Diagnosed with OSA but low AHI?

[tripman]

I was diagnosed with OSA to my surprise due to fatigue issues that started suddenly 3 years ago. Any way I had my cpap machine for 30 days so far and while collecting data it shows that my AHI level is 0.7. Doesn't this mean I don't have sleep apnea? My fatigue issues are the same as before I started using the machine. I hope someone can answer asap as today I'm returning my trial machine and have to choose if I want to spend $500 or not.

[LSAT]

I was diagnosed with OSA to my surprise due to fatigue issues that started suddenly 3 years ago. Any way I had my cpap machine for 30 days so far and while collecting data it shows that my AHI level is 0.7. Doesn't this mean I don't have sleep apnea? My fatigue issues are the same as before I started using the machine. I hope someone can answer asap as today I'm returning my trial machine and have to choose if I want to spend $500 or not.

Your TREATED AHI is 0.7...without the CPAP treatment your AHI would be much higher. Generally, Sleep Apnea does not disappear...it can be controlled with CPAP.

[Cardsfan]

What was your AHI during the sleep test without treatment? Because without using the cpap machine, your AHI will go back to that.

[tripman]

Sorry can't give you the data as they forgot to return my sd card for the trial unit.

What happened was when I went to him with the unit he extracted the data from the sd card and asked me about my fatigue. I told him about no changes and he said sorry can't help you and left the room. Didn't get a prescription until I called the next day and asked for one to have the option to choose if I want to get one. Seeing the 0.7 on their computer screen and him blowing me off after I told him my fatigue is the same is what made me believe I don't have sleep apnea

[Cardsfan]

If your untreated AHI is 5 or higher, that is when you have OSA- and get a cpap. Call the Dr and ask. Just because you don't feel better, does not mean it is not helping. It can take a long time to undo the damage and recover.

That .7 means the MACHINE is doing it's job. Without the machine, you are not being treated and your AHI jumps back up to the untreated AHI.

[Pneumophile]

For pity's sake ...... please read LSA's post again (your very first reply), then THINK. If you still don't understand why you should continue to use the machine (and be grateful) then perhaps OSA isn't your only serious clinical issue.

Or maybe this thread is really just a brag about an AHI of 0.7 right out of the gate - a phenomanal response to therapy, something most people would give their eye teeth for.

Later: I just read other posts of yours and it seems that you dispute your diagnosis of OSA because you still feel tired upon waking and other symptoms have not improved. Call your doctor and explain this to him/her. Find out what your pretreatment AHI value was and let us know; pretreatment oximeter values (how much oxygen your blood is carrying around your body) would be useful as well. You undoubtedly have Obstructive Sleep Apnea and should continue CPAP treatment but perhaps other treatments should be considered IN ADDITION to CPAP.

[Julie]

If you have ongoing 'fatigue' vs sleepiness - there is a difference - it's quite possible something else entirely unrelated to OSA is going on, and you might want to get other labwork done.

[rosevader]

Agreed. Fatigue is a symptom for many deficiency disorders, eg, hypothyroidism, pernicious anemia, vitamin D deficiency, etc, etc. Good idea to get the bloodwork done to rule out other causes. (BTW, I have all 3 of these in addition to complex apnea!)