Does anyone have UARS?

[CatherineF]

I wonder whether some people with UARS are here? What symptoms did you have before CPAP therapy?

I have low blood pressure along with orthostatic intolerance, vasomotor rhinitis, severe brain fog, terrible tiredness, depression, lack of motivation to do anything, muscle aches, anxiety, cold hands and feet most of the time, digestive problems, mild form of have LPRD laryngopharyngeal (throat and voice box) reflux, TMJD. Oh God I realized how many problems I have suddenly I am a typical person with UARS, I ran into dr Parks and other articles on this condition, and I have almost all symptoms. UARS turn into OSA with time... I want to be healthy sooo much....

[GumbyCT]

I wonder whether some people with UARS are here?

When I asked my sleep doc what UARS was, she said anyone with OSA has UARS.

[CatherineF]

Actually it is true, because when it comes to UARS there is no apnea (sometimes hypopneas only), but lots of RERA's which is also present in patients with OSA, because it has to be. Patients with OSA has obstruction, then apnea, then arousal. With UARS there is only obstruction and arousal, no apnea.

I've asked, because there are different symptoms in people that "only" have UARS.

[Otter]

I may have had only UARS when I was younger. Hard to tell now, as I definitely have apnea. But in hindsight, I've probably had some sort of SDB for at least 30 years. Had the cold hands and feet clear back in high school. That's starting to go away now that I'm on the hose.

[CatherineF]

Hmmm I've just read that patients with UARS respond best to BiPap devices. I think it may be true, because Bipap makes out nervous systems less uncomfortable with given pressures. I think I switch on it when I won't feel any difference on my current "trial" machine. Btw it was my third night on aPap and I don't feel any better at all... :/

[BleepingBeauty]

FYI, there are lots of discussions about UARS on this forum. The search function is your friend.

[pollyanna40]

Hi Wots UARS?? wots it stand for, Thanks x x

[BleepingBeauty]

Hi Wots UARS?? wots it stand for, Thanks x x

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. (Again, the search function here is very helpful, along with the CPAP Wiki - the lightbulb at the top of the page.)

[pollyanna40]

ok thanks,bleeping beauty, just learning,im getting there ,thanks a mill x x

[England]

I was just diagnosed with UARS a couple weeks ago. I think I've had it most of my life as I've always been tired. My mom said I was like that as a kid, even took me to the doctor when I was about 12 for it, but nothing came of it. My symptoms are a lot the same as yours CatherineF: morning headaches, low blood pressure, severe brain fog & memory problems, terrible tiredness, depression (sometimes), lack of motivation to do anything, cold hands and feet most of the time, digestive problems (developed IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome in my early 20's)...I think that is it.

For many years I thought I was just lazy, but as time went on I realized that it's not normal to be this tired all the time, especially since I'm in my early 30's, eat healthy and of normal weight. I also thought it was normal to wake up all night long.

[Bright Choice]

UARS was my first "stop" along the sleep disordered breathing route. The diagnosis then was "mild sleep apnea in the form of upper airway resistance". I have had just about all of the "symptoms" as they relate to uars. My first sleep study and titrations were poorly done and I although I started on cpap I did not feel that I had been properly titrated. I had a 100% improvement in "insomnia" when I started on cpap but I had a lot of oxygen desaturations which were not being addressed.

I spent a lot of time here on cpt researching uars - to the point that I decided to find a sleep doc who paid more attention to titrations as they relate to uars. I don't think my first lab gave the uars component enough consideration. I did some research and found a sleep center that I am very comfortable with. There is no comparison with the two labs, the second was very thorough and very professional. I had a repeat spg and series of titrations. End of my story is that the repeat studies showed that I have more obstructive events than noted at the first lab, and also a big component of central apneas. So, that end result won't be the same for everyone, but I did just want to make the point that uars is not just a "mild form of sleep disordered breathing". It is an entity in and of itself and it needs to be treated seriously, and properly.

If you find that your doctor is brushing off the diagnosis of uars and not taking it seriously, I'd go elsewhere for another opinion.

[CatherineF]

England we have almost the same symptoms, I've got vasmotor rhinitis also for 2 years now.

This UARS thing is awful and sad. For me the worst is horrible brain fog, I don't feel alive at all. I can't stand it anymore ;( I am tired all the time, each month more. I feel like I was dying slowly and I don't know how to stop it. I don't know whether APAP is a good choice for me... I doubt it now, after reading dr Krakow's opinions about BIPAP.

Bright Choice In my country I can't find a good doctor who would know anything more about UARS, tell me, do you feel any better? Have you ever had brain fog? If so, is it gone with therapy? I see you are using BiPAP device, is this better to treat UARS than simple CPAP or APAP?

I've just came across many resources confirming, that CPAP therapy reduces sympathetic dominance (overreactive NS). It means that UARS should be succesfully treated with simple CPAP... But what about dr Krakow's theory about BIPAP then? Maybe it is just better because patients can adjust better to the variable pressure? And the others with no good results from CPAP? Maybe there are other causes of their lack of improvement?

[Bright Choice]

Bright Choice In my country I can't find a good doctor who would know anything more about UARS, tell me, do you feel any better? Have you ever had brain fog? If so, is it gone with therapy? I see you are using BiPAP device, is this better to treat UARS than simple CPAP or APAP?

I've just came across many resources confirming, that CPAP therapy reduces sympathetic dominance (overreactive NS). It means that UARS should be succesfully treated with simple CPAP... But what about dr Krakow's theory about BIPAP then? Maybe it is just better because patients can adjust better to the variable pressure? And the others with no good results from CPAP? Maybe there are other causes of their lack of improvement?

CatherineF - Unfortunately, everyone's situation is so different. My initial diagnosis was UARS and that was what led me to study about treatment for uars, including the use of bipap. I had just about all of the symptoms related to uars, yes, including "brain fog" etc. I did start feeling better on cpap but I didn't feel that it was enough. I still had days of fatigue, brain fog, etc. I made an appointment for a "second opinion" and it was my thought that I would get properly titrated for uars. As it turns out, this is where my story changes. With a better psg and titration(s) I was diagnosed with moderate obstructive apnea and central apnea, so the uars component kind of fell to the background. I did have a very good titration and I would believe that not only did they titrate out the OA's and the CA's but also the flow limitations of uars.

Wish I could be more helpful. Do a search here to learn all you can about uars. If you have another titration done, be sure to verify with the doctor and the sleep lab that they titrate for "flow limitations" or "uars" or "reras" all refer to the same thing.

Dr. Krakow has some excellent videos on https://www.youtube.com as well as his own website http://www.sleeptreatment.com. I watched them all and learned a lot.

Good luck!

[SleepingUgly]

It may be that Dr. Krakow is on the cutting edge in his views that UARS responds best to bipap. However, I have not read anything to suggest that his is mainstream thinking, including by leaders in sleep medicine such as the folks at Stanford who discovered UARS. This is not to say that YOU won't benefit from bilevel, but it doesn't sound like you've demonstrated an inability to benefit from CPAP/APAP (yet anyway).

[Padron192664]

are you running at a single pressure or using the auto-function? If you are running auto, what is your 95 percentile pressure? What pressure were u titrated at to eliminate flow limitations?