How often do you repeat your sleep studies?

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Goofproof wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:My first, last and only sleep study was in March of 2005. I've had fully-data-capable CPAP machines and have monitored my therapy since the night I began in May of 2005. I don't need another sleep study.


Den

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balor123 wrote:My last sleep study was 3 years ago, which was done with a Quattro Mirage. I switched to a Swift FX and I don't think it's working as well but my sleep doctor insisted that I don't need another sleep study. Its gotten me wondering, though, what are the recommendations for repeating sleep studies over time? How often do our machines need to be recalibrated?

Sounds like you need another type mask, probably FF, and you need to monitor your data closely and tweak as necessary. My husband had his first and only study in Aug/2008 and he's young at heart and going strong!

My sleep study was in May 1998, I have been on CPAP then APAP since then. I have always struggled with insomnia but in resent months it's
been a real problem. I do have an appointment with a sleep doctor next Friday so I am curious if he or she will want me to do a new study. I don't have a regular
sleep doctor since my first sleep study so it should be interesting. My APAP numbers are good with the machine so that isn't my issue.

Good luck working through this, I'd say you should talk with your doctor.

Bryan

bryansong wrote:My sleep study was in May 1998, I have been on CPAP then APAP since then. I have always struggled with insomnia but in resent months it's
been a real problem. I do have an appointment with a sleep doctor next Friday so I am curious if he or she will want me to do a new study.

BryanSong,

You need to be prepared for the appointment with the sleep doc so that the appointment focuses on what you want it to focus on rather than other issues.

You write:

My APAP numbers are good with the machine so that isn't my issue.

In order for the meeting with the doc to not get side tracked into "let's tweak your APAP settings" or other CPAP-related "non-issues" because your APAP numbers are good, you need to come prepared with the following information about your PAP therapy:

• Data from your System One Auto that shows you are compliant with PAP therapy. If you're not using the mask every night, all night long, then the meeting will naturally focus some attention on why you're not compliant and what to do about it.
• Data from your System One Auto that shows your treated AHI < 5. If your treated AHI > 5.0, then your PAP therapy is not optimal and you need to talk about whether to do some autotitrating with your APAP or a whole new titration test for figuring out your pressure needs.
• Leak data from your System One Auto that shows you're not having huge problems with Large Leaks that affect the efficacy of your PAP therapy. If you're leaking all over the place, you'll be told to use a chinstrap or a FFM or both and come back if you're still not feeling well in a few months.

But if the data shows you use the machine every night, all night long, that your treated AHI < 5.0, and that your leaks are pretty much in line with where they're supposed to be, then you want the meeting to focus on the insomnia and not on "tweaking the PAP therapy."

To keep the focus on the insomnia and what might be done about it, you need to be able to talk about some of these things when you're describing the insomnia:

• Usual sleep schedule: When do you go to bed? When do you get up? How much variation is there from day to day?
• Guesstimated sleep efficiency information: How long does it take you to get to sleep? How many wakes do you tend to remember in the morning? How much total sleep time do you think you get on a typical night?
• (Subjective) sleep quality concerns: How rested do you feel when you first get up? How tired or sleepy are you during the day?
• Sleep related behavior: What do you do when you wake up at night? How long do you lie in bed fighting to get to sleep? How much caffeine do you consume? How much time do you spend on web browsing, texting, or watching TV in the evening? Do you do any of this when you're in bed?
• A brief description of your previous problems with insomnia and how this round of insomnia compares to your previous problems: How long have you been dealing with insomnia? What's different this time? What's the same?
• A brief description of what you've done to manage the insomina in the past. How effective were they in managing the insomnia in the past? And have you tried these measures this time?
• Any stressful changes in your life: Think about good stressors as well as bad ones.
• List of medications and other health issues that may influence the quality of your sleep: Many meds can make insomnia worse. And many health conditions---particularly ones with chronic pain---can adversely affect sleep and make insomnia worse.

And finally you need be prepared to answer the big question of: What would you like to try for treating the insomnia? In other words:

• Are you wanting a prescription sleeping pill?
• Are you willing to consider a prescription sleeping pill? Every night? Or only on the nights when you have the toughest time getting to sleep?
• Are you willing to work hard on changing behavior patterns that tend to increase the insomnia?

robysue wrote: You write:

My APAP numbers are good with the machine so that isn't my issue.

In order for the meeting with the doc to not get side tracked into "let's tweak your APAP settings" or other CPAP-related "non-issues" because your APAP numbers are good, you need to come prepared with the following information about your PAP therapy:

• Data from your System One Auto that shows you are compliant with PAP therapy. If you're not using the mask every night, all night long, then the meeting will naturally focus some attention on why you're not compliant and what to do about it.
• Data from your System One Auto that shows your treated AHI < 5. If your treated AHI > 5.0, then your PAP therapy is not optimal and you need to talk about whether to do some autotitrating with your APAP or a whole new titration test for figuring out your pressure needs.
• Leak data from your System One Auto that shows you're not having huge problems with Large Leaks that affect the efficacy of your PAP therapy. If you're leaking all over the place, you'll be told to use a chinstrap or a FFM or both and come back if you're still not feeling well in a few months.

But if the data shows you use the machine every night, all night long, that your treated AHI < 5.0, and that your leaks are pretty much in line with where they're supposed to be, then you want the meeting to focus on the insomnia and not on "tweaking the PAP therapy."

I would also make sure you have graphs showing the events. When my mom needed a new machine and new settings, her trial partial night with my machine showed no leaks and an ahi of 3.4. But a look at the events showed the events were in a cluster and longer. One being over a minute long. So, in her case, it helped to from a straight 10 to a range of 10-15. But it would not have been visible with just the ahi and leak numbers.

bryansong wrote: I have always struggled with insomnia but in resent months it's
been a real problem.
Bryan

Are you practicing excellent sleep hygiene (google it), eating a good diet and getting regular, moderate exercise?

chunkyfrog wrote:Old age is a state of mind. My mother was 86 when she passed; she had been active and vibrant up until her last illness.
On the other hand, my oldest grandson's other grandma died on New Years day--she was only 56,
and an old woman in every sense of the word but time.
You are as old as you LET yourself be. Now, go and be young!

I know what you mean, however it is a fact that advanced biological age can not always be overcome by a state of mind.