Therapy Questions, EPR, CA, Low O2

[Gideon]

If the purpose is to prove that you do not need a CPAP and that you are "cured" I agree.
I couldn't go several nights without my machine.

[kingskid]

I’ve read several times on the forum that it is best to stop PAP therapy for several nights before going in for a sleep test, lest there be a kind of hold-over effect. I hope someone who knows about this can comment.

Oh, gosh, I hope someone does address that because I have only three nights before my second sleep test!  Thanks for bringing that up.  Anyone have an answer to that??

[kingskid]

If the purpose is to prove that you do not need a CPAP and that you are "cured" I agree.
I couldn't go several nights without my machine.

No, the purpose is to have my new sleep test without any residual benefit from my 4 years of CPAP therapy.

[kingskid]

Since this is a new subject that came up on my EPR thread, I wanted to put the question up front and center on a new thread.  I am having a second sleep test on Aug. 14 and the question is whether one should stop their current therapy a few nights prior to the new test?  I stopped it last night and yes, I did miss it, but wanted to be as close to natural as possible before my test on Wednesday.  Any thoughts out there? 

[Dawnstar]

I just had my fifth sleep test and my doctor has never asked me to stop therapy beforehand. Your current condition is what it is, I can’t imagine using pressure support the night before having an impact. If in doubt, ask your doctor, or the lab performing the sleep test.

[slowriter]

I don't know what you should do, but when I was talking to someone at my sleep center last week, she mentioned they asked their patients to stop therapy a few days before a followup study, because (she claimed) it somehow impacted the results.

[ruach]

I have had at least 6 overnight sleep studies, and have always continued to use my PAP prior to having an overnight sleep study.

[Gideon]

As I said earlier, If you are taking the sleep test to see if you are Apnea free, then stop a few days before, otherwise I wouldn't bother.

[mesenteria]

So far, my experience has been that when I somehow sleep without my apparatus in place, I immediately revert to pre-PAP behaviours.  Soring, stopping breathing.  This happens, for example, during naps where I fall asleep on the couch (which I seldom do).

My point is that, if a person has apnea,...………………………………………………………………………………...she has apnea.  Period.  Stopping PAP treatment in advance of a diagnostic is NOT the same as stopping to take blood thinners or some other medication in advance of a diagnostic or surgery.  You will immediately revert to apnea events.  I don't see why that could be called salutary. So, no, I would not recommend suspending PAP therapy prior to a lab sleep study. 


I would love to be convinced that I'm wrong if I am wrong.  Better to learn something than to live in ignorance.

[kingskid]

Thanks for the responses.  I even researched the Internet, but really this issue has no definitive answer, so will go with my gut.  I asked my doctor for the new sleep test because of having pretty low oxygen levels during my first sleep test 4 years ago.  It got down to 70% before titration and 78% after titration.  No one had suggested oxygen therapy so I want to see what a second test reveals on the oxygen and other associated issues.