[Diagnosis] Possible mild sleep apnea?? Could this be causing my symptoms?

[lezz]

       

So for the last 2 or 3 years i have been experiencing a gradually increasing level of fatigue and brain fog. It got to the point about 6 months ago where it is so bad and also causing me to feel quite depressed and anxious with memory problems as well that i decided to go to the doctors and try and solve the problem. Got all my bloodwork done and ruled out everything except sleep apnea and mental health disorders. 

I have attached my results above (did a home sleep study). The sleep study lady at the chemist has basically said to me that it isn't a great concern because of it being so mild but i should get a doctors evaluation which i will asap. 

I am just wondering if these results look like they could be causing the symptoms i am feeling and if anyone else has had a similar situation? 

Thanks heaps

[OpalRose]

You have been diagnosed with Mild Sleep Apnea. Even though mild, look at it this way... you are being strangled approximately 6 times an hour. So yes, brain fog and fatigue would follow. You really should seek treatment. It can only get worse as you age.

I don't know how your system works in Australia, but talk to your doctor and get a script for an Auto Cpap,
preferably a ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet.

We can help you get it dialed in once you receive a machine.

[Sleeprider]

What your home assessment does not analyze is your breathing volume and in particular, flow limitation caused by upper airway resistance. This particular study does not analyze arousals, but relies entirely on your breathing and oxygen saturation to define events. A lot can slip through the cracks of such an incomplete study. I think it is notiable that there are over 300 minutes of snoring in 309 minutes of analysis. That is not insignificant, and many micro-arousals can lurk in the respiratory effort related arousals likely to accompany such prolific snoring.

You may well benefit from CPAP therapy, and especially if it includes bilevel pressure support like you can get with the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset which is capable of up to 3-cm difference between the inhale and exhale pressure. This difference is what makes expiration easier, and also helps overcome upper airway resistance as indicated by your snoring. Granted your event rate is mild as far as it goes, but it is a very incomplete picture of the quality of sleep which is usually determined by polysomnography with EEG to show the arousals and stage of sleep. The anecdotal evidence of your symptoms and snoring paint a different picture than the conclusion of your chemist.

[Hydrangea]

My doctor said I had very mild obstructive sleep apnea, and it wasn't even worth bothering to treat. I told him I don't know what else to do (to feel more awake, etc.), so please could we pursue it. Sure enough, the CPAP is a *life-changer* for me, and I wish I had it 20 years ago!

If something was bothering you in a "mild" way, you would not have seen a doctor for it and pursued help.

So sure, *compared to others who may have it more severely*, yours may not be *as severe*. But that doesn't mean it's not hindering your life and your health. 

I think it's medical neglect to shove off a patient with sleep apnea just because it's mild.  If we had mild asthma, would they refuse an inhaler?  If we had mild pneumonia, would they just send us home without meds?  If we had a mildly broken arm, should they not give us a cast?

[lezz]

Yes that is exactly what i was thinking! When you put it that way it makes sense that i wouldn't be feeling great! Just the mild classification doesn't really correlate with my non mild symptoms.

I think i will trial a CPAP and the resmed airsense seems to be the most popular one.

[Hydrangea]

Good call! You take care of you. Don't worry about the bell curve of who has it worse.