Husband needs help badly

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
scarlett6
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Husband needs help badly

Post by scarlett6 » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:47 am

My husband has had a C Pap machine for about 2 years or so. Initially, the old one was set too high causing extremely dry nasal passages and throat, as well as constant sneezing all day. A new doctor started him on a new machine and reduced the settings from 13 to 6, I believe. While the problems above are no longer issues, now there are other issues surfacing. I do not know if these are related to the machine, sleep apnea or other causes.

He is falling asleep in a chair in the very early evening every day, sometimes even in the afternoons, despite getting a good night's sleep the night before.He would sleep throughout the entire evening, if I did not awaken him. Always a high energy person with a good attitude (cannot wait to get to work), he is suddenly very apathetic towards the job he has always loved as well as our home.He has absolutely zero energy. Last year, he developed sudden hypertension and a-fibrillation. A-fib was corrected by electric cardioversion (shocking the heart back to normal rhythm.) Most recently, he was diagnosed as Pre Diabetic.

After I complained to the treating cardiologist, an MRI of the brain revealed some signs of normal aging. An Ultrasound of both carotids revealed normal blood flow. My concern here is wondering if he could possibly be suffering from hypoxia as a result of the lowered setting on the machine.

At his age, I feel reasonably sure most doctors would lean toward suspecting early dementia or Alzheimers, but the symptoms do not fit. Also, it seems strange that all of the above problems seemed to surface in such close proximity to one other.

If anyone has any information or ideas that might be of help, I would be most appreciative of it.

Thank you,
scarlett6

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kaiasgram
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by kaiasgram » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:50 am

Sure sounds suspicious for untreated or undertreated apnea Scarlett, and that would be a radical drop from 13 down to 6 cm pressure. First question: What machine is he on -- exact make and model. We want to find out if you can get data from the machine about his apnea numbers. Exact make and model and we'll help identify it if you need help.

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kteague
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by kteague » Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:12 am

I agree with Kaiasgram. Was his pressure lowered based on data and was there follow-up monitoring? I sure don't want to think a doctor would cut someone's pressure in half without knowing it was effective. Making sure his treatment is actually therapeutic is the first step. Do you have copies or are able to get copies of any sleep study reports he has had? There may be clues in them. Hopefully he can get the treatment he needs without too much compromise in comfort. I have had to resign myself to living with the dry mouth at night. Not pleasant at all. But dry sinuses - had that when I was traveling without a humidifier and it was excruciatingly painful. Felt like the air going up my nose was razor blades. Did your hubby's first machine have a humidifier and if so were there adjustments to the settings to see if it might help? Hopefully with some data and appropriate adjustments he can experience improvement of his daytime symptoms.

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LSAT
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by LSAT » Wed Nov 26, 2014 6:26 am

You said your husband had a CPAP machine for 2 years. Was he using it on a regular basis during that time? Do you know why he was given a new machine when the doctor could have just lowered the pressure on his old one? It might be a good idea to have an O2 overnight test.

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70sSanO
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by 70sSanO » Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:16 am

Unless you are familiar with CPAP machines, a lot of this talk about data may not mean much to you. That was the way I had been for 10 years on an old CPAP machine... plug it in, put on the mask, turn it on, clean it and go along dumb fat and hopefully happy.

I discovered a few years ago that there is a totally new world of CPAP machines and if your husband's machine is 2 years old, hopefully you can get some answers in the form of sleep data. These machines have SD cards that can be removed and read on a computer.

The sleep data will give you all sorts of information on how many apnea events, type, duration, leak, flow, etc. There is software available that will lay all this data out in tables or graphs and there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site who can decipher those numbers. Auto PAP machines have gotten to the point where a person can do a mini titration and make adjustments based on real data.

I think the first thing you need to do is to let everyone know what type of machine your husband is using... make and model. If it is data capable, you then need to download the software and see what is really happening. There are more xPAP machine options than just straight CPAP, but you need data to see what is really happening throughout the night.

Falling asleep in the afternoon on CPAP is not a good thing and as already mentioned, it appears to be a sign that the therapy type/settings are not working.

John
AHI: 2.5
Central: 1.7
Obstructive: 0.3
Hypopnea: 0.5
Pressure: 6.0-8.0cm on back with cervical collar.
Compliance: 15 Years

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RicaLynn
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by RicaLynn » Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:25 am

I'll again agree with kaiasgram and kteague, it sounds like his therapy could be a LOT more effective. First things first, let's find out what we can learn from his machine: look on the bottom and find the model or REF#, update that information in your profile. If you don't have it already in your possession, request a DETAILED copy of his sleep study as well as the CPAP prescription from the doctor. Once you have those things, we can help you learn to decipher them. Help is on the way!

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scarlett6
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by scarlett6 » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:11 am

OK, I will place this in my profile. REF# is 1091398.

I did fail to mention something that may or may not be significant. I have tried to tell his pulmonary doctor that there is something wrong with his breathing. If he were to be asleep and I listen, I think he is underbreathing and I can count his respirations by listening with no problem. I have asthma,yet my breathing is quiet and undetectable, so I think there is some problem there.

