Hypopneas only in supine position

pivot · Post by **pivot** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:47 pm

Hi,
I finally got my sleep report today. I had an RDI of 52.2, lowest Oxygen at 92%, but all of my hypopnea events occured in the supine positon. NONE in non-supine. I have been on cpap for 2 weeks and HATE IT. I have not been able to sleep with the mask on at all. I was wondering if I managed to sleep on my side the whole night could I avois CPap. Any advice would be appreciated.

inacpapfog · Post by **inacpapfog** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:58 pm

Makes sense to me that a person might experience a higher HI while supine (on their back.) Gravity can play havoc with relaxed tissue and cause it to block the airway while in such a position. I think that is why many people find relief in a recliner and/or side sleeping!

NyNurse33 · Post by **NyNurse33** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:28 pm

I thought the same thing about me, b/c my study showed that I have episodes while in supine and in REM. But like one of the RT's told me, how do you know that you do not roll over onto your back when you're sleeping? Believe it or not, they used to make this pajama type thing that had like a tennis ball sewn in the back, the theory being that if you rolled onto your back in the middle of sleeping you would wake up and roll back over...well you wake up with OSA too, you just don't know it, so basically its still interuppting your sleep.

pivot · Post by **pivot** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:30 pm

BUT I THOUGHT THERE WAS POSITIONAL THERAPY OR SOMETHING.??? I JUST WOULD LOVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO CPAP.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:58 pm

[quote="pivot"]BUT I THOUGHT THERE WAS POSITIONAL THERAPY OR SOMETHING.??? I JUST WOULD LOVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO CPAP.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:38 am

Pivot,
I don't blame you for not wanting to use cpap unless absolutely necessary. I would put barbed wire on my bed to keep me from turning over if that would make me machine free. If I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was safe on my side, I would take measures to ensure I stayed there and put the machine in the closet. (I wouldn't get rid of it because things can change.) But no one can know that with certainty just because it never happened during that study night of sleeping in an abnormal situation. Being fully relaxed in your own bed may allow episodes while non-supine. I don't know what equipment you are using, but monitoring your data for a couple weeks at home should either confirm your sleep study results or show you a level of greater need. But you owe it to yourself to know for sure.
Kathy
P.S. If you don't adjust to that mask soon, you may need to try another style. Can't get data without sleeping. Good luck.

pivot · Post by **pivot** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:32 am

Thanks Kathy. I am on my 3rd mask, swift pillows, ff mask, now flexifit 406 fisher paykel nasal mask. I am just having a hard tome adjusting, like most people I'm sure. I have been told to take a Benadyl, but scared if I do take of my mask it will be dangerous. I am going to keep on trying, have lost 15 pounds since diagnosis so hopefully that will help me.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:12 pm

Pivot,
My goodness - 15 pounds so soon is quite a fringe benefit! Don't know if something else might be going on to influence that weight loss, but if those pounds are in any way attributable to treatment, sounds like your body is telling you you need the therapy. At any rate, congrats.
Kathy

pivot · Post by **pivot** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:26 pm

Unfortunately it is not the cpap. I have not had the mask on for more than 1-2 hours a night. And I do not think I have fallen asleep with it on.
just wanted to let you know, it's me not the cpap.

TXKajun · Post by **TXKajun** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:55 pm

Hmm, I can't help but wonder how much you'd have lost if you had kept the mask on and been undergoing successful OSA therapy??

Anywho, pivot, read a bunch of the posts here on the forum. You'll see folks who have tried dental devices that hold their tongues back, devices to keep their jaws aligned, implants, surgery that takes out a goodly part of their upper throat and uvula, weight loss, change in sleeping position and all kinds of things to avoid wearing our little sleeping buddies. For the most part, these things help a bit, but it sure seems a lot less drastic to me to just accept that wearing my little mask overnight to cure this condition is a pretty smart thing to do. And it IS doable! Just read all the success stories here from folks.

Keep looking around, checking alternatives, but please do not put up your mask and APAP until you find some other way of treating your apnea.

Kajun

(This therapy WORKS! But ya gotta use it!)

Hypopneas only in supine position

Hypopneas only in supine position

BOOO

Re: BOOO

Positional Therapy

Thanks

Lost 15 pounds

not the cpap