Higher AHI's while on Darvocet

bsil · Post by **bsil** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:47 am

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm taking 1-Darvocet at bedtime for back/leg pain from a herniated disc L5-S1.

My AHI's on the Swift usually run between 2-4. While on the Darvocet I'm getting 7-9!!!. I'm assuming that the pain med is relaxing my throat muscles more than usual, and thus my pressure #'s have been running higher as well. Inspiratory pressures usually run 9-11 , now pressures around 12-14.

This is a perfect example why I love the autopaps so much...they can adjust to what your needs are at the time.

Anyway, are my AHI's higher b/c of the higher pressures, I'm leaking more?
I do poligrip my lips shut.

Any thoughts out there?
Thanks,
Barb

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:55 am

bsil wrote:I'm assuming that the pain med is relaxing my throat muscles more than usual, and thus my pressure #'s have been running higher as well. Inspiratory pressures usually run 9-11 , now pressures around 12-14.

This is a perfect example why I love the autopaps so much...they can adjust to what your needs are at the time.

Anyway, are my AHI's higher b/c of the higher pressures, I'm leaking more?
I do poligrip my lips shut.

Yes.Just like alcohol consumption.

You might be leaking more. Are your lips still sealed shut when you wake up in the morning?

If it isn't a problem with leaks, you could try raising up the bottom pressure of your APAP range. That might lower your AHI while on the Darvocet.

preemiern · Post by **preemiern** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:37 pm

Darvocet is a narcotic, and narcotics can slow down or depress respirations...so your machine could be picking up as apneas what are really just longer pauses between breathing, or it could also be that as you said--things are more relaxed...so--bottom line though--is that your CPAP is taking care of things--even though your numbers are a bit higher

bsil · Post by **bsil** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:52 pm

Guest- THanks for your ideas. Yes, my mouth remains well sealed by the morning. Can you explain to me the thoughts behind how changing the pressures will have a better outcome on the AHI...I'm still learning!
Thanks,
Barb

bsil · Post by **bsil** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:59 pm

Preemiern-THat's an interesting possibility. My husband thought that perhaps the machine is picking up my moans or sighs in response to the pain and registering them as hypopneas. I think he's about ready to sleep in the guest room...between the sounds of my autopap and now me moaning/sighing...wait, what were those words again, "in sickness and in health"! We'll see how long before he hits the guest room.
Thanks again.
Barb

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:34 pm

bsil wrote:Guest- THanks for your ideas. Yes, my mouth remains well sealed by the morning. Can you explain to me the thoughts behind how changing the pressures will have a better outcome on the AHI...I'm still learning!

My thinking is, if it's requiring more pressure to keep your airway open while you're on Darvocet, increasing the low end of the pressure range will keep you closer to the level needed to prevent apneas from occurring (instead of chasing them unsuccessfully from too low a point for your current needs). You could give it a try for a few nights... if it doesn't do any good, just adjust it back down again.

As far as acoustical vibrations from moaning being detected, I would think this would be reflected in your Snore Index. Is it higher than usual?

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Higher AHI's while on Darvocet

Higher AHI's while on Darvocet

Re: Higher AHI's while on Darvocet