UpDate Sleep Study with O2

If you are saying that your O2 levels drop to 83% for a considerable period of time at night even with the cpap machine and your doctor thinks that is okay, then I would say you need a new doctor ASAP!!! Low O2 for prolonged periods of time affect the body in seriously adverse ways, such as potential heart problems, stroke, brain damage, just to name a few. I started on supplemental O2 last November, 6 months before I started apap therapy. The oxygen by itself made a tremendous difference in how I felt and that only got better after starting apap.

The particular cpap machine you are using should not make a difference in your oxygen levels. I can see where your mask might make a difference if it leaks allot and is not getting the air into your lungs. But it is a fairly simple thing to add supplemental oxygen to your cpap system.

If the 83% desaturation was only momentary during an apnea or hypopnea and then the levels came back up to at least above 90%, then that is not really a problem and I would agree with your doctor.

It is really not that bad. I have an oxygen concentrator which I keep in a spare bedroom (they are kind of noisy) with a 25' thin tube from it to an adapter which fits onto the cpap hose just above where it attaches to the apap machine. In some cases, the mask itself will have an attachment point. The odds are that you will only need it at night. If, however, you do need it 24/7, you may want to investigate a liquid oxygen system. These make no noise, first of all, and secondly have a much smaller "carry along" tank that can be attached to a belt and worn around your waist or like a backpack and weight less than 5 lbs.

I don't understand why you would need another sleep study to determine your oxygen needs. There is a small machine called an oximeter that the DME can loan you for an overnight study at your home. It has an attachment that fits onto a fingertip and records your oxygen every few seconds. The whole machine is about the size of your hand. This study can be done while you sleep at home with or without the cpap. When I had one done, I just laid it a couple of feet away from me in the bed. No big deal at all.

You should also know that low oxygen can be caused by conditions other than sleep apnea, such as emphysema and/or asthma (also called COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Therefore, if you are having low oxygen problems WHILE ON CPAP, you may have another medical condition causing it.