new and overwhelmed

[Tawaki]

I'm 50 years old and just got back from my sleep study.

The tech said I was fine until I hit the deep sleep stage, and I would flat out stop sleeping.
She almost put me on the machine, but it was close to the end of the study. I'm glad she didn't because I damn near had a panic attack with the mask fitting before the test. It wasn't so much my throat closing off, but just not breathing at all. (?) The tech thought it was CAS than the other.

I went to the study because I have treatment resistant hypertension. I did not want to do this AT ALL. Especially after the mask fitting. I've been on a ventilator, and that triggered the panic attack remembering that episode.

My husband is totally furious and beleves the doctors are fishing for problems. He says if I lose weight, I won't need the machine. I see a huge battle brewing.

If this is CAS and not the other will weight lose keep me off the machine? I am losing weight, and walk 4 miles a day, and average 15K steps on my Fitbit. I'd love to think I could dodge this.

Thanks for reading this whine. I has asthma and had a severe CHI in 1990, which I think triggered this whole mess. My sleep has never been the same since.

Yes, I know my husband is acting like a tool. Everything he read about sleep apnea was
being overweight causing it. He doesn't deal with medical issues well at all.

TIA

Tawaki

[justMongo]

Tawaki:

You mean CSA. Central Sleep Apnea. That's where the signal to breathe isn't sent from the brain. Also called a clear airway apnea.
Losing weight does not, in general, abate CSA. Although losing weight has many benefits. Way to go on walking 4 miles per day!

You need to get a printed copy of your sleep study to determine the severity. How frequent and of what duration are your apneas?

People with CSA are best treated with a type of CPAP machine known as an ASV (Auto Servo Ventilator.)
It's non invasive; it inflates the lungs during a clear airway event by using air pressure.

There are many types of masks; and finding the right one is one of the greatest issues in successful treatment.
There are minimalistic masks that make it easier for people who feel claustrophobic in a mask.

Reducing resistant hypertension is important. HBP creates changes in the heart muscle and valves.

Does CHI = Closed Head Injury? If so, then it likely did start the problem.

[mmdupas]

is ASV the same as Auto A-Flex?

[justMongo]

is ASV the same as Auto A-Flex?

That's a term used by Phillips-Respironics. I'm not that familiar with PR machines... you'll need a person with a PR machine to answer that.

[DariaVader]

IIRC, A-FLEX is the PR term for what Resmed calls EPR (expiratory pressure relief) .... that is, no, not the same as ASV which provides assisted inspiration. EPR is for easier breathing OUT and ASV is for assistance breathing IN when there are CA events.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Tawaki,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Though weight loss has MANY great benefits, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will be able to "dodge" CPAP therapy. As far as masks go, there are many different ones out there that you can try 'til you find one that works well for you so don't let that stop you from starting with CPAP therapy.
CONGRATULATIONS! on your weight loss and walking 4 miles a day is very good.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you.

[archangle]

is ASV the same as Auto A-Flex?

No. No similarity at all.

ASV is Adaptive Servo Ventilator. It detects when you stop breathing and immediately increases the pressure a large amount to make you breathe right away.

An Auto CPAP only increases your pressure very gradually, taking minutes to do so.

The tech said I was fine until I hit the deep sleep stage, and I would flat out stop sleeping.

I presume you meant stop "breathing", not stop "sleeping."

My husband is totally furious and beleves the doctors are fishing for problems. He says if I lose weight, I won't need the machine. I see a huge battle brewing.

Yeah, he's an idiot. Unfortunately, there are lots of idiots out there, including many doctors.

Our fat shaming culture loves to blame everything on weight. Weight does tend to cause apnea, but there are plenty of thin apneacs out there. Even if your apnea is caused by weight, so what? Crossing your fingers and waiting for weight loss puts you at risk in the meantime. Also, lots of people try to lose weight and don't succeed. Apnea also tends to cause weight gain.

Many people lose weight and don't cure their apnea. If you do lose weight, you need another $leep te$t, which insurance probably won't pay for.

Get the CPAP, then go ahead and lose the weight. If the weight loss cures you, you can stop later. If you get the right CPAP machine, you can use it to tell you that your apnea is cured.

Just don't have a battle. Don't discuss it. Reach over and clap your hand over his mouth and nose if he starts complaining. Tell him if he loses weight, he won't have problems breathing.

BTW, I hate the whole medical mafia. The doctors do a poor job and the DME's (CPAP salesmen) will try to screw you. Read the links in my signature line to help avoid getting screwed.

However, apnea is real. Apnea kills. When it doesn't kill, it robs you of your life from being tired and sick all the time.

When the $leep $tudy tells you that you have apnea, you've got it, unless they outright lie about it. Tell your doctor you want a copy of your full sleep study when you meet him. You'll want that even if no one is lying in the whole process.

Apnea treatment isn't especially profitable for the doctor. There are plenty of real apneacs coming through his door. Faking results would be risky. There's just not a lot of incentive to fake it. If anything, the rules lead to them not treating people who DO need it.

Thanks for reading this whine. I has asthma and had a severe CHI in 1990, which I think triggered this whole mess. My sleep has never been the same since.

CHI as in "Closed Head Injury?" What happened?

If it's a brain injury thing, and central apnea, no, weight loss will probably make very little difference. Weight loss mostly causes mechanical breathing problems, i.e. obstructive sleep apnea.

I went to the study because I have treatment resistant hypertension. I did not want to do this AT ALL. Especially after the mask fitting. I've been on a ventilator, and that triggered the panic attack remembering that episode.

Hypertension is a common side effect of untreated apnea.

Don't worry about the panic long term. You'll get used to it. Once you get a machine, you can do a number of things to get used to it. You can wear the machine while you're awake and reading or watching TV. Then consciously feel yourself breathing in and out. Lift up the edge of the mask and catch a few breaths if you get a big panic attack.

There are a few other tricks if you start. One important thing is to NOT use the ramp function to start at a low pressure and to not set your pressure too low. That can make you feel like you're not getting enough air.

You might need a sleeping pill to do the titration test with the mask. Your doctor may object because it may affect your results, but point out that the test is useless and expensive if you can't sleep. Get a pill to take in case you can't sleep without it.

[Ghost1958]

Tell your husband youll definitely lose weight if you have a stroke and die your sleep.

You sleep test from what you posted said you have Central Apnea. Like the others said get a copy of your sleep test, they have to give it to you. Then get the right machine to treat your condition. I have OA ie obstructive apnea and was also very hypertension treatment resistant for years to the tune of being on as high as four BP meds at once and still not controlled. Thickened my left ventricle wall, set up Afib that even an ablation surgery didnt fix.

2 weeks after starting pap therapy I was 120 over 70 BP on one med at half dose instead of four and may be coming off of that as I lost weight also after pap therapy. Afib is gone. But losing weight wont help CA.

CA or OA untreated the end results are the same. None of em good.

[mmdupas]

Just great - it's complicated and the terminology isn't standard.

[justMongo]

Just great - it's complicated and the terminology isn't standard.

There are many common terms. However, each manufacturer has its own name for certain machine features. Sometimes this is due to trademark, copyright and sloganmark laws.

ERP and A-Flex is one example.

ASV is a common term -- but as a machine feature, one has to sort out which machines are ASV.