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Permalink Reply by Clueless in Redwood Shores on September 16, 2010 at 1:27pm

Thanks Jeff, Rock & Carl for the responses above. Based on persistently good AHI and AI scores, I will at least wait until I see my sleep MD in December to spring for an oximeter. My motivation to use one is indeed more for reassurance that the mechanical reporting of those indices is born out by secondary evidence. I have too many life challenges, other sources of pain, personal choices resulting in poor sleep hygiene to attribute how I feel in the morning, good or bad, solely to the performance of mask and machine.

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Permalink Reply by Heather Dent on September 17, 2010 at 12:31am

Rock, I have a question for you. I did an overnight PSG at a sleep lab and the results showed that I had both apneas and hypopneas. During the hypopneas my O2 level fell to 71%. The sleep doc prescribed a CPAP machine for me. I asked for a data capable one (on-board data shows on LED read-out). I have been using it for 4 months now. Every morning when it shows that data from the night, the AHI score varies but the thing that bothers me is when the AHI score is broken down the HI is far greater than the AI. For example, if the AHI is 7.8 the HI is 7.3 while the AI is 0.5 Even if the overall AHI is low, such as 4.3 the HI is 4.2 and the AI is 0.1 (or the AHI can be 4.8, with an HI of 4.8 and an AI of 0) To me this seems to signify that I still have shallow breathing (hypopnea) events much more often than apnea events (something I'm sure also showed up on my initial PSG, when it showed O2 desat at 71%). On the titration sleep study the sleep doc said the 02 sats had improved considerably (02 above 88% -- for 89 to 95 % of the time). BUT HERE'S THE KICKER........A BiPAP WAS USED DURING THE TITRATION ! The odd data I listed above is from the CPAP he prescribed. Could it be that the CPAP is not doing as good a job as the BiPAP used during titration. With the high ratio of hypopneas to apneas I ALWAYS have every night, would a BiPap (or some other PAP) have been better for me? And a second question: Am I correct in assuming that I should get a recording oximeter to keep track of O2 desats, to see exactly what level my oxygen is dropping to?

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on September 17, 2010 at 2:21am

The HI will normally be higher then the AI. Sometimes as you get used to PAP therapy your events will lessen. The important thing is that your AI is under control. now it is just fine tuning your machine to get your AHI under 5 if possible. How do you feel after 4 months?

What happened during the study was based on what your tech saw in your sleep. we have to follow certain protocols based on what we see. The need for Bpap may have been seen by your tech, but not your doc. Doc trumps all.

As jnk said if the ox would be of comfort to you then you should get it. In the last 4 months you have had at least 2 overnight recordings that both included o2 readings. One of those showed a significant improvement in o2 and sleep efficiency. personally I would not waist the money. If you get worried talk to your DME about a pulse ox loner.

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