O2 drop with CPAP

[NewToSleepApnea]

Just had a sleep study done. Not with cpap, only without it.

Don’t have official results yet but around 20 AHI with mostly all coming in the first two hours of sleep. But I didn’t feel my O2 drop more than once! Lowest it got to was 88%. Im at a loss for words. The respiratory therapist there said, seems the CPAP pressure must be too high or something.

I guess it good it’s not that bad - but I don’t even know the next steps. I’ll speak with the Dr in a few days but I guess lower the Pressure and maybe the O2 drops will stop? First few nights I used the CPAP with low pressure was not good tho. So confused.

[Norma45]

Did they try you on a cpap or bipap to see if things changed? With a 20 score, they should have.
I did my first adjustments on my bipap and O2 was tons better - no drops (vs 1 or more every night) and never below 90 (vs dropping lower than you did). I still have a ways to go for adjustments, so hopefully O2 will continue to improve.

[Pugsy]

Did they try you on a cpap or bipap to see if things changed? With a 20 score, they should have.

Sleep labs can only do that IF the doctor ordered a split night study AND the person met the criteria for a change to be put on cpap or whatever pap therapy. It's not a given that this will just be done as a matter of normal course.
The doctor has to order it first AND then certain criteria must be met and the criteria can vary between sleep labs and doctors.

[Norma45]

Pugsy = Ugghh (on them not doing a split sessions. Thanks for the info. I guess like other things it varies lab to lab and Dr to Dr.

[Pugsy]

Pugsy = Ugghh (on them not doing a split sessions. Thanks for the info. I guess like other things it varies lab to lab and Dr to Dr.

Yep...varies greatly. Heck, I have severe OSA and a split lab study was ordered for me BUT I didn't make the criteria until it was too late in the night to even bother putting the mask on me and my O2 levels dropped to 73% but it still didn't meet the overall criteria early enough in the night for them to slap a mask on me.
It's a bit complicated and each lab sets their own criteria.
It is what it is. Not much we can do about it.

[NewToSleepApnea]

Unfortunately it wasn’t a split session. No cpap or bipartisan during the session. This was due to covid I guess.

Just don’t understand. The night before - multiple wake ups with O2 in the 70s. Last night - No Cpap lowest was 88%. Woke up multiple times but no O2 drop.

Afraid I won’t have any answers. This sucks but like everything in life it could always be worse.

[Julie]

Why not just call the lab and ask why they didn't do it?

[NewToSleepApnea]

I asked when I was there. Said not doing it with covid yet.

[Norma45]

I know my DME workers are not allowed to turn a machine on in the office - Due to Covid. So while I got my equipment in person they sat 6' away and instructed me (using their own set of equipment) and had me try on the mask (without it on a machine) as well as look at my machine (not plugged in). The only time they got closer was to measure my face for a mask (either disinfected the measuring tools or had them inside plastic baggies).

[NewToSleepApnea]

About 1am. Just took a break from the machine. Turned the pressure down to about 8/18 with a 7cm ramp.


About every 5 mins I woke up realizing I’m not breathing. O2 was getting in the high 80s but I was waking up before it got too low. AHI was 17 for that hour. High AHI for any hour in weeks.

I don’t understand any of this. My airway never feels blocked. It feels like my lungs just stop working. It’s been worse every day for the past week - except yesterday when I was in a sleep lab with no cpap.

I guess I’ll find out from the doctor - but if I needed a bipap of ASV machine - would the cpap not be working like this?

[NewToSleepApnea]

Again, went back to sleep around 2am with 10cm pressure / and only had about 14 events the next 6 hours. Compared to 17 in the first one. It’s like my body is shallowing breathing when I first go to sleep. Anyone else have shallow breathing issues?

[NewToSleepApnea]

This is the graph of the night. And then underneath is a 12 min span when I'm trying to get to sleep in the first two hours. This is basically me trying to sleep, waking up, trying to sleep, waking up etc. My breathing is definitely shallow during this time. Last two hours, slept great. Any tips?

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[Fernweh]

NewtoSleepApnea did you ever figure this out? Your symptoms are nearly identical to mine. And I'm just as perplexed as you as to what is causing them. I was waking up frequently and night. Finally figured out that it corresponded to O2 drops. I bought basically the same device you have for O2. My O2 drops occur throughout the night - sometimes into the mid 70s % O2. Did a home sleep study and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. Recently got a ResMed Airsense 10. It's had limited, if any, effect on my O2 drops. Attached is a partial night with my CPAP on. I'm still experiencing the O2 drops. I would dearly appreciate any insight you've gained. (I tried to message you but I'm apparently too new to the forum and the system wouldn't allow me to.)

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[NewToSleepApnea]

Hey Fern.

I’ve seen a few top sleep specialists and all don’t know why it happens on the sleep onset. But they did reassure me that people live for substantial amount of time with low oxygen levels (80s) - say in high altitudes, hikes, and traveling on airplanes. And that I shouldn’t worry about dips.

There are a few things I found that helps:

- sleeping on my right side instead of my left shows significant difference. Still struggling sleeping on my left.

- being extra vigilant with my diet and exercises has only helped

- actively breathing more through my nose and doing breathing exercises to increase the time of my exhale. When my nose is stuffed - these apnea / episodes happen more.

- not worrying about it as much - letting it happen and just rolling over and trying to go back to sleep. When I have a bad night I take a break.

Unfortunately having Drs and a sleep techs check out my Oscar data and symptoms has not helped. But I am doing significantly better. Hopefully with continued weight loss (I’m in fairly good shape already) and time it will continue to progress.

Hope this helps - but feel free to message me as well because this was really terrible for awhile.

[ChadBSr]

I know I'm posting on an old thread but I'm having the same problem.
My sleep test and weeks of wearing my O2 sensor showed me dropping to 89% BEFORE cpap.
Last night with CPAP EVERY time I began to fall asleep my O2 dropped. I have the monitor set to alert me and it wakes me up. I couldn't sleep. I lowered the alarm to 88. It still happened. I dropped to 84. How low would I go without the alarm waking me is unknown.
I just wanted some sleep so I dropped the alarm to 80 and turned off CPAP.
My lowest drop without CPAP the rest of the night was 92.
My only guess is this is TECSA related. The CPAP is causing me to not breathe during transition to sleep