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Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
#1
Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
Here's some info I found on the internet:

A scalloped or flattened flow contour is evidence of increased upper airways resistance causing flow limitation. Though such a respiratory event is less likely to lead to hypoxemia than a complete apnea, it also causes cortical arousal and thus, if frequent, may lead to the daytime symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea.

In patients with symptoms of excessive daytime somnolence and low AHI this may help diagnose the UARS and separate it from nonrespiratory causes of sleep fragmentation.

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a common trigger for CFS and Fibromyalgia (CFS/FMS). Sleep Apnea is fairly well known. We are now learning about a different form of SDB called Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). UARS almost exactly mimics CFS/FMS, is very treatable.

Although both UARS and sleep apnea are caused by blocked airflow while sleeping, there are many critical differences in the problems they cause:

• Chronic insomnia with frequent awakenings and the inability to fall back asleep tends to be more common in patients with UARS than those with sleep apnea.
• Patients with sleep apnea tend to fall asleep easily during the day (such as when driving), however, patients with UARS are more likely to complain of fatigue than sleepiness.
• Patients with sleep apnea tend to be overweight; however, those with UARS can be any weight.
• About 50 percent of those with UARS are women, while only 8 percent of those with sleep apnea are female.
• Upper airway resistance syndrome is often accompanied by a spastic colon and low blood pressure with lightheadedness on standing while sleep apnea is usually associated with high blood pressure.
• People with UARS usually have cold hands and feet and other symptoms of hypothyroidism and a brainwave pattern called alpha intrusion into Delta sleep, which often occurs in CFS and fibromyalgia.

UARS is often misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, or even ADD/hyperactivity and may be a key contributor to CFS and fibromyalgia.

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OMG, this is me for sure! I just went to my doctor recently for a physical and asked her if she thought I might have chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia because I was so tired and hurt all over constantly. She tested me for everything that could be causing these symptoms and said everything was normal.

I do have low blood pressure, cold hands and feet, and symptoms of hypothyroidism.

I've also been looking at my SleepyHead reports more closely. I've noticed a lot of flattened wave forms in the flow rate graph with no drop in my oxygen level. My AHI is always less than 1. The graph does show flow limitation when I have the flattened wave forms.

I will definitely be gradually increasing my pressure until I stop having the flattened wave forms and flow limitation.

I'm so excited that the possibility to feel better is within reach!

PS: Yes, I've talked to my PCP about adjusting the pressures and she's given me permission to do it.

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#2
RE: Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
FYI
Flow Limitation/UARS and BiPAP (Barry Krakow MD)
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...-and-BiPAP

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...e-Syndrome
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#3
RE: Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
(05-10-2012, 12:37 PM)zonk Wrote: FYI
Flow Limitation/UARS and BiPAP (Barry Krakow MD)
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...-and-BiPAP

Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...e-Syndrome

Thanks Zonk. I found another very interesting and informative article on UARS on the internet written by Steven Y. Park, M.D.

I've never really paid attention to this before because I didn't think it was serious since it doesn't cause you to stop breathing. I just assumed my cpap was titrated correctly after my last sleep study. I figured all my problems were just caused by old age since I was compliant with using my cpap every night. I had no idea that UARS could cause so many medical problems.

It wasn't until I saw my PCP for a physical a couple of months ago and everything checked out fine. She though maybe I needed another sleep study to see if that was causing my problems. It's just been since I got my ResMed S9 AutoSet that I actively started to take an interest in my xPAP treatment and learn more about sleep apnea.

So even though I've had OSA since 2003, I feel like this is kind of new to me. This forum has given me a lot of good information. It's very helpful to know that others are having the same problems I've had and to see how they solved their problems.

Now that I have a data machine and can study my sleep report I'm trying to learn what it all means and it's like a light bulb went off in my head this morning while I was scrolling through the graphs. I was hoping that I could help others with my discovery because I've seen several people on this forum who are compliant with using their xPAP but are still tired during the day.

Smile
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#4
RE: Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
(05-10-2012, 01:25 PM)shutterbug sue Wrote: Now that I have a data machine and can study my sleep report I'm trying to learn what it all means and it's like a light bulb went off in my head this morning while I was scrolling through the graphs. I was hoping that I could help others with my discovery because I've seen several people on this forum who are compliant with using their xPAP but are still tired during the day.

Smile

We *live* for lightbulbs. :-) This site is one of the first places I looked when I was researching SA - to decide if I had it, and if it was worth seeing a doctor. Lots of good info here, and you've contributed to it. :-)

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#5
RE: Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
Ok... so I am really new to this... but I am wondering if I need to do anything about this as well! I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia many years ago, I have spastic colon, low blood pressure/ light headedness, cold hands and feet and I don't fall asleep during the day but am terribly fatigued and I wake up frequently at night and sometimes during the day time I feel like I "forget" to breathe.

I am using CPAP now so do I need to talk about this with my sleep specialist?? Will it come up on the SD card readings in my Resmed Auto machine?
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#6
RE: Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome
If you are concerned, it is something to discuss with your physician.
  • Make a list of every symptom, whether you feel it is important or not.
  • Make a list of all your medications. Include dosage, reason, and reactions. Be sure to add all non-prescription stuff as well including vitamins and supplements.
  • Keep a sleep diary of the time slept and how you felt during the day. Note whenever you had to take a nap and each time you fall asleep in some inappropriate location (like at a red light).
  • Make a list of your diagnoses and tests along with dates.

Then take all of this to your doctor's appointment.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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