Severe to Moderate Sleep Apnea

[PositiveMe123]

I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea after a sleep study in 2011. The past several months I've had difficulty using the machine (mask was annoying and I started pulling it off during the night), and made an appointment with my pulmonary sleep specialist. She suggested that I have an at home sleep study to see if anything had changed. I had no problem with the study; slept like a teenager. Much to my surprise, after she saw the data she said my sleep apnea had gone from severe to moderate and left it entirely up to me whether I wanted to continue with therapy or not. I should also mention that I never felt even slightly better when using the machine even though my AHI was always under 2 with minimal leaks. I felt no difference at all and always wondered about that.

Fortunately, I don't have other issues. I've been told I'm very healthy for a person my age. I do have gerd but it's controlled. I've also lost 20 lbs. since 2011. I'm considering stopping treatment and I would appreciate some thoughts on this. Thank you.

[DonC]

Hi PositiveMe.
I will answer your post for two reasons'
1) To bring you back to the top of the board so that other more experienced guys may look at your post as you were getting low on the board.
2) In my short experience I would not stop the therapy. People start on therapy when they are diagnosed with Moderate Apnea so why should you stop. Keep improving - You never know what will happen as you were doing so well with the machine. I know you say you never felt better but with numbers under 2 you must have felt some benefit.
Anyway let the others have their say.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Don

[PositiveMe123]

Thanks, Don. I appreciate your response, and bringing my thread back to the top.

In a round about way though, I think I know what others were thinking -- and today when I woke up I thought the same thing. I decided to order the DreamWear Mask and give it another go. Hopefully, I'll get the mask by Tues.or Wed. of next week. Washing hoses, new filter, etc., so I'll be all set when I get the mask. Most of what I've read here and on other forums about this mask was positive, so I'm looking forward to getting it.

Thank you for replying people -- I got the message.