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Can a CPAP machine treat central apneas?
Sleep Health | Last Active: Jul 9, 2023 | Replies (30)Comment receiving replies
Hi @gramps, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I use a CPAP to treat my obstructive sleep apnea but have not really looked into central sleep apnea. I do believe I've read that a CPAP is also used for treating central sleep apnea. There is another discussion on Connect that you can meet other members discussing central sleep apnea -- Central sleep apnea. Cause?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/central-sleep-apnea-cause/
@peetiepie @tiss @thankful and @mstara may be able to share what they are using for treating central sleep apnea. You may be interested in reading the following article I found on the Mayo Clinic News Network.
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Understanding central sleep apnea: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-understanding-central-sleep-apnea/
My AHI has been around 4 or lower on a regular basis but I've had several episodes every once in awhile where it shoots up to 5 to 8 for a period of 3 or 4 days. How are the central apneas identified, everything other than the ones listed obstructive?
Replies to "Hi @gramps, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I use a CPAP to treat my obstructive sleep..."
Not sure what you mean by "how are they identified". They show up in the data from the CPAP machine.
Thanks for the links. They say that CPAP may not be effective in treating central apneas. I hope that's not the case with mine. To go through adjusting to CPAP, only to find out that it doesn't work for me....
The sleep doctor doesn't believe in explaining why the CPAP should help with the centrals. Basically he told me to either work with the technician or leave. If that doesn't help he'll tell me what else to do.
As he's the only sleep doctor available from my insurance I don't have much of a choice right now. The way I see it, he's going to see how high he can raise the pressure before concluding that the CPAP doesn't do the job. Which can take weeks or more.
I'm not even sure he has anything else i(besides CPAP) in his tool box. But he still thinks he's G-d....
Sorry for venting all this. It's just bloody frustrating....😣
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@gramps- I am not real familiar with central sleep apneas, but I've been told by my sleep specialist that he wants to keep mine below 4. He has me on a pressure of 11 and that seems to keep me well below 4's, but recently had a 4.9 which was totally uncharacteristic for me? I seem to have issues more often with the mask leak sad face and the last time I was in to see my specialist he said he is not real concerned about that, but rather the AHI's. Since mine is often 1.5- 2.5 he said no problems here.
I could understand if your Dr. would want to 1st try increasing the pressure as a 1st step to see if your apnea's decrease.
Makes sense to me. Hopefully that will bring you back to those restful sleeps you were having before. Happy Zzzz's.....
Jim @thankful