+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: [Diagnosis] Help...brand new to everything (/Thread-Diagnosis-Help-brand-new-to-everything)
Help...brand new to everything - SleepyKTR - 07-25-2024
Hi Everyone! I just found this forum and am grateful for folks who might understand what all of this means! The sleep study process, so far, has been a lengthy one (my first Dr. appointment was over 2 months ago) and I don't go back to go over my sleep study results for another 3 weeks. The hospital did send me the results of my sleep study, though I don't quite understand what most of it means. My fear is that the numbers look low, and I'll be brushed off and sent home with no help or recommendations. Here is some information about me:
I am a 42 year old female, and I think I have always snored. I have woken myself up with my own snoring more times than I can count (embarrassing? Absolutely!) and even though my ex was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was on CPAP it never dawned on me that I might have it as well. I have also had many dreams over the years that I am having trouble breathing and wake up gasping for air, though I shrugged it off as nightmares. Now that I've filled out the questionnaire like how many days a week do I nap, or how often do I doze off when watching TV, etc. I see I have had many symptoms for a long time now.
My current partner and I have lived together for over two years, and the entire time they have mentioned my snoring struggles. I lost a lot of wait about a year and a half ago and this did not make a lick of difference. It wasn't until hearing that I am making choking sounds in my sleep, and that I stop breathing in my sleep, that I started to realize that maybe I do have something going on more than just snoring. They weren't isolated incidents, it is disrupting their sleep when they wake up panicked that I'm choking or can't breathe. I tried those nasal strips, and they were quickly dubbed my "loudspeakers" (lol) because they made it worse. I tried a mouthpiece but it didn't help and just left my jaw sore in the morning. I usually sleep on my side, though my hands tend to fall asleep so I roll over and change positions frequently.
A little over a month ago, I was staying at my Mom's house while she went away to watch the place and her dog. She has recently been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea, and was using a ResMed CPAP machine for it, though she didn't want to risk damaging it when she traveled so she left it home. She had a new, never used, mask and some hoses, so she suggested that I try it while she was gone (she hates it, and has since gone to her Dr. for some sort of mouth piece that is supposed to help instead). Low and behold, no snoring. We both got restful sleep, and for the first time in a long time I didn't feel sluggish throughout the day or want to take a nap at my desk in the afternoon.
Here is all the information in my chart that I can see, maybe it will make sense to someone else? I'm hoping to go to my next appointment with a better understanding, so that I can advocate for myself if necessary. Any insight, even though I know it's just opinion and not medical advice, would be appreciated so I know what I'm walking into! As I mentioned, not knowing what any of these numbers mean (and Google is overwhelming) I'm afraid they're not 'bad' enough to be taken seriously, and I'll have gone through months off appointments and tests for nothing. Thank you for reading, and welcoming me to your group! I look forward to learning more!
FINDINGS
Recording: Total recording time was 555.8 minutes. Recording quality was adequate.
Position: The patient spent 246.1 minutes supine, 309.7 minutes non-supine.
Respiratory: The Respiratory Event Index (REI)* was 16.5, consisting of 0 obstructive apneas, 0 mixed apneas, 74 hypopneas and 79 central apneas. Supine REI was 34.1 events per hour, Non-supine REI was 2.5 events per hour. Mean oxygen saturation was 92.9%, with a minimum of 75.0%. 2.0% of recording time was spent with a Sp02 <90%. Snoring was demonstrated.
Cardiac: Mean heart rate was 58.9 beats/minute. Max heart rate 92.0 beats/minute, min heart rate 43.0 beats per minute.
*"Respiratory Event Index (REI)" on this study is equivalent to the "Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) " of 16.5.
Final Diagnosis: Obstructive Sleep Apnea, ICD-10 G47.33
Interpretation and Recommendations: The study documents mild obstructive sleep apnea an d mild central sleep apnea, associated with intermittent moderate oxygen desaturation. Respiratory events are more pronounced supine, with central apneas being of unclear etiology. It should be noted that given the limitations of HSAT, the findings of this study may represent a significant underestimate of the patient’s actual degree of sleep disordered breathing. The patient is advised to follow-up regarding the study results and treatment options as applicable. They are also advised to refrain from driving whenever sleepy, and cautioned regarding the use of alcohol, sedative/hypnotics, muscle relaxants and opioids.