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+--- Thread: Intro, New Dx, Questions! (/Thread-Intro-New-Dx-Questions)
Intro, New Dx, Questions! - SabrinaFaire - 10-10-2013
Hello, all, I'm Sabrina. I'm married, in my mid 30s, and was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. It doesn't seem "that bad" to me, 2 instances/hour. I've seen some folks report that they are having considerably more than that. Anyway, my doctor wants me to start out on an auto-cpap. I'm going in tomorrow after work to a respiratory DME place here in town for that. I'm wondering what I should ask them. What do I need to know? Is there a type of machine I should get that's better than others? I have a high deductible insurance plan and am about 1/2 way to reaching the deductible this year, so the machine will likely be paid for out of pocket or at least partially with my HSA account. I'm also worried about comfort and noise. I'm a light sleeper and soft repetitive noise wouldn't bother me if it's like white noise but if it's loud, it would. I also toss and turn a lot. I have neck arthritis and a bulging disc in my neck which means I sleep in a position until it's painful or something goes numb and then I turn over. Are the tubes going to tangle? Are they going to be long enough? Do I have to bring the machine with me when I travel? I don't travel a lot but we go home for Christmas and I'm looking for a job out of town, so something may come up (I hope!) soon. What do you wish you had known from the get-go with this whole sleep apnea thing?
Thanks in advance!
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - PollCat - 10-10-2013
, Sabrina!You can find a lot of information here regarding various machines and masks. The machines run from around $400 to over a $1000; just how high of deductible do you have? We usually recommend that users get data-capable machines, so you and your doctor can monitor your apnea.
The DME should work with you to find the best mask; ask them if you can try some on while at the store to see how they fit. You should also try them while lying down. Hose placement is always an issue, but there are stands available to hold them over your head and out of the way. However, I have awoken several times with my hose wrapped around my neck.
I'm sure other members will be offering additional advice.
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - PaulaO2 - 10-10-2013
Whoa, wait. Your AHI was only 2 and the doc wants to start you on a CPAP? Does he happen to conveniently sell these CPAPs?
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - mdh235 - 10-10-2013
(10-10-2013, 09:57 AM)SabrinaFaire Wrote: Hello, all, I'm Sabrina. I'm married, in my mid 30s, and was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. It doesn't seem "that bad" to me, 2 instances/hour.
There must be more to it than that. Many of us don't get an AHI of 2 even using PAP.
Try and get your full sleep study report and see if there's something else going on. If there isn't I'd go for a second study by a different lab/doctor before I made a lifetime commitment to something I might not need at all.
BTW, what was the reason your doc wanted you to have the study done? Do you have symptoms of apnea that you brought up during an exam?
Good luck.
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - SabrinaFaire - 10-10-2013
My deductible is $3K and I'm around $1.5K right now.
My Dr doesn't sell the cpaps, but the place that did the sleep study does.
As for why she wanted me to do a sleep study, she said it was b/c I was feeling very fatigued.
I'll see if I can get a copy of the sleep study report.
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - PaulaO2 - 10-10-2013
The diagnosis of sleep apnea doesn't even happen until a person has over 5 events an hour.
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Apnea_Hypopnea_Index_%28AHI%29
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - SabrinaFaire - 10-10-2013
Really. Interesting. I emailed my Dr and asked for the report. It's possible I misunderstood on the phone when the nurse gave me the numbers. If I don't hear back before my appointment tomorrow, I'll ask that the respiratory place that did the study.
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - trish6hundred - 10-10-2013
Hi Sabrina,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I haven't heard of being put on CPAP for only 2 events per hour, be sure to ask plenty of questions.
Just make sure you get a fully data-capable machine.
Best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy and keep us posted on how it goes for you.
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - SabrinaFaire - 10-10-2013
OK I got the report (that was fast, love online doctors). I see why I misinterpreted the results. I think anyway.
It says:
AHI 12
Average Apneas per Hour: 2 (this I think is where I got confused, I assume this is not the same as AHI?)
ODI: 14
Avg 92%
Low 85%
Base 94%
Pt displayed 64 minutes of desaturation less than 90%
Do those numbers make more sense? I'll be honest, I don't know what a lot of it means.
RE: Intro, New Dx, Questions! - PaulaO2 - 10-10-2013
The AHI is the apneas (both central and obstructive) plus the hypopneas (limited breathing) divided by the number of hours.
So it COULD be that the AHI is 12, your AI (apnea index) is 2 and the HI (hypopnea index) is 10.
The percentages stuff is the blood oxygen saturation rate. When you have apnea events or hypopnea events, less oxygen is being delivered to the blood stream.
What you want is a data capable machine. This means it records and displays the AHI, the breakdown of the AHI, leak rate, and some other cool stuff. Other wise, it just says you used it for X hours (called compliance data).
Here's some stuff to get you started.
machine choices: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Archangle:Machine_Choices
acronyms/abbreviations: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Acronyms
glossary: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Glossary
another glossary: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/sleepyhead/index.php?title=Sleep_Disorder_Glossary
and another highly technical one: http://www.respironics.com/Glossary.asp