Sleep Apnea Update

I got a copy of my sleep study results this past week - the doc said to up my pressure from 9 to 11.  When I got a copy of the indepth results from the sleep center I was a little disappointed. As background,  I have REM-associated apnea which means I have clusters of apneas during REM sleep only. The primary study results are that I also need to be more compliant with my CPAP machine.

....I use my CPAP machine all the time.  I had another sleep study because I was getting clusters of apneas constantly on some days with AHI above 25

Oh, and by the way, I only had 12 minutes of REM sleep during my sleep study, and I was awake for 5 hours because I had severe pains from reflux.

No wonder they didn't see clusters of apneas.  So I get to battle that doc again.....

Dang, so frustrating! :(

--gina

That seems totally unfair.  One of my greatest hurrays from WLS was getting rid of my CPAP.  Plus my reflux.  and you are still dealing with both in horrible ways.  I hope they find some help for you.  Battle ahead, we have your back.

Thanks Price -I'm OK with my CPAP.   My main complaint is that the outcome of the report is based on only 12 minutes sleep which are important to my sleep apnea, and one of the key conclusions is that I'm not compliant with CPAP - but I'm very complaint!

Eliza, I am sorry your sleep apnea did not go away...it doesn't for everyone unfortunately. Dh was on a cpap pre-op and 18 months later, below goal weight, he is still on the cpap...they did a split night study in Sept of last year to see if he could come off it...unfortunately his is also genetic...his dad had sleep apnea but was skinny as a rail ALL his life. Obesity is only one factor in it, genetics can also play a part.

Liz

LIz
Like your DH, I know I'll be on CPAP forever - the study was done to titrate my pressure higher.  Most likely, I had apneas as a child based on my excessive sleepiness then (my Mom loved having a very sleepy young child!!).  As I said to Price, I am just frustrated in how long it took to get results, and the lack of real data from the study.

Do you sleep with the head of your bed tipped up?  I've read that it can help with reflux.  I'm sorry about the apnea, I've suffered with that myself and it can be very wearing.

Thanks for the suggestion.  At home, I sleep with the head of my bed on risers.  At the sleep study, the bed was flat, and I think that may be why I had more reflux than usual.  I've also changed PPI medications since the study was done, and the new one seems to be working somewhat better.

Sorry you don't get to get rid of your CPAP.  I actually loved mine, but they lowered the pressure as much as they could and it was still too much.  My sleep apnea was obstructive and went away with weight loss.

Do you take something for the reflux?

Hope they can get it figured out for you.

Linda

Linda
I didn't really expect to get rid of my CPAP.  My machine was reading much higher levels of apneas than when I was first put on the machine, and I am really sleepy, so this study was to re-titrate my pressure to a higher level.  Like I said to Price and Liz, my biggest frustration is how long it took to get the results, and that they were based on such a short time period (12 minutes of applicable sleep), and one of the prime conclusions was not based on knowing my experience with my machine, since I am very compliant with the darned thing - I even wear it when I nap.

I do take a PPI (Prilosec-type medication) for my reflux.  Since those medications are delayed release formulations, they aren't as effective as they were before I had my RNY.  I've tried cutting them but they are inactivated in the stomach, and the intestine can be very short for good absorption if I take them whole.