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

Question about events that last less than 10 seconds
#1
Question about events that last less than 10 seconds
My AHI has consistently been around 1 or less but I am not waking up feeling refreshed and still get tired during the day. Last night my AHI was 0.16 with only 1 hypopnea registering.

I use SleepyHead and just figured out how to enlarge the flow rate graph in the daily screen and use the arrow key to scroll through the entire night. I notice that I'm having a lot of hypopneas that last less than 10 seconds so they are not being recorded as events. Are these short episodes enough to cause my symptoms?

I also notice that around 4am every morning the hills in the flow rate graph start looking flat instead of rounded and my pressure goes up to and stays at max pressure which is 12.

I'm going to turn the max pressure up. I've had it at 13 before but wake up feeling bad like my lungs are overinflated. Is it possible to get used to the higher pressure if I take it really slow, like 0.2 cm increase (12.2) for a week, then another 0.2 cm increase (12.4) for a week, etc until I get it high enough that the peaks stay rounded and I stop reaching and staying at the max pressure for extended periods? Or would it be better to just leave it at 12 cm H2O?

I also have a pulse oximeter. Last night my basal O2 was 97% and my low O2 was 91%. It only dropped down to 91% once for a very brief period and it dropped down to 92% twice for very brief periods. Other than that it was 96-98% all night.
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Question about events that last less than 10 seconds
Provided leak is kept under control, the S9 wouldn't go any higher than required. You,re on the right track and if still feeling tired during the day then may be see the doc something else going on
It sounds like you've got a good handle on things Well-done
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Question about events that last less than 10 seconds
What Zonk said. Your AHI is excellent. Your O2 is great. If you are still tired, you really need to see the doc. Try going to your GP instead of the sleep doc. Cheaper! And a GP can look at the whole picture and not force you into a box.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Question about events that last less than 10 seconds
I would see the Doc. There is no reason to increase your pressure. If you are not getting good quality sleep you will not wake up refreshed no matter what your AHI is. I would not be concerned about events less than 10 seconds. If you have not had a thorough physical I would start there. I would also review sleep hygiene, as simple as it seems you may with some effort track down some problems. You may also want to seek the services of a sleep specialist that specializes in insomnia- I know you don't have insomnia, but they can help you learn to have good sleep. Another thing to consider is that you may be having frequent arousals during the night- you would not be aware of them- they can be caused by chronic pain among other things. A second sleep test may be indicated.
I used to think just using the machine !00% of sleep time was the answer until someone pointed out to me it has to be good quality sleep for you to feel rested. If you have disposable income a zeo (have no vested interest in the company) may be just the machine for you to pinpoint sleep problems. Good luck, keep us posted and by all means hang in there. I know you're miserable and it may take a lot of work to get things right with your sleep, but it will be worthwhile.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Question about events that last less than 10 seconds
(05-09-2012, 01:41 PM)shutterbug sue Wrote: Are these short episodes enough to cause my symptoms?

Possibly, but I wouldn't think it likely. How long have you been on CPAP therapy? The CPAP machine interferes with your sleep, and this takes a while to get used to.

This may seem counterintuitive. CPAP machines are supposed to help you sleep! Well, they help you sleep in that you're not continuously waking up having to breathe. But they also interfere with your sleep because the hose and mask are a bother. After a while, they stop bothering you as much.

I've been on CPAP therapy for just over six months now. At first, I slept worse with the machine than without it. Gradually, I was able to sleep a little better. After a few weeks this effect accumulated, and I eventually reached the cross-over point where I was sleeping better with the machine than without it. Now, this ain't sayin' much, because I was sleeping terribly before I had the machine.

Now I'm still sleeping as well as I'd like to, but I am feeling like a new person. My blood pressure is way down, I feel rested on many days, but even my worst days are no where near as bad as every day before CPAP therapy.

The other issue is that we have a large sleep debt that we have to repay. Some pay it back faster than others. Some aren't as bother by CPAP therapy as others.

It all takes time, but eventually we'll get there.
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.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Trying to Reduce CA Events chrotteg 10 345 03-26-2024, 11:08 PM
Last Post: chrotteg
  [Treatment] Clear airway / central apnea events -- causes and solutions? mitzvahtime 6 2,396 03-25-2024, 04:10 PM
Last Post: Jay51
  Central events while falling asleep michaelyu15 7 265 03-20-2024, 06:22 PM
Last Post: michaelyu15
  Recently started CPAP -- very high proportion of Clear Airway Events matt2 0 117 03-17-2024, 02:48 PM
Last Post: matt2
  15-minute periods of massive events (OSCAR pics included) nicholasb600 2 176 03-14-2024, 09:42 AM
Last Post: BoxcarPete
  Why does my clear airway events keep increasing? deirdrepen 3 267 03-12-2024, 02:37 AM
Last Post: stevew168
  Help interpreting non-obstructive events in OSCAR needsleeps 14 767 03-05-2024, 12:28 PM
Last Post: needsleeps


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

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