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How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
#11
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
You have received good advice in the previous posts. I might even advise you to follow it. I understand your concern over losing your CPAP. I was in a similar position last December when I was required to have a new sleep study. Ten years earlier my first sleep study had an AHI of 4.9 and the Doc put me on CPAP therapy anyway. I needed to replace my S8 machine because it was approaching its final death throes. I also wanted to maximize my apnea events. I made certain that I slept on mt back that night and I had two glasses of wine before going to the sleep center. My AHI this time was 69 and I got a new CPAP. I might have had a high enough AHI without going to extra effort but I didn't want to take any chances. The only regret I have now is not requesting an APAP. With APAP and the right software every night is a sleep study. I am not offering any advise. I only wanted you to know what I did.
This post is a natural product. The slight variations in spelling and 
grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way 
are to be considered flaws or defects.
 
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#12
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
Oh, OK I get it. Thanks Cutter!
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#13
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
A brief update.

Originally scheduled for tomorrow night, I will try to postpone my take home sleep study until next week since I'm crazy busy at work these days before vacation with a three-day business trip abroad from sunday afternoon. Besides the fact that I would not particularly benefit from being without treatment for even one night during this busy period, - better have that when things have slowed down a bit - I simply don't have the time for the 35 mile drive to the lab and back (and the same procedure again to turn the equipment back, so all in all 140 miles of driving + one night of bad sleep).

Also, it's likely my results under these circumstances will not be what I want and need them to be - if I'm stressed out, I may not sleep deep enough to have any apnea events. What's your take on this? Huh

Meanwhile, I can also tell about a night earlier this week, when I got 8,5 hours of sleep with zero (!) events. Pressures between 7 and 11. (average 8.5, 95% pressure 10.72, see attachment). I found that I usually score 3-5 events per night, mostly clear airway apneas or hypopneas, down from 5-15 events per night during the first two weeks, after which I raised the lower APAP threshold from 4 to 6 cm.



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#14
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
OK - partial update. I did finally get around to doing my 'take-home-sleep-study' on friday night, returned the equipment monday afternoon, now I am anxiously awaiting the results.

I have had terrible afternoon headaches sunday-monday, and I am still quite sleepy despite two good nights with the mask back on - maybe that is a sign I had a real terrible nights sleep during my study, and get to keep the machine? Thinking-about
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#15
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
1) The study is designed to measure your apnea, not necessarily to provide the proper treatment.

2) Even if you get the right pressure to stop your apneas, sometimes you feel terrible for a while. Some people use the term "sleep debt." I often think it's like withdrawal symptoms from O2 deprivation and sleep disturbance. Your body and mind make adjustments to your metabolism to try to adapt and when you eliminate the original problems, your metabolism is now out of whack until you adjust. It's a bit like withdrawing from nicotine, drugs, or alcohol.

Edit - I had missed that you were doing CPAP already, and that your test night was basically a night without CPAP treatment.
Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#16
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
Well - it was one night without treatment, after almost five months of 100% treatment compliance. I figure my feeling bad after this single night tells me I really need the treatment.

The clinic may think something else, the jury is still out.
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#17
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
OK - very little public interest, but here is the follow-up. Apparently I have a max AHI of 4, which is considered normal. However, I will keep the PAP-therapy based on my self assessment of improved health.
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#18
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
Actually, I think that's of great public interest. Or should be. Who says we need to draw the line between 5.00 and 4.99? If your AHI is 5.00 you need a CPAP machine, if 4.99 you don't!

Another thing is that a AHI from a CPAP machine is not the same as a AHI from a sleep study. If my CPAP machine reports a AHI of 5 it doesn't mean I was awakened five times per hour, it just means my breathing faltered for at 10 seconds five times an hour. It's possible that I could sleep right through those events and feel great in the morning. On the other hand if I woke up 5 times per hour I'd probably feel like crap the next day.
Sleepster

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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#19
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
I have done some brief googleing on mild OSAS and came up with some reading about the UARS syndrome - which in effect is the same as OSAS, but since arousals precede apneas, AHI will not be very high for patients with UARS.

Treatment for UARS may be xPAP, same as OSAS, so I figure I will just carry on sleeping at the end of my hose.

Oh well, I guess y'all already knew all this. Good night from Europe. *insert big yawning smiley*
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#20
RE: How do I succeed in maximizing apneas?
(09-20-2012, 02:49 PM)JohanKarl Wrote: I have done some brief googleing on mild OSAS and came up with some reading about the UARS syndrome - which in effect is the same as OSAS, but since arousals precede apneas, AHI will not be very high for patients with UARS.

Treatment for UARS may be xPAP, same as OSAS, so I figure I will just carry on sleeping at the end of my hose.

Oh well, I guess y'all already knew all this. Good night from Europe. *insert big yawning smiley*

I've heard it's sometimes hard to get doctors and/or insurance to recognize, treat, or pay for UARS.

Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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