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Help a friend understand her test results
#1
Help a friend understand her test results
My dear friend finally had a sleep study done--I've been begging her to do this for years--and she just received the results. Because of covid, her visit today with the sleep doc was virtual, and she really wasn't able to get a lot of her questions answered. She was definitely diagnosed with sleep apnea, and now they're setting her up with a second sleep study, which she'll do this time with a CPAP. Did any of you guys have two studies in a row like that? Are they doing it to make sure the CPAP is reducing her apneas before they send her home with it? 

I'm attaching the results of her study, and she'd love it if you guys could explain what you see. It's a little blurry because it's a screen shot, but hopefully you can read the numbers OK. Thanks in advance! 

   
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#2
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
Welcome to the forum

Yes, she has extremely severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and not enough central apnea to worry about. AHI 80.7
She also has oxygen desaturation severe enough to require supplemental oxygen overnight.  approximately 40 minutes at or below 85% Oxygen

A second sleep study to perform a titration is fairly normal but in this case not necessary.  

The CPAP you want to get is the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet or the AutoSet for Her variant.  AutoSet is the keyword.
for the first night I'd suggest these settings.

Min Pressure = 7
Max pressure = 20
EPR = 2, Full Time

Post a screenshot after the first night as this more or less takes the place of the Titration Sleep study.  The above settings are expected to be adjusted after the first night.
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#3
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
Thank you so much. I had told her about the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet, which I've read about on this board and understand to be a great machine. I think that's what the doctor is giving her. I wish they would give her the machine right now rather than wait for another study, etc. I'm worried about her!
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#4
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
Depending on her insurance she may have a deductible which she would have to pay for the sleep study and a deductible for the Cpap. If so it would cost less to buy from Supplier #2 (suppliers list on the top ribbon) they have slightly used machine for about 350. That might be less than you deductible and you could get it in a week.
Apnea (80-100%) 10 seconds, Hypopnea (50-80%) 10 seconds, Flow Limits (0-50%) not timed  Cervical Collar - Dealing w DME - Chart Organizing
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#5
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
I'll ask her about this. She has excellent insurance (no $6,000 deductible like me), which is probably why they're having her do another sleep study right away lol. I'm going to check out the supplier myself.
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#6
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
They are prob doing a second sleep study because they can to get more income not for the benefit of the patient
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#7
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
(09-05-2020, 12:19 AM)jaswilliams Wrote: They are prob doing a second sleep study because they can to get more income not for the benefit of the patient

Because she has great insurance that covers everything, I have a feeling that's what they're doing. But it could also be because her apnea is so severe and she needs supplemental oxygen and so forth, I don't know. The real downside of all this is that the titration study is delaying her getting the machine because now she has to wait for the next study appointment.
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#8
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
Ask her doctor for the overnight supplemental oxygen the current sleep study indicates is necessary pending getting a CPAP. In the meantime get a pulse oximeter that is compatible with OSCAR. IMHO this is needed to validate that the desats are resolved. This is out of pocket.
I believe medicare's standard for requiring supplemental oxygen is 8 minutes under 88%.
Also use her desats as a valid medical reason to expedite the titration study or get an AutoSet NOW.
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#9
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
The first sleep study was done to determine severity of her apnea.  She falls into the severe category.

If she has a second study, it is called a titration study.  This is the study where she will be fitted with a mask, and they will determine what pressure works best to tackle the Apneas.  They may even recommend a BiLevel
if they determine a high pressure is needed.

The fact that she has decent insurance coverage is a good reason to go ahead with the titration study.  Yes, she could eliminate the titration study and buy a machine on her own, but why do that?  Especially if she ends up needing a higher level machine, like a BiLevel.

Until your friend has her titration study, she can take measures to sleep more comfortably.  Definitely advise her to stay off her back and sleep on her side.  Even sleeping in a recliner or slightly elevated is helpful.

Your friend needs to pressure her doctor and the clinic to schedule the titration study as soon as possible due to her probable need of supplemental oxygen.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

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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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#10
RE: Help a friend understand her test results
(09-05-2020, 07:36 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Yes, she could eliminate the titration study and buy a machine on here own, but why do that?  Especially if she ends up needing a higher level machine, like a BiLevel.

I don't think she would buy the machine on her own, more like ask the doctor to give it to her now so she can use it while she waits for the titration study. I guess she has to see how long she'll have to wait before she can get that appointment. It would seem kind of crazy for the doctor to diagnose her with "significant" (his word) sleep apnea and then make her wait a month or two for treatment. I think the risk of getting the machine now, before a titration study to fine-tune everything, is that she might get frustrated with it and hate it forever.
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