APAP necessary?

[lazmit]

After a recent sleep study (first time I ever had a sleep study) I received the following result:
- AHI 41.5/h
- AHI in Supine Position 79.5
- AHI in Non-Supine Position 1.9

I was prescribed to use APAP with pressures 5-14.
If I find a way to always sleep in a Non-Supine position would it be ok to abort the APAP therapy?

[jdougc]

Welcome to the forum.
Your AHI is very high and could stress your heart and other organs.
Not sure how you would ensure that you stay off of your back during sleep.
Recovery might take a while depending on how long you had untreated apnea.

[lazmit]

Hi jdougc, thank you for your prompt response!

It was a very nice surprise for me to find a forum with such a useful content.

I read there are some tricks with tennis balls, backpacks, etc. to be forced to sleep in a non-supine position.
Do you think after a recovery period I could attempt another sleep study (in non-supine position using a backpack) and - if results are good - to be able to stop the APAP treatment?
I mean, is this something that happens to other patients? Or I will have to use APAP forever?
If that is the case what could this recovery period be?

My heart does not seem to have problems until now (I did all suggested cardio exams recently).

Of course I will follow my doctor's suggestions but it would be interesting to see what people in this forum think.

[jdougc]

lazmit,
Try tongue exercises, there are many videos on YouTube.
Also try breathing exercises, concentrating on nasal only breathing which is good for you.

There is a double sided molded mouth guard that Uncle Nicko mentioned on YouTube that might be helpful. It doesn't advance the jaw forward, it just helped keep the mouth closed.

A  soft cervical collar would help you if slipped onto your back or went into a fetal position on your side and kinked your airway like a garden hose. No machine pressure can open that kinked airway, you have to move.

Did you have any other issues that might affect your sleep or breathing?
Are you on any medications that might also affect your sleep or breathing?

Good luck. Hopefully others share tips and tricks.

[lazmit]

Thank you jdougc for your suggestions!

I already bought a soft cervical collar and tonight I will start using it.

Just a question: Fetal position is considered to be a side sleeping position, or am I wrong?
In my case where I seem to have apneas at the back position would the fetal position be a safe or risky position for me?

As far as I know I do not have any other issues that affect my sleep or breathing.
Also I am not on any medication that might affect my sleep or breathing.

Good luck to your treatment as well jdougc!

[jdougc]

Fetal position is considered to be a side sleeping position, but don't tuck your chin to your chest, that would cut our airway off. The soft cervical collar should minimize that.
Try using breath Right nasal strips or the equivalent.

[lazmit]

Unfortunately I have very sensitive skin - I think these nasal strips will cause significant irritation.

[lazmit]

Hi,

This night I had a very good sleep with minimal apneas.
I had a look at Oscar daily output but I do not understand why the Pressure was kept at relatively high levels (around 9 and 11) although I did not have apneas.
I would expect it to stay more closer to 5 most of the time but that did not seem to happen.
Any idea?

[Expat31]

Hello,

It looks like your minimum pressure is too low. As you are using EPR at 3, you need a minimum of 7 to be effective.

In the graphs you have posted, we would need the flow rate graph to be added after the events graphs to have a fuller picture. 

However, it seems that for that particular night, you had no positional apnea with such a good AHI.

Supine sleeping can be quite problematic. See this.

After your statistics, your settings on the left hand side are obscured.

If necessary, you may want to go to preferences, and try these fonts (as indicated in attached screen shot). It may help to liberate some space.

[lazmit]

Thank you Expat31 for your comment.
I followed your suggestions and took another screenshot with modified preferences.

I have started sleeping only in side position wearing a soft cervical collar (as jdougc suggested) and this has helped me a lot!
At the next appointment that I will soon have with my doctor I will ask him to increase the minimum pressure.

If there is any other conclusion/suggestion/tip that can be deducted from my updated screenshot please let me know.

I am glad I found this amazing site!