Should I get a new sleep study done?

[Stratman]

It has been 5 years since my last sleep study.

I monitor my results every day.

ResMed S8 Autoset II running in CPAP mode at 9cm H2O

Using the ResScan Software my results are always <5 AHI

Typically AHI runs 4 -5.
Events 2 or 3 AI's per night

I feel fine. No sleep deprived symptoms.

Is it worth the time and cost going thru the whole sleep study procedure again?

My understanding is <5 AHI is normal sleep breathing.

What would you do?

[Kaylis]

It seems to me that the key is you are feeling well and getting decent numbers for AHI and AI. Unless you have good insurance so it wouldn't cost you much at all, you don't sound like you need a new one now.

My understanding is that an AHI<5 is usually associated with feeling well rested, though this varies for some people. More and more doctors seem to be looking at our own perceptions of our sleep situation for determining how well treatment is working. This sure makes sense since we're the ones experiencing the side effects when we don't sleep well (as well as anyone around us lol).

[Julie]

I would be trying to get AHI's even lower if possible, though not be a fanatic about always being under 1 or 2, so might consider seeing what happened if I did raise the pressure to 10, and/or tried an Apap span of e.g. 8 and 12, which seems to be the most commonly used, unless you prefer straight Cpap for some reason.

[Stratman]

I am thinking I may try your suggestion and switch it to APAP mode and try something like:

min: 9
max 15

And let it go and see what kind of results I have in the morning.

The higher pressures don't seem to bother my sleeping. Maybe I will get a lower AHI result.

[chunkyfrog]

When self-titrating with my Autoset, I keep an eye on my CI as well as my AHI.
As long as the number is low, preferably much smaller than AHI, I can be pretty sure it's not giving me too much pressure.

[Kairosgrammy]

Sounds like it's unneeded unless you need a new cpap and then they will probably require a new study. If cpap is fine and you are fine, I'd spend the money some other way. On the other hand, don't be like me. My symptoms returned gradually and I just never attributed them to sleep apnea issues, probably cause there were so many other issues at the time. Didn't have a data capable machine either. By the time I was reevaluated I'd gone from having mild sleep apnea to severe sleep apnea.

It has been 5 years since my last sleep study.

I monitor my results every day.

ResMed S8 Autoset II running in CPAP mode at 9cm H2O

Using the ResScan Software my results are always <5 AHI

Typically AHI runs 4 -5.
Events 2 or 3 AI's per night

I feel fine. No sleep deprived symptoms.

Is it worth the time and cost going thru the whole sleep study procedure again?

My understanding is <5 AHI is normal sleep breathing.

What would you do?

[Papit]

When self-titrating with my Autoset, I keep an eye on my CI as well as my AHI.
As long as the number is low, preferably much smaller than AHI, I can be pretty sure it's not giving me too much pressure.

How often is it a good idea to do a new self-titration -- or are there certain specific health reasons or symptoms that prompt you do it ?
Also, could you walk us through the steps you use in doing a self-titration on your AutoSet?

[Wulfman...]

I am thinking I may try your suggestion and switch it to APAP mode and try something like:

min: 9
max 15

And let it go and see what kind of results I have in the morning.

The higher pressures don't seem to bother my sleeping. Maybe I will get a lower AHI result.

I'd recommend leaving it in CPAP mode and bumping it up 1 cm. at a time. The problem with the S8 Autoset is that it used the old A10 algorithm and would NOT attempt to treat apneas above 10 cm. ResMed designed that algorithm that way so as not to induce Central Apneas.......10 cm. seemed to be the cutoff point where they determined pressure-induced Centrals started occurring.


Den

[Stratman]

I'd recommend leaving it in CPAP mode and bumping it up 1 cm. at a time. The problem with the S8 Autoset is that it used the old A10 algorithm and would NOT attempt to treat apneas above 10 cm. ResMed designed that algorithm that way so as not to induce Central Apneas.......10 cm. seemed to be the cutoff point where they determined pressure-induced Centrals started occurring.


Den

Thanks for the info. I did not know that about the older S8 autoset unit. It would be nice to try and get a new S9 Autoset with the updated algorithm.

Central Apneas are what scare me. On my S8 when I look at the results on ResScan I have 2 or 3 Apnea's lasting 11 to 18 seconds each per night. They usually occur during the first hour when I am trying to fall asleep. I don't know if some of those might be Central Apneas???

With the S9 I could tell if they are CA's.

[chunkyfrog]

I leave it on auto all the time with a range a cm above and a couple cm below what my effective 95% numbers are.
If I have a large AHI trend, I bump up the top setting and watch it for a few nights.
Probably not too scientific, but it works for me.
Mostly, it varies between masks, so I allow for the difference.

[archangle]

It would be a good thing to have one. Your call as to whether it's worth the cost, effort, and aggravation. Plus, a lot of the sleep clinics and sleep doctors are really incompetent.

It would be great to get an S9 machine, since it records so much more data and can be used with SleepyHead.