Obstructive Sleep Apnea

[Gigi4647]

Has anyone had experience with obstructive sleep apnea?
I have had 3 sleep studies. First study showed Restless Leg Syndrome. Second Sleep Study showed Apnea.
Third Study determined a 15/17 Bipap level was required to obtain breathing without apnea. 15/17 power was so great mask would be blown off face at night. Physician ordered a 15/11 bipap level as the lowest possible for help. Breakthrough apnea still occurs though not as great as before. Is this still dangerous (stroke/heart attack at night)?
I also find myself waking up several times at night. I am currently on a high dose of Mirapex to keep unwanted movement at night. Problems are stilll occuring. Does anyone have any experience with something similar to this and if so have you been able to get help with this. I do not know where to turn at this time. I am being followed by my Family Physician, ENT, Neurologist, and Pulmonologist.

[KatEyes]

I have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Restless Leg Syndrome, and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder. My pressure needs aren't as high as yours, but I've read a lot on a board called cpaptalk giving helpful hints for getting masks to work at higher pressures. You say you are having breakthrough apneas. Is that based on symptoms or is your machine data capable? Data capable machines can report the number of hypopneas and apneas and the length of time in apnea. Count and duration make a difference in how concerned you should be. Also, using a recording oxygen monitor for a few nights could determine if your residual events are causing significant drops in oxygen. You would need all this information to say for sure you are not at increased risk.

About the Mirapex for your legs... what is your "high" dose and how long have you been on it? This type of med is known to lose effectiveness over time. When increasing the dose, there is a point of diminishing returns, where it's still not effective and side effects prohibit further increase. At higher doses, there is increased risk of addictive behaviors and an actual increase in movements (augmenetation). I was on this med for about 5 years, and thought my disorder was progressing but turned out to be the exaggerated movements were caused by the med. My doc wanted to cut the dose in half, but I was afraid to since it already wasn't working. Odd, but by lowering the dose I got a few more months of effective treatment and decent sleep. Just FYI, please NEVER go off this med abruptly. I made that mistake and caused myself some trouble. Wean off slowly, even if transitioning to another med.

Having both these issues is a double whammy. My cpap treatment is effective but my limb movement issues are only marginallt so. But getting the cpap treatment to where it is therapeutic really gave me so much of my life back, giving me the strength to deal with the limb movement issues. I hope you find effective treatment for both.