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sleep study readings
Hi all, Ive just recently been diagnosed with OSA, and been reading a few posts. A lot of people mention AHI, can someone please tell me what this is.
All i know is that sleep study showed an index of 73.8 events per hour, associated with 43.6 desaturations an hour.
I did ask at first appointment, and was told it meant i had severe sleep apnoea, and would need to be on CPAP for life.
and does anyone know of any tricks to help with very sore, bruised bridge of nose.
Linda
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on
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Hi Linda, and welcome to our forum. You've come to the right place as you start your journey in treating your sleep apnoea :) Shame to hear you're already suffering from a bruised sore nose though (I have a permanent mark on my nose from the damage a mask did to me). That was before we discovered the CPAP Nasal Cushions over on our website (which is a totally separate site). They're not cheap, but they do help and last for at least 3 months - often longer. There is also some CPAP Moisture Cream which should help too, but you need to first get the pressure relieved which is what the cushions do. Also try not to tighten your mask too much, but I know first-hand this is easier said than done when you're trying to eliminate leaks.
Regarding your question about 'AHI'.... this is the apnoea/hypopnoea index (the amount of times you stop breathing per hour through complete or partial blockages to your airways). Yours, as you've said is 73.8, which is high, so hopefully you will start to feel a lot better real soon.
Shout out if you need any more help.
Best Wishes, Kath
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Permalink Reply by LINDA on
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I did thank you Kath. Am just in the process of looking at the mask you use, as i don't think i can stand this much longer. The clinic did give me second mask earlier this week, but nose is still so sore that i'm unable to have mask as tight as it probably should be, therefor got the apap machine home again, for further 3 weeks to try and eliminate leaks before getting my cpap machine.
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For me, the FitLife mask was the perfect mask, and I would panic if it were ever removed from the market. Thankfully, there are no signs of this happening as Respironics have made even better adjustments to it lately. It saves me a lot of money on the CPAP creams, strap covers and nasal pads too :) Obviously, this is my personal opinion, but I will say that 90% of our customers have tried it are pleased - and this is very high odds with masks, bearing in mind we all have different faces.
Which masks have you got?
LINDA FERRIER said:I did thank you Kath. Am just in the process of looking at the mask you use, as i don't think i can stand this much longer.......
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Permalink Reply by symmit on
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I use a sleepweaver mask whcih doesn't irritate the nose as it's cloth, some poeple hae problems getting them to seal well but they are very much a comfortable answer to the problem. You could try something like the Swift FX (I'm assuming you're using a nasal not a full face mask) which only contacts the nostrils, it's on my shopping list of "to try". Can become an expensive habit though if your clinic won't provide them!
I'd recommend to anyone to have a spare mask or two around, sometimes a change is a good thing as they all contact in different ways but ultimately do the same job.
Stick with it though, as Mary says it can make a massive difference (has to me!) and although it's a bit of a ritual nightly, most of the time you're asleep and there's all sorts of long term health benefits coming our of the woodwork from being on CPAP (lower blood pressure, improvements in brain and heart function etc), and if something new comes along you're still alive to try it!
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Hi Mary, glad to report things getting a bit better, nose isnt as sore as was, if i could just cure leaks lol. Am sure with practise i will soon master fitting mask on properly. Return to clinic on 16/4 and hoping they find apnoeas greatly reduced.
Mary Zimlich said:
Hi Linda, I would also add that desaturations are when your blood oxygen levels go below a set point during your sleep study. The cutoff may be 90-95%. This is where sleep apnea ( I believe- no science here) becomes dangerous as your vital organs are deprived of the right level of oxygen over and over during the night. As for CPAP being for life- there is ongoing research into alternatives which we may benefit from during our lifetimes. I for one am content to use my machine night after night, one night at a time, because it has made such a difference in the quality of my waking hours.
I also had terrible problems from skin breakdown on the bridge of my nose and eventually changed to the total face mask because of scarring and thin skin that immediately breaks down if a mask rests there. Do try the cushions, moleskin on the mask, bandaids on the bridge of your nose- anything to let this area heal before it gets out of hand as it did for me. Good luck, keep us posted on how it goes, please.
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hi symmit
thanks for your post. i use full face mask, but now have strips over nose so healing nicely and not nearly as painful. I am wearing mask for whole of night now, the first week i thought it would be ok to take it off during the night to get a few hours sleep, but on reading posts and looking it up on internet, realise how stupid i was. its a massive learning curve this, but im getting more used to it now. hoping for good readings when i take machine back to clinic in 2 weeks, so i can then tell DVLA its under control, so they don't take license!
symmit said:I use a sleepweaver mask whcih doesn't irritate the nose as it's cloth, some poeple hae problems getting them to seal well but they are very much a comfortable answer to the problem. You could try something like the Swift FX (I'm assuming you're using a nasal not a full face mask) which only contacts the nostrils, it's on my shopping list of "to try". Can become an expensive habit though if your clinic won't provide them!
I'd recommend to anyone to have a spare mask or two around, sometimes a change is a good thing as they all contact in different ways but ultimately do the same job.
Stick with it though, as Mary says it can make a massive difference (has to me!) and although it's a bit of a ritual nightly, most of the time you're asleep and there's all sorts of long term health benefits coming our of the woodwork from being on CPAP (lower blood pressure, improvements in brain and heart function etc), and if something new comes along you're still alive to try it!
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From Chapter 4 Skin Care "CPAP and Ventilator Secrets"
"Some people use a cotton wool (absorbent cotton) pad to cushion the bridge of the nose.
Split the pad in half and use one piece, making sure the smooth side is placed against your skin."
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I personally got relief from this problem when I started using a Hose Lift.
It also greatly reduced air leaks. I wouldn't be without mine.
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Permalink Reply by David on
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Echo comment above,the hose lift is great as it keeps the weight of the hose off your face and stoips it dragging the mask off and causing leaks.
The only thing is making sure you have enough slack tubing from the hanger so when you turn over it doesnt fall over onto you. Though mine tends to fall along the top of the pillow.
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Happy to report i took everyones' advice, and bought the hoselift, and cpap cream, and my nose is much better (can toss and turn all night long with no tugging). Still not cured the leaks though, and now on my third mask. i have the mirage quattro, quattro fx and now flexifit 432 and flit between them all during the night to try and stop leaks, hence not getting much sleep at all. waiting for mask liners to arrive to see if they will cure leaks. just dreaming of 1 good nights sleep zzzzzz
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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on
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Linda, the liners will also help, I use a Mirage Quattro as well and as well as the hoselift and mask liners I also use a chinstrap, I know it maybe going a bit overboard but find it holds everything in place. Previously I have posted (below) what I do with mask liners for a cheaper alternative.
I bought some Resmed mask liners a 6 pack and although they say to only use them once you can wash them and get about 5-6 uses. I then made a template of what I needed from there liners and went to a fabric shop and got 3 ft of 50% cotton/ 50 % poly fabric and cut out my own and they also last 5-6 uses, the next time I bought 3 ft of 50% cotton/ 50 % licra fabric. That last me about 3 months and costs about ten dollars. No need to do any sewing. Don’t tell Resmed or it may sent them broke LOL, I don’t think so.
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