Sleep study results not bad, why do I feel awful?

[Desperate_in_DM]

Okay, I finally got some very, very basic information. This is all that I have right now. I was told that if I "needed" the full sleep study, it will take a month and will be mailed to me. This is all I got, one stinking page. It has information from my initial consult that I included in case it's pertinent.

If someone can tell me why my symptoms are so severe yet my apnea or whatever seems pretty minimal, I would very much appreciate it! Pretty please?!?

Chief complaint: Excessive daytime sleepiness, low energy, daily headaches occurring in the morning, unrefreshed sleep, difficulty driving, insomnia

Inventory of systems: Constitutional-she had gained 15 pounds four years ago, but as recently as this year has lost 17 pounds. Eyes-unremarkable. ENT-history of sinus infection in the past. Neck-she had a thyroid function test, which was unremarkable. Lungs-unremarkable. Heart-history of cardiac ablation for SVT. GI system- unremarkable. GU system-history of urinary tract and kidney infection in the past. Endocrine system-no history of diabetes. Neurologic-unremarkable. Psychiatric-history of depression in 1989, but is stable. Musculoskeletal-history of inflammatory arthritis and is currently seeing Dr. X. She had tried Plaquenil in the past, but is trying herbal supplements now.

Physical examination: Height is 5’2” and weight is 151 pounds. Blood pressure is 120/80, pulse is 52 BPM. Neck is 13”. Eyes-pupils are equal. Nasal nucosa normal. Exhibits retrognathia. Breath sounds heard bilaterally. Heart-regular S1, S2, no murmur heard. Abdomen-soft, liver/spleen-not enlarged. No edema on extremities.

The patient underwent a complete polysomnographic study consisting of measurements of EOG, EMG, EEG, airflow through the nose and mouth, O2 saturation by ear oximeter, EKG, rib cage and abdominal wall movements and anterior tibialis EMGs bilaterally.
The total recording time is 436 minutes. She slept 322 minutes with a sleep efficiency of 73% Sleep architecture is normal. The latency to REM sleep is 225 minutes.

There was 1 central apnea, 2 obstructive apneas (in supine position) and 137 hypopneas. The AHI is 26.08 with a minimum oxygen saturation of 86%. Heroic snoring is noted. No significant PLMS or cardiac arrhythmias.

[Emilia]

An AHI of 26.08 is considered moderate OSA, and an O2 of 86% is of concern. You definitely should benefit from cpap therapy. You may be one of the ones who will take a few months of therapy to start feeling well. I'm only 5 nights into the mask wearing, and while I have my AHI down to 3, I am still dragging around a bit each day. I do wake up more alert than before, but it doesn't last long. I am just taking this one day at a time. Got my software today, installed, and tomorrow I should be able to see more details. I had very low O2 and will be trying out an oximeter to monitor that as well.

I know you are frustrated over all of this, but I think it is just going to take time.... and having a baby to care for is draining what energy you have during the day, let alone that he wakes you during the night! Try to keep it all in perspective. Try the deep breathing exercises during the day, keep at the cpap at night, and it will all start to get better soon. You have to believe!!

[LoQ]

Sleep study results not bad

I don't understand what you mean by that. Why do you think the results were not bad?

why do I feel awful?

How much sleep are you getting at night? That is the real reason why you feel awful. Why do you continue to post about how awful you feel if the reason is clear? My guess is that you want a magic solution to the problem so that you don't have to accept that you need to get more sleep each night.

[Desperate_in_DM]

I didn't think my results were bad because I had almost non-existent obstructive and central apneas, just lots of hypopneas. I am very new to all this. From what I've seen from what other members experience, my results aren't bad.

On the average night I go to bed around 11:30 and don't fall asleep until around 12:30 or 1:00. Not much I can do about that if I'm just laying in bed in the dark waiting to fall asleep. I wake up around 8:30 with my son. So no, it's not optimal, but I'm getting at least 7 hours of sleep, sometimes 8 hours. Of course I have some rough nights, but my 30-day average is at 7.24 Hours right now.

Telling someone to sleep doesn't mean they can just sleep! If it were that easy, many of us wouldn't need his board.

[GumbyCT]

I was told that if I "needed" the full sleep study, it will take a month and will be mailed to me. This is all I got, one stinking page.

