YAWN (Yet Another Weary N00b)

[sleepawake]

Hi All -

I've been lurking for a while but since I got my sleep assessment results today, I thought I would post the data.

Summary:
Test #1 (initial sleep study)
- Moderate sleep apnea / Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI...same as AHI?) of 19.6 events/hour (but 40.5 in REM!!).
- Loud continous snoring
- Lowest SaO2 of 87.8%
- Sleep efficiency of 83.2%
- Spontaneous Arousal Index of 4 events / hour
- Respiratory Arousal Index of 4.8 events / hour

Test #2 (initial CPAP trial)
- RDI was 3.4 / hour with CPAP pressure of 8cmH2O.
- Total elimination of snoring (my wife was ecstatic with this news)
- SaO2 remained above 94%
- Sleep efficiency of 69.5%
- Spontaneous Arousal Index of 3.5 events / hour
- Respiratory Arousal Index of 0.6 events / hour

Great forum; I feel very educated after having spent a bunch of time reading "Our Wisdom" and lots of random posts. I welcome any observations / tips based on the summary data you might want to offer.

Thanks all...can't wait to get my equipment next week.

[nightjar]

Welcome, sleepawake!

Glad you found the forum. There are a lot of great folks here, and they love to share what they've learned.

My wife was happy that my snoring wasn't a problem with CPAP, but also that my restless limbs have settled down, too.

You don't mention what equipment you're getting, but I hope it's something that's data-ready. That way you can download the data from your machine every morning (or every few mornings) and use special software to check on your therapy. (You've probably read that already, though!)

Let us know how things go with your new machine!

Nath

[kteague]

Welcome. About your results, your 69.5% sleep efficiency during titration will probably greatly improve when you become comfortable with your equipment and are sleeping at home without wires and strange surroundings. Did your titration include time in REM and supine? If so, your pressure will probably be effective and you'll be off to a good start. A data capable machine would make it possible for you to check should you have a need to troubleshoot. Let us know how things progress.
Kathy

[goose]

Welcome SleepAwake!!!!
You've already found the yellow lightbulb, so you know our mantra -- read, read, read.....


Those numbers look ok, but the ones that really mean more are the ones you'll get off your machine.....The first few weeks may be a bit strange as you get used to the equipment and mask, but hang in there you'll get it!!!
As I'm sure you're aware already there are proponents of all the different manufacturers here -- I have a Respironics M-Series Auto CPAP machine myself -- but the important part is that you get a machine that's data capable so that you can download and evaluate your data.
If you can convince the doc to give you an Auto machine, so much the better. The ability to self-titrate is always a good argument!!!
The DME will undoubtedly try to provide you the most chincy machine possible to enhance their profits -- stick to your guns -- it's your health and treatment, not their profits that is important!!!!! Demand a data capable machine at the least.
If you can, get the doc to write you a make model specific prescription -- do your research and decide which machine you want so you can tell the doc.....

Now that you have become "one of us" -- No more lurking!!!!!
Keep coming back and let us know how you're doing......
BTW - haven't seen Dagwood Bumstead in a lot of years.......

take care
cheers
goose

[sleepawake]

Just to clarify a couple things:

1) I don't have the equipment yet. I'm going to some kind of equipment provider next week. I did tell the Doctor that I wanted a fully data capable machine as he was writing the prescription. He smiled and nodded and said that wouldn't be a problem.

I presume there must be some kind of "try before you buy" program - if not happy with it, can I swap it out? I see a lot of folks on this forum swapping machines and masks.

Anyone have experience with providers in Ontario - i.e., what kind of equipment is generally available? I'm slightly concerned that as the government health plan and my extended insurance cover 100% of the cost that I will perhaps "get what I pay for" in the form of outdated or basic equipment.

One more thing, I travel a lot. Any specific equipment recommendations for someone that spends 1-2 weeks / month on the road?

2) Yes, my sleep efficiency rating included REM and supine (I was 100% supine all night...too afraid to move and bust something!). Yeah, I'm not too concerned about the low efficiency during my CPAP trial - it was (as you all know) a very odd experience. Interestingly, I fell asleep in 8 minutes with the mask on - but around 3.30 in the morning I kept waking up and dozing off thinking "this is really weird". From that point onward, it seemed like the mask was more uncomfortable or leaking or something. Every so often, I would get these puffy cheeks - as if I was suddenly gulping down air. From my reading, all of this seems common. Looking forward to tweaking and dialing everything in "just so" ... and feeling like my Avatar looks. Got to have goals...mine is to be Dagwood Bumstead.

[GuyK]

But Dagwood is always napping!

I guess unless he's snacking or bathing (is it Elmo that's always walking in on him?)

In any case, it's just a guess but when you awoke at 3:30am, with cheeks puffing, it may have been that the pressure had been increased so much that you had that effect. I had the same experience in my 2nd night.

My APAP only runs around 11 on average now, and I have a little bit of that (it's not difficult for me to sleep through) and it seems worse at first when I turn on the machine. In the middle of the night, I get the sense that everything has relaxed (including me). In fact, two nights ago, to me it sounded like the machine was off and I was barely feeling anything. I could still breathe, so I know the machine was still on!

Everybody has different experiences, especially at first. I feel lucky because everything has gone so well for me overall. I just concentrate on relaxing and breathing deeply at first, and then I awake about six hours later. I still have back pain, but I take 8hr Tylenol for that, and it isn't much of a factor. Today, after waking at 2am, I had trouble getting back to sleep, but I eventually did.

Software and card reader is coming in a couple of days, so I'll start reviewing full data then. Maybe more of it will make sense at that point.

Guy