Cees (CPAPs, sat levels while walking, talking, and exercising on a treadmill)

[Guest guest]

Cees -

When I was finally tested for sleep apnea they had me do two home tests first

(one with my 2 liters of oxygen, one without it). THEN they had me spend two

different nights in the overnight sleep laboratory (one without a cpap or

supplemental oxygen, and one where they tested several cpap setups). It all

took about a month before I got a prescription for a CPAP. When I went to the

equipment supplier's to get fitted, they provided all kinds of masks for me to

try and told me that I may spend another month just finding what worked best for

me. The machine they recommended had a humidifier with it and the technician

that was working with me recommended a setting for Utah as this is a dry state

most of the year (I am originally from Minnesota which has a significantly

higher humidity rate during summer months). Since I have had my CPAP I sleep

through the night most nights and I have had several vivid dreams (which I quit

having sometime when I was in my 20-30s). I am so much better rested, I

absolutely love my machine and take it whenever I travel back to the midwest,

though I do not use the humidifier back there during the summer. I even slap it

on when I take short naps during the day. I wish it came with a portable

battery pack because I would prefer it to my straight O2 and it takes my sat

level up to 96-98 at night (I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea... I stop

breathing 35-40 times in an 8 hour period for periods that approach a minute and

a half). My daughter has remarked that I am not as fatigued and my coloring is

so much better. Cees, hang in there... I think you really need to know where

you are on the quality of sleep. Talk it over with your doctor and see what can

be done.

When walking at a relatively normal pace I need 3-4 liters of oxygen if going

further than 100 yards. If I talk, I need it immediately. I can sit or stand

still and my sats stay around 94-96. Yes, my doctor only checked while I was

seated. After I got my oximeter and saw what was happening I took my doctor on a

short jaunt in the office (just around the island of examination rooms, once)

and showed her how quickly it dropped to 82-84. She couldn't believe it!! I

think it was an eye-opener for her. I am a pretty " body aware " person and for

the 3 years I was without oxygen or PF medical support I developed some pretty

common sense (and since then, proven) practices. The breathing, the pacing and

the breaking up of tasks. I use 4-6 liters on the treadmill (2 percent incline,

a 2.7-3.0 pace and no talking). My normal pace of walking is around a 2.0... it

is when I step up the pace to 2.5 or higher I start needing more oxygen.

I have found that I have altered my speech pattern to accommodate talking and

breathing. I don't talk as much as I used to (I was a regular " chatty Cathy " ),

I listen better and I have fewer arguments with my husband (LOL... one of the

side affects that he seems to appreciate). I measure my speech with thought

prior to opening my mouth now. My husband says he likes it :-D

Hasn't slowed down my fingers yet (sorry this is so long).

Stefani 61 year old Utahn

ILD 2/2006, NSIP (fibrotic) 10/2009, Diabetes II 2/2006, Sleep Apnea 4/2009