Positional OSA?

[Zoe Lee]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum. Very excited to find my way here from Google.

Anyway, I had a sleep study done last year.  The doc told me I was right on the border of "moderate" and had me wear CPAP. I wore for a while, but I didn't see any differences in the morning. I made sure it was not me wearing it improperly. 

I went back to my test results and noticed the following. See attached image.

I slept on my back and my right during the sleep test. On the report I can see that my numbers were a lot worse when I was in the supine position than the Right position - this is consistent with my own observation. I caught myself snoring when sleeping on my back (this was the reason why I went to have the sleep study done), but rarely on my sides. 

Looking at this result, I cannot help thinking, if I only sleep on my sides, it's pretty much problem solved. 

Wouldn't you agree? 

I am thinking of going back to my doctor for this discovery. Cannot believe he didn't mention anything about OSA being related to sleeping positions. 

But before that, I wanted to hear your opinions. Maybe some of you are in the same boat

Thanks very much,

Zoe

[staceyburke]

Yes you did better on your side but still have events that a pap machine would be used to reduce.

[Zoe Lee]

Wow, how could you tell? What numbers were you referring to?

[Gideon]

How do you feel when sleeping exclusively on your side?

Personally, I'd get a PAP and not worry about that detail of always forcing myself to sleep on my right side,

[Sleeprider]

This chart shows you certainly have a higher AHI and RDI in the supine position, but there are events in whatever non-supine is and on your right side. You did not test your left side. Looks like mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea with typical flow limitation, RERA and hypopnea dominated events. You will likely benefit from CPAP, especially with some pressure difference between inhale and exhale (EPR). Try for the Resmed Airsense Autoset.

[Zoe Lee]

I honestly couldn't feel any differences when on CPAP. Are you supposed to feel a difference anyway?

I had vertigo when lying on my left for years. That was why I didn't test sleeping on my left. Finally got it fixed to the most part, so now I sleep on either left or right, not on my back. 

I very rarely felt a snore or two when sleeping on my side.

[pholynyk]

Your situation sounds like mine when I was tested in 2003. I refused the CPAP then, but by 2010 I was falling asleep at work and took early retirement. Five !! years later a resident doc at the clinic suggested I get a sleep test (by then I had forgotten about the first one). At this point I had mild to moderate apnea, and an AutoSet was indicated and acquired. It still took six months before I noticed that I was feeling better.

Moral... you may not think you feel better right away, but you will, and it will prevent all sorts of internal damage that would just creep up on you.

[Gideon]

So how do you feel when you sleep on your side?

[Zoe Lee]

Your situation sounds like mine when I was tested in 2003. I refused the CPAP then, but by 2010 I was falling asleep at work and took early retirement. Five !! years later a resident doc at the clinic suggested I get a sleep test (by then I had forgotten about the first one). At this point I had mild to moderate apnea, and an AutoSet was indicated and acquired. It still took six months before I noticed that I was feeling better.

Moral... you may not think you feel better right away, but you will, and it will prevent all sorts of internal damage that would just creep up on you.

Thanks very much! Were your numbers in 2003 similar to mine, and only with sleeping on your back?

When I used the CPAP, I noticed my nostril periodically got stuffy and all of a sudden the pressure was not enough and I removed it. I also tried nose pillow and it was worse. 

This sucks. Looks like there is no way out of a clumsy cpap!

Saw some bad reviews about oral appliances.

[Zoe Lee]

I tracked my SPO2 at home only sleeping on my sides:

See attached image

How does this look?