Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

[Diagnosis] Sleep Study Results
#1
Sleep Study Results
I got my results in from my sleep study (overnight lab) and would appreciate some comments and reflections on my results.  I have my follow up appointment in a few weeks and am wanting to bring some insight/knowledge in with me.

Pictures attached.

Summary:

29M, 6'2" ,180lbs
AHI: 24, vast majority hypoapneas.


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
           
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Sleep Study Results
Welcome


I'm sorry I can't help you but you HAVE come to the right place.  I'm sure someone will be along soon to help you.


Bump
Huhsign  WARNING: It may take a while to sink in...I tend to get befuddled at times.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Sleep Study Results
It looks to me like your average and typical obstructive apnea sufferer's report.  Your report shows that you are in the 'moderate' range for sleep apnea, and you show typical rates of arousals and limb movements.  Your desaturation of 02 is surprisingly low until you look at the average duration of the events recorded, and they show that you almost never suspend breathing beyond the 15 second mark, give or take a few seconds.

Your recorded time was not long, just over 5 hours. However, during that time you had a nice balance of the stages of sleep, and a good whack of REM (dreaming stage), where the healthy brain slots all of its concerns into the right cubicles so that it can deal with them. 

You are going to need a machine, probably a simple CPAP device (not that they could be called 'simple') with adjustable rate. But, you should await the meeting with your care provider and learn how they viewed your results. Also, others are sure to offer their opinions.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Sleep Study Results
You are a young, healthy male of normal weight and have apparent moderate obstructive sleep apnea that consists of mostly hypopnea, and will likely be recommended for CPAP treatment. There is a considerable limb movement, but nothing excessive. Hypopnea is a significant reduction in breathing volume, and depending on the test criteria may be accompanied by a 3% or 4%+ oxygen desaturation, and often marked with an arousal. Your arousal index closely matches the hypopnea index, but does not specifically identify respiratory event related arousals. Your oxygen desaturations are notably very minor and depending on the criteria for scoring hypopnea, you might actually have a much lower AHI if desaturation is a requirement for scoring.

Most individuals respond well to CPAP therapy for a problem like this, and you can probably self-titrate (find the best pressure to reduce events) using an auto CPAP. I recommend the Resmed Airsense 10 or 11 Autoset CPAP because they are more effective at titrating an effective pressure and offers up to 3-cm of exhale pressure relief, which is basically the same a having a bilevel device. This is especially effective for hypopnea because the base pressure resolves obstruction and stents the airway while pressure support or EPR increases pressure during inspiration, which supports more complete inspiration where flow limitation is present than CPAP single pressure. Try not to accept the Chinese CPAPs that are becoming more common.

There is not much more to do in preparation for you follow-up. You will be given a chance to ask questions and your doctor will try to evaluate your attitude toward CPAP therapy. You should express a preference for self-titration if you don't want another night in the lab, and you should let the doctor know what machine you prefer if CPAP is recommended. I also suggest you start with nasal pillows rather than a nasal mask or full face mask to start. This is a lighter, less intrusive interface that is easier to seal, and after a while you will find you can still talk or even sip water while under pressure. You're pretty young for this, so how do you feel? Any questions?
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


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.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Sleep Study Results
Thank you for the detailed responses. 
I am happy that I have taken actions and am more than willing to get a CPAP to try and correct this. I have dealt with mild depression, ADHD-inattentive and low-ish testosterone most of my life. This could potentially be contributing to this a bit.

I’d like to also note that I am a mouth breather. Will this impact whether I go the nasal pillow route or full face mask?

Also, is an “auto CPAP” an APAP machine?
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Sleep Study Results
If you are a mouth breather, you'll either need:

a. to tape over your mouth if using a mask other than 'full face' or 'full coverage'; or
b. use some other contraption to keep your lips together with sufficient tone/compression to prevent air escape, especially during inhalation; or
c. try a full coverage mask. 

