How Accurate Are The New ResMeds? And Advice On Home Study

[Yub Yub]

I've been on the cpap now for 1 month and while I'm averaging less than 2-3 AHI every night I'm still waking feeling exhausted. Last night for example the ResMed said my AHI was 0.6 and yet I wake up feeling tired and groggy! I have the ResScan software as well and have been checking it everyday. I'm wondering really how accurate these machines are in recording events? Any input on the accuracy of the newer Resmed's?

Also What are some at-home sleep studies people have used before? I'm curious because I already had a polysomnogram done and was prescribed a ResMed AirCurve 10 ST. The thing is, during the second part of the study while on the cpap I don't remember falling asleep yet somehow they come up with a pressure setting and prescription for a machine? They said I had cpap induced central apneas but I don't remember. Anyways to satiate my curiosity I'm considering doing a home study which I think will be more reflective of my actual sleep apnea issues. And perhaps I can adjust my pressure settings or change machines accordingly.

[Pugsy]

If you have centrals that are triggered by cpap pressure then doing a home study without cpap pressure isn't going to be a true reflection of the central component of your sleep apnea. It would probably give you a good indication of the obstructive component of your sleep apnea. Useless for central evaluation if the centrals are totally related to cpap pressure unless done in conjunction with cpap being used.

Home studies vary in levels of detailed data gathered...from the very basic oxygen saturation index to home studies that pretty much use the same EEG and leg leads and chest belts to gather pretty much the same data gathered in a sleep lab. Usually the more data they gather the greater the cost.

Do you have the actual long full detailed reports from your in lab sleep studies? If not get them. I bet you slept more than you think you did (it's quite common).

You might want to watch the video on Complex Sleep Apnea if you haven't seen it already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU-XTcf ... e=youtu.be

Two months of therapy and you don't feel better..common complaint...what is it that isn't "better"....is it just the exhaustion or fatigue or is there daytime need to nap?
What was your official diagnosis before cpap therapy was started?
Do you take any meds?
Do you have any health issues besides the sleep apnea?
How many hours of sleep are you averaging?
Do you still wake up often during the night and if you do approx how often?
When was the last time you had an in depth physical with the routine labs? Ever had your vitamin D level checked?
Testosterone level if you are a male?
Sometimes it just takes time even when there is nothing else going on that can impact how we feel during the day and often it takes months and months. Since you have no choice but to use the machine I usually tell people to make use of that time by taking a hard look at any other factors that could be affecting how we feel.
There's so much more to this sleep apnea therapy and feeling the "miracle" than just the AHI?
Are you using the software to evaluate not only the AHI but the leaks and flow limitations?

Finally...yes, these machines are considered to be very accurate....the main disadvantage is that they can't tell if a person is asleep or awake so it can potentially flag some awake/semi awake breathing irregularities as some sort of apnea event when a person is awake and of course wouldn't count.
It's very unlikely that it is missing a truckload of events though.

[Yub Yub]

If you have centrals that are triggered by cpap pressure then doing a home study without cpap pressure isn't going to be a true reflection of the central component of your sleep apnea. It would probably give you a good indication of the obstructive component of your sleep apnea. Useless for central evaluation if the centrals are totally related to cpap pressure unless done in conjunction with cpap being used.

Home studies vary in levels of detailed data gathered...from the very basic oxygen saturation index to home studies that pretty much use the same EEG and leg leads and chest belts to gather pretty much the same data gathered in a sleep lab. Usually the more data they gather the greater the cost.

Do you have the actual long full detailed reports from your in lab sleep studies? If not get them. I bet you slept more than you think you did (it's quite common).

You might want to watch the video on Complex Sleep Apnea if you haven't seen it already.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU-XTcf ... e=youtu.be

Two months of therapy and you don't feel better..common complaint...what is it that isn't "better"....is it just the exhaustion or fatigue or is there daytime need to nap?
What was your official diagnosis before cpap therapy was started?
Do you take any meds?
Do you have any health issues besides the sleep apnea?
How many hours of sleep are you averaging?
Do you still wake up often during the night and if you do approx how often?
When was the last time you had an in depth physical with the routine labs? Ever had your vitamin D level checked?
Testosterone level if you are a male?
Sometimes it just takes time even when there is nothing else going on that can impact how we feel during the day and often it takes months and months. Since you have no choice but to use the machine I usually tell people to make use of that time by taking a hard look at any other factors that could be affecting how we feel.
There's so much more to this sleep apnea therapy and feeling the "miracle" than just the AHI?
Are you using the software to evaluate not only the AHI but the leaks and flow limitations?

Finally...yes, these machines are considered to be very accurate....the main disadvantage is that they can't tell if a person is asleep or awake so it can potentially flag some awake/semi awake breathing irregularities as some sort of apnea event when a person is awake and of course wouldn't count.
It's very unlikely that it is missing a truckload of events though.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply Pugsy. I wanted to try the home study (first half of the night off the cpap, 2nd half using the ResMed), This way I could see how well the ResMed was working. I wasn't sure how accurate these machines were

To answer your questions:

1. I was able to get the entire sleep study report though I wasn't able to find out how long I slept while being treated with the cpap.
2. It's hard to explain but I never felt the need to nap, I've always described it as being tired or fatigued. Now, on the cpap I sleep more deep but I still wake up feeling super groggy, tons of brain fog in the morning. Then later in the day I feel sleepy.
3. Official diagnosis before the sleep apnea- I had been going into my primary care doc for several years complaining of extreme fatigue, muscle cramps/twitches/stiffness, insomnia, depression, anxiety, elevated pain levels in bones and joints, and brain fog. In the last 6 months before my sleep study I had started getting irregular heartbeats
4. I currently take low dose Elavil daily to help with the insomnia. I've been taking it now for about 2 years. It works pretty well. Besides that I don't take any other meds. I was hoping that treating the sleep apnea might help with this and I could get off the elavil.
5. I average 7-8 hours of sleep every night on the cpap. Before the cpap I used to get up 2-3 times a night. Now I rarely get up to use the restroom.
6. I've gone to see several neurologists, rheumatologists, and had all sorts of bloodwork done. Everything normal. My Vitamin D levels were low I believe 19 in the winter and then re-taken again in August at 31. I've supplemented with Vitamin D 10,000 IU the last 2 months. I'm going to restart doing that here soon to get them up to around 50-70


I know it can take a while I guess I'm a little frustrated since I expected after at least 1 month I'd be feeling better. I have seen the irregular heart beats go away. And my muscle cramps/twitches disappeared for a while then came back but they're still decreased than before. I just thought I would start seeing improvements in energy and overall that good 'rested' feeling. I was thinking the machine was partly to blame and perhaps I was having more events that it was saying but if they really are that accurate then maybe I just need to give it more time...

[davecpap]

When I started CPAP, it also had little effect despite being compliant and good AHI. Puzzled, I thought there might me multiple reasons I am tired.

Turned out, some medication I was taking was making me drowsy. Stopping that medication had more of an effect on my wakefulness than CPAP did (I still use CPAP).