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C-pap

The VA gave me my sleep study, and sure enough, a few minutes in, they came in and tried to fit me with a C-PAP.
It triggered an immediate reaction which I can only describe as what I would imagine would be a reaction to being waterboarded.
I had no control over my airway, and it triggered a fight or flight reaction.

I would love it if I could find a C-PAP that had enough sophistication that it could detect my normal inhale-exhale cycle and just add a little bit of gentle assistance. The unit they tried on me felt like a vacuum cleaner.

I wish I could sit down with you as a consultant to navigate through the choices.

It sounds as though your pressure settings were too high. It's difficult at first because your mouth has to be closed in order for the CPAP to work. 'CPAP' stands for 'continuous positive airway pressure'. The pressure settings are actually a prescription that's determined by the sleep lab when the sleep study is done. The pressure should only be high enough to keep your airway open. You may have just needed a pressure setting adjustment. You could also try 'nasal pillows', they're less claustrophobic. But I've known many patients that only use a full face mask. I'll put the images here to see the differences. Finding the right mask for you is going to help with compliance of using it. Your respiratory company will help you try several types to see what fits best.

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I was manager of a district office for a national home respiratory company. I guess I could say with all probability that I know more about CPAP and Oxygen home therapy than most. I assume you've already had your sleep study.

Short story, my husband went for a sleep study back in 2004, his oxygen levels desaturated down to 40% during an apnea episode (stop breathing). When someone sleeps on their back, their tongue falls back obstructing the airway. That's why people don't usually snore while on their side.

During his sleep study, my husband had so many episodes in one hour that they stopped the sleep study and hooked him up to CPAP. He received his CPAP at home with a visit from a respiratory therapist. She set it up with the appropriate pressure settings. These settings are ordered by a physician. The first week or so, I would hear the CPAP mask flying through the air and hitting the bedroom wall. To put this another way, it takes a few days to adjust to the mask.

The secret to adherence with using a CPAP is choosing the right mask for yourself. They're small, usually only covering the nose. Some prefer nasal 'pillows' which is less intrusive but it has two soft prongs, they fit into each nostril. My husband didn't like it so he uses a small nasal mask.

Here's the benefit. You won't doze off frequently during the day because you're always tired because you never reach REM sleep when you have obstructive apnea. Once you settle down and get used to the CPAP even if you start with just a couple of hours each night, you'll be sleeping soundly and getting that REM sleep people need to feel rested.

Once you're comfortable with it, you will never want to sleep without it again. One more thing. It happens that some people 'die in their sleep' and I'm convinced that these people may have had obstructive sleep apnea which caused oxygen depletion which may have created a coronary event. Just my opinion. The big bonus is that you will never snore again so the wife gets a better night sleep too.

Good luck.

eta: one more thing I forgot to mention. There is no oxygen running through CPAP it's nothing more than ambient room air. Of course in more serious medical conditions, oxygen can be bled into the CPAP but that's not the norm.[/QUOTE]

I was thinking of purchasing a CPAP with a cleaner stand and an oxygen concentrator for my father since he is renting his, any advice on things to check his prescription for? or is it just comfort of mask and allow him to adjust the unit to the settings he needs?
 
was thinking of purchasing a CPAP with a cleaner stand and an oxygen concentrator for my father since he is renting his, any advice on things to check his prescription for? or is it just comfort of mask and allow him to adjust the unit to the settings he needs?

It's nearly impossible for someone to adjust the pressure settings on a CPAP. Those machines are made that way so people can't fool with their pressure settings. The company that set up his CPAP originally has those pressure settings. It's an actual doctor's prescription. One thing about buying an oxygen concentrator, usually, if a patient is on Medicare, it's covered for a monthly rental by Medicare for 36 months, and included in that rental are supplies like tubing and nasal cannula plus service by the respiratory company for an additional 24 months after it reaches the purchase price. Those machines need regular maintenance and if you outright own one, that service wouldn't be covered any longer and if it has a mechanical failure you're pretty much out the $1000 to $2500 and would have to purchase or rent another. When it's on a monthly rental schedule it's serviced regularly. Those have to be titrated to make sure they're putting out at least 88% oxygen. Filters have to be changed, etc. So, I wouldn't recommend purchasing the unit outright.
 
I’ve been told that I need to use a C-PAP rig when sleeping. Anyone using this equipment and has it made an improvement in your life?

I’ve been using one for 5 years, and it’s been great for my sleep quality. For years and years I don’t remember ever dreaming, but once I started using a CPAP I dream pretty regularly. The hardest part is getting used to sleeping with the mask on your face. That will take a couple of weeks.
 