This should be a priority if/when you see a respiratory therapist and can try on several masks for best fit.  Even so, prepare yourself for a fairly high probability that you will want yet another mask before long. It happens with experience using CPAP.

Yes, APAP and the device suggested by Sleeprider are essentially the same, and offer the same variable therapy.  Note that they are NOT the same as an ASV (adaptive servo-ventilator).

Back to mouth breathing: Quite a few users of PAP therapy find that they have to resort to some kind of impediment to mouth breathing.  Of those, it's hard to say how many tolerate mouth taping well enough psychologically to actually do it for long (my own brother gets the heebi-jeebies just thinking about it.  It's a big NOPE! for him.)  I have done it since the second night because the first night was bloody awful.  I have done it blissfully for over five years now.

If you do decide to try taping, like getting used to wearing the device during the day and while sitting up in bed reading, wear the tape as well.  The secret I tell everyone, because there's tape and there's tape , with varied aggression in adhesives, is to fold over a small bit of one end of the tape onto itself to fashion an easily grabbed tab.  If it ever happens that you need to remove the tape quickly, simply reach up, take hold of the tab, and remove the tape.  Just be aware that the 'strong hold' tapes will be hard on the skin if you have to tear the tape off quickly.  3M's version of that, in blue tape, is every good, but it's very strong....as you'd hope considering its description.  It's not cheap, either, but I use it preferredly.  I wash my mouth area well prior to applying it, and if I take about 70-90 seconds each morning slowly peeling it away from my mouth, it comes away cleanly and I can re-use it the next night, and often for yet another night.  That cuts the cost by 2/3.
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Sleep Study Results
The natural way to breathe is through your nose. I have talked to many people that claimed to be mouth breathers or chronically congested, but that found with nasal pillows the congestion and resistance to nasal breathing resolved. There are some people that cannot adapt, and most likely your DME will allow a mask exchange to full -face if you cannot make nasal therapy work. There are aids like taping and other tricks, but the significant number of people that surprisingly find nasal therapy is comfortable and effective, would never go back to a full face. It will be there if you need it, but I'm suggesting you give the nasal pillows a try.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


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.
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Sleep Study Results
I apologize ahead of time for what I'm sure is a silly question. I'm new to all of this and am trying to gain as much info as possible. Shy  

Can someone explain the relationship between O2 saturation and apneas and hypopneas? From the report, he had 1 apnea (periods where he stopped breathing) and 128 hypopneas (where his breathing was reduced). Yet he stayed 100% within the 93-100% range, averaged 97%, and had 5 desaturations (which averages to be about 1 per hour). Maybe I'm reading this wrong but this sounds like his oxygen is really good, despite the number of hypopneas. Isn't it normal for 02 to drop during sleep due to naturally occurring shallow breathing? I guess I'm just confused as to why he would need CPAP when his 02 levels look so good (despite the number of hypopneas) and he only had 1 apnea episode.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Apnea has gotten worse recently, I have no sleep study, can I just buy a cpcp? replayablecontent 12 230 Yesterday, 12:38 PM
Last Post: replayablecontent
  [CPAP] Titration Study liebano 2 76 03-26-2024, 08:18 PM
Last Post: gainerfull
Question [Diagnosis] Home Sleep Study Results & Feedback togapilot 6 531 03-26-2024, 02:36 PM
Last Post: togapilot
  Can someone take a look at my OSCAR results? 3-4 weeks of CPAP & still improvements senseisaitama 5 133 03-24-2024, 10:43 PM
Last Post: Deborah K.
  CPAP newbie / OSCAR / study feedback Brad124 4 189 03-23-2024, 08:02 AM
Last Post: Brad124
  New sleep study after 17 years? Jim1952 2 118 03-21-2024, 05:33 PM
Last Post: Jim1952
  New to CPAP Titration Study and OSCAR Data Help Needed slowmoto 2 144 03-20-2024, 01:24 PM
Last Post: slowmoto


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.