Just Got My Sleep Study Results

Hi all,

I went in for a sleep study about 3 weeks ago and just had a follow-up to discuss my results. I have a few questions that I didn't manage to ask during the visit, so I thought maybe there was a discussion forum out there that might be full of helpful folks who could point me in the right direction. Sure enough, here I am!

First of all my Apnea/Hypopnea Index was 4.1 (per hour) which, from my reading, falls into the "normal range". However my Respiratory Disturbance Index was 28.8, which falls in the moderate/severe range. The Physician Asst. that I spoke with mentioned something about upper respiratory problems. Which number is most significant: the AHI or the RDI? The physician recommended CPAP...Would my condition be characterized as sleep apnea or something else?

In my sleep visit they also conducted a nap study which consisted of 5 20-minute monitored naps throughout the course of a day. I averaged a sleep latency (number of minutes to fall asleep) of 3.2 minutes across the 5 naps. According to the doc, this is abnormally fast and she called me "one tired guy". What are the chances that my excessive daytime sleepiness is a result of the metrics described above? She mentioned that they often prescribe a stimulant (scary!) to treat excessive sleepiness for which they cannot identify a cause. However, she said they would work to correct the RDI problems first. Is it possible that the CPAP will fix my sleepiness problem to the point where I will not need to receive further treatment? If the CPAP does not cure my sleepiness, are there alternatives to taking Aderol or some other stimulant?

Thanks in advance for all your help,
Sleepy in MPLS

Usually the RDI encompasses all the problems of Sleep Disordered Breathing and may very well be greater than the OSA numbers. At any rate it behooves you to try whatever it takes to get treatment therapy. A simple CPAP machine may work for you. Trial is the best solution. Good Luck and stay with whatever it takes. You will be the winner for it. jim

sedapsofeca wrote:Hi all,

<snip> First of all my Apnea/Hypopnea Index was 4.1 (per hour) which, from my reading, falls into the "normal range". However my Respiratory Disturbance Index was 28.8, which falls in the moderate/severe range. The Physician Asst. that I spoke with mentioned something about upper respiratory problems. Which number is most significant: the AHI or the RDI? The physician recommended CPAP...Would my condition be characterized as sleep apnea or something else?

Upper Airway Restriction Syndrome (aka UARS) is similar to sleep apnea, in disrupting your sleep. The difference between your RDI total and the AHI means that those flow limitations caused by the restriction were either not long enough to qualify as apneas are hypopneas, or did not cause the deeper drops in oxygenation that would make them qualify. They are however sleep disruptors.

In my sleep visit they also conducted a nap study which consisted of 5 20-minute monitored naps throughout the course of a day. I averaged a sleep latency (number of minutes to fall asleep) of 3.2 minutes across the 5 naps. According to the doc, this is abnormally fast and she called me "one tired guy". What are the chances that my excessive daytime sleepiness is a result of the metrics described above?

The chances are very high. Sleepwise (deprivationwise...), you are at exactly the same place you would have been with an AHI that high.

She mentioned that they often prescribe a stimulant (scary!) to treat excessive sleepiness for which they cannot identify a cause. However, she said they would work to correct the RDI problems first. Is it possible that the CPAP will fix my sleepiness problem to the point where I will not need to receive further treatment?

Yes.

If the CPAP does not cure my sleepiness, are there alternatives to taking Aderol or some other stimulant?

Lets talk of xPAP, since there are different kinds of machines: Continuous (fixed= CPAP), Automatically adjustable (APAP) and Bi-level (BIPAP). We have had a certified sleep doc here: BarryKrakowMD (not to be confused with the poster of similar name) making the case that UARS should be treated with Bi-level machines if the CPAP doesn't help.

I suggest you study the threads started by BarryKrakowMD.

I assume your doctor is thinking of Porvigil as the medicine.

O.

Thanks for the help! Much appreciated.