How severe is sever sleep apnea?

[TiredTooLong]

So I know that ahi >40 is severe. My test was 64.2 with Sp02 during wake 91% and a low of 72% during sleep. 488 total event (3/4 hypopneas) during the night. My longest was 106 seconds. I can't hold my breath that long.

Over a year ago I told my dr. that I was very tired. He said I was just getting old (I'm only 63). then I went to a retreat, and my roommate (a former respiratory therapist) told me I quit breathing. I changed doctors and told her I was tired. She scheduled the sleep test. I am so made at the first DR. (I have been going to him for several years.)

The sleep titration with nose mask (actually slept well with it) was very good and did notice a bit of difference the next morning. Don't have that report yet, won't until Wednesday June 27th. I'm sure looking forward to getting the machine.

So how bad is bad?

[Sloop]

Yours is pretty bad -- especially your SaO2. You will be classed as either moderately severe or severe.
But your life is about to take a dramatic change for the better. You are going to have energy that you didn't know existed.

[Chuck Connors]

TiredTooLong,

You'll be able to find good doctors who specialize in Sleep Disorders in Seattle. I'm sure the same is true for Spokane, since it's a regional healthcare center for Eastern Washington, British Columbia and Montana. Possibly try going to avvo.com as a starting point to find a Doc. Best wishes.

-Chuck-

[user from Singapore]

I had about same numbers. AHI at 56 with close to 430 events. The longest one being 1mn 34 seconds. O2 went down as low as 45%.
I feel a great difference after using the hose. Sloop is telling the truth.

[archangle]

So I know that ahi >40 is severe. My test was 64.2 with Sp02 during wake 91% and a low of 72% during sleep. 488 total event (3/4 hypopneas) during the night. My longest was 106 seconds. I can't hold my breath that long.

You may not have completely stopped breathing for the whole time. You may have gotten in some partial breaths during the 106 seconds. Or you may have really stopped completely for the whole time. The 72% does indicate bad things were really happening.

[greg-g]

Those results aren't that uncommon, but please come and join the rest of us with a hose.
An SpO2 of 72% isn't good, and the ahi indicates a lot of arousal's disrupting you sleep.
Please make sure you get a data capable machine, preferably an autoset.

[Tino2You]

Hi Tired,

My numbers were very similar to yours AHI 96, 131 obstructive events with a mean of 23 seconds and a low 79% o2.
I was classified as severe. No matter, you like I, will have a machine in our future.

My advice to you is to read as much as you can in here before your next visit. Browse our hosts page looking at machines and masks (did they let you keep your mask from your sleep study? If so, you may want to look at full face or hybrid masks if you have insurance). Unlike what your mother probably told you, you will not grow into a mask. It will fit or not. It will be comfortable or not. Try them on, attached to a running machine preferably laying down in your DMEs office when the time comes. Leaks around the mask are very hard to control, especially with an ill fitting mask.

Take an active role in your treatment. You have the most to gain from it! Make sure your machine has full data recording capabilities. In that way you can check and see how your treatment is going.

Relax, the hard part is done. The people here are great. We are all just trying to make it work.

Cheers,
=tino

[DreamStalker]

My AHI was 102, max duration of 62.9 sec, average duration of 27.3 sec, with min SPO2 of 60%, average SPO2 of 82.93%.

The sleep tech told me in the morning that I was pretty bad and on two occasions during the night thought that I was going to go into cardiac arrest.

The sleep doc said I was the second most severe case he had ever diagnosed.You have found the right forum to prolong your life and improve its quality ... no other even comes close in comparison.

The important thing to know is that treatment success is irrelevant to severity.

[TiredTooLong]

Thank you for all your comments. I appreciate them. I live alone so had no idea I might have sleep apnea until the test. Then was quite surprised. I think I've had this for years....and tried a lot of different things. So my question why isn't there more awareness building out there? Why don't doctors know more about this? Why do people not understand the seriousness of this?