I will call the physician's office and attempt to get the data you asked for, prescription, etc...

Thank you,

scarlett6

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palerider
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by palerider » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:16 am

scarlett6 wrote:OK, I will place this in my profile. REF# is 1091398.
we need the ref number that's on the bottom of the blower unit (take the water tank out first).

the number you posted is the ref number of the power supply. (which narrows it down to some prs160 model...)

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Pugsy
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by Pugsy » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:24 am

That Ref # seems to point to a power source product for Respironics machine.
Check out RobySue's post here to help figure out which machine it is. If it is only 2 years old I would suspect a Respironics PR System One machine of some model.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=72302&p=665165#p665165

Turn the blower over and look for a little sticker with 3 digit model number on it. May have DS, REF or P in front or behind the 3 digits. On that same sticker is also an 8 digit number which may begin with 2012 or 2011 which is part of the date of manufacture code.

Tell us that 3 digit model number and then we will know exactly which machine he has.

If the machine is NOT a Respironics machine and is instead a Resmed machine...the model name is clearly stated on the top of the blower up by the on/off button.
Respironics model names aren't so easy to figure out just from what they put on the top of the machine so that's why we use model numbers with Respironics machines.

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palerider
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by palerider » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:39 am

Pugsy wrote:That Ref # seems to point to a power source product for Respironics machine.
Check out RobySue's post here to help figure out which machine it is. If it is only 2 years old I would suspect a Respironics PR System One machine of some model.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=72302&p=665165#p665165

Turn the blower over and look for a little sticker with 3 digit model number on it. May have DS, REF or P in front or behind the 3 digits. On that same sticker is also an 8 digit number which may begin with 2012 or 2011 which is part of the date of manufacture code.
see, Julie, she duplicates my posts too

<3 pugsy

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Pugsy
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by Pugsy » Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:49 am

palerider wrote:see, Julie, she duplicates my posts too
Yeah...I saw that you had posted while I was composing my note but since I spent so much time composing I didn't want to waste it.
Plus I wanted to bring RobySue's post back into viewing to maybe help others and I added a little bit more detail.
Probably overkill, as we both know I tend to do, but that's just me.
Your post wasn't there when I started composing but I did see it when I clicked submit but in this situation elected to go ahead and post what I had composed because I had worked so hard on it.

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palerider
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by palerider » Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:21 am

Pugsy wrote:
palerider wrote:see, Julie, she duplicates my posts too
Yeah...I saw that you had posted while I was composing my note but since I spent so much time composing I didn't want to waste it.
Plus I wanted to bring RobySue's post back into viewing to maybe help others and I added a little bit more detail.
Probably overkill, as we both know I tend to do, but that's just me.
Your post wasn't there when I started composing but I did see it when I clicked submit but in this situation elected to go ahead and post what I had composed because I had worked so hard on it.
I don't mind, my posts are usually terse and to the point, and yours have a lot more explanation around them... plus, like I've said before, I think multiple people saying much the same thing helps reinforce the point to someone new who might not know what to think yet

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scarlett6
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by scarlett6 » Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:44 am

Trouble trying to post in profile...

Remstar Pro C-Flex+
System One Heated Humidifier
Nasal Mask is F&P Eson CE0123
Software (called manufacturer, they say it should be: Encore Anywhere. This is not on the drop down list, so it won't let me post in profile.)
S/N P08937148 7CCF

I think I also failed to post his sudden onset of hypertension when pneumonia developed..

scarlett6

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Pugsy
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by Pugsy » Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:53 am

Don't worry about the software that choice in the profile menu is useless now..it used to be useful but not anymore.

Sounds like the machine is either a 450 or 460 model..
SleepyHead software will work just fine with it....see the information links in my signature line.
Get it installed and use the SD card from his machine to evaluate therapy.
First starting point is to see how bad or good of a job that pressure of 6 is doing.

If you want us to see what you are seeing you will have to do screen shots and this thread explains how to post them.
Screen shot thread viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81072&p=737779#p737779

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scarlett6
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Re: Husband needs help badly

Post by scarlett6 » Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:19 pm

Still cannot get equipment to register properly in Profile.
I again called the manufacturer.

Model
Remstar Pro DOM 460P
REF460P
IP22
S/N:P08937148 7CCF

Humidifier, from bottom of unit:
System One Htd Humid, DOM
REF:DS6HFLG
IP22
System One Heated Humidifier (according to instructional booklet)

Mask
F&P Eson nasal mask (has headgear)
CE0123

I contacted the technician who works with his sleep doctor and arranged an appointment for him Monday. She said she could not determine anything until she checks the readings. I am a very novice Mac user. So sorry for the trouble and numerous postings, but I think this is everything... I will try various combinations of the listed equipment. I also wonder whether varying oxygen levels at night could be determined by her reading this chip or if this is something that has to be done during a sleep study.

scarlett6

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