POLL: What was your sleep study AHI?

[MoneyGal]

I was actually 91, right on the money. No REM sleep at all. I was getting very severely ill by the time I was diagnosed.

[charlambe]

Okay mine was 89 and now its 1 with the cpap machine. I never did get into rem sleep but now I dream all the time does that mean I get rem sleep?

[kteague]

Charlambe -

Dreaming is a pretty good indiction you are getting REM sleep, although some dreaming happens during nonREM also. If dreaming is new since using cpap, sounds like a good thing to me.

Your sleep study reports should have a total listed for your apneas and hypopneas for the night, and also an index which is an average of your totals per hour of sleep. It will also differentiate how many were in REM vs NREM sleep, as many have a lower average over the night, but if you look at during REM the numbers can be scary. Desats measure how low your oxygen level drops, a very important factor.

Over the past 12 years my studies have been from no OSA, to mild, to moderate, to severe. Oh well.

Kathy

[briank]

Mine was 19 and I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. So an AHI can be greater than 91?? I suppose someone with that kind of index would need a cpap 24 hours a day just to stay alive. WOW.

Only if they sleep 24 hours a day.

I measured in the triple digits for REM sleep before CPAP. (Of course, the index can become very volatile if measured for short periods of time. I'd have to check back to see how much REM time I managed during the sleep study.) Now, the second "digit" is a decimal point.

[Autopapdude]

My sleep study AHI years ago was 51, but was highly positional. On my back, I had consistent apneas and hypopneas, whereas on my side, I only had about 5-6. It has always been that way, and a second study two years later confirmed it. However, with the autopap, I can sleep on back or side---one of the nice perks of treatment.

[Scarlet834]

When I finally got copies of my sleep studies, weeks after starting CPAP, my AHI was 1.2 per hour, all apneas. That is the correct number--no CPAP. I did have multiple arousals: arousal index 36.3 per hour, RERA 14.0 per hour. Sleeping position had no impact. The titrated study took apneas and AHI down to 0.0 with virtually no change to arousal index, RERA index, or oxygen saturation. Untreated I also had a massive problem with daytime sleepiness. I assume it is the EDS that landed me on CPAP with those numbers, as after browsing this forum and other material I find them curiously low. I feel lucky, frankly, not to have been challenged by the insurance company authorization department. My Primary Care Physician also saw the full study only after CPAP, and he promptly put me on acid reflux medication. I have a strong suspicion via a phone conversation with my PCP that he was not altogether certain I have sleep apnea.

My REMStar Pro recorded AHIs in the 20s in my early days of CPAP. With work (and a pressure adjustment from 9 to 9.5) I've gotten under 10 and fighting to get below 5 consistently. After consulting with Respironics to confirm REMStar's numbers do not include RERAs (they say it's all apneas and hypopneas) my pet theory is that I didn't sleep as deeply as normal in the sleep lab--hence minimal apneas. Certainly I slept horribly during my titration study due to mask discomfort. They got a little bit of REM out of me in the early morning and titrated me then, but maybe that wasn't enough time to know what I really need.

Do I believe I need CPAP? Yes, absolutely. Even in the early days my waking condition immediately switched from drugged-feeling tired and barely functional days to exhaustion with a clearer head. Today I am functional during the day. I'm typically tired when I wake up, that draggy-eyed feeling, but becoming alert over the next half hour after waking up. I'd love to wake up bright-eyed, but am satisfied to maintain status quo for the moment pending appointments with my RT and my PCP over the next few weeks. I also intend to ask for a hook-up to a real sleep doctor.

[corwin1968]

AHI = 115 for me.

Before the BiPap, I felt like I dreamed all night long. Now, I feel like I hardly ever dream at all.

[SleepCatz]

Sleep study AHI was 38.

[RogerSC]

AHI = 115 for me.

Before the BiPap, I felt like I dreamed all night long. Now, I feel like I hardly ever dream at all.

I've heard that if you remember your dreams, supposedly that means that you woke up in the middle of them. Maybe this means that you're sleeping through your dreams now?

Just what I've heard...

[corwin1968]

AHI = 115 for me.

Before the BiPap, I felt like I dreamed all night long. Now, I feel like I hardly ever dream at all.

I've heard that if you remember your dreams, supposedly that means that you woke up in the middle of them. Maybe this means that you're sleeping through your dreams now?

Just what I've heard...

I've heard that too and that's been my theory and my hope!! On the other hand, I feel like I'm constantly awakened by my wife's snoring and my dog scratching herself. I'm not sure if I'm not sleeping as deeply as I was pre-BiPAP (contradicts the dream thing) or if I'm just not totally and absolutely exhausted like I was pre-BiPAP. I'm only in my 3rd week of therapy.

[flyergirl]

My AHI was 73. I was pretty upset at this number, but the doctor explained that someone with 30-40 can be way worse off than someone with a high number because their events can be much longer and their desats can be very low. If you think about it, someone with long events can only have so many in an hour. I don't think it's as straightforward as looking at the AHI. Many other factors to consider.

[flyergirl]

Charlambe -

Dreaming is a pretty good indiction you are getting REM sleep, although some dreaming happens during nonREM also. If dreaming is new since using cpap, sounds like a good thing to me.

Your sleep study reports should have a total listed for your apneas and hypopneas for the night, and also an index which is an average of your totals per hour of sleep. It will also differentiate how many were in REM vs NREM sleep, as many have a lower average over the night, but if you look at during REM the numbers can be scary. Desats measure how low your oxygen level drops, a very important factor.

Over the past 12 years my studies have been from no OSA, to mild, to moderate, to severe. Oh well.

Kathy

I didn't get my CPAP for three weeks, and knew I had to start making changes to my lifestyle immediately. I have two children so my husband and I would often eat dinner together at almost 9 at night. We were eating crap too because from working to taking care of the kids I was too exhausted to cook. I was waking up several times choking from my acid reflux. I also had very severe dry mouth, and because of this would drink water all through the night an use the bathroom several times.

Now I eat every night by 6, have cut out salt and carbs from dinner, processed foods, and make sure to drink 1/3 of my body weight in oz. I have lost 7% of my body weight, and it has made quite a difference. I feel more energized. I no longer wake in the middle of the night, get drowsy while driving, or even need a nap.

It's wonderful, but I will say, one of the benefits is that I now dream again. It had been months! I am enjoying it!!

Now I just need to get past 2 hours on my CPAP. I wake with horrible belching and a sensation to vomit.