Sleep Study Results

Ha ha.. So yeah I have the interpretation from the neurologist on Arianna's sleep study but the pulmonologist that reads them and than calls us...is out of town till next week. So I get this new diagnosis and can't really tell you much of what that means as far as treatment. But I can explain it to you a little.

Arianna has Central Sleep Apnea, which is a disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. She had 19 central sleep apnea events during her study. Central sleep apnea occurs because your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.This is less common than Obstructive Sleep Apnea, which most people hear about. But that's our girl...always has to be a little different thanks to that missing piece of chromosome.

So the typical treatments from what I've read is using a device to assist breathing such as CPAP or supplemental oxygen.

They also noted she had increased end tidal CO2 levels. Which basically is the measurement of how much carbon dioxide she breathes out. I'm honestly not sure if CPAP would help that or not. Again..we have to wait and see what the doctor says.

The notes mentioned she had 19 accounts of respiratory effort related arousals (RERA). Often times it is hard to differentiate between RERA and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). For people with OSA, breathing stops on a number of occasions during the course of an hour due to a partial or complete obstruction of the sufferer's airway. People with RERA labor to breathe due to RESISTANCE and hence this disease is also known as upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS).

The nurse called to tell me about the possibility of an upper airway resistance so we started Arianna on Flonase tonight, which is a steroidal nasal spray.

She did have 3 events where she was significantly under breathing.

So the conclusion was noted that she has decreased sleep efficiency with decreased REM sleep as well as increased awakenings and arousals at night. Plus, significant elevations of end tidal CO2.

So we finally have some answers...now we just wait for the direction on how to help her. I wont lie..it's been a little difficult last night and tonight putting her to sleep and not worry about her breathing. Several times in her life I have gone up to her and she was NOT breathing and I freaked out!! I literally thought she died in her sleep. I yell and shake her and she wakes up looking at me like, "WHAT THE HECK MOM!" But at least now I know why this has happened.

Thank you God for always watching over her and protecting her...now I specifically pray for this protection while she sleeps.