alarming data

My sleep study results, to my uninformed eye seem alarming and I wonder if I should be updating my will I am grateful,for clarification.

295 apneas(27 nonobstructive,85 non obstructive, 154 mixed
and 29 obstructive hypopneas hour) an index of71.8 events per hour
Mean duratiion of apnea was 30 seconds and the longest event was 95 seconds
There were 213 brief electro cortical arousals

550 periodic limb movements or a PLM index of133.8 PLMs per hour
there were 40 EEG arousals

This data is a mystery to me

This sounds like you need to be on xPAP therapy (just like almost everyone else you'll see posting here).

Update your will? Maybe. But sleep apnea is treatable. The numbers I've been given is that over 98% of people have 100% of the problem resolved with this treatment. This is barring mask issues, adjustment to the new lifestyle, etc.

Also the damage caused by apneic events will be reversed given time.

Has your doctor scheduled a titration study where the sleep lab will determine what pressure to prescribe for you?

Your index of 71.8 per hour is close to what mine was, and I'm on CPAP being pretty adequately treated. A little confused by the results you posted though... "....27 nonobstructive,85 non obstructive, 154 mixed
and 29 obstructive hypopneas hour" is a little different than 71.8.

macoil, do they have you on any kind of medication for the Periodic Limb Movements (PLM)?

I've read that effective cpap treatment can lessen or even completely eliminate PLM in some cases, but you may not be getting very effective cpap treatment yet --I think I read in another topic that you said you're getting only 3 hours or so of sleep with the machine/mask?

The PLM's may be disturbing your sleep just as much as the machine/mask issues are doing.

What machine and pressure are you using? Is the ComfortGel mask listed in your Profile comfortable on you? Do you feel many air leaks coming out from around the mask cushion? Do you know whether treatment air is leaking out your mouth? Mouth air leaks are very common and can absolutely wreck treatment.

Nope, no need to update the will yet. Just a very real need to get cpap treatment working more smoothly for you.

I wish you had a 420E autopap and the Silverlining software....

Macoil
What is it that you find most alarming about the data?
Did you discuss with the doctor?

You told us at the beginning that you were diagnosed with severe sleep apenea, and chf.

I notice you have a high proportion of unobstructive apneas - breathing stops that are not the result of obstructions. I'm not a doctor, but from what I've read, these could be connected to you heart condition.
Here's an example:

Sleep apnea and congestive heart failure:
Are we heading towards the end of a vicious circle?
SUMMARY. Congestive heart failure (CHF) and sleep apnea-hypopnea
syndrome (SAHS) are two conditions highly prevalent in
the general population that often co-exist in the same patient. Patients
with CHF often present disordered breathing during sleep
that is characterized by episodes of central or obstructive apneas,
whereas patients with SAHS suffer significant cardiovascular sequelae.
The pathophysiological interactions between the two conditions
involve both mechanical and neural effects, implicating the
sympathetic nervous system. The application of non-invasive ventilation
for the treatment of SAHS has beneficial effects on the
concurrent CHF, providing new therapeutic horizons for this syndrome.
Pneumon 2005, 18(1):26-33.

So, instead of paying a lawyer to update your will , save the money for a comfortable mask, and a machine that can track your nightly results, and have those PLMs checked. They too can be a result of lack of oxygen, and may subside once the basic problem is treated, though they may be a problem by and of themselves. Some people need medication for the PLMs, for other treating the apneas and desaturataion is enought. This too should be discussed with your doctor.

All in all, it seems to me that nothing in the data means you are worse off than you already know - and your are getting treatment that has been found to help.
Hang in there!
O.

rested gal wrote:macoil, do they have you on any kind of medication for the Periodic Limb Movements (PLM)?

I've read that effective cpap treatment can lessen or even completely eliminate PLM in some cases, but you may not be getting very effective cpap treatment yet --I think I read in another topic that you said you're getting only 3 hours or so of sleep with the machine/mask?

The PLM's may be disturbing your sleep just as much as the machine/mask issues are doing.

What machine and pressure are you using? Is the ComfortGel mask listed in your Profile comfortable on you? Do you feel many air leaks coming out from around the mask cushion? Do you know whether treatment air is leaking out your mouth? Mouth air leaks are very common and can absolutely wreck treatment.

Nope, no need to update the will yet. Just a very real need to get cpap treatment working more smoothly for you.

I wish you had a 420E autopap and the Silverlining software....

I had an extreme amount of plm during my first study. The cpap did take care of it at the second study. They must have ignored it or had a typo, because my first study came back saying I had NO plms. The tech said I had a lot. I still am only sleeping a few choppy hours a night with machine, and am still very tired. I need to see if they still have my records so I can document the plm. Otherwise I will probably never be able to be treated for it.

WAFlowers wrote: Update your will? Maybe. But sleep apnea is treatable. The numbers I've been given is that over 98% of people have 100% of the problem resolved with this treatment. This is barring mask issues, adjustment to the new lifestyle, etc.

Also the damage caused by apneic events will be reversed given time.

Hi Bill,

Not sure if you know it (and I hope I have it right) but I think mac is in his 80s (macoil if I have this wrong pls excuse me )

I admire anyone who takes on this type of therapy & esp someone old enough to be my dad


Cheers

DSM

When Gran (my paternal Grandmother) was in her 70's she was told she needed a pacemaker, but the operation might kill her. She chose not to have the device implanted.

At the age of 82 she was told she'd die imminently without a pacemaker, but might not survive the operation. This time she went for it as she had nothing to lose.

I gave her eulogy when she passed away a few months short of her 99th birthday!

I too admire anyone of such an age who is willing to take on such a thing as xPAP treatment.