[cherylgrrl]

I also would never have known I had an issue unless someone was sleeping in the room with me, but it still took me 7 years to go get a sleep test even though my husband said I was snoring and had interrupted breathing. Amazingly, I didn't realize I was overly tired as I was used to it! I've only been on my CPAP machine 6 nights but I am noticing some differences. After 8 hours of sleep, I wake up and don't feel like turning over and going back to sleep. I used to sleep 9 or even 10 hours if there was no reason to get up after 8 hours. My husband says, it's because I've gotten a normal night's sleep and am ready to get up.

My AHI was 107, lowest O2 saturation 77%, mean duration of events 16.2 and longest 28.4. I'm convinced I'll be on a machine forever, but happy to know I can do something to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, etc.

I can echo the earlier advice about learning all about the machines so you can be an intelligent consumer. I was prescribed what is called a "brick" by most people on this forum -- a dumb CPAP machine that only records compliance data (i.e., how many hours the blower was on, how many hours delivering therapy, and how many days it was used). The better machines record data about mask leaks, etc. that help you make sure you are getting the therapy you need. There is apparently a complicated dance you have to engage in with your doctor, your medical equipment supplier, and your insurance company. I'll be calling my doctor tomorrow to see if I can change my machine prescription. When I got my first prescription, for a simple CPAP, I was told that I have to have problems with it to get "upgraded" to a better BiPAP machine. I think I can do that easily. What seems trickier to do is come up with a medical reason for an AutoPAP with recording, what everyone on this forum seems to recommend. I'd appreciate any feedback from other forum members on how they were able to make the case for this.

- Cheryl

[nanwilson]

Welcome to the forum. I too live alone and had no way of knowing I snored like a freight train. My daughter and granddaughter went camping with me one weekend and could not stand it. Fortunately, one other camper in our group had osa and when my daughter told him what happened, he knew right away what I had to do. I've been on the hose for just over two years now and I have so much more energy...if you can judge energy in a 69 year old .
Again welcome to the land of hoseheads..and remember here are no stupid or dumb questions...you will get some advice no matter what the question is.
Cheers
Nan

[chunkyfrog]

One reason why some doctors do not think of apnea in female patients is the medieval mindset
that apnea is only exhibited by old fat men.
Another reason is the even more stupid attitude that all women's problems are "female" problems.
Your old doc could be harming his remaining patients by his ignorance;
which could be somewhat corrected by having the new doc write the old doc a letter,
(if she will) detailing where he 'dropped the ball'.
Perhaps mention of medical licensing might be mentioned, but a patient's letter will likely be ignored,
while a letter from a colleague has to be taken seriously.

[Tino2You]

One reason why some doctors do not think of apnea in female patients is the medieval mindset
that apnea is only exhibited by old fat men.

Yo..I resemble that remark

[den942]

So I know that ahi >40 is severe. My test was 64.2 with Sp02 during wake 91% and a low of 72% during sleep. 488 total event (3/4 hypopneas) during the night. My longest was 106 seconds. I can't hold my breath that long.

Over a year ago I told my dr. that I was very tired. He said I was just getting old (I'm only 63). then I went to a retreat, and my roommate (a former respiratory therapist) told me I quit breathing. I changed doctors and told her I was tired. She scheduled the sleep test. I am so made at the first DR. (I have been going to him for several years.)

The sleep titration with nose mask (actually slept well with it) was very good and did notice a bit of difference the next morning. Don't have that report yet, won't until Wednesday June 27th. I'm sure looking forward to getting the machine.

So how bad is bad?

My 02 level was dropping to 39% during central apneas. I had 128 central, 71 obstructive, and 168 mixed events for a total of 367 according to the report.
That was considered "fairly severe".

[soldamerican]

My sleep test showed AHI of 91 and the low SaO2 was 75%. And it took me 7 years to finally come around to agreeing to get tested and get a machine. I knew I had OSA just was in denial about how serious it was. Anyway, a year into it I am sleeping much better. My average AHI is around 1.7 and I'm not overly tired during the day or falling asleep on my feet while teaching a room full of 7th graders!

You're not alone.

And this forum is pretty awesome too. Really allows me to geek out about all things apnea.