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Sleep Study Results - Comments?
#1
Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Hello. First post here. Where to begin...

A few months ago I was talking to a friend at work who had just finished a sleep study and was prescribed a CPAP machine. Over the next couple weeks he raved about how well he was sleeping, feeling less tired, more alert. etc.

I really started to think about how well I was sleeping. My wife has always said she tries to fall asleep before me because of my snoring. Come to think of it, I remember family members making comments to me 20 years ago of being a rather loud snorer. I'm always waking up a few times at night too, tired in the mornings, bags under my eyes, the list goes on.

I signed up and took some sleep hygiene classes my insurance offers at the medical clinic and didn't really feel I fit the mold for the sleep disorders they were talking about. So, I started recording myself at night using a $5 app on my cell phone. I had no idea how bad I was as I explored the recordings every day from the previous night. When I played back the recording to the guy leading the class, he told me I didn't need to come to the next session and he was going to pass on to my Primary Care Manager the recommendation for a sleep study. He also commented on "my poor wife".

So, I was referred to an ENT Dr. and they set me up for a two night study. The first night was horrible. It was like sleeping in a hospital room. The A/C was loud, I could hear people in the hallway, it wasn't dark enough, and I had all those wires attached to me, a tube in my nose, and a recording box around my neck. I don't really think I slept more than 1.5-2 hours of the 6 total.

The second night was better, they put me in a more 'hotel-like' room, not quite as many wires, I asked to have the little computer next to me instead of around my neck. I didn't know at the time what machine they used, but looking at pictures on the net I think it was a ResMed S9 with just the nose mask. I fell asleep fairly quick, within a half hour or so, figured out I needed to keep my mouth shut, and it was lights out. I don't know if it was the machine, maybe because I was so tired from not sleeping well the previous night? IDK, but for the time I did sleep, it seemed I slept well. The tech had to wake me up in the morning! That's something that would never happen at home.

That brings me to today. Received a text this morning that my report was ready, so having the day off, I went in to pick it up. The final recommendation was auto-CPAP. Now I'll take back to my Dr. and go from there. My friend that went through this same process a few months ago said it only takes a couple days and a tech comes to your house to set up the machine and show me how to use it.

I'm new to this and have been reading a lot, my summary results were:

Before: 27.5 AHI+RER, O2 Sat (low) 77%, awakenings 43,sleep efficiency 69.4%
w/ CPAP @ 11cm: 2.6 AHI+RERA, O2 Sat (low) 89%, awakenings 4, sleep efficiency 98%

Thought I'd share my story. Once I get up to 8 posts I will post a link to the full reports. I'm new to this, so open for thoughts and comments. Thanks.
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#2
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
I should add that my regular doctor is referring me back to the ENT for treatment. I'm leave to go to the States for a couple weeks, but will have it for when I get back.
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#3
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Welcome to the Apnea Board! I hope you continue to feel better, your numbers on the machine look pretty good already.
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#4
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Well from what you posted you need CPAP therapy, you O2 was quite low. Some people take to CPAP like a duck to water and others need to work at it. These machines have many settings beyond just the 2 therapy settings that your ENT will start you with. The other are comfort settings, if your not comfortable you will not sleep well regardless of your apnea count.

It does work, but own your therapy and make sure it is set right for you. No one else can know what makes you comfortable when you sleep.
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#5
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Hello HeavyB. Welcome to the Apnea Board forum.

It sounds like you're off to a good start. It's great that you've been prescribed an auto-CPAP machine.

The other item that's extremely important for good CPAP therapy is the mask. You might want to find out if you get to choose the one you want.

Broadly, the three types are full face, nasal mask, and nasal pillows mask.

If you used a nasal mask successfully during your second sleep study, I'll assume that you are able to breathe adequately through your nose and that you didn't leak air from your mouth enough to concern the sleep study technician.

That means that you could use any of the three types of masks.

Full-face masks mean that you don't have to worry about whether or not you're leaking air from your mouth while asleep, but they are also the largest.

Nasal pillows cover your face the least.

Nasal masks are an in-between option.

There's a section of this forum for product reviews that has reviews of several different masks.

You can also read about them and also see photos of them on online CPAP supplies websites.


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#6
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Hi HeavyB,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Much success to you as you start your CPAP therapy and hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
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#7
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Thanks for the comments. I'll be posting the full report when I get my post numbers up. Also will continue to follow up as I go through the process with my medical provider.
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#8
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
I'm a month in now. For the past month I've had 26/30 nights on the machine.

I really like the humidifier, but was having moisture build up in the mask with a 3 setting, so I've turned it back to 2 and it seems to have taken care of it.

The hose is nice too, I like how it swivels as it's really easy to sleep on my side.

I'll make a couple more posts today and post a link to the study and my ResScan results, downloading it now.

-B
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#9
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Here is a copy of my sleep study results. Open to comments. I'll get the ResScan report up shortly.

Sleep Study:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzw-LEV...sp=sharing

CPAP Titration:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzw-LEV...sp=sharing
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#10
RE: Sleep Study Results - Comments?
Your titration study recommended an auto CPAP, with optimum pressure of 11.0. I interpret this to mean, your machine should be operated in auto mode, with a minimum pressure that addresses most issues (11.0) and be allowed to self titrate as snores, hypopnea and other events arise. What are your thoughts on using CPAP mode? Is your machine an Autoset?
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

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