Just got my split night sleep study results.  Bearing in mind that I have been complaining about this since 1980 I wonder how long before I feel better?   The split night sleep study
summarized by my EENT doctor:  
    
              29 incidents in an hour while on my side
            100 incidents while on my back
                  
              87 oxy level while sitting at rest and awake
              72 oxy level at lowest during test.

I have been warned about driving (my husband will say "I knew it!"   !!
I have been advised to lose weight.  I started off being a little on the chuncky side but after almost 25 years am now to heavy.  I have gotten to the point where even doing 4 laods of wash and fixing dinner seems to exhaust me and leaves me with aching muscles much as if I had overexercised.  I do know something about physical activity as until the mid 1980's I worked and trained horses, cleaned stalls, worked herding dogs, kept house, and took care of 2 acres in lawn and gardens.  Even with that activity I was gaining weight and tired all the time.

Wish they would have known than, what they know now!!!   So this is not a case of someone who sat in front of a TV and ate chocolates all day as some of my doctors have assumed and suggested.  Now after years of thinking I was half crazy I am seeing a light.   A flicker of encouragement.  Recently I was giving BP meds because that had also creeped up.  It is mostly under control...wonder if I get to feeling better if that will disapate and the BP meds can be forgone?  

In the meantime, miscommunications seems to reign supreme.  The EENT faxed over a prescription to the provider where I must get my CPAP machine...nobody called me and when I called that place 2-1/2 weeks ago they couldn't find my name!   Next the insurance company than gave my EENT an approval to a pulmonary specialist but negelected to inform him they required a chest xray and a "spirometer"(?) test.   Don't you just love the new improved world of communications?   ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    So now he had to refax the prescription for the CPAP machine and also the insurance company to get the approval for the chest xray and the other test.  Once I have these I will be able to call the pulmonary place and make an appointment with them.  

On the bright side I have an EENT who caught that low oxy level while I was awake and is questioning it.  At least he is being thorough.  Now if I just don't die of old age before they can all get together and I can start treatment!!!

Comments on the test levels etc might help comfort me until I can begin treatment and hopefully get some relief.  Thanks in advance to all of you who take the time to encourage us newcomers.

  Diane

Hi Diane and Welcome!

You have pulmonary issues going on besides OSA.  OSA does not cause O2 to be low when you are awake (normal conscious O2 around 95-99).  That is why they want to do a chest X-Ray and assess your lung function with a Spirometer (totally painless, a doohickey you breath into).

There is a lot more data in your sleep lab results which is more informative about your OSA.  They need to understand why you have a low O2, and it might be that they hook you up with not only a CPAP, but some O2 as well.

You are right, as soon as you beginning treatment for these issues, you will began to feel better and have more energy.  Let us know how you are doing!

Vicki


_________________
That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.