Recently diagnosed and have some questions

[Mr_Adrian70]

I was recently diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. The tech I spoke too today said it was one of the worst cases shes ever seen. My sleep study states that I demonstrated an AHI and RDI of 113.9 and an oxygen saturation nadir of 60%. Does that mean I stopped breathing 113 times in an hour during the night? What does AHI, and RDI stand for? I take it my oxygen levels are low too at 60%. That must be why I have severe headaches almost every morning. I just picked up a resmed aircurve 10 today and im looking forward to trying it, and hopefully getting a good nights rest. If I do itll be the first night ive slept deeply in years. Will using this machine help with my low oxygen saturation levels? The big question I have, and one of my highest hopes is will using this machine help with my high blood pressure? Im actually looking forward to going to sleep tonight instead of dreading it like I usually do. I hope that this machine makes a dramatic difference in my life! I have been suffering for so long! Im so tired of being tired!

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.
For some common acronyms and definitions go here http://sleepyhead.sourceforge.net/wiki/ ... p/Glossary

Yes, the machine should help keep the airway open so that your oxygen levels no longer drop. Once you get things situated and are adjusted to the therapy you might want to have an overnight pulse oximetry done to confirm. You can buy your own (not horribly expensive) and do it anytime you want or often if you just ask your DME where you got your machine they will do it for you.

Will it help the high blood pressure? Maybe...maybe not. Often it does help reduce blood pressure for a lot of people but doesn't always work for everyone though. Didn't work for me but those killer headaches that I woke up with are gone.

[Oughtsix]

I don't mean to minimize your condition as it is severe but every friend that I have ever talked to (myself included) has had the most severe case of sleep apnea that the doctor/clinician has ever seen. I honestly do not understand why they feel the need to tell every patient this but it seems they do. I thought it was just my clinic that was full of it but I guess other clinics are the same. Remember their purpose is to make money, if they can help people along the way that is a nice side effect of making money.

Even though my clinic is full of it and I am sure I do not have the most severe cases of apnea ever recorded for all man kind I love my CPAP and get much better sleep with it and I am healthier while using it. A CPAP will not solve all of your lifes problems like they would like you to believe but it will give you a better nights sleep which should ultimately improve your health.

[archangle]

Welcome.

113 is definitely bad, as is 60% O2, although there's more to it than just the numbers. Try to get a copy of your sleep test results.

Sometimes CPAP is an overnight miracle cure, sometimes it takes some time and adjustments. Stick to it, and come back here for discussions and help. Often, you don't get good help from your medical professionals.

Look at the links in my signature line below, and get the software to read your own data from your CPAP machine.

[ChicagoGranny]

I don't mean to minimize your condition as it is severe but every friend that I have ever talked to (myself included) has had the most severe case of sleep apnea that the doctor/clinician has ever seen. I honestly do not understand why they feel the need to tell every patient this but it seems they do. I thought it was just my clinic that was full of it but I guess other clinics are the same.

I am glad you posted that. So true. I hear it over and over.

[ChicagoGranny]

I hope that this machine makes a dramatic difference in my life!

It certainly can. You may have to work at it some. Don't get discouraged if you have problems at first. The forum is here to help you solve those problems.

Try to get a copy of your sleep test results.

It sounds like the OP is ready to move forward. Don't confuse him with details about his sleep study. If he ever has a need to refer to it, his medical practice will be able to provide him a copy.

Onward.

[archangle]

Try to get a copy of your sleep test results.

It sounds like the OP is ready to move forward. Don't confuse him with details about his sleep study. If he ever has a need to refer to it, his medical practice will be able to provide him a copy.

Onward.

I heartily disagree. The medical mafia doesn't like knowledgeable patients and it's a lot easier to "misplace" the study the longer you wait.

[postitnote]

I don't mean to minimize your condition as it is severe but every friend that I have ever talked to (myself included) has had the most severe case of sleep apnea that the doctor/clinician has ever seen. I honestly do not understand why they feel the need to tell every patient this but it seems they do. I thought it was just my clinic that was full of it but I guess other clinics are the same. Remember their purpose is to make money, if they can help people along the way that is a nice side effect of making money.

Even though my clinic is full of it and I am sure I do not have the most severe cases of apnea ever recorded for all man kind I love my CPAP and get much better sleep with it and I am healthier while using it. A CPAP will not solve all of your lifes problems like they would like you to believe but it will give you a better nights sleep which should ultimately improve your health.

Years ago, my neighbor and I went to the same clinic for sleep testing and also had the same doctor give the results. I was told I had "mild" SA and was set to a pressure of 9 (now at 13). My neighbor was told his was "severe". His first setting was 38. He hated cpap and never used it. His wife would put it on him when he fell asleep and he would pull it off eventually. He died about a year later. Complications from lots of things he refused to treat. I admit I couldn't tell you any of my numbers besides my pressure setting. Our clinic isn't big in sharing! I love cpap therapy. It relaxes me and I go to sleep within minutes of putting a mask on. I have energy that you could bottle except when I have all three grandkids at once for more than 8 hours My kids used to tell me when I napped on the sofa they could tell I stopped breathing a lot. Said I snored really loud too. That's when I spoke to my doctor. Not sure I'd be alive today if I didn't get help.

[wildboar]

The big question I have, and one of my highest hopes is will using this machine help with my high blood pressure?

I was waking up in the the night gasping for air, heart racing, sweating, blood pressure spiking. Eventually you are stuck in fight or flight mode with elevated blood pressure. Stopping that cycle will be a big improvement. What really sucked along with all of that was getting up 5-6+ times a night to pee.

[Tatooed Lady]

his first setting was 38? Umm....regular machines go up to 20...bilevels 25.

[amenite]

...
I thought it was just my clinic that was full of it but I guess other clinics are the same. ...

So what was your AHI? When that number exceeds 30 it's classified as severe. I imagine when AHI number exceeds 100 there could be some exaggeration based solely on the fact that it's over 3 times the threshold for "severe" classification. And maybe it's a tactic used with the goal of making the patient sit up and take notice. Not unlike another tactic of a clinician apparently taking your pulse for a full minute but they are actually counting your respiration rate. A little tactic of misdirection in that case to obtain a better result.

[Tatooed Lady]

I don't mean to minimize your condition as it is severe but every friend that I have ever talked to (myself included) has had the most severe case of sleep apnea that the doctor/clinician has ever seen. I honestly do not understand why they feel the need to tell every patient this but it seems they do. I thought it was just my clinic that was full of it but I guess other clinics are the same. .

Could just be that the DME turnover is higher than the turnover rate of truck drivers, so they're telling the truth...?

[postitnote]

his first setting was 38? Umm....regular machines go up to 20...bilevels 25.

That's what he said and I had no reason not to believe him.

Edit: Just googled and you are indeed correct about max pressure settings. Now I am shocked. As my neighbor is no longer here for me to ask him I will assume that I misunderstood him. That way I won't speak badly of someone not here to defend himself. My apologies for posting incorrect information.

[Mr_Adrian70]

I never said my pressure was at 38. My pressures are listed below my equipment list. My sleep report did mention that I should be at a max IPAP of 25 or 30 if a machine is available. I don't know how I was misunderstood

[OkyDoky]

That pressure number was from a comment from postitnote about a neighbor. How was your night last night?