doctor, O2 levels bottomed out at 71% and scored 8/24 with 20 apnea episodes during overnight study. The diagnoses is "airway obstruction" sleep apnea. My doctor gave me a step-1, 2, 3, 4, to try. Step-1 is loose 10 lbs and learn to sleep on my stomach and side (instead of my back). Step-2 lose 10 lbs. dental appliance, 3- lose 10 lbs CPAP, 4- eat all I want and surgery (don't care for this option). Currently trying Step-1.

My question is:
How do I know if this is effective in treating my airway obstruction sleep apnea? I am waking up less tired but don't know what "normal" should be or how my O2 levels are during the night. I talked with a local business about renting a CPAP to use as reference but no-go, purchase only.

Any thoughts or advise?

Thank you,
Newbie RKGraves

Probably. It's a pretty common symptom of being diagnosed.

But, I agree with the others......and suggest you'd best be getting on therapy ASAP.

By the way, I get through Coeur d'Alene a couple of times a year. My wife has lots of relatives south of there. Nice area.


Den

.

[cathyf]

When I had my screening study my oxygen went down to 79% for less than 30 seconds. I would describe my PA's reaction as "hair on fire". Your doc wants to play "wait and see" if/when you lose 10lbs? With a desat of 71%? Nuts!

[palerider]

When I had my screening study my oxygen went down to 79% for less than 30 seconds. I would describe my PA's reaction as "hair on fire". Your doc wants to play "wait and see" if/when you lose 10lbs? With a desat of 71%? Nuts!

yeah, my first thought was "get another doctor"

[RKGraves]

Thank You - Everyone for your replies!

It is encouraging and very helpful to have a place to go to ask question. I appreciate everyone's feedback.

I've scanned a .pdf of my sleep study report. The quality is not great but I believe all the data is readable. I'm new and don't see how attach a file to a Forum post so will share the file as a web link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3343ngsj45jh ... t.pdf?dl=0

Based on what I am learning I believe my next step will be to order a APAP machine, rather than investing in a night-recording oximeter.

Again Thank You for the Replies,
Randy

(Yes, Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful place - we feel fortunate to live here)

[Julie]

It looks to me like you had all your events when on your back and just about none otherwise. I'm still not sure why you would go onto a machine if just not back sleeping might well do the trick... or am I missing something?

[Goofproof]

Thank You For Your Help, I am a Newbie to sleep apnea.

Not sure if I am in the "denial" stage, but recently I had an at-home sleep study followed by an overnight stay at a sleep-hospital. Last week I reviewed the results with my doctor, O2 levels bottomed out at 71% and scored 8/24 with 20 apnea episodes during overnight study. The diagnoses is "airway obstruction" sleep apnea. My doctor gave me a step-1, 2, 3, 4, to try. Step-1 is loose 10 lbs and learn to sleep on my stomach and side (instead of my back). Step-2 lose 10 lbs. dental appliance, 3- lose 10 lbs CPAP, 4- eat all I want and surgery (don't care for this option). Currently trying Step-1.

My question is:
How do I know if this is effective in treating my airway obstruction sleep apnea? I am waking up less tired but don't know what "normal" should be or how my O2 levels are during the night. I talked with a local business about renting a CPAP to use as reference but no-go, purchase only.

Any thoughts or advise?

Thank you,
Newbie RKGraves

Sounds like your doctor ??? is in the De-Nile reinforcment bussiness, I'd find a Doctor that knew how to treat sleep apnea, maybe he needs scooled in the Gold Standard. Jim

[RKGraves]

It looks to me like you had all your events when on your back and just about none otherwise. I'm still not sure why you would go onto a machine if just not back sleeping might well do the trick... or am I missing something?

This is a question I have also - tough decision as to what next to do. The sleep-study was prompted as part of PTSD treatment from recent volunteer work in Africa. I'm a teacher (Information Technology) and currently working a reduced schedule and need to return to full-time as soon as possible. So I went ahead and made the decision to order an APAP setup as the best-next-step towards regaining my health/treating PTSD and returning to work full time.

I appreciate everyone's comments and input.

Thank you,
RKGraves

[mars]

Not sure if I am in the "denial" stage, but recently I had an at-home sleep study followed by an overnight stay at a sleep-hospital. Last week I reviewed the results with my doctor, O2 levels bottomed out at 71% and scored 8/24 with 20 apnea episodes during overnight study. The diagnoses is "airway obstruction" sleep apnea. My doctor gave me a step-1, 2, 3, 4, to try. Step-1 is loose 10 lbs and learn to sleep on my stomach and side (instead of my back). Step-2 lose 10 lbs. dental appliance, 3- lose 10 lbs CPAP, 4- eat all I want and surgery (don't care for this option). Currently trying Step-1.

Newbie RKGraves

So at long last we have a rational sleep doctor (who obviously cares for his patient), giving perfectly sound advice - which if it works is inexpensive and worry free as far as travel is concerned. Pugsy then suggests he get an oximeter (say $100), which will tell him if the positional therapy is working, and protect him from a too low SPo2 with an alarm, and Julie backs this up with more common-sense.

And what happens -

The sleep doctor is denigrated

His suggestion is denigrated

Pugsy and Julie are treated as though their suggestions have no merit

and maybe the guy will be on a machine for the rest of his life without any valid reason.



Mars

[RKGraves]

Mars,

I appreciate your comments, I appreciate everyone's comments. My goal is to regain my health enough to return back to work full-time. I'm working with a medical doctor and PTSD therapist and both say that the sleep apnea needs to be addressed first and then they can move forward with treatment. I'm a teacher and have summer's off from work and can re-visit positional therapy or the dental appliance this summer. I've applied positional therapy for just short of 2 weeks and not knowing my oxygen levels I can only go by how I feel in the mornings, and that has been mixed and mostly no sign of improvement. I'll use the CPAP/APAP initially, hoping for positive results so I can move forward with PTSD treatment.

I'm a newbie to all of this and welcome any comments, help, or suggestions.

Again Thanks Everyone for taking the time to offer input.
Beautiful day here today but looking for temps in the teens next week.
RKGraves