sleep apnea

Being a respiratory therapist seeing an oxygen saturation of 60 is very very low and probably needs more than CPAP to bring that up into a normal range.  A saturation of 87 will qualify a person for an oxygen prescription.  CPAP masks back in the day I was in it (25 years ago) they were terrible at best.  I`m sure the masks and machines have improved considerably. 

and....what should it be?

I did my test at home I have what they call severe sleep apnea. I use an apap (auto pap). worst part is my insurance didnt pay for the test. The machine has helped me a lot... still very tired... but it has helped in a lot of ways...mostly my blood pressure which until lately was unchecked even with medication, hasnt helped my diabetes ... orr my short term memory loss... but im hopefull, 

I had 2 tests 20 years ago they said I had apnea but I was clostrophobic and could not wear the mask. That was OK because it gave me a severe sore throat and that was in a heated test room, no heat upstairs in our farmhouse so they said I needed the surgery, lazered the back of my throat, cut out the little hangy thing, which by the way keeps the saliva from running down your windpipe ( guess how I know that?) and shortened my tounge so I'd have a better airway.  Slept great for a while then later about like before. Now I sleep mostly in a recliner and rest much better than in the Craftmatic bed. I know a lot of people with CPAP and they are happy. If I ever see the Dr that talked me into the very painful operation (much worse than a heart attack or broken back) I would probably deck him...Harvey 

In this area, 9 out of 10 people get them..--They were confused as to why I was sent in to do the test because of my size.--There were 6 others in there that night, ( they can process 10 at a time),---And the others just stared at me!!---I was about a quarter of their weight and size.---When 6 am came they let me go, (didn't sleep a wink!), said that I had a ruff  night and they would contact me with the findings.--Next day they called and told wife that I had a sever case of it,( this was Saturday morning ) and that Sunday night I needed to come back for another test this time using a mask.--Well that was  another night without sleep!
This Phillips thing don't work in a cold house! ---The sales people won't see whats wrong with it!--They only bitch because I am not using it during this winter.--I have been sick since the 4'th spinal surgery last fall. ( Nov. 1) and have been struggling to hang on.  They know that the thing is off because they don't get any radio signal from it when its not on me.--They know every time I get up during the night, and when the mask blows off, so It's no secret that the thing is not working right.---There are times when it runs up to 22 pounds.--it's auto-adjust and they have the control over it from their office in town.
I didn't get any more sleep with it than I do without it.--as far as tired, it didn't help that either.---IF the thing does help some people, then I am glad!--They just don't help me.
Last mri of lower spine don't look good either, so I have many problems that could explain the complicated health that I am dealing with!
Sorry for the long post! Respectfully : ac fleet

and the countdown begins, about 15 hours before my test starts! i wonder if they record farts?

I tried every mask available back in 2000 . I'm also claustripobic and tore them all off in my sleep every night. I had the surgery and it worked. No more apnea. Then I went from 350 lbs to 250 lbs and dropped almost all my pills. No more snoring ! I am diabetic and lost a couple toes
. I didn't take care of myself when younger and paid the price. I'm on dialysis because kidneys failed. I'm 67 and my wife a retired nurse she administers hemo-dialysis here at home. Guys change you diets I don't care how old you are ! Just don't eat so much ! I feel better than I have in years it's just that every 2 days i spend 3 hours on dialysis. Cuts down on getting shop work done. Can't get on a kidney list because of heart risks ! I thought I was going to be going forever when I was young. Dr told me my kidneys would fail. I hated it when he was right. I just didn't believe him !

Had my physical today, wife ratted me out about snoring, so I get the CPAP test :-( They are going to let me do mine at home with a monitoring system first...

After wearing scba for years I hope I won't have many problems adapting to a cpap if the doctors, suppliers, and medi don't care ever get their acts together; supposed to see a pulmonary specialist first of next month to get a unit set up.

tooks the test. was supposed to start at 7:30 PM at our local hospital. sat in the waiting room til 9:00 PM. moved on up to the test room, there they had me fill out 5 more pages of paperwork. got wired up, layed on the hardest bed I had ever been on, could have just as well laid on the floor. I was tired when I arrived at the hospital, by the time I was all wired up, I was wide awake! PffffT! started the test with an oxygen canula in my nose. breathed thru my nose until the tester came back in at midnight to change stuff. I always thought a person had to have an open mouth in order to snore? being awake for that 1-1/2 hours and breathing thru my nose, the tester said I snored real heavy! the tester then put a mask onto my nose, i'm not claustrophobic, but i sure was with that mask on and told her to get rid of it!. she then put on a mask that covered my mouth and nose. she wanted me to shave off my beard and moustache so she could get a good seal. told her I wasn't going to do that, and she said o-k, she'd try it that way. got a good seal, and I did sleep about 4-1/2 hours, then about 5:30 she shut the air off and I came outta that bed like a wildcat trying to get air! ripped the mask off and was sucking in air like it was something new! the tester came in and started removing wires, (and hair) and asking me questions about the test and what I thought. I was WAY to nice to tell her what I thought. looking at the machines and wire harnesses, they really looked old. she asked me if I would use that last mask if I needed to, and I said maybe something newer. I couldn't walk out of the room, my back hurt so bad. still does, and I've taken my pain meds, waiting for that to settle down. right now I think that if I need a cpap, i'll do without or do another test in the big city with better equipment. the tester also told me when she in-wired me that my breathing wasn't very good. whew...    

Get another test done in a professional place!!----Mine was done with the latest equipment, so you need that to get an honest evaluation!----The masks don't bite,---they just nasty to wear!! thanks; ac fleet

I my mind's eye, I can just see shameless sleepin.  Somethin like this:

Shameless, find a testing lab that knows what they are doing and get retested then get a mask that you can adapt to. There are several new ones on the market that are more comfortable. Most everyone I have talked with that have one say they would not be without it because they feel so much better now. 

oh...one other thing...apparently we can all have sleep apnea while awake too. as every time we hold our breath for something that will be an "apnea". like when we get up from the table, we hold our breath for a second. or when we roll over in bed or on the couch we hold our breath for a second, even stepping up on our tractors we hold our breath for a second...this is the same thing that they mark in our sleep apnea test. a roll over in bed, a stretch, a pull the covers up or push them down....

I have it, I got use to the CPAP and now can't sleep without it.   My dentist says he can make a mouth piece that does the same thing. I think if it works it would be handy for when I travel just haven't pulled the trigger on trying it.