Noticing Trend in Stats

Just started cpap on Friday. Also have pulse oximeter. Am noticing a trend when I first fall asleep or about to fall asleep is when my oxygen takes its lowest dip of the entire night for a couple minutes and then levels out for awhile until later on when some events are recorded, but, no desats are as low as the very first one. I thought that maybe it was from movement, but I move all throughout the night in the same manner and it doesnt drop as low. Im just curious what this could indicate.

Interesting. Just curious on what you are using for your O2 stats. I have a meter but it does not record and am thinking to invest in one that does and would appreciate finding out what you are using.

- John

Perrybucsdad wrote:Interesting. Just curious on what you are using for your O2 stats. I have a meter but it does not record and am thinking to invest in one that does and would appreciate finding out what you are using.

- John

John, its a cms50f. I like it. It has the rubber finger sleeve, which stays in place. The plastic clip on types always looked like they would easily move around on finger tip during sleep movements.

While your O2 levels are dropping, what is your heart rate doing?

If it is dropping as well, it could be your whole system just slowing down for sleep.

Axxel, I seem to recall from one of your other posts that your O2 sats did not drop below 95%. Is that the case? Over 95% is normal. While a lot of peole like to use pulse oximeters, a drop in O2 sats does not always correlate with apneas/hypopneas. I have a high AHI ( due to medications), but never have O2 desats. This has been true during six sleep studies and two overnight pulse ox readings.
Since you just starting therapy Friday I would give things a month to settle down. If your sats are not dropping below 95% and you are feeling OK, I would think the variations are normal. I would do some Google research, or search on the forum for more information on O2 sats. Wiki answers is one source for information.
If you are going to have a follow up appointment with your sleep doc this would be a good question.

Mary Z wrote:Axxel, I seem to recall from one of your other posts that your O2 sats did not drop below 95%. Is that the case? Over 95% is normal. While a lot of peole like to use pulse oximeters, a drop in O2 sats does not always correlate with apneas/hypopneas. I have a high AHI ( due to medications), but never have O2 desats. This has been true during six sleep studies and two overnight pulse ox readings.
Since you just starting therapy Friday I would give things a month to settle down. If your sats are not dropping below 95% and you are feeling OK, I would think the variations are normal. I would do some Google research, or search on the forum for more information on O2 sats. Wiki answers is one source for information.
If you are going to have a follow up appointment with your sleep doc this would be a good question.

Good advice. To reassure you, O2 sats are not considered below normal until <90.

From everything you have posted on your O2 stats, I think you should sell your CMS-50F to John and put the money toward an xpap machine that will give you the data that you want.
Your O2 levels are fine. Some of us have problems with it, some don't. I smoked for 35 years so maybe it's a combination of sleep apnea and what will at some point be diagnosed as COPD. I also became quite sedentary over the past few years. We are all a little different.

How low did your O2 levels get during your sleep study?

Lizistired wrote:From everything you have posted on your O2 stats, I think you should sell your CMS-50F to John and put the money toward an xpap machine that will give you the data that you want.
Your O2 levels are fine. Some of us have problems with it, some don't. I smoked for 35 years so maybe it's a combination of sleep apnea and what will at some point be diagnosed as COPD. I also became quite sedentary over the past few years. We are all a little different.

How low did your O2 levels get during your sleep study?

Good idea. Make me an offer.
I bought the oximeter 3 years ago when I got the brick. Didn't know at the time I was getting such a worthless cpap.

Am waiting to hear from insurance company to try and upgrade.

I actually did sleep better last night. I tried taking a claritin. Still woke up, but was able to fall back asleep pretty easily.
Tonight I am going to try a benedryl and see how that does for me too.

It is very common for everybody (not only OSA or CSA sufferers) to have something called Sleep Onset apneas. They are a form of central apneas. Your machine won't deal with them unless you are on an ASV.

BlackSpinner wrote:It is very common for everybody (not only OSA or CSA sufferers) to have something called Sleep Onset apneas. They are a form of central apneas. Your machine won't deal with them unless you are on an ASV.

Interesting. Did not know that.

Axxel wrote: Interesting. Did not know that.

See the following post for more info Axxel. viewtopic/t47801/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47 ... 18#p433286

Axxel wrote:... Am noticing a trend when I first fall asleep or about to fall asleep is when my oxygen takes its lowest dip of the entire night for a couple minutes and then levels out for awhile until later on when some events are recorded, ... Im just curious what this could indicate. ...

This is just speculation and might not be what is going on ... However, it is very normal during the transition from wakefulness to sleep to have "instability" in breathing. That is, you will often have a couple central sleep apneas. And you may not have the normal high O2 levels you will during the rest of the night.

Why? Well, when we are awake our breathing is driven by one mechanism (the O2 level in our blood as well as conscious control, if I remember correctly). When we are asleep / unconscious, our breathing is driven by another mechanism (the CO2 levels in our blood). During the transition from wakefulness to sleep that transition sometimes takes a little bit. Think of it as slipping gears in a transmission. It gets the job done, but it takes a bit to settle down.

Once you are fully asleep, in most people, the O2 levels will stabilize as the mechanism that controls breathing during sleep has fully taken over.

Oh, the transition back to wakefulness from sleep can (but does not have to) have a similar rough transition.

Hope that helps.

JohnBFisher wrote:

Axxel wrote:... Am noticing a trend when I first fall asleep or about to fall asleep is when my oxygen takes its lowest dip of the entire night for a couple minutes and then levels out for awhile until later on when some events are recorded, ... Im just curious what this could indicate. ...

This is just speculation and might not be what is going on ... However, it is very normal during the transition from wakefulness to sleep to have "instability" in breathing. That is, you will often have a couple central sleep apneas. And you may not have the normal high O2 levels you will during the rest of the night.

Why? Well, when we are awake our breathing is driven by one mechanism (the O2 level in our blood as well as conscious control, if I remember correctly). When we are asleep / unconscious, our breathing is driven by another mechanism (the CO2 levels in our blood). During the transition from wakefulness to sleep that transition sometimes takes a little bit. Think of it as slipping gears in a transmission. It gets the job done, but it takes a bit to settle down.

Once you are fully asleep, in most people, the O2 levels will stabilize as the mechanism that controls breathing during sleep has fully taken over.

Oh, the transition back to wakefulness from sleep can (but does not have to) have a similar rough transition.

Hope that helps.

Good explanation. Thank you