Submit your request in writing. That will get their attention and start the countdown to 30days. If you don't they will likely make another story later down the road.

Do your homework and check your state laws too.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/co ... index.html

[GumbyCT]

I didn't think my results were bad because I had almost non-existent obstructive and central apneas, just lots of hypopneas. I am very new to all this. From what I've seen from what other members experience, my results aren't bad.

On the average night I go to bed around 11:30 and don't fall asleep until around 12:30 or 1:00. Not much I can do about that if I'm just laying in bed in the dark waiting to fall asleep. I wake up around 8:30 with my son. So no, it's not optimal, but I'm getting at least 7 hours of sleep, sometimes 8 hours. Of course I have some rough nights, but my 30-day average is at 7.24 Hours right now.

Telling someone to sleep doesn't mean they can just sleep! If it were that easy, many of us wouldn't need his board.

Before I went for my sleep study, I thought I was sleeping good too. It is the level of sleep and how many times you wake up that interrupt your sleep.

That is why you need a copy of your sleep study. You need to know what they found - maybe nothing which means another PSG? And even more waiting?

At least you have a machine.

[sleepymama]

i see that you suffered from depression in the past. ru still taking medication for it? i'm wondering if this may be causing your insomnia at night and affecting your quality of sleep. the night you had the sleep study may differ from the nights u sleep at home. i know my study showed more hypop then obstructive but now that i'm with machine and have been using it at home my hypop are only a few and i have more obstructive or central although i don't think the machine can really determine centrals properly.

[Desperate_in_DM]

I was diagnosed with "depression" 21 years ago. I took meds (don't even remember what now) briefly. I was 14. Show me a 14-year old girl who doesn't have minor depression and self-esteem issues.

[OutaSync]

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of herbal supplements are you taking? Any possibility that they are causing your fatigue?

[Desperate_in_DM]

It's called DSF (De-Stress Formula). It is supposed to help with fatigue. It hasn't, but I no longer need my prescription of Plaquenil for arthritis.

[OutaSync]

It doesn't have licorice root in it, does it?

[Desperate_in_DM]

I think I checked that a month ago when that story came out and it did not, but not at home to look look at ingredients and on my phone, which isn't the best for web browsing. I'll double-check at home though.

[OutaSync]

Along that line of thinking, could there be just one of the ingredients that is affecting you? Did your symptoms coincide with the start of the DSF? If so, would you be willing to stop the supplements to see if it helped?

Just trying to think of something to help you.

[LoQ]

I didn't think my results were bad because I had almost non-existent obstructive and central apneas, just lots of hypopneas. I am very new to all this. From what I've seen from what other members experience, my results aren't bad.

OK. Just for the record, yes, your results are bad.

On the average night I go to bed around 11:30 and don't fall asleep until around 12:30 or 1:00. Not much I can do about that if I'm just laying in bed in the dark waiting to fall asleep. I wake up around 8:30 with my son. So no, it's not optimal, but I'm getting at least 7 hours of sleep, sometimes 8 hours. Of course I have some rough nights, but my 30-day average is at 7.24 Hours right now.

I don't think you can be faulted for not sleeping if you are at least trying to sleep. In another thread, you commented that you were not getting enough sleep, and I incorrectly assumed it was because of not spending enough time in the bed.

The fact remains, that whether or not you are trying to get enough sleep, if you are NOT getting enough sleep (even with trying to), THAT is why you still feel bad. In your case, I think that you need to look at why you are not falling asleep right away. It may be that it is because the mask, being a new thing, is keeping you awake. That will go away with time, as your mind begins to ignore the signals your body is sending that say "there is something strange on the face here." But if there are other reasons why you are not falling asleep, WORK ON THOSE!

Telling someone to sleep doesn't mean they can just sleep! If it were that easy, many of us wouldn't need his board.

I could not agree with you more on that. I was never saying "sleep"; my message was "get more sleep." I thought you were just not spending enough time in the bed. Now it seems like you need to spend a little more time in the bed, but mostly you need to work on your sleep hygiene and find a way to fall asleep faster.

[Desperate_in_DM]

My sleep doctor noted (but I did not include it here) that he feels I suffer from psychophysiological insomnia. Had to look that one up. . Seems I am putting too much stress on myself to sleep. He also wrote that he wants some sort of insomnia work-up done. I don't remember his exact wording as I'm not at home.