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New, with questions - ircaptbob - 06-23-2012
Hello everyone, great forum. I'm new here and to the APAP world. I'm a week into this and adjusting quickly although agaisnt my will. I have made it 7+ hours for the past few nights and sleep well but arise very, very tired but ready to get out of bed. I would like some feedback. I've read and re-read threads here but still confused on a couple of data points. I downloaded both the ResScan & Sleepyhead softwares to look at my data. I don't understand if my scores are good or bad since I dont have any historical data.
My AHI average is 1.4, leaks are 3.48 with 95% 18.00
If the APAP is working with proper leakage seal, is it safe to assume that I should not have any apnea events?
Many thanks for the help and great site, Bob
RE: New, with questions - JJJ - 06-23-2012
(06-23-2012, 11:28 AM)ircaptbob Wrote: Hello everyone, great forum. I'm new here and to the APAP world. I'm a week into this and adjusting quickly although agaisnt my will. I have made it 7+ hours for the past few nights and sleep well but arise very, very tired but ready to get out of bed. I would like some feedback. I've read and re-read threads here but still confused on a couple of data points. I downloaded both the ResScan & Sleepyhead softwares to look at my data. I don't understand if my scores are good or bad since I dont have any historical data.
My AHI average is 1.4, leaks are 3.48 with 95% 18.00
If the APAP is working with proper leakage seal, is it safe to assume that I should not have any apnea events?
The only "historical data" you will have is from your sleep study. That is, I assume you went to a sleep clinic where they monitored you overnight, or you had take-home equipment that confirmed the diagnosis of sleep apnea. You can get copies of the results of the sleep study from your doctor.
An AHI of less than five is not considered a diagnosis of sleep apnea and doctors generally do not treat it. During your sleep study you were undoubtedly much higher. During my sleep study my AHIs were 43 on my side and 62 on my back, which is considered severe sleep apnea. With the machine I average about 2.5 and rarely go over five.
Achieving an AHI of zero is everyone's goal, but few achieve it, and I'm pretty sure no one achieves it all the time.
RE: New, with questions - ircaptbob - 06-23-2012
Hey, yeah I did the sleep lab. I just went and looked at the report they gave me, I was 43 on my side as well. So my recent average of 1.8 is great. I was hoping it was but don't want to be guilty of expecting to much to soon. My docs have been pushing me so hard to do this. Look forward to being able to post some positive feedback in the coming weeks. Have a great weekend, Bob
RE: New, with questions - big_dave - 06-23-2012
Keep looking at your data regularly. Understanding comes gradually in time. It's taken me about a month to get a handle on it.
RE: New, with questions - PaulaO2 - 06-23-2012
Like the others said, an AHI below 5 is your goal. And with yours of less than 2, you're doing great.
It takes time for the body and brain to catch up now that you are getting sleep. And you have air being forced into your throat. And there's the mask oddity. So, yeah, being tired the first week or more is quite common.
Google 'sleep debt' and read up about it. I suspect that's what you're experiencing.
RE: New, with questions - trish6hundred - 06-23-2012
Hi ircaptbob, Welcome! to the forum. It sounds to me like you are doing better than you thought you were, best of luck on your therapy.
RE: New, with questions - Dawei - 06-23-2012
Welcome to the board! Regarding your question about assuming that with controlled leaks, you should have zero AHI readings, my understanding is no, this is not to be assumed. As Paula02 wrote, your numbers are looking quite good. My pulmonologist described my own apnea as proving difficult to control, and early on he gave me a heads up about the possibility that my AHI might not make it down to 5. Luckily, it is now below that number.
RE: New, with questions - mjbearit - 06-23-2012
(06-23-2012, 11:28 AM)ircaptbob Wrote: Hello everyone, great forum. I'm new here and to the APAP world.
Glad to have you here. It takes awhile to "catch up" on the sleep you have been missing for probably several years! Personally I slept for 9 hours last night and only got up out of guilt. I really considered rolling over and going back to sleep!
Relax into the therapy and realize that it takes time to feel better. It is not an overnight "miracle" cure, but it will make you feel better within a few weeks. Keep it up! You're doing good so far.
RE: New, with questions - CHanlon - 06-23-2012
welcome to the forums.
Sounds like you're doing well for your first week.
CPAP very likely won't get you to 0 AHI. In the 2 years I've been a hosehead, I've very rarely seen zeros, and I have been averaging less then 2. Though I did have one 13 day streak with a 0 AHI a couple months ago - heh, actually anxiously waited for an event, because I was afraid there was something wrong with the machine. :-)
Paula is probably right - sleep debt is probably an issue. You'll get past that in a few months.
RE: New, with questions - Droopy - 06-27-2012
Hello. I'm also new to these boards, which are a great resource. Also new to CPAPing.
If I may ask a supplemental question, linked to the first:
If and Auto CPAP is designed to recognise and treat apnea, why does it still report apnea events? Shouldn't it just go ahead and treat them? What stops it being able to treat them all? (I'm talking mainly about obstructive events, not central events).
Thanks for helping me to build my understanding.
Droopy