CPAP for 9 months, still not under 1 AHI
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2025 11:30 am
Hello all,
It's been a minute since I last checked in. I have been using the CPAP religiously since I got mine, and it has helped a LOT compared to my untreated sleep. My AHI was 22 (mostly hypopneas) and it was wrecking my life... Now my avaerage is in the 2-5 AHI range, so a big improvement. But, I am still waking with fatigue, brain fog, anxiety from not ideal sleep. I would really like to improve these numbers but if this is as good as it gets then I am also looking into surgical options (I do not need advice or opinions on that right now, thanks). For more info I wear a nasal pillow mask and have found it quite comfortable so far - I don't have trouble breathing through my nose as long as I use the flonase to keep any congestion clear.
Here's what I do already:
Mostly consistent bedtime, refrain from drinking too many liquids before bed so I don't have to pee int he middle of the night
Flonase spray to reduce mild allergy from my cat
Stress reduction techniques as needed
Earplug/s in case my partner is home late and cooking (he works in the evenings) so I'm not disturbed
Pillows, pillows, pillows - I've tried so many different combinations to see what works best - I'm still figuring that out (I'm a side sleeper)
Cleaning the machine regularly, rinsing the mask with soap/water every day
No food 2-3 hours before bed
Here are some nightly readouts from SleepHQ:
https://sleephq.com/public/f54e7fd6-9e3 ... 7b94c71177
https://sleephq.com/public/a3a0120c-379 ... 6ab803d499
https://sleephq.com/public/8295964a-53c ... a9095bae91
https://sleephq.com/public/8295964a-53c ... a9095bae91
https://sleephq.com/public/4688592d-95e ... ae42d926cb
Here's more info from my sleep study taken in May of 2024:
A breakdown of sleep staging reveals the following: Stage N1 29.5 minutes (9.0% of total sleep time), Stage N2 159.0 minutes (48.5% of total sleep time), Stage N3 95.0 minutes (29.0% of total sleep time) and last, REM 44.0 minutes (13.4% total sleep time).
Arousal Statistics:
A total of 122 arousals (22.4/hour) were observed during the analysis period as follows, 106 respiratory arousals, 2 Leg Movement arousals, 14 spontaneous arousals
The patient demonstrated Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
The patient had a baseline AHI of 22.2/hour with a nadir oxygen saturation of 91%.
The patient's oxygen saturations remained at less than 88% for 0.0 minutes.
The patient's sleep was fragmented.
The patient had reduced sleep efficiency during this Polysomnogram.
The patient had a normal number of Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep during this Polysomnogram.
The patient's EKG demonstrated normal sinus rhythm.
If anyone has the time and inclination to look this over and offer help, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for reading! ~Jess
It's been a minute since I last checked in. I have been using the CPAP religiously since I got mine, and it has helped a LOT compared to my untreated sleep. My AHI was 22 (mostly hypopneas) and it was wrecking my life... Now my avaerage is in the 2-5 AHI range, so a big improvement. But, I am still waking with fatigue, brain fog, anxiety from not ideal sleep. I would really like to improve these numbers but if this is as good as it gets then I am also looking into surgical options (I do not need advice or opinions on that right now, thanks). For more info I wear a nasal pillow mask and have found it quite comfortable so far - I don't have trouble breathing through my nose as long as I use the flonase to keep any congestion clear.
Here's what I do already:
Mostly consistent bedtime, refrain from drinking too many liquids before bed so I don't have to pee int he middle of the night
Flonase spray to reduce mild allergy from my cat
Stress reduction techniques as needed
Earplug/s in case my partner is home late and cooking (he works in the evenings) so I'm not disturbed
Pillows, pillows, pillows - I've tried so many different combinations to see what works best - I'm still figuring that out (I'm a side sleeper)
Cleaning the machine regularly, rinsing the mask with soap/water every day
No food 2-3 hours before bed
Here are some nightly readouts from SleepHQ:
https://sleephq.com/public/f54e7fd6-9e3 ... 7b94c71177
https://sleephq.com/public/a3a0120c-379 ... 6ab803d499
https://sleephq.com/public/8295964a-53c ... a9095bae91
https://sleephq.com/public/8295964a-53c ... a9095bae91
https://sleephq.com/public/4688592d-95e ... ae42d926cb
Here's more info from my sleep study taken in May of 2024:
A breakdown of sleep staging reveals the following: Stage N1 29.5 minutes (9.0% of total sleep time), Stage N2 159.0 minutes (48.5% of total sleep time), Stage N3 95.0 minutes (29.0% of total sleep time) and last, REM 44.0 minutes (13.4% total sleep time).
Arousal Statistics:
A total of 122 arousals (22.4/hour) were observed during the analysis period as follows, 106 respiratory arousals, 2 Leg Movement arousals, 14 spontaneous arousals
The patient demonstrated Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
The patient had a baseline AHI of 22.2/hour with a nadir oxygen saturation of 91%.
The patient's oxygen saturations remained at less than 88% for 0.0 minutes.
The patient's sleep was fragmented.
The patient had reduced sleep efficiency during this Polysomnogram.
The patient had a normal number of Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep during this Polysomnogram.
The patient's EKG demonstrated normal sinus rhythm.
If anyone has the time and inclination to look this over and offer help, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for reading! ~Jess