Should I Go Off?

[TriKKy]

I've told parts of my story elsewhere but my question now is about an upcoming trip.

Quick summary:
07/2010 I was diagnosed with incredibly severe apnea, AHI in the hundreds, Oxygen below 50%, 0 minutes of "Deep sleep". I weighed a ton. Dr. told me not to even sleep lying down until I got the machine.

was put on a pressure of 20 and I took to it like a fish to water. 100% compliance, average 7-8 hours per night.

04/2011 - Lost 40lbs, was re-titrated by Dr. to pressure of 14 and switched to my S9 Elite.

Since then: My AHI consistently lives between 0.0 and 0.2. Once a week a might get 0.3 and the highest ever was 0.6.

I have at the same time been self-titrating myself down. I'm at the point now where my pressure is set to 4 (as low as it goes) and my AHI remains 0.0 - 0.2 and I feel the same as I always have during treatment.

So my question(s):

1. If I'm going away on a trip for a week, should I take my machine or do you think I would be OK at this point? The Dr. really freaked me out at the beginning when he told me I shouldn't sleep lying down without the machine but I have to be doing better versus then...maybe not? I just don't really want the hassle of taking the machine on a plane.

2. More broadly, I have another study scheduled for December, what do you think the chances of me getting off the machine are? I mean, as bad as I was before, I feel like a pressure of 4 and my low AHI is pretty much indicative that I don't really have a major problem anymore. I will absolutely wait until the study confirms this but am trying to decide if I should get my hopes up.

[Lizistired]

Maybe I missed something but this seems like a dumb question. If your pressure is only 4cmh2o, why not just stop using the machine at home before you go on vacation. That should answer your question. Let us know how it goes.

[chunkyfrog]

Another idea: wear a recording oximeter when you try sleeping without the machine at home.
An audio recoding of yourself sleeping would also be a good idea. See how that goes.

[xenablue]

I'm a little leery about suggesting to not use your machine. You may be one of those lucky people like me for whom XPAP is the perfect therapy. I didn't have as severe OSA as you at my sleep study, but the difference when they fitted the CPAP dropped my AHI to 0.0 for the remainder of the night and I haven't hit 1.0 since a year ago when I started.
My pressure is pretty low at 9, but this with my almost non-existent AHI readings don't put me into a comfort zone of feeling I don't need XPAP therapy - quite the contrary. When my allergies play up, I up my pressure to around 9.8 or 10.0 as my nasal passages swell and I feel like I can't get enough air.
Try the oximeter before ditching your machine for a few nights - it may tell another story.

Cheers,
xena

[Mary Z]

The pressure needed is not directly related to the severity of your OSA. I agree your pressure is low and your AHI is good, but that might be the point- your AHI is good because of that pressure of four. If you decide against taking your machine definitely try that out before your trip. I would recommend against not using the machine until your sleep study shows no sleep apnea. I would be very cautious. An oximeter only shows if you have desats. I have never had desats with my OSA.

[ozze_dollar]

I've told parts of my story elsewhere but my question now is about an upcoming trip.

Quick summary:
07/2010 I was diagnosed with incredibly severe apnea, AHI in the hundreds, Oxygen below 50%, 0 minutes of "Deep sleep". I weighed a ton. Dr. told me not to even sleep lying down until I got the machine.

was put on a pressure of 20 and I took to it like a fish to water. 100% compliance, average 7-8 hours per night.

04/2011 - Lost 40lbs, was re-titrated by Dr. to pressure of 14 and switched to my S9 Elite.

Since then: My AHI consistently lives between 0.0 and 0.2. Once a week a might get 0.3 and the highest ever was 0.6.

I have at the same time been self-titrating myself down. I'm at the point now where my pressure is set to 4 (as low as it goes) and my AHI remains 0.0 - 0.2 and I feel the same as I always have during treatment.

So my question(s):

1. If I'm going away on a trip for a week, should I take my machine or do you think I would be OK at this point? The Dr. really freaked me out at the beginning when he told me I shouldn't sleep lying down without the machine but I have to be doing better versus then...maybe not? I just don't really want the hassle of taking the machine on a plane.

2. More broadly, I have another study scheduled for December, what do you think the chances of me getting off the machine are? I mean, as bad as I was before, I feel like a pressure of 4 and my low AHI is pretty much indicative that I don't really have a major problem anymore. I will absolutely wait until the study confirms this but am trying to decide if I should get my hopes up.

Losing 40 lbs must have helped you a lot. Get another sleep study.

[NightMonkey]

Another idea: wear a recording oximeter when you try sleeping without the machine at home.

Ditto.

If you don't own a recording oximeter:

I can call the nurse at my sleep doc's office and ask her to send an order (the doc signs it) to the local DME for an oximeter study. The DME will bring the oximeter out, pick it up the next day, and provide the doctor a copy of the study. The DME does this at no cost - most DMEs do this at no cost. The doc will look at the report and I can call in and get the results.

But even if the ox study shows good, you should try without CPAP at home - you don't want to do the first trial on a week's vacation.

It is also important to remember you could have a good ox study but still have many breathing arousals and need CPAP.

I pray you are cured,