Hello from a newbie - now with PSG result questions

[MoneyGal]

Hi from Toronto.

I was diagnosed with severe OSA this past Wednesday, and I have a loaner CPAP (resmed with FFM). Tonight will be my first night with the CPAP - although I've already napped with it.

I was diagnosed based on the results of a sleep study. I went to my primary health care provider last week because I had caught *another* severe cold, and thus far in 2009 I had spent more days sick in bed, very depleted, than I had out of bed. "This cannot go on," I thought.

I did not have any idea that I might have a sleep deficiency. If you had asked me whether I had any sleep disturbances, I would have said no - "I go to bed early and make sure I get enough sleep."

However, the sleep study showed that I had 91 apnea episodes per hour during my night in the lab. Funnily enough, I would have categorized that as a "good" night of sleep, because I only had 3 periods of complete wakefulness.

I'm 41, female, a former investment advisor (hence the username) now working as a financial writer. Giving up being a financial advisor was, I realize in retrospect, one of the effects of sleep deprivation. I thought that career was "too stressful" for me, because I couldn't seem to "hack it" and got very depleted by my schedule etc. I'm not planning a return to that career at all, but it is interesting to look at the last few years through the lens of an OSA diagnosis!

My question for you all is: 91 apneas per night...I know that is classed as "severe," but what are you all dealing with in terms of the severity of your diagnosis?

[gapwedge]

Welcome MoneyGal. I think anyone in the financial arena would be stressed about now. 95 per hour is high. Mine was 54 and they interrupted my study at 12:30AM to put me on the CPAP. It will be a full month on 2/2/09 for me and I have been 100% compliant in its use. My first morning to wake up after using CPAP was simply amazing. I had never had such a solid night's sleep as I did that night in a very long time. I am 56 and probably should have been using a CPAP machine 2 years ago when my symptoms first started to show due to my weight gain. As a hobby I ride a road bike and love putting in a good 25 mile ride. Up until CPAP I never had enough energy the following day to put in back to back 25 mile rides due to fatigue. However, now I can ride every day. I am hoping to lose the recent weight gain to maybe get off the machine, but I have a great machine and mask and cannot complain.
Get a machine that records and downloads data so you can see daily for yourself how you are doing. My readings for nearly a month have been excellent. I feel you will find your energy return as well. Best of luck. The folks here have been on their machines much longer than me. The site is full of valuable information. Glad you joined.

[GumbyCT]

Hi from Toronto.

I was diagnosed with severe OSA this past Wednesday, and I have a loaner CPAP (resmed with FFM). Tonight will be my first night with the CPAP - although I've already napped with it.
....

My question for you all is: 91 apneas per night...I know that is classed as "severe," but what are you all dealing with in terms of the severity of your diagnosis?

I think you mean AHI = 91? I wouldn't worry about anything right now except getting your ahi to be less than 5.

My AHI was 62 but how does that help you? OSA does come on gradually and we become accustomed to it as being 'normal' for us. If you read much here you will see the very same pattern over and over and over again when the new folks come and deny having OSA. Denial is just another symptom as you will soon recognize.

Welcome to the forum, now it's time to read....

Start at the Yellow Lite bulb - Our Collective Wisdom found at the top of the page at http://www.cpaptalk.com
our-collective-cpap-wisdom.php
new-cpap-user.php

Watching this will help -
http://www.resmed.com/en-au/clinicians/ ... 40x380.swf
http://www.resmed.com/en-us/patients/un ... 40x380.swf
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/ ... -2/742141/

take a breath, put on your reading glasses and get comfy
there is NO wisdom pill
and one size does NOT fit ALL
Faces are like fingerprints

Reading this will help -
For Acronyms & Definitions
http://www.sleepnet.com/definition.html

Where A CPAP Newbie Should Start
viewtopic/t35702/Where-A-CPAP-Newbie-Should-Start.html

READ cpaptalk.com FAQ
faq.php


Learn to search
use Google & the syntax "search words" site:http://www.cpaptalk.com
or the Advanced Search at the top of each page.
or here - viewtopic/t35702/search.php

This is the Yellow Lite bulb you'll hear people mention aka "Our Collective Wisdom" -
our-collective-cpap-wisdom.php


Read some more.
Good Luck,
GumbyCT

[MoneyGal]

Thanks, GumbyCT! I have read some, but not all, of those links.

Yes, AHI = 91/hour during my sleep study.

[GumbyCT]

Thanks, GumbyCT! I have read some, but not all, of those links.

