Latest test didn't show apnea? But I know I need cpap.

Hi Hannah, I had a similar situation. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in Jan. 2010 and put on Bipap (Airsense 10). I did well with it and then I went on Medicare, and suddenly they stopped paying for it. It wasn't clear to me, or the doctors, why they stopped. But after several months, my pulmonary doc had me do a new sleep study. I felt the study was not done well (the tech wouldn't let me bring or use my own hybrid mask - I had to use a mask that wasn't the kind I used, it was a full face mask, small and tight.) When I went to the doctors office for the follow up, he said I didn't need Bipap anymore, I have mild sleep apnea. I explained to him about the mask and sleep issue. He ordered another sleep study with another lab. Tested for 4 hours without Bipap. Go to the doctor, he says again I don't need Bipap, mild sleep apnea. I was on it a total of 8 1/2 yrs.

So 4 years pass, and my husband notices I still have some symptoms at night. Last October I got an Apple watch, and noticed my oxygen sats at night were low-in the 80's. So I made an appointment with a new sleep pulmonary doc. She had me do a home sleep study over 2 nights. My AHI was low showing mild sleep apnea, but my oxygen sats dropped low frequently, around 77%. She started me on Cpap in mid April. I'm doing okay on it except my oxygen sats are still low (77-86%). She doesn't know why yet. I'm going to do a home test just on my oxygen levels this weekend.

I agree with others and you need to follow up with another study or buy one on your own. During the time I was without Bipap, I was found to have a small ascending aortic aneurysm, which has become larger over the last 2 years. I don't know if it was caused by my apnea, but there are scientific/medical articles out there that say it can be caused by untreated SA.

Good luck and let us know what happens!

Rose, even though the doc doesn’t yet know why your oxygen sats are low, couldn’t she arrange for you to get supplemental oxygen at night? And has she checked your daytime oxygen levels?

"If I have bad health condition X, then everyone else has it."