WatchPat sleep study Question

RobbyM684 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 9:58 pm

Still waiting to hear from the pulmonogist/sleep doctor that she (the dr.) has gotten any results. Somewhat surprised as I anticipate that the WatchPAT would have been scored by machine, then sent to the Dr.

Anyways, still waiting to hear from the Dr to get an appointment to "receive" the results.

As far as my observations ("sleeping" beside her every night), she never snores, and actually seems to have a slow, steady, and quiet breathing, perhaps even shallow. I have never observed her to stop breathing (something that I, as a current cpaper, am sensitive to), but then I don't stay up all night watching and listening.

I will be surprised if she is scored above 5, and actually shocked if scored above 15. But we will see.

Prepare to wait, if for no other reason than the holiday season. I had really severe sleep apnea by WatchPat (and if it underscores then it was even worse!), but it's a bunch of hurry up and wait. Except that I also had a pulmonary function test around the same time and the tech who did that was also a sleep clinic tech. She saw my scores before the doctor and would not let me leave the PFT without a CPAP machine in my hand. But I've seen other people here who wait weeks or months even after being diagnosed with very severe apnea.

Why was your wife tested? Do you have a concern over her respiratory effort? The WatchPat will record blood oxygen levels, so if she's desaturating that will show up, even if the AHI is low.

Janknitz wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 22, 2022 3:27 pm

Why was your wife tested? Do you have a concern over her respiratory effort? The WatchPat will record blood oxygen levels, so if she's desaturating that will show up, even if the AHI is low.

As I mentioned previously I am a cpap user, and so she happened to go with me on my last annual visit. Even though I was the patient, the wife mentioned to MY pulmonologist that she was tired and not as energetic as she was 20 years ago (in her 50s , working staying very active). The pulmonolgist suggested a sleep study to rule out OSD. She went on about how convenient and inexpensive today's sleep studies are (Medicare will cover- so no real pain for us).
I was a little miffed as it was MY appointment - but didn't object (I think the Dr should have taken a medical history and physical exam)

Anyway, that's how we got there.

The only concern I have about her respiratory effort is that she doesn't seem to exert any effort al all - sleeps very quietly. I have to say that I have had occasion to wonder if she breathing at all (tempted to put a mirror under her nose ) - but yes, she's breathing, maybe not deep breaths but slow, regular and shallow.

A couple of years ago we had purchased a pulse-ox for myself after a surgery. Between that pulse-ox and her smart watch we are able to say that her oxygen saturation is generally 93-95 but never dips below 88.

As I mentioned previously I am a cpap user, and so she happened to go with me on my last annual visit. Even though I was the patient, the wife mentioned to MY pulmonologist that she was tired and not as energetic as she was 20 years ago (in her 50s , working staying very active). The pulmonolgist suggested a sleep study to rule out OSD. She went on about how convenient and inexpensive today's sleep studies are (Medicare will cover- so no real pain for us).
I was a little miffed as it was MY appointment - but didn't object (I think the Dr should have taken a medical history and physical exam)

Anyway, that's how we got there.

The only concern I have about her respiratory effort is that she doesn't seem to exert any effort al all - sleeps very quietly. I have to say that I have had occasion to wonder if she breathing at all (tempted to put a mirror under her nose ) - but yes, she's breathing, maybe not deep breaths but slow, regular and shallow.

A couple of years ago we had purchased a pulse-ox for myself after a surgery. Between that pulse-ox and her smart watch we are able to say that her oxygen saturation is generally 93-95 but never dips below 88.

It will be interesting to see how long she stays in low oxygen. But she should see her primary care physician because there are many things it can be besides sleep apnea--and even if she turns out to have sleep apnea, a good exam would be important.

Janknitz wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 23, 2022 1:45 pm

As I mentioned previously I am a cpap user, and so she happened to go with me on my last annual visit. Even though I was the patient, the wife mentioned to MY pulmonologist that she was tired and not as energetic as she was 20 years ago (in her 50s , working staying very active). The pulmonolgist suggested a sleep study to rule out OSD. She went on about how convenient and inexpensive today's sleep studies are (Medicare will cover- so no real pain for us).
I was a little miffed as it was MY appointment - but didn't object (I think the Dr should have taken a medical history and physical exam)

Anyway, that's how we got there.

The only concern I have about her respiratory effort is that she doesn't seem to exert any effort al all - sleeps very quietly. I have to say that I have had occasion to wonder if she breathing at all (tempted to put a mirror under her nose ) - but yes, she's breathing, maybe not deep breaths but slow, regular and shallow.

A couple of years ago we had purchased a pulse-ox for myself after a surgery. Between that pulse-ox and her smart watch we are able to say that her oxygen saturation is generally 93-95 but never dips below 88.

It will be interesting to see how long she stays in low oxygen. But she should see her primary care physician because there are many things it can be besides sleep apnea--and even if she turns out to have sleep apnea, a good exam would be important.

yes that will be interesting. At the present time (with a recording pulse-ox), we have seen occasions (very infrequent) that her 02 will drop 3 or 4 percent VERY quickly (within 1-2 seconds) from 93 to 89. At first I was suspicious that it was an artifact, however the recovery from 89 back to 93 took about 7-8 seconds. (this pulse ox records pulse and 02 at one second intervals). So I surmised that it probably not an artifact.

Her primary physician has tried to tell (diplomatically) that she is getting older and that there are some changes that just have to be accepted. But she will not accept the notion that she is getting older. She still wants to have the same body (and stamina) that she did 20-30 years ago. She's now telling me that she hopes that the Cpap will bring back her youth.

(I can see how patients could be victimized by a doctor by selling them a cpap, in (the patient's) hope that it will be a fountain of youth.

Good for her!

Sleep is vitally important for the healing/repairing/resetting that the body and brain need to do every night. So something that improves quality of sleep can make a huge difference on multiple interacting synergistic levels.

Sometimes we tend to focus on the O2 a bit too much, when for the average patient, it is the improved quality of the sleep that is the primary benefit.

A few seconds of low O2 is no big deal. But a fraction of a second of disturbed sleep (or a series of them at inopportune moments, anyway) can derail an entire stage of sleep and maybe even an entire precious sleep cycle.

It is sleep itself that allows us access to whatever fountain of healing waters of youth are available to us; PAP allows us to circumvent one issue that blocks many of us from accessing that fountain.

I hope she finds an age she likes and sticks with it. Once she reaches 130 in biological years, maybe she should feel free to slow down if she chooses to.

May she have full access to the best sleep possible in the meantime.