Yes, AHI = 91/hour during my sleep study.

So the AHI is the number of apneas and hypopneas per hour which resulted in O2 desats. 5-20=mild, 21-50=moderate, above 51 severe

To put it in perspective - you had 91 events each hour (more than 1 event per minute lasting more than 10 sec. each) that resulted in oxygen being deprived from your heart, brain, and other organs in your body. You likely felt hung over each morning even tho you didn't drink.

You will need a data capable machine with software and reader to determine if your therapy is effective.

Any centrals or PLM's noted during your PSG? You do have a copy of your PSG, I hope/

[MoneyGal]

Yes to PLMs and I don't know about the centrals. I do not have a copy of my sleep study results but will request one (my health care providers are AWESOME and I am sure they will give it to me).

Thanks for the input. It really helps to have this info in advance, before I buy a machine. I know the loaner I have has data capacity, because they're going to use it to calibrate whatever machine I buy.

[RipVW]

img]http://a1149861.sites.myregisteredsite.com/welkom4.gif[/img]
Hello & Welcome, MoneyGal! Glad you found this forum—SO much useful info and everyone here is so willing to help!

You're lucky to have found cpaptalk.com as you begin--took me over a year of ineffective before I found these great folks.

"You are getting sleepy . . ."

[MoneyGal]

Just got my sleep study results. What I got, though, was the interpretation, not the data. But I have questions - can anyone help me understand these results?

Observations:

There was early sleep onset (sleep latency 2 minutes)
There was good sleep efficiency (96%)

I'm OK with those two - I fell asleep quickly and was asleep for most of my sleep study.

There was severely decreased Slow Wave Sleep.
There was moderately decreased REM sleep.

I understand those, but I would like to know how the severity is measured. What is "severely decreased"?

There were moderately increased arousals.
These were primarily respiratory arousals.

This, I don't understand. Help?

No abnormal limb movements were observed.
There was severe OSA (AHI 91 events per hour).
The respiratory events were associated with severe oxygen desaturation.
The baseline oxygen saturation was low.

What is "severe oxygen desaturation"? And what does low baseline saturation mean - does that mean my 02 levels were low when I walked in, before I was asleep; and is that related to sleep apnea?

Any input or thoughts welcome. Thanks!

[MoneyGal]

Hi again! I'm just updating to say that I have returned my loaner machine to the sleep clinic, and I now have my own machine.

My sleep doc wrote a script for the ResMed Elite II and instructed the DME to "give me the best deal possible", as I have no supplemental health insurance. I'm really happy with the price they charged me, which is half of what they would normally charge (which tells me they're billing the private insurance companies a lot, but that's neither here nor there from my POV.)

My pressure is set at a range of 4.8 - 12. I spent the majority of the time with the loaner machine at a pressure of 6.8.

I also picked up a CPAP pillow (I'd like to be able to sleep on my stomach once in a while...formerly my favourite position...), and I have some essential oils I use from time to time, dropped on a towel near the air intake.

So, I feel like I am finally "here" for real, with my own equipment, and everything. My doc says this is a lifelong issue for me, that I will never "grow out" of my need for CPAP. Onwards!

[rested gal]

Welcome to the message board, MoneyGal. You have the right attitude!

"Onwards!" -- yep!!

[AuntieNae]

Welcome!
You definitely have the right attitude!

[carbonman]

So, I feel like I am finally "here" for real, with my own equipment, and
everything.

I had to laugh because that is the way I felt as I drove away from the DME
w/my shinny new cpap and everything, on the front seat.
.....wow, this is really happening.

It was the beginning of my new life.
It is the beginning of your new life.

You have butt to kick.
You have belts to earn.

Onwards!

Onwards!, indeed.

[ozij]

Hi again! I'm just updating to say that I have returned my loaner machine to the sleep clinic, and I now have my own machine.

My sleep doc wrote a script for the ResMed Elite II and instructed the DME to "give me the best deal possible", as I have no supplemental health insurance. I'm really happy with the price they charged me, which is half of what they would normally charge (which tells me they're billing the private insurance companies a lot, but that's neither here nor there from my POV.)

My pressure is set at a range of 4.8 - 12. I spent the majority of the time with the loaner machine at a pressure of 6.8.

Onwards on on, MoneyGal! but take another look at your equipment first - because if you're right about the range and pressure, you're taking your trip on an automatic, which the Elite is not. Was the DME even nicer than you thought?

O.