Sleep apnea.

So I finally had a home sleep study. 140 events and index of 18.5. Now I have an order for a in lab sleep study because I’m “thin, female and very active”. The doctor doesn’t think I have sleep apnea because of being thin and female!! My CO2 levels have been high on my blood panels for the past couple of years but the doctor just dismisses it because “I don’t have lung problems “. Does this sound like I have sleep apnea?? My only health problems are hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Sleep study was done because of 5.2 second sinus arrest at night during a holter monitor. Frustrated by how slow this testing is. Repeat not until November 12th. Any advice ?

Actually my af stopped and then I went overseas and couldn’t fit my cpap machine and didn’t use it. I ended up getting af every 4 days because I was ignorant and lazy and didn’t use it for 4 months. Cpap does help. Push for the cpap machine! Two EP told me my af return was from sleep apnea and not using the cpap.

I am in no way an expert but my AHI rating was 11.3 (mild apnea) with hypertension and AF. An in lab study was not done for me and my doctor recommended a CPAP machine . Yes 18.5 would be considered moderate apnea. Too bad the doctor is just looking at the stereotypical person type to have a diagnosis of apnea. If you had 140 events at night who cares what it is. it's not healthy. The process for me was also slow. Hope you can move them along. I've used the CPAP machine for a year now and it has made a big difference in my overall health.

New Doctor...it's your health, your life?

There is an adjustment score for health issues when deciding if you qualify and would benefit from using a cpap. . Having Af increases benefits for using a cpap machine. Your stopped hr is a reason alone. I also just had a nocturnal oxygen level test with and without the cpap. I just had it repeated. I had a lower nocturnal oxygen saturation without using the cpap. Ask for that test. They send you an oximeter attached to a smart watch and you put the oximeter on your finger and wear the watch over night and send it back.

Just wondering..... I've lost weight this last year (42lbs - now 193lbs) ) and my partner says I now hardly ever snore. I definitely had SA issues 10 years ago when 264lbs as my partner then often noticed me struggling to breath at points during the night - as did I when I'd sometimes at its worst wake myself up not being able to breathe/gasping for breath. Never had a SA Study but fairly sure I have had significant SA issues.

As I said my partner says I sleep soundly and quietly at my newly reduced weight; but I'm wondering can one still be having significant apnea even when one's partner says so far as they can tell (and my new partner is a light sleeper herself) that you are sleeping soundly and quietly? She said I did snore a lot/quite badly before losing additional weight this year.

I’m not sure because I don’t know much about sleep apnea but my husband thinks I sleep quietly. He’s a heavy sleeper and is always asleep before me. I’m worried that prolonged issues will cause more damage to my heart. If you think you have issues I’d push for testing.

I was told the number of incidents would be higher if I slept on my back instead of side. Are you a back sleeper that could restrict your airways? Are you using a sleep apnea pillow if you are a back sleeper that supports your airways?

I was surprised last month after a ER cardio conversion waking up with a rolled up sheet under my neck. I was told my oxygen saturation was low and the make shift log they created gave me 100% oxygen saturation. Whenever in ER or ICU being monitored, the alarms would go off for low oxygen saturation when on my back.

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mwcf
but I'm wondering can one still be having significant apnea even when one's partner says so far as they can tell (and my new partner is a light sleeper herself) that you are sleeping soundly and quietly? She said I did snore a lot/quite badly before losing additional weight this year.

Mike, you are quite the lithe fellow now, very proud of you!!! What are you, 6'4"? Recently someone in another group posted about this device <[www.beddrsleep.com] for home SpO2 testing. I had previously purchased this device <[www.ebay.com] from China, It was around $60US. The Beddr device looks to be more user friendly than my Contec Chinese device.

I'd noticed, when I wore a recording heart rate monitor that I could see apnea patterns in the tachogram (heart rate vs time graph). I think I posted a link to a PowerPoint presentation describing what these apnea tachogram patterns look like previously. I started taping my mouth shut at night to ensure nasal breathing (I've had rhinitis since near birth) and the tachogram patterns cleaned up. Wearing the Chinese device, my breathing looked pretty good.

I would think your partner's observation would be a reasonable guide, especially given her medical training & observation skills.

George

I always sleep on my side. 🤷‍♀️