It's nearly impossible for someone to adjust the pressure settings on a CPAP. Those machines are made that way so people can't fool with their pressure settings. The company that set up his CPAP originally has those pressure settings. It's an actual doctor's prescription. One thing about buying an oxygen concentrator, usually, if a patient is on Medicare, it's covered for a monthly rental by Medicare for 36 months, and included in that rental are supplies like tubing and nasal cannula plus service by the respiratory company for an additional 24 months after it reaches the purchase price. Those machines need regular maintenance and if you outright own one, that service wouldn't be covered any longer and if it has a mechanical failure you're pretty much out the $1000 to $2500 and would have to purchase or rent another. When it's on a monthly rental schedule it's serviced regularly. Those have to be titrated to make sure they're putting out at least 88% oxygen. Filters have to be changed, etc. So, I wouldn't recommend purchasing the unit outright.

Mine is made by Phillips and the pressure settings are fairly simple to change. Just have to get into the maintenance menu. My pulmonologist recommended I increase the pressure a couple of times.
 
Mine is made by Phillips and the pressure settings are fairly simple to change. Just have to get into the maintenance menu. My pulmonologist recommended I increase the pressure a couple of times.

If it's comfortable for you then go for it. If your setting is at 10, I'd try 14 max. I think (not sure) the pressure can go up as high as 22 or so but that would be very extreme.
 
If it's comfortable for you then go for it. If your setting is at 10, I'd try 14 max. I think (not sure) the pressure can go up as high as 22 or so but that would be very extreme.

Mine started at 10, went to 11, then 12 and back to 11. That seems to be a comfortable number for me.
 
I’ve been told that I need to use a C-PAP rig when sleeping. Anyone using this equipment and has it made an improvement in your life?
Yup. Diagnosed 12 years ago.
Saved my life!
 
For what it's worth both my sister and my Dad have been given a CPap machine. They both hate it. My Dad says he gets less sleep because he's always messing with the piece that goes into his nose or mouth or whatever. He also says that the strap that goes around his head makes the back of his head sore and he has to sleep on his back which he has never done. He got the updated one about a year and a half ago and tried it again. He hated it. My sister says it's a pain in the butt.
 
For what it's worth both my sister and my Dad have been given a CPap machine. They both hate it. My Dad says he gets less sleep because he's always messing with the piece that goes into his nose or mouth or whatever. He also says that the strap that goes around his head makes the back of his head sore and he has to sleep on his back which he has never done. He got the updated one about a year and a half ago and tried it again. He hated it. My sister says it's a pain in the butt.

I never tried the nasal cannula, I’ve mostly used the full face mask because I tend to breathe through my mouth a lot. When I first started I was a side sleeper which worked out fine with my mask because I rarely shifted positions. I did see a new one recently where the air hose plugs into the top of the mask instead of the bottom. Looks like it would work better for side sleepers or people who change positions during the night.
 
For what it's worth both my sister and my Dad have been given a CPap machine. They both hate it. My Dad says he gets less sleep because he's always messing with the piece that goes into his nose or mouth or whatever. He also says that the strap that goes around his head makes the back of his head sore and he has to sleep on his back which he has never done. He got the updated one about a year and a half ago and tried it again. He hated it. My sister says it's a pain in the butt.

If they let their respiratory company know, they will come out to fit for better 'interfaces' and they'll possibly find one that suits them better. That's the primary reason for non-compliance with CPAP - ill-fitting headgear or mask.
 
I never tried the nasal cannula, I’ve mostly used the full face mask because I tend to breathe through my mouth a lot. When I first started I was a side sleeper which worked out fine with my mask because I rarely shifted positions. I did see a new one recently where the air hose plugs into the top of the mask instead of the bottom. Looks like it would work better for side sleepers or people who change positions during the night.

Moon, You would learn really quickly that you can't open your mouth wearing a nasal mask. But you won't even want to. Unconsciously, your mouth opens to breathe. But with the machine you won't have that instinct. My husband was started with a full face mask right from the sleep study, and he hated it. He tried the nasal pillows and didn't like it, although my brother has used a nasal pillow mask for years and is accustomed to it. He ended up with a Fisher & Paykel with headgear like this one. He's been using the same brand and model for years now. It's soft and comfortable and he can roll over and sleep on his side. One thing I forgot to mention. Over many years of snoring, most men have learned (or poked by their wives) to roll over because they snore while sleeping on their backs. My husband was rather surprised to wake up one morning after starting CPAP, sleeping on his back the entire night.

For people that wear a full face mask or even a nasal mask, there are pillows designed especially for side-sleeping masks that are large. They sell those in most stores with respiratory supplies or you can buy that on Amazon.

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Update: I picked my machine and instructions on Thursday. The distributor was located in a medical strip mall. Weird vibe in the place while waiting for my appointment. Anyhow, got my instruction and the unit and headed home and set it up that night. Big Brother! The unit has a WiFi modem on it and reports my compliance/usage to the insurance company. For the insurance to pay the bill, I must demonstrate that I use the unit a minimum of four hours per day.
The next morning, after about an hour, there was a chart of what happened while I was asleep available online. I came of age when rotary phones and transistor radios were cutting edge..........
 
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