Heres My Sleep Report - Please help me understand! - Sleep Disorders Message Board

cindylou2 · 01-22-2008, 09:07 AM

Hi!

I'm a 47 year old female, with heart PVCs/PACs for the past 5 weeks that have resulted in several test. One being a sleep apnea test, my Doctors feel that is where my problem is. So I had the sleep test...below are the results. I dont have a follow up visit until next week and I would love some info on what all this means! Please, post any information you may have. Thanks so much!

RESULTS:

Time from lights out to sleep onset was 15 min. Total sleep time represented was 357 min with a total recording time of 423 min. Sleep efficiency was 84%. Slow wave sleep represents 24% and REM sleep 16% of total sleep time. Baseline oxyhemoglobin saturation prior to sleep was 98%. 42 apneas and 60 hypopneas were recorded for an apnea hypopnea index of 17. There were cardiac dysrhythmias that revealed PVCs. Lowest O2 saturation during sleep was 76%. Continuous monitoring EMG showed periodic leg movements during sleep with a PLMS index of 7.

IMPRESSION:

1. Modeate obstructive sleep apnea with severe oxy hemoglobin and disruption of sleep architecrure. Severe REM asso. with obstructions.

2. No significant periodic limb movement with disturbed sleep quality.

3. Moderate intermittent snoring was present.

bethsheba · 01-22-2008, 06:29 PM

Cindylou,

This is a summary of your study and doesn't contained detailed info. When you have your follow up next week, do get a copy of the full report. That way, you can go back and study it indepth when you have a better understanding of what's going on. (My report was 8 or 9 pages long and contained graphs, etc.)

I'm not sure it would be ethical to "interpret" your report without your physician going over it with you first...certainly, they would not let other health care professionals do so either.

I don't see anything here alarming, so don't jump to conclusions...but again, I think you should wait for your doctor's insights first.

Bethsheba

cindylou2 · 01-22-2008, 09:13 PM

Thank you Bethsheba!!! All this is so new to me, I know none of the terms but have research the web to see what I could find, My AHI was 17...that does not sound too bad to me, but the O2 dropping to 76% scares me too death. I have an appt. next week for the full details and another sleep test scheduled for the 8th. Thanks again for your reply!!!

mkgbrook · 01-23-2008, 08:51 AM

Like Bethsheba I can not interpret your results.. but I can share a summary of my families and what we are doing now.

Hypopnea - my husband has sleep apnea as a result of that. He breathes too shallow while sleeping and thus the oxygen in his blood drops as a result. His treatment is sleeping on a CPAP. He is doing fine now. He was having 30+ events an hour this way.

OSA - ME. I have an elongated pallet, restricted airways, funky sinus structure.. had enlarged tonsils and adnoids. I was stopping breathing (apnea events) many times a minute.. let us not get into totals

. My apnea hypopnea rating was 60+. I sleep on a CPAP and am doing just fine. Had sinus surgery and a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. This reduced me to mild sleep apnea.. but I still need my CPAP. You would have to fight me for it if you wanted to take it away.

My son got the best of both of us. He is five now. Was 4 when diagnosed after much research and arguing from me and a year of failure to thrive/grow because his pediatricians were telling me children don't have sleep apnea. The were SO WRONG! Sorry memory vent. He has hyponea and obstructive sleep apnea. His hypopnea rating was 30 events and hour and his apnea was 37 events an hour his rating/index was 30+ which is severe sleep apnea in a child that young. Treatment he sleeps on his CPAP 12 hours a day. He is a changed child. It has been a miracle treatment.

So don't worry. The second study is a titration study. They will do the same wire rigging, and just add a CPAP to you. You will sleep as the computer continues to adjust the air pressure of your mask. The computer will stop when you no longer have more than 5 events an hour and that will be the computer determined sleep pressure setting recommended. Look at your notes and if you still have an event or two you might want to ask for a level one higher. I currently sleep on a setting 4 higher than prescribed by the computer.. because that is what it takes for me to sleep through the night. You will be fine and try out every mask they have at the sleep center. GO for the one that fits you best. I am a mouth breather and thus i go for a full face mask. My husband as well. My son.. he is lucky and uses a gel nasal mask. That was so comfortable.. as long as you can keep you mouth shut.

Good luck.
MG

bethsheba · 01-23-2008, 09:02 AM

You are welcome, cindylou. I'm glad you're receptive to my comments and don't seem offended by my intentions.

The oxygen levels of people who have sleep apnea often drop varing degrees...it did in my case. But now I sleep with a cpap and that seems to take care of my problem. Although there was an adjustment period for me, a cpap was an easy fix (no meds, no surgery, 100 percent effective!)

I'm not saying you have apnea...I'm just saying that some of these things may be scary (and may be dangerous long term) but the solution may be relatively simple and effective. For me, the hardest part was identifying the problem (I was constantly tired because I stopped breathing at night) and annual visits to my family doc did nothing to id or solve the problem.

Bethsehba