Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread

[Emjaysmash]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I'm starting to get used to the mask/machine. If nothing else, my AHI has gone from a whopping 29 (sleep study prior to CPAP) down to an average of 1.2 over the last 7 days.

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(Whats an "AHI"?)

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by Emjaysmash

...

(Whats an "AHI"?)

The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is an index of severity that combines apneas and hypopneas. Combining them both gives an overall severity of sleep apnea including sleep disruptions and desaturations (a low level of oxygen in the blood). The apnea-hypopnea index, like the apnea index and hypopnea index, is calculated by dividing the number of apneas and hypopneas by the number of hours of sleep.

Essentially, it is the number of "events" per hour.

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by pnoon

The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is an index of severity that combines apneas and hypopneas. Combining them both gives an overall severity of sleep apnea including sleep disruptions and desaturations (a low level of oxygen in the blood). The apnea-hypopnea index, like the apnea index and hypopnea index, is calculated by dividing the number of apneas and hypopneas by the number of hours of sleep.

Essentially, it is the number of "events" per hour.

Anything 5 or less is considered "normal", so at 1.2 you are doing great! If you up the pressure a little bit on the cpap you may be able to get it under 1. My DME left the instruction card for changing the settings on the machine with me when he dropped it off. I'm not sure he was supposed to, but I used it to adjust mine up .5 and saw the AHI drop. I'm not sure that is making any significant difference, but I figure it can't hurt. My doc was impressed when I told him last year.

[hotreds]

So your machine gives you that number? I would be most interested in that if I could find it- kinda proof positive that a difference is being made, even if I don't really feel it.

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by hotreds

So your machine gives you that number? I would be most interested in that if I could find it- kinda proof positive that a difference is being made, even if I don't really feel it.

Yes, a lot of machines have a digital readout that gives you usage statistics and your AHI. I know some don't - my father's, for example. But I think even his has a card that reads the data so that his doctor can review it. Yours should as well. If there isn't any way to track your stats, you should talk to your doctor about getting one. As you say, you don't have any way of knowing if its working otherwise. I'd press hard on that if I were you.

[hotreds]

Originally Posted by BigCat

Yes, a lot of machines have a digital readout that gives you usage statistics and your AHI. I know some don't - my father's, for example. But I think even his has a card that reads the data so that his doctor can review it. Yours should as well. If there isn't any way to track your stats, you should talk to your doctor about getting one. As you say, you don't have any way of knowing if its working otherwise. I'd press hard on that if I were you.

I will, thanks! And, machines are quite quiet.

[BigCat]

Originally Posted by hotreds

I will, thanks! And, machines are quite quiet.

You're welcome

Originally Posted by McSmokey

I'm scheduled to have a sleep study done in a couple of weeks and my wife is concerned if I need one of these machines that it will be too loud for her to be able to sleep in the same room any thing I can tell her good or bad would be appreciated

As others have said, its pretty quite. My wife describes it as white noise.