AHI what does it mean when it drops?

[iterry]

I've had my mask for 7 months now and the AHI on the machine has stayed between 3.5 and about 5 until the last few weeks. Now it has dropped to between 1 and 1.5. Does this mean something or this common to have it fluctuate.

[Tigers Fan]

It means your are having fewer events and presumably, therefore (naturally, gentlemen - to quote an old lecturer in full) better sleep.

It's a good thing to have a lower AHI.

TF

[iterry]

Thanks for your help

So since I'm having fewer events does this mean then that I should ask for another sleep study to see if I even need this thing anymore? Or is this something that is just a natural outcome of wearing the mask for a long period of time. IT

[James @ Intus]

Sleep apnoea does not get less over time just from wearing the CPAP. Not directly, anyway.

Indirectly, you may find that since CPAP has been giving you better sleep, you have had less car craving, and you have have been eating better. You may have had more energy and may have exercised more. Those two combined may have led you to loose some weight, which will drop the AHI.

The only way to know whether you still need CPAP is indeed another sleep study without CPAP.

[Tigers Fan]

What James said and also - your AHI on CPAP may be low (the desired objective) but that does not mean that you AHI without CPAP is also low. Without CPAP, your AHI will be back where it was or maybe a bit lower if you have lost the weight, de dah.

TF

[ElleCee]

But there again losing weight doesn't mean a lower AHI either.
I have lost 8 stone and had hoped to be cpap free but that is not the case for me.
Not everyone has it because they are overweight.
Which also leads me to think that having OSA can lead to obesity rather than it only being the cause.
Having OSA means you are tired, therefore doing less strenuous activities, it all becomes too difficult when all you want to do is sleep.
Now that can set people thinking
Lorraine

[Tigers Fan]

A matter of degree!
"Lose weight and your AHI will drop" is very different from "Lose weight and you will become CPAP free".

Obeisity may cause OSA. OSA will probably cause obeisity. Thin people can have OSA. Fat people wil probably have OSA. OSA can occur completely independently of a person's weight. OSA can be hereditary - run in families. Life style and over-eating can run in families and may cause OSA.

TF

[James @ Intus]

Yep, all very true. No guarantees in any of it, unfortunately.

Your AHI can even drop from the weather, from flight socks (apparently), from sleeping on your side etc.

[iterry]

Okay - well thanks everybody for your help. I see the doc in a few weeks and maybe at that time they'll have a little more insight into it. It

[ChrissieH]

Sleep apnoea does not get less over time just from wearing the CPAP. Not directly, anyway.

Indirectly, you may find that since CPAP has been giving you better sleep, you have had less car craving, and you have have been eating better. You may have had more energy and may have exercised more. Those two combined may have led you to loose some weight, which will drop the AHI.

The only way to know whether you still need CPAP is indeed another sleep study without CPAP.

I can't say that I crave carbs, but we/all the family seem to rather eat a sandwich than a salad. I was hoping to have lost lots of weight since being on cpap but that hasnt happened yet.

My AHI is down to 0.3 almost every night though, which is a good thing.