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mrnetwurm wrote:A home study ? Well, I'm not sure what that is, but I was wondering if I could find a blood oxygen meter (the finger kind) and see what values it loggs during the night. I'm not sure if such a thing exists for the consumer.

cms50d+ (don't get the cms50d, it doesn't record, you must get the cms50d+ model) 50$ from amazon,

Pugsy wrote:I would think I might go for the home study (and not with the machine at minimum pressure)....home studies typically include pulse oximetery to cover the potential drops in O2.

No need to rule a home study out.

The alternative would be to use the machine at minimum 4 cm pressure all night and see if any apnea events get flagged at all. It isn't a perfect solution because there is therapy value at 4 cm so no events wouldn't guarantee nothing happened...plus using 4 cm all night can be really stifling and difficult to sleep with for some people.

If he has data capability with his CPAP machine, he can go ahead and run some nights like this. The decision on spending the money and aggravation on a home study can be made after he sees the results of his own CPAP study.

It's possible he turns the CPAP down to 4 cm straight CPAP and sees many apneas when he looks at his data the next morning. Then he knows he still needs CPAP and he has avoided wasting time and money on a home study.

ChicagoGramps

mrnetwurm wrote:ChicagoGranny, i think you are trying to tell me that sleeping position affects apnea, but I'm unclear as to which positon is worse or better.

On your back, gravity is pulling your tongue and soft palate directly into the airway. Some get significant relief (or require lower CPAP pressures) when sleeping exclusively on the sides or stomach.


ChicagoGramps

Just to give onother point of view...

I have had Sleap apnea for 15 years... 10 of those years in the military at 175 pounds... I ran about 30 miles a week, run 2 miles in 13 to 15 minutes, do 50 pushups, 80 sit ups, ruck march with 70 pounds over 12 miles, 7% body fat and had sleep apnea... i am now at 200 pounds, 12% body fat, not as active but still active, I have a little "gut" probably could lose 10 pounds..

Just saying weight is not always the cause....

ChicagoGranny wrote:No need to rule a home study out.

I didn't mean to imply that I was ruling out a home study. I meant to say that a home study is what I would likely do in this situation.

Just wanted to clarify that point in case someone else misunderstood my comments.

I might try the 4 cm thing with the machine just to see if anything shows up if I could sleep comfortably at 4 cm but I personally would have trouble with that little of pressure. Even my titration study started at 5 cm and I wasn't any to comfortable at 5 when it came to feeling stifled.

I might try the 4 cm thing with the machine just to see if anything shows up if I could sleep comfortably at 4 cm but I personally would have trouble with that little of pressure. Even my titration study started at 5 cm and I wasn't any to comfortable at 5 when it came to feeling stifled.

Yep, both of us have the same experience. Anything under 7 feels uncomfortable. Seems to be a general rule around here with a few exceptions.

I am just saying he should do the "CPAP tests" first since there is "no" cost. There will be costs with HST or lab study.

Cowboy Casey wrote:
Just saying weight is not always the cause....

Granny and I are both slim and always have been. We were called slim for many years. Now they call us skinny because everyone else has gotten so damn fat.

ChicagoGramps

Well, there is certainly lots of good info here. I especially like the comment about having obstructed episodes that don't result in reduced blood oxygen levels. I forgot about the neurological effects of being woken up constantly to restore breathing.

Thanks to all.

Also, as a side note, my primary care doctor took me off blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds. So, I got that going for me.

mrnetwurn


FYI I lost all the excess weight I had, I walk a lot and exercise very often now. My blood pressure is normal now and I have no more medication for that.

I had a sleep study to find my new pressure (my pulmonologist words), he never told I was going to get rid of the machine. I passed all the night at 4 cmH20 because the tech told I didn't need to have it increased. I woke up with the worst dizziness imaginable. My AHI was 5.2 or something like that. I didn't have big desaturations I need to add.

Sooooo, I had a prescription for an in home sleep test. This machine test your snoring if some, the O2, the breathing. You have a stap on the chest, on around the belly over your belly button, one small hose at the entrance of the nostrils and going around the ears, another over this last at the entrance of the nostrils (this is a mic) and a oximeter on your finger. You have around your neck a small strap from which hangs up the small computer.

If you go to youtube you will see how all that works, it is not too bad.

Go for your sleep study if you are able, only in that way you will be sure of you are rally free from sleep apnea. I wish you are free.

All the best

rosacer wrote: I passed all the night at 4 cmH20 because the tech told I didn't need to have it increased. I woke up with the worst dizziness imaginable. My AHI was 5.2 or something like that.

At least the tech had a restful night of sleep.

Pugsy wrote:
The alternative would be to use the machine at minimum 4 cm pressure all night and see if any apnea events get flagged at all. It isn't a perfect solution because there is therapy value at 4 cm so no events wouldn't guarantee nothing happened...plus using 4 cm all night can be really stifling and difficult to sleep with for some people.

Hi Pugsy:

If the result was AHI of 3.8; with an increase in pressure up to 7 and 8 (increase in pressure was sustained for a few hours where events and snoring was present); would that indicate likely OSA? That's what happened to me! Just wondering! Thanks!

Pesser wrote:If the result was AHI of 3.8; with an increase in pressure up to 7 and 8 (increase in pressure was sustained for a few hours where events and snoring was present); would that indicate likely OSA? That's what happened to me! Just wondering! Thanks!

Yep..that increase in pressure means the machine is wanting to fight something...if it never increased above 4 cm then maybe a different story.

Pugsy wrote:

Pesser wrote:If the result was AHI of 3.8; with an increase in pressure up to 7 and 8 (increase in pressure was sustained for a few hours where events and snoring was present); would that indicate likely OSA? That's what happened to me! Just wondering! Thanks!

Yep..that increase in pressure means the machine is wanting to fight something...if it never increased above 4 cm then maybe a different story.

Thank you very much for this. I did not want to send you a PM because I felt that was too forward. I had a bad experience with home studies. In fact no one told me they were available. I was “diagnosed” with my machine. With exactly the information I wrote in my previous post.

I see about 300 people per year in my business. And I have long interviews with many of them. In my opinion OSA is much more common than what doctors think. A lot of people are not sleeping well. I suspect many, if tested, would have low AHIs for months and then bang they would have high AHIs.

Ugh, well, so much for the good news I was reporting. I have been running my sound activated recorder for days now and had many nights with absolutely no snoring or sore throats in the morning. This morning, I woke up and found lots of data on the recorder. Yep, I was snoring like crazy last night and have an awful sore throat today. So, maybe a new lower number for CPAP setting, but its pretty clear the machine is still needed.

Not the result I was hoping for.

jerry

Well, what might be needed is a FF mask - mouth breathing could easily be giving you sore throats and dryness... plus loss of therapy air that should be going down your airway and not out of your mouth.