CPAP with oxygen therapy

Been on the CPAP for a little over a month now and am feeling great. I went from an AHI of 67 to an average of 9.8 in my first month. I have a feeling that It's going to be better since my first follow up visit since I've been looking at my numbers through Sleepyhead. There's one problem though. My doc said that my blood ox level went down to 59% prior to treatment and she wanted to check it since I began therapy. So she sent me home with a blood ox monitor for one night and she called me Thursday with the results. My level had improved but still fell to 72% at some point in the evening. She wants me to do another sleep study (the first one was at home, this one will be in a lab). I've heard about adding oxygen in with the CPAP and know that I just need to go through the study and see what she says but I'm nervous about it. Does anyone have oxygen as well as a CPAP? I'd like to find out more and also get sort of a general feel if you all think this is likely to happen or if I'm jumping the gun. I'm just getting used to the machine, I really don't want another frakkiing hose and issue. Yes, I try to keep my signature line in mind, it's why I put it there, as a reminder to me.

They just put a valve to keep the oxygen from going into the machine. Then there is a connection with the oxygen port. It is really very simple.

The in lab sleep study will be great. They will be able to see what is happening there and then.
Your AHI has dramatically improved and that's great. Ideally they want it below 5. Hopefully with a little adjustment of the pressure your AHI will be below 5. Hopefully this also removes the need for oxygen therapy.

I am on O2 with my xpap, 2LPM rate. My feelings while O2 is important, doctors don't have a clue on what happens when you put it into a xpap stream. Adding it to the xpap stream doesn't raise the % of O2 near as much as using O2 @ 2 lpm in the day, most of the O2 is flushed out with the vented air. While any increase is a improvment, I don't feel any difference, and I don't see it on my pulse ox meter, maybe a 1% rise!

First get your xpap treatment under control then check your overnite pulse ox levels, then decide if added O2 is needed. There is so much money to be made from O2 service, the fox is guarding the hen house. Jim

Thanks for the heads up Goof (Jim). Since the beginning of the treatment I've gotten more info and help here than I have with my doctors. That seems to be standard from what I've read of other "newbie" posts. I'm not unhappy with my doc but the flow of info seems limited and a chronic condition if this forum is any indictation. I wanted to get the info before I went for the new study. Now I don't just have to take it as inevitable if my doctor wants to start oxygen. If anyone else has any thoughts I accept all information and suggestions. Thanks again.

I have oxygen piped through as well. I checked my oxygen level one night while laying there with the oxygen OFF. My AWAKE level dropped by about 4%. Convinced me that while it might not be a radical difference, it does make a difference for some people.

The only downside is the oxygen concentrators tends to be pretty noisy. Many people have moved their concentrator to another room to minimize the noise. I've gotten used to mine and it's "white" noise now.

Don't sweat it if you need it. It won't be that big a deal.

My bi pap friend went on oxygen for his heart problems but when I told him about the cpap discussion of putting a block valve on it his dme laughed it off and said there is no such thing or problem . Oh well !
He had a second test at his house using his tread mill and they quickly terminated the test , by rule anything dropping to 80 percent o2 is a no -no .
His doctors have given him capsules with powder in it to inhale and his o2 lung function has greatly improved . His doctors do not like him on o2 ,he is to only use it after exertion not resting.
He loves sleeping with it but Dr's tell him no .Its not good to become o2 dependent, save it for when you really need it . They are still working on his root cause and the fix. O2 is to be used as a temporary fix.
I find that I learn a lot by this for my friends and family when we all might have a problem .Good luck

Others have already said what happens with the oxygen - you physically won't notice any difference in breathing - but you'll feel better.

But you might find after the sleep study and a re-titrate that you might not need it, if they can make further adjustments and get your AHI down to what your body actually needs. The sleep study in the lab sounds like (I haven't had a home study) it offers more actual sleep information - and the tech is right there to make adjustments as needed.

my wife uses an o2 concentrator with her cpap. we have a quiet concentrator that sits at the foot of the bed and bothers no one. we use the simple little adapter that don't have any kind of blocker, at the machine end of the hose. it came from the dme and looks just like the one our host sells. the 02 goes to the patient, not out the vent. we have done many home tests with the oximeter and there is a big difference between o2 and no o2. using and not using the o2 has no effect on her ahi which is usually in the <2 or 3 range. you may or may not need o2. don't worry about it. do your sleep study and go from there.

I use o2 with my bipap. I'm on it when I go out of the house or have to be up walking for long distances. A couple things I've found. My doctor told me I could reduce my o2 during the day to 1 or 2 lpm and during the day or when I'm out my pulse ox is fine. (If I'm just sitting during the day and evening I don't need at all)

However, at night we tried reducing it to 2lpm and I found that since I am currently in a flare of my copd that 2lpm was causing my pulse ox to drop from in the 90's down to high 80's.

I then increased the o2 to 2.5 lpm and I stay in the low 90's each night.

The o2 has no effect on my AHI-I started at a very high AHI and just got down to .7 average over 4 months. When I lowered the o2 my AHI and events didn't change but I would wake up in the morning completely breathless. The o2 is to keep you safe when you are sleeping.