First 7 weeks and AHI still over 5

Should I be concerned that my AHI is averaging 5-6 in the first 7 weeks of my CPAP therapy? Someone described this as "sub optimal" treatment but I'm not all that concerned (should I?). I have my second follow up with the sleep clinic next month and if AHI is still at that point, I assume my Dr. will increase the pressure. My first follow up, which was 3 weeks after I got my CPAP, my AHI was over 5 but my Dr. decided to keep the pressure at 6 cm H20 for two more months. I just take it as a sign that my Dr. is gradually easing me into effective CPAP treatment, but should I expect more sooner? There seems to be this obsession with getting the AHI as close to 0 as quickly as possible. Is it that big of a deal if I go slower in my progress?

I am feeling better, but it is day by day, some nights are better than others, but I seem to be stuck in my 4 hour per night sleep pattern and not getting back to sleep (I was actually able to get back to sleep when I first started CPAP).

What is the event category breakdown of that AHI?
How much of it is Clear Airway?

novatom wrote:Should I be concerned that my AHI is averaging 5-6 in the first 7 weeks of my CPAP therapy?
Someone described this as "sub optimal" treatment but I'm not all that concerned (should I?).
I assume my Dr. will increase the pressure.
but should I expect more sooner
it that big of a deal if I go slower in my progress?

yes,
it is,
he should,
you should,
you'll just feel worse longer.

Or, Pugsy threw in the CA wrench...that could change things. Lol

Tatooed Lady wrote:Or, Pugsy threw in the CA wrench...that could change things. Lol

Yep..the CA wrench.
I always try to confirm that what needs fixing (or appears to need fixing) is something that is fixable with the tool I have available to fix it.

Knee jerk response for elevate AHI is "more pressure" and most of the time that is what is needed but there's that remote chance that the AHI is primarily CA/Central in nature and more pressure won't/can't fix it and could potentially make things worse...so I try to find out exactly what I am attempting to fix first...before getting out that hammer.
Now it might already be mentioned in another thread but I can't take the time to go back through every person's old posts to try to figure out what is going on...I prefer to just ask a current simple question because even old threads or old images might not be what is going on now.

Different story if event category breakdown is not available (like bricks or brands that don't flag centrals) but if we have the data available why not make use of it before we start hammering away with a tool that may or may not be the best choice of tools.

novatom wrote:My first follow up, which was 3 weeks after I got my CPAP, my AHI was over 5 but my Dr. decided to keep the pressure at 6 cm H20 for two more months. I just take it as a sign that my Dr. is gradually easing me into effective CPAP treatment, but should I expect more sooner? There seems to be this obsession with getting the AHI as close to 0 as quickly as possible. Is it that big of a deal if I go slower in my progress?

I am feeling better, but it is day by day, some nights are better than others, but I seem to be stuck in my 4 hour per night sleep pattern and not getting back to sleep (I was actually able to get back to sleep when I first started CPAP).

I had a pretty low untreated AHI (8-15 depending upon how it was measured) and it was incredibly disruptive of my sleep and I felt pretty crappy. The notion of "gradually easing into effective ... treatment" seems pretty stupid to me. If you have a problem -- and for me 4 hours of sleep per night was a GIGANTIC problem -- then you deserve as effective a treatment as they can give you.

palerider wrote:

novatom wrote:Should I be concerned that my AHI is averaging 5-6 in the first 7 weeks of my CPAP therapy?
Someone described this as "sub optimal" treatment but I'm not all that concerned (should I?).
I assume my Dr. will increase the pressure.
but should I expect more sooner
it that big of a deal if I go slower in my progress?

yes,
it is,
he should,
you should,
you'll just feel worse longer.

+1


Den

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