How would you know to stop?
The machine seems to be working exceptionally well for me, though I've only been using it for about two weeks. I've had zero events the past four nights (since I got a more compatible mask), and the highest since I started was 0.97. So the thought occurred to me how would you know if you no longer needed the machine?
I know it's not something that just spontaneously goes away, but I've also read that weight can contribute and I've lost over 50 pounds since early March, with about 30 of that coming since I had the home sleep study.
RE: How would you know to stop?
I'm following as I'm curious, too, as I've lost about 50 lbs, most of it a couple years ago. I'm having more central/clear airway events now, and very few obstructive events.
RE: How would you know to stop?
Typically you would do another sleep test to determine your current AHI.
Whether you have reduced your sleep apnea sufficiently can depend on how severe it was originally.
There are home sleep tests that can be rented that are fairly cheap.
RE: How would you know to stop?
The fact that your doing well with therapy is no indication that your condition has improved. Generally, sleep apnea can be treated but not cured. As suggested above, a sleep study would tell you but it would be expensive and probably would not be covered by insurance. You did not mention your pressure settings. One thing you could try is reducing your pressure to a fixed setting of 5 so the machine can go no higher and see if your AHI increases.
Since optimizing my settings almost two years ago I rarely see an AHI above 1.0 and have many noughts at 0. But occasionally I will nap during the day and my wife tells me I stop breathing and gasp for air just as before I started CPAP. I'm convinced I need it for life and suspect you will also.
Download OSCAR
Organize Charts
Attaching Charts
Mask Primer
Soft Cervical Collar
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: How would you know to stop?
(07-23-2019, 06:39 AM)John24 Wrote: ... So the thought occurred to me how would you know if you no longer needed the machine?
...
You wouldn't. You'd have to do an in-home sleep lab to see if you have an unacceptable desat rate, or you could use an phone app and detect snoring for a couple of nights.
Or, manually limit your PAP machine to 4.5 max pressure and try it out for a couple of nights. You might find your AHI are still less than 4.9 consistently, but you might find that they jump up to above 8 or more. Can you live with 4.9? How about 8.0?
RE: How would you know to stop?
The last studies that I read indicate that you are not 'cured' unless your events result in an AHI of less than 3 and your RDI is less than 5 (I'm a little fuzzy on this RDI number). This is pretty hard to determine without a sleep study. While weight is a major indicator of sleep apnea, it isn't the only one. There are a lot of people who are thin or normal weight who have apnea. The people who are most likely to be 'cured' from weight loss are under 35.
If you have reached normal weight and maintained that for 3 months, then I'd put in a call to the doc to ask for a sleep study. If you had gastric bypass and thus fast weight loss, I'd wait 6 months to a year for your structures to recover from the fast weight loss. You certainly can use an APAP machine and Oscar to determine where your current levels need to be.
RE: How would you know to stop?
I, for one, am hoping weight loss cured you. it'd be a great incentive.
the sleep study is the only way to know for sure. as you know, they can be done at home in conjunction with your provider or from an online source. running the machine at lowest setting would be instructive but it will still be providing some therapy. a phone app was mentioned, recording noise might help too, especially if you are/were a snorer. I believe some of the apps attempt to identify apnea; not sure how successfully or accurately though.
or just quit. see how you feel. unless you were one of the few people that never felt any symptoms to start with, you'll know if you can do without or need to start again. I suspect many of us do this once in a while, at least for a night. better yet, use a video camera and/or make sure someone observes and can tell you if you're having apnea.
RE: How would you know to stop?
Thanks for all the info everyone. To be clear, I'm not looking to discontinue use right now. I've got about 50 more pounds I'd like to lose, and insurance currently covers the lion's share of the machine cost. I just asked after I had the realization that someone without apnea using a machine would see the same results I'm currently seeing and there would be no easy way to tell the difference.
RE: How would you know to stop?
(07-23-2019, 06:39 AM)John24 Wrote: The machine seems to be working exceptionally well for me, though I've only been using it for about two weeks. I've had zero events the past four nights (since I got a more compatible mask), and the highest since I started was 0.97. So the thought occurred to me how would you know if you no longer needed the machine?
I know it's not something that just spontaneously goes away, but I've also read that weight can contribute and I've lost over 50 pounds since early March, with about 30 of that coming since I had the home sleep study.
You will always need the machine. The nerves in your throat or your brain are the cause, you will not fix either of them.
RE: How would you know to stop?
Nerves would indicate a central issue and I see no evidence of that. Obstructive means a physical issue of which weight is only 1 factor.
It is possible for you to eliminate CPAP but that would be with another form of treatment. Inspire being among the newest,
CPAP is still the gold standard for treatment.
