Questions about treatment

I don't know if I have OSA or CSA or both. My doctor (after my titration) said that I didn't seem to have centrals but he emphasized the word seem so as to protect himself.

I know that when awake I stop breathing when thinking about or facing tough situations and this happens a lot. I'm also sometimes aware of this happening while asleep and when waking up. According to this doctor, I suffer a lot of anxiety because I have a small neck and narrow passageway and according to him, I woke up during my titration choking or gasping for air. I'm not aware that I do that but according to this doctor, it indicated OSA.

I use the Respironics MSeries BiPap with Auto. I'm not sure how good this type of machine is for me. I've been using it for 3 months, it seems to learn my way of breathing and "imitate it" (which is good if so) but does not breathe for me when I stop breathing (which isn't good!). According to the doctor, all episodes stop at 19. Originally he wanted me set at 19/17 but then decided to set me at 20/4 and I wound up setting myself at 20/11.

Couple of other things which worry me: At my first study, the young female technician told me after it was over that I had few episodes and I might not have apnea. I later found out that I had few episodes during REM so I wondered if that was what she meant as I couldn't find her and ask her as I knew she wouldn't go against the doctor (who owns the sleep lab and is a control "freak")...................Also that my first phone call after the titration (second study) was answered by the doctor's assistant who told me my titration number was ten, a second phone call and she told me (in a somewhat nervous voice) that she was wrong....my number was 12.

I'm wondering what all of this means.

You might want to consider talking with a psychologist or psychiatrist concerning those anxiety issues. There are good treatments available for anxiety some involving drugs to reduce anxiety, or combined with congnitive or other therapies.

You also might want to clarify some of this info with your actual clinicians since they are the ones that have given you the information you have described. Perhaps they can help you understand what it is you are wondering about. What it all means is an awfully large question and all that wondering could certainly be anxiety provoking.

You need to get ahold of the sleep center and get the FULL copy of your sleep study. Then you can post it here and others will let you know what's going on. You have a right to this info so don't let them tell you that you can't have it.

Brenda

bdp522 wrote:You need to get ahold of the sleep center and get the FULL copy of your sleep study. Then you can post it here and others will let you know what's going on. You have a right to this info so don't let them tell you that you can't have it.

Brenda

+1. You are not even sure what is going on. Even though you might not understand what the sleep study says, people here will help you interpret it. Request it.

I feel the same as you do, Riv. I only got a summary statement of my sleep study. I still don't know what my pressure was there. They set at 4 - 20 on my trial machine. I also have a small neck, and that was a concern. So I got my nose fixed for more room to breathe. (Long story short: got kicked in the nose in football, got it hit once while in a fight by the tackle on the team; it seems straight now)
So I began to change the settings myself (after being on this forum awhile), and I'm doing much better. I have some leak problems, but I'm going to get a trial Resmed Autoset II as soon as it comes in. I hope I'll get to keep it. I've heard a lot of good things about it.
From what I've learned on this forum, patience is the key; also persistence. Things will get better.
And I'm not sure if the doctors and sleep technicians always come clean with a person. I talked to my doctor about the hope for getting a modern, full capable machine, and he said "Oh, they don't change much. All of them do the same thing". Now, I'm not so sure.
Jay