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Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
#1
Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
So, I, if course, have sleep apnea.  

I am chronically tired all the time and try to figure out why.

I hate using a cpap.  A few years ago, my sleep doc referred me out to an ENT doc to figure out why i have sleep apnea to see if it could be surgically fixed.  He stuck a camera up my nose and down my lungs.  I was watching the screen with him.  Even when i was awake, you could barely see down my lungs.  They were almost completely closed off awake.  He said, if it's like this while I'm awake, it definitely collapses when I'm asleep.  He told me it was my tonsils that's the blockage.  I told him I had my tonsils removed as a kid.  He said everyone has two sets of tonsils.  When you're a kid and have them removed, they generally only remove one.  I guess I have tonsils on the back of my tongue and that's the blockage.  He submitted to my insurance to have my tonsils removed but my insurance denied the request.  

But one other thing, when I was a kid, I was in the hospital a lot.  One time while I was there, they were monitoring my blood oxygen levels.  They were low.  They told me I couldn't go home until I got my oxygen levels up.  They had me blowing into that thing where it raises a ball to strengthen my lungs.  I got it up so I went home later.

But I've always wondered if I've reverted to breathing shallow and not getting enough oxygen even while awake.  

At night, even though I hate the cpap, I use it every night.  (I have another doc appt with a different ent doc next week where I'm going to talk to them about inspire to replace the cpap or maybe getting my tonsils removed.... the previous insurance rejection I could've appealed but I didn't.  Thinking if they reject it again, I'll appeal this time.)

A few weeks ago, I went to my primary care doctor and talked about how I'm always tired.  He checked my blood oxygen level with one of those finger things and it was normal.  My doc has me on a lot of meds.  One of them is Ritalin.  He said I should not be tired on Ritalin.  That should be waking me up.  

But still wondering about my blood oxygen level, I bought a Garmin Venu smart watch.  The watch has the ability to detect my blood oxygen levels constantly.  So far, the last few days, it looks like my oxygen levels during the day are normal.  But last night while i was sleeping, my Garmin watch shows my oxygen levels dipped into the 80s for about an hour.  Why would that happen?  The cpap should've kept it up.  My cpap is set on auto.  The myair app shows my sleeping scores a constant 90-100 range. I'm attaching an image of my last night's sleep from Garmin.


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#2
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
Your CPAP isn't a ventilator, it only follows your lead. (Some of the advanced models have ventilator characteristics.)
Sleeping Oxygen levels dipping below 90% more then momentarily is a cause for further investigation.
Oxygen levels below 90% for more than 5 minutes with fully treated OSA is the medicare threshold for supplemental oxygen.

Guessing as to the reason for the drop without complete data is just that - guessing.
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#3
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
It's possible that your watch shifted during the night and wasn't getting a good reading.  If it was only that one time then give it another night or two and see if your readings change.  If it continues to show low O2 readings, for longer periods every night, then show your Dr. the data.  He/she may order an overnight oximetry test to confirm.
Jeff8356

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#4
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
Dorlow, are you really still using a Resmed S8 Escape? Time to update and upgrade to an Airsense 10 Autoset! If you are insured, you are due for a machine replacement. If not, there are many ways to find a good price. With a newer machine you could see the data and know exactly why you feel the way you do, and take action to mitigate it. We can only guess at what the problem may be, but we know the S8 is an old machine with no data.
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#5
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
No, I have an air sense 10.

So, I bought a wellue o2ring and wore it last night.  It says my average oxygen level was 97 and my lowest was 94.  So, if that's right, the cpap is doing its job.  But why am I always so tired?
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#6
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
Dorlow are you on any medications that could be causing your tiredness not everything can be attributed to disordered breathing
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#7
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
Ok, I just googled side effects for all the meds I'm on and one of them says its side effects are drowsiness. So maybe that's it. But I've been tired for a long time and I've only been on that med maybe a year

Today I'm seeing a doc about replacing my cpap with the implanted inspire system to keep my airwaves open during sleep.  Wonder if it will help or hurt my daytime drowsiness.
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#8
RE: Blood oxygen saturation level dipping while I sleep
dorlow,

Yes, medications can increase your drowsiness, daytime or otherwise. If low oxygen levels are an issue, a simple test may be enough evidence for supplemental oxygen. This is a test I had to do recently at my pulmonary care office. A nurse has you walk for about 5 min and they test you via the pulse oximeter. If it's 88%, you will be prescribed as needing supplemental oxygen. This is according to my local pulmonary and Apria DME offices.

PS In order to help us help you, please update your left panel UserCP info. Thanks.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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