Mild Sleep Apnea with REM AHI 19.9

Hello, I recently had a sleep study and found my AHI is 9 and REM AHI is 19.9. Min )2 saturation 81. Prdi is 16.8 and non-supine 9.3. I've been feeling memory loss and daytime sleepiness since last year. All my labs look fine. My sleep doctor ordered CPAP for me. Symptoms I'm having: neck tightness and throat dryness throughout the day, my mouth feels weird, and my tongue feels a little thicker. I breathe really heavily most of the day. feeling fatigued during the day. My main is feeling my throat dry. having difficulty exercised

Do you think CPAP will help? How long does it take me to get better? do you think this can be fixable with ENT, and down the road i don't need to use CPAP?

hsuthar0 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 15, 2026 1:31 pm

Do you think CPAP will help?

Yes

How long does it take me to get better?

It varies. For some people the change is immediate. Others need more time to get used the CPAP. We can help you get used to this new way of sleeping.

do you think this can be fixable with ENT

No.
REM sleep is an important sleep stage. Your airway collapses during REM, and there's nothing mild about your sleep apnea or your desaturations when that happens. There's nothing an ENT can do about that.

and down the road i don't need to use CPAP?

You will need CPAP as long as there's no better solution to make sure you breathe properly while in REM sleep.

Sounds like you had a Watch-PAT. Need to see images of the report before thoughts can be offered.

ozij wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 15, 2026 9:25 pm

do you think this can be fixable with ENT

No.

Maybe?

It sounds like he (she) has not started CPAP yet, and if so, based on his (her) comments must be a horrendous mouth breather (IDK what stiff neck means). ENT consult might be helpful. He (OK I'm sure he's a he) may be intolerant of a nasal interface which he'll undoubtedly start out with.

Let's see if he (she) comes back or is a one and done.

Nocibur wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 16, 2026 7:32 am

ozij wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 15, 2026 9:25 pm

do you think this can be fixable with ENT

No.

Maybe?

[...] ENT consult might be helpful. He (OK I'm sure he's a he) may be intolerant of a nasal interface which he'll undoubtedly start out with.

My point about the ENT only concerned the higher AHi during REM. Can problematic nose breathing manifest itself more intensely during REM? Or are you saying those other symptoms point to something an ENT could maybe help with and therefore it's worth consulting one?

IMO the first thing we need to know if he is a he.