Help! I want to try to understand my study before the doctor calls, so I can converse intelligently and know my options. Here is what my report says:

EEG/Sleep Architecture:
Total time in bed: 447.5 minutes
Total sleep time: 301.5 minutes, with sleep efficiency of 67.4%
Sleepo onset latency was 207.0 minutes (this is what the report says, but it must be wrong--perhaps it was 20.7--that would seem more likely?)
REM onset latency was 173.5 minutes
There was 1 REM period.
The patient spent 3.3% in stage 1, 73.3% in stage 2, 1.0% in stage 3, 15.8% in stage 4, and 6.5% in REM stage of sleep.

Snoring: Intermittent soft to moderate snoring was recorded.

Ventilatory Disturbances:
There were 14 obstructive apneas and 193 obstructive hypopneas recorded during this study.
Mean duration of obstructive apnea was 11.8 seconds, with the longest duration of 16.0 seconds.
Mean duration of obstructive hypopnea was 16.6 seconds, with the longest duration of 32.0 seconds. Apnea-hypopnea or Resperatory Disturbance Index (RDI) was 41.2. All events were associated with arousal.
All of the events were recorded in all the positions.

Oxyehemoglobin Saturation: The average oxygen saturation was 97% with minimum of 92.0%.

There were no periodic limb movements recorded during this study.
Impression:
Abnormal Poluysomnogram, suggestive of Moderaate Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

What does it all mean? I really don't want CPAP--they tried it on me at the study and it makes me totally claustrophobic! What about Pillars?



Last edited by svh on Tue Aug 22, 2006 7:19 pm; edited 1 time in total
_________________
--Sarah

Hi Sarah,

I'm in no way an expert on this, but I'll give some of it a shot.

I don't know what "Abnormal polysomnogram" means, so you might want to ask.
Your RDI  was about 41.  I believe RDI is the same as AHI, which are averages of number of apneas per hour.
Your study says moderate, but 41 is in the severe category.  (5-15 is mild; 15-30 is moderate; 30 or more per hour is severe).
You rarely got out of stage 2 sleep, which means you seldom got to deep sleep and only once to REM sleep which is the deepest, with dreaming.
This is typical of many with untreated sleep apnea.  Your oxygen levels were pretty good, 98% and higher are normal.
All of your apneas are obstructive, which is typical.  Most were hypopneas, which are considered very similar in severity to apneas.
Hypopneas are considered shallow breathing, apneas are considered total cessation of breathing.  

Keep in mind, using the mask and machine at a sleep study is so different than at home.  If you get a cpap and mask, there are several different types of masks, and some are preferable because they are not as claustrophobic.  The Pillar procedure is a surgery with insertions into the back of your tongue.  You can find information about that in our FAQ and Interesting Links sections.  I caution about surgeries, they have low success rates and those rates pertain to those with mild apnea.  Yours is in the severe category, or at least moderate.  Don't let cpap frighten you.  Sleep studies are so clinical and what you experience at home is a lot different.


Linda

Thank you, Linda, for writing back! The doctor did call today, but just said I needed to do another sleep study w/ the cpap. He didn't seem terribly interested.... The sleep study place will call me to schedule. So, I wait....

I'd love to hear anything else anyone can tell me about my report. This is all new to me, and fairly upsetting. I am really glad I found this forum!


_________________
--Sarah