AHI and pain observation

[ClayL]

I have been on CPAP for 14 years. During that time I have had several surgeries. While taking a pain med (oxycodone) with the first one (back surgery) my AHI was high for the few days I took it and then went back to the normal range of 1 to 2.
With the subsequent surgeries - right hip replacement, left rotator cuff repair, and left knee replacement my AHI stayed in the normal range.
Last January I had an extensive labral tear in my left hip and right rotator cuff damage at about the same time. My AHI went way up - 8 to 15 and stayed high. I thought it was because of the pain (severe) I was having and thought the AHI would go down after it stopped. I had the hip replaced and the hip pain went away but the AHI stayed high.
I got a steroid shot in the right shoulder and although the pain during the day was minimal I didn't sleep well because of pain waking me up while sleeping on my right (preferred) side. Talking about it with the physical therapist he suggested I sleep with a pillow next to me to support my right arm while sleeping.
It is working. At least somewhat. My AHI is now staying between 4 and 5, Not great but better than the average of about 10 or so before.
Hopefully it will go back down to the 1.8 average it has been for the last 12 years.

[Julie]

Are you still taking Oxy? And if not, what?

[ClayL]

No I only took the oxycodone for short periods of time after the surgeries. From the onset of the labral tear in Jan and the hip replacement in May I took tramadol pretty often at night so I could sleep. After the hip replacement I took oxycodone for a couple of weeks.
Because of osteoporosis in the neck I am still taking a naproxin at bedtime as I have for many years.