11-20-2023, 09:58 AM
RE: Auto Titrating Machine Recommendation REM dominated OA
If you've been to an ophthalmologist and had the eye drops that dialate you pupils and the flashlight in the eye, you're probably fine. It's obvious to them what's going on.
There is a dye test that they can do to see if you are still "leaking" (I wasn't, or at least not anymore when I went to the doctor) and a topography mapping device that will show the bulge from the side. Not many treatment options other than trying to reduce stress. My cortisol was probably really high during that time.
I had central serous retinopathy (CSR), it manifested as distortions (straight lines weren't straight in one eye) and a focus disagreement between my left and right eyes so my eyes would "argue" constantly. It was tough to look at TV or computer monitors with both eyes open. Only my left eye was impacted, but fairly badly, I still have a slight distortion just below dead center that I sometimes notice, and one off to the left I can really only pick up on an Amsler grid. CSR is when fluid builds behind the retina and pushes it up, like a blister. In my case it left a "wrinkle" or two behind.
Any of that sound familiar?
If there were any headaches during that time it was likely due to the distortions and focus disagreement. I'm not sure I've ever had a migraine, at least how it was described by other people. When I'd get a headache just closing both eyes for a bit would bring relief.
My events were always worse after long business trips likely because I was so tired from all the travel that when I got home I really tried to pack in the ZZZs, which made the REM dominant apnea much worse, and so on.
If I hadn't figured out what was wrong I would have continued to damage that eye. It's also probable that it would have occurred in my right (dominant) eye.
Because of all of this, I was going to get CPAP working or "die trying". Since then I've lost so much weight I had to adjust the seat on a car I hadn't driven in a while. I sleep much better at night, with far fewer bathroom trips. I went from at least 4 a night to 1. When I started, my Airsense would record occasional apnea events, the more tired I was the more likely I was to have one or more. OSCAR is great for picking apart the apneas and seeing what is going on as well as the device response versus "Your AHI is 0.8". Now that I'm about a year in I've had weeks at a time with no apnea events at all. I've never missed a night of treatment and I plan to keep it that way. For me the risks are so high that I'll do just about anything to keep a CPAP running and on my face.
Having an engineering background, I looked at my data in OSCAR on nights when I'd had a drink or two and nights when I'd had none. I could tell from OSCAR without looking at the journal. That was enough for me. I can do a drink every other week and not notice it. I haven't really closed in on "how much could I have" because once I saw that it drove longer duration and more frequent apneas I was done. Not worth the risk. Your mileage may vary, but I'd strongly recommend keeping your data and reviewing it in OSCAR to see if it impacts you as much as it does me. Everyone is a little different.
There is a dye test that they can do to see if you are still "leaking" (I wasn't, or at least not anymore when I went to the doctor) and a topography mapping device that will show the bulge from the side. Not many treatment options other than trying to reduce stress. My cortisol was probably really high during that time.
I had central serous retinopathy (CSR), it manifested as distortions (straight lines weren't straight in one eye) and a focus disagreement between my left and right eyes so my eyes would "argue" constantly. It was tough to look at TV or computer monitors with both eyes open. Only my left eye was impacted, but fairly badly, I still have a slight distortion just below dead center that I sometimes notice, and one off to the left I can really only pick up on an Amsler grid. CSR is when fluid builds behind the retina and pushes it up, like a blister. In my case it left a "wrinkle" or two behind.
Any of that sound familiar?
If there were any headaches during that time it was likely due to the distortions and focus disagreement. I'm not sure I've ever had a migraine, at least how it was described by other people. When I'd get a headache just closing both eyes for a bit would bring relief.
My events were always worse after long business trips likely because I was so tired from all the travel that when I got home I really tried to pack in the ZZZs, which made the REM dominant apnea much worse, and so on.
If I hadn't figured out what was wrong I would have continued to damage that eye. It's also probable that it would have occurred in my right (dominant) eye.
Because of all of this, I was going to get CPAP working or "die trying". Since then I've lost so much weight I had to adjust the seat on a car I hadn't driven in a while. I sleep much better at night, with far fewer bathroom trips. I went from at least 4 a night to 1. When I started, my Airsense would record occasional apnea events, the more tired I was the more likely I was to have one or more. OSCAR is great for picking apart the apneas and seeing what is going on as well as the device response versus "Your AHI is 0.8". Now that I'm about a year in I've had weeks at a time with no apnea events at all. I've never missed a night of treatment and I plan to keep it that way. For me the risks are so high that I'll do just about anything to keep a CPAP running and on my face.
Having an engineering background, I looked at my data in OSCAR on nights when I'd had a drink or two and nights when I'd had none. I could tell from OSCAR without looking at the journal. That was enough for me. I can do a drink every other week and not notice it. I haven't really closed in on "how much could I have" because once I saw that it drove longer duration and more frequent apneas I was done. Not worth the risk. Your mileage may vary, but I'd strongly recommend keeping your data and reviewing it in OSCAR to see if it impacts you as much as it does me. Everyone is a little different.
