I wonder how many Apnea titrations are wrong?

[retired_guy]

One of my great joys of this adventure is that I can actually sleep on my back now. I haven't been able to do that in forever until now. When I did my sleep test they had me on my back for a total of 10 minutes, and it was a disaster. But now? I sleep probably about 50-50 on my back and on my left side. Never on my right side of course. Hmmmm, wonder why not?

[Moriarty]

I agree with the complete lack of logic in sleep test titations...

My sleep test was a complete flop as far as I was concerned - I couldn't go to sleep, the goop that was under the sensors gave me a rash, and I rolled over and pulled sensors off twice.
In the end I didn't even bother going back for the results because I knew that I didn't snore if I slept on my side.

Fast forward 2 years and I had a serious asthma and chest infection simultaneously so I went to my doctor. (I hadn't been to see him since the sleep test.)

After dealing with the immediate problem he talked about the sleep test and how they, on the basis of the 30minutes I slept in the test, had determined that I severe OSA. I said 'rubbish' so asked me how often I got up at night to go to the loo... I said on the hour every hour some nights - to which he said that indicated that I probably did have severe OSA. He sent me to the Specialist chest doc in town who said I needed another study to work out the CPAP pressures.. I said rubbish.. (I say that a lot) ... and asked him whether or not an APAP would do the same thing... He talked around this for a bit telling me a lot of what I had already learned from apneaboard.com then agreed that it would be a good solution so long as I was prepared to pay the higher cost of an APAP and I would come back with the data card in a month.

The end result was that I now rarely get up in the night and I don't drop off to sleep in the lounge at 8pm.

Long story short - my Sleep Specialist was rational and was prepared to engage in a reasoned discussion.

For those that don't know - there is no public health insurance (Medicare) cover for xPAP in Australia although most private funds give a flat $500 rebate for the bare machine regardless of cost with no rebate for masks or hoses etc.

[me50]

One of my great joys of this adventure is that I can actually sleep on my back now. I haven't been able to do that in forever until now. When I did my sleep test they had me on my back for a total of 10 minutes, and it was a disaster. But now? I sleep probably about 50-50 on my back and on my left side. Never on my right side of course. Hmmmm, wonder why not?

do tell why you don't sleep on your right side

[Don in Austin]

Personally, I am beginning to wonder about sleep studies in general. We all take the information we get and then live by it and don't have a clue when things go awry. THANK GOODNESS I FOUND YOU ALL ON THIS FORUM.

I was told I MUST MUST MUST sleep on my back by the sleep tech. I argued with him about the fact that I never sleep on my back, I sleep on my side, but he said, nope, you must do as I say. I did, and received a SEVERE apnea report from my doctor. The study suggested that my machine be set at 17. Well, a lot of you know that after a nightmare week I called my doctor and told him no way, something is wrong. He agreed and let the DME put my level down to 8 and since then, all is well, AHI levels are usually in the 0.3 to 1.0 range. At level 17, I was scoring in the 10.8 and above.

I just don't get it, how many are suffering with these issues and creating more problems just be going with these tests and not getting anymore input from their doctors? I know the first time I got a machine years ago, I had no further contact with the doctor about my Apnea, how many more have that happen to them? Unless I am wrong, too much is worse than not enough pressure? People really need to have some options when going for sleep studies.

I think anything based on one night, let alone sleeping (or trying to sleep) under very abnormal circumstances can be highly inaccurate. I have my own pulse oximeter and I am here to tell you not every night is the same even in your own bed.

Don in Austin

[herbm]

I really need to get my Pulse Oximeter working. The drivers didn't like my Windows 8.1 laptop and haven't had the time to work on one of our other machines.

[retired_guy]

One of my great joys of this adventure is that I can actually sleep on my back now. I haven't been able to do that in forever until now. When I did my sleep test they had me on my back for a total of 10 minutes, and it was a disaster. But now? I sleep probably about 50-50 on my back and on my left side. Never on my right side of course. Hmmmm, wonder why not?

do tell why you don't sleep on your right side

Well, because I'm right handed of course....

[Homerec130]

When I went for my second sleep study (because I wanted to go from a nasal to a full face mask and my original DME was out of business) the tech made a note that I needed to sleep on my right side more. Seems I spent the majority of the night on my left side with some on my back, but hardly any on my right side. He basically told me that you get better results sleeping in your side as you have a better chance at maintaining the airflow and not waking up as often. As to the more time on the other side, he said it was better for the back as you weren't in the same position all the time. BTW, my back doctor told me the same thing.

The numbers in this study were consistent with the first one (according to my doc as the first study group never gave me any info and marked the test results as proprietary.) My doc could only get a report and not the actual results. No wonder the DME (who also had the sleep centers) filed for liquidation back in 2011).

[robysue]

One of my great joys of this adventure is that I can actually sleep on my back now. I haven't been able to do that in forever until now. When I did my sleep test they had me on my back for a total of 10 minutes, and it was a disaster. But now? I sleep probably about 50-50 on my back and on my left side. Never on my right side of course. Hmmmm, wonder why not?

do tell why you don't sleep on your right side

Well, because I'm right handed of course....

Actually a lot of people have a decided tendency to sleep on the left side rather than the right. For many of us, it has to do with the fact that our insides are NOT symmetric.

Prior to my first pregnancy some 26 years ago, I slept comfortably on both my right and left sides. Once my daughter started to grow, I found myself unable to sleep on my right side because it triggered really severe gas and indigestion problems. The ob/gyn told me that was because it's a whole lot easier for reflux to happen when you're sleeping on your right side---it has to do with where the stomach/esophagus connection is located relative to the center of our bodies.

[herbm]

I sleep primarily on my right side. It's not real good for my right shoulder to stay on that side all night long.

The main reason for sleeping on my right has been that my left nostril clogs more easily and if it is on the "downside" then it clogged almost immediately, prior to CPAP.

Now with CPAP, I have the freedom to sleep on either side or my back, but have a strong tendency to use my right side, likely from habit.

[retired_guy]

Actually a lot of people have a decided tendency to sleep on the left side rather than the right. For many of us, it has to do with the fact that our insides are NOT symmetric.

Prior to my first pregnancy some 26 years ago, I slept comfortably on both my right and left sides. Once my daughter started to grow, I found myself unable to sleep on my right side because it triggered really severe gas and indigestion problems. The ob/gyn told me that was because it's a whole lot easier for reflux to happen when you're sleeping on your right side---it has to do with where the stomach/esophagus connection is located relative to the center of our bodies.

By golly that's it!! I knew there was a good reason why I don't sleep on my right side... Thanks!

--- John