Need help understanding my sleep study results

Noliro · Post by **Noliro** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:15 am

Hi Everyone, I had another difficult night with the machine - my third night and so to be expected, I guess.

I am not scheduled to see the specialist until Oct 3 but am wondering just how much I need this machine. Here are some comments from the report.

...reduced sleep efficiency...good oxygen saturation...study suggestive of mild to moderate sleep disordered breathing.....might benefit from treatment...

Apnea events: 3.2 per/hr Central and 2.6 Obstructive and 0 mixed
Longest duration 19.4 secs for Central and 19.1 for Obstructive

Hypopneas: 19.8 per/hr and longest event 52.3 secs

I had very little REM sleep as I did not sleep long enough (3 hours)

PLM's 27.9 per hour and 1.3 PLM arousals per hr

O2 saturation min 86 and max 98.5

It looks to me that most of the problem is with Hypopneas.

I am wondering if exercise and weight loss might reduce/eliminate this problem. I have pretty fragile sleep anyway as I have had tremendous stress the last few years for a number of reasons including cancer - both myself and husband. I'm fine now but his problems are ongoing.

I'm just wondering what you all think of this report. My naturopath looked at it and said he thought that sleep study conditions make it hard to assess. I certainly was worked up that night.

Ann

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:28 am

Ann,

Would you please tell us what equipment you have (and/or fill in your "Profile" on the top of the forum page) and what your prescribed pressure(s) is/are?

The hypopneas in your sleep study are an "issue", but if you're having "central apneas" that may take a special machine (Bi-PAP or Bi-PAP ST) to deal with them.

Best wishes,

Den

Noliro · Post by **Noliro** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:59 am

Soory for the lack of info re machine etc. I have on LOAN a ResMed S7 Elite and Standard Mirage mask and Swift pillows.

LDuyer · Post by **LDuyer** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:19 pm

Hi Ann,

If it helps, here's a link to sleep study terms:
http://www.sleepservicesofjasper.com/1- ... dy%20terms'

Does your study report give AHI or RDI? That would be the average per hour for both apneas and hypopneas. But I suspect (and I'm lousy at math) that it would still be close to the 19 per hour. Severity is defined by AHI (mild is 5-15 per hour; moderate is 15-30; severe is 30 or more). For severity, hypopneas are considered to be the same as apneas.

So your apnea seems in the moderate range. I'm not sure what your naturopath (what's that?) mean that the study conditions make it hard to assess. They don't need a full night of sleep to determine the existence and severity of apnea, and the 3 hours may well have been enough.

Did you have the titration study (test with cpap) or are you using a temporary cpap until titration? Yes, weight loss can reduce the severity of apneas, and possibly eliminate it, but there are no guarantees. It's best to continue with cpap, to get it working for you so that you are feeling relief and energy in order to work on the weight issues.

Linda

Noliro · Post by **Noliro** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:30 pm

Study said 27,7 AHI

NREM index was 21.4

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:45 pm

Noliro wrote:I had very little REM sleep as I did not sleep long enough (3 hours)

Ann, your naturopath is absolutely correct. The lack of sleep, and especially the lack of REM sleep, can have a big influence on your results. For some of us, myself included, apnea varies throughout the night, and gets much worse during REM sleep, most of which occurs during the second half of the night. An APAP machine with monitoring capability would let you see how much your pressure needs change during the night.

Before giving up on treatment, you might consider asking for an APAP trial.

As an even easier alternative though, you might ask your physician to prescribe an oximeter for you for a few days. With a physician's prescription, DME's often will provide an oximeter free for a few days. Simply clip the probe on your finger when you go to bed and take it off in the morning. What could be easier? If after a few days the oximeter shows that you are experiencing significant oxygen desaturations, then you're still a CPAP candidate. On the other hand, if it shows that you aren't experiencing oxygen desaturations, then you might decide otherwise.

Regards,
Bill

Noliro · Post by **Noliro** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:14 pm

As an even easier alternative though, you might ask your physician to prescribe an oximeter for you for a few days. With a physician's prescription, DME's often will provide an oximeter free for a few days. Simply clip the probe on your finger when you go to bed and take it off in the morning. What could be easier? If after a few days the oximeter shows that you are experiencing significant oxygen desaturations, then you're still a CPAP candidate. On the other hand, if it shows that you aren't experiencing oxygen desaturations, then you might decide otherwise.

The respirologist wrote that I had a "good oxygen saturation profile". Since she sounded tentative in her report as to the benefit of the CPAP for me perhaps I will wait and see what she says at my appointment Oct 3 and if there are any alternatives. I just don't see this working for me.

I have a strong feeling also that my apnea/hypopnea problems vary greatly according to other things going on in my life.

I congratulate all of you who can work with this.

Ann

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:23 pm

Maybe a simple sleep position change will benefit you. Was your sleep study preformed while on you back?

Of course, the best thing to check out this theory is a APAP set to a pressure
lower than titrated and compare results to positions..

Need help understanding my sleep study results

Need help understanding my sleep study results

Re: Need help understanding my sleep study results