How many times did you stop breathing???

I just got the call with the results from my sleep study. I quit breathing 358 times. I was shocked. My oxygen was low (I don't know what normal ranges are) 78%. I hope this will help me not be so tired during the day. I have to go back Friday night for the machine part/ to get fitted I guess. I am claustrophobic ?sp? so I think I am going to try the nose pillows. I am still stunned. What kind of numbers did you guys have? Oh, BTW I am so glad there is a sleep apnea forum on here. I just found it. Cool. Jenifer

Hey Jennifer, I had 189 Respiratory Event Related Arousals and my O2 sat never got below 90%, but I felt really bad. I have been on my CPAP for almost 2 months and I am lovin' it. I have much more energy and I can actually go thru the day without napping. But, you have to work at it every night and be committed to make it work for you. I 've had alot of trouble getting used to my machine, but I'm just onery anyway. I hope everything goes well for you. When you get your machine, just remember, don't quit. Keep trying and one morning you will wake up and say, "Hey, I feel better!" (that's what happened to me. lol) Good Luck! lisa

Thanks for the response Lisa. Although I am shocked with the results I am somewhat relieved because of some of the stories I have heard from people about how much better they felt after using the machine, much like what you have said. I was kind of scared to go to sleep last night knowing how many times I stopped breathing. Pretty scary stuff. What is so bad is that I am sure there are tons of people out there- many in my own family- who have no idea what sleep apnea is but suffer from it silently. I didn't have a clue a few months ago, until I started hanging here, on OH. I have become so much more educated about so many issues. Thanks again. Have a great day. Jenifer

I have slept with a cpap for about 6 years now. I actually think I am ready to get rid of it. I think the best advice given to me when I got my first machine was to use it anytime I was resting... such as reading etc. I would wear the machine as I watched tv and other activities where one is just sitting. That way I got used to having the mask on my face. Now I have to learn to sleep without the machine..... Good luck, Aime

I've had my cpap machine for a little over a month and I cannot believe the difference in my energy level. I used to sleep between 12-15 hours a day (including naps) and still be exhausted, now I sleep 7-8 and feel great! It took a bit of getting used to for the nasal pillows--my nose was really sore at first. After about a week or so it didn't bother me so much and now it isn't trouble at all. P.S. I think it was somewhere around 60 times for me

I had to start using a C-PAP machine back in '97 for severe sleep apnea. I first had the UPPP surgery (uvulo palato pharyngo plasty) to remove tissue from the back of my throat and turbinates from my nose. That only helped for a very short time and then my sleep apnea came back. I had WLS in 4/05 and after 1 year I was able to have my calibration come down on my machine from 20 (very high setting) down to 10 (still considered severe. I was hoping to lose more weight and bring the calibration down more (hasn't happened yet). I have a new partner who is very aware of my need for my mask and encourages me to use it even on nights I feel like sleeping with out (before I met this current partner, I never slept without my mask, but now with him I want to cuddle up and find the mask a big hinderance). I HATE THIS MASK! literally. I look forward when I no longer need it (let's hope it is soon). karen

I guess I stopped 22 times per hour and being that I slept almost 9 hours, I guess that would be....let's see.....(digging for calulator)......198! Wow that is a lot!!! He told me I only have moderate, not severe. Only 5 times an hour was my airway totally restricted, and the other times, 18 or so, were partial. So, maybe that is why it is only moderate. My oxygen was always pretty close to where it should have been. I am very encouraged by reading the replies to your post by the ones who have more energy and such. My dad has been on CPAP for going on three years and he says the same thing! He has tried several masks, so I am hoping this one works for me. I had considered the nose pillows one and will try that if this one doesn't cut it. Oh, I am so excited to try this out and to get support here! Wahoo!

Hi. What mask are you using and what setting is your machine on? I am having major issues with the mask that I have so I have to decide what kind to try next. My machine is on 8. I am not sleeping with most of the time because the mask won't stay on my head. The DME says I can't get another mas****il April because of insurance. I certainly can't afford to buy one. My surgery is March 20th so by the time I can get another mask I probably or hopefully won't need one for much longer. The few times I have gotten to sleep with it and for the short time it would stay put it did help me feel more rested. I would love to know what a full 8 or 9 hours with it on would be like. Jenifer

Hi everyone, I have been using my CPAP for only a week and a half now. I am having issues with the full face mask. It's ok at the low setting, but when it ramps up to my level of 12, it leaks..especially if i try to lay in any position except flat on my back which i hate! I only slept about an hour during my first sleep study, but they told me i stopped breathing 40-75 times in just that one hour. When i went back for my second study with the machine, i only slept 2 hours, started out with the nose mask, hated it, switched to the full mask. A week after my 2nd sleep study, i had my tonsils and uvula removed as they were both extremely enlarged and protruding deep into my airway. I had to wait 6 weeks to heal and then went back for a 3rd sleep study. This was a split study, i slept without the cpap the first half so they could get new readings, then with the mask the second half. I managed to sleep most of the night this time and my pressure readings went up instead of down from my first study. I guess if i had slept longer the first time, my readings would probably have been much higher than 12. My home care person is coming by tomorrow (monday) to bring a new type of mask for me to try. I sure hope they find one, as i really want this to work. Thanks for listening! I'm so glad i found this forum, i didn't even know it was here til today! Robin

Hi Robin, I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea in Jan/07 and I have a pressure of 14. I had 146 episodes when I went to the sleep clinic for an overnight study! I struggled with the CPAC machine for weeks and found that my mask leaked a lot too especially when the pressure would climb from 6 to 14 over 45 minutes as the machine has a ramp. After several weeks of frustration, I found what worked for me was to put the pressure at 14 right away and sit up in bed and then put the full mask on and adjust the straps. The mask is a little tight now and I wake up to lines on my mask but now most of the time the mask does not leak and I am able to sleep 5-6 hours a night! What a diference. I also placed 2-3 pillows underneath my head and slept elevated and that really helped too. Sim from Vancouver, BC Canada