CPAPtalk.com

I'm 61 years old and back in 2009 I started waking up knowing I was not breathing. I ended up with a Resmed BIPAP Auto ASV Advanced machine because I have complex (mostly central) sleep apnea. I had a rocky 4 months or so getting used to sleeping with a mask. But its routine now and I don't think I would be alive now if I did not have this machine in my life. I've now logged over 15,500 sleep hours and wondering if the old weezer needs an overhaul.

I bought a business and its been a black hole for all my free time. But I've told many people to look y'all up for support. Hope most of you are still around and happy. I'm getting married this July 4th and it sure was a pleasant surprise to find out my fiance has her own machine! It gave us both a good laugh.

I had what my sleep doctor characterized as mild to moderate sleep apneaa (around 15 AHI/hour) on the basis of a home sleep study. I was miserable, irritable, and tired. So tired. I would wake up and want to go back to bed. But, with 2 kids and a job, that was never possible.

I've been on CPAP for 10 nights so far. I'm happy to say I feel amazing! I can't believe how awful I was until I started therapy. It's been night and day. I wake up in the morning and am ready to go. I used to repeatedly hit the snooze button, but have not hit the snooze button once since I started CPAP.

I have a Resmed A10 Autoset. I have a Dreamwear nasal cushion. I initially used the nasal pillows for 3 nights but had terrible pain and irritation. I switched to the nasal caushion and it's been great. It still doesn't feel natural wearing the Dreamwear mask and nasal cushion, but it's becoming more routine and certainly worth it.

I wish everyone the best of luck! From the limited time I've been on this forum, it seems like some people notice rapid improvement, and others take a while.

Sleep well

i had 68 stops per hour with some stops longer than one minute now i have almost one or two in six hours sometimes none

I fought tooth and nail to not have to use CPAP. But after much serious discussion with my pulmonologist I finally bit the bullet. So glad I did. I feel great, and the process wasn't all that difficult. It was strange to begin, and it took me a few days to fall asleep easily. But after the first night of wonderful sleep I felt like I'd had a deep body massage. I have the ResMed AirSense AutoSet 10, with the AirFit P10 mask. I have no issues so far. Sometimes the pillows need adjusting in the middle of the night, but other than that, just set it and forget it. I'd never go back to the days of waking up gasping to breathe, thinking I was suffocating. I have moderate OSA, at times paralyzing. Now I sleep like a baby. I never wake up, no longer toss and turn, feel ready to go in the morning.

I fall asleep and sleep better than I ever have.

Now I do have a BiPap full face but who cares
because this helps a lot. I've used for over
one year. Straps/head gear stretches is my
only complaint.

For a long time I was always tired and mentioned it a few times to Dr who did some blood work and asked if I was depressed and nothing really came of it so I didn't bring it up anymore. The only thing that was found was elevated liver enzymes that I had since I got out of military but no one looked into. I assumed that's why I was tired.

Fast forward years later and my Dr was promoted so I saw a PA. We didn't talk about sleep, or me being tired, or headaches or snoring or anything. In fact we mostly talked about hypertension and cholesterol. She told me she thought I had sleep apnea and that I shoild get a sleep study done. I was told that the veterans choice program was pretty much broke at the time and I would likely have to wait 6 to 8 months and drive an hour to have it done.

We never got into why she thought I had it but I said I would pass and waig until veterans choice got more funding because I didn't want go wait that long to be told I didn't have sleep apnea.

A couple weeks later I had an open biopsy done on my forearm ( I was selected for additional anesthesia screening because I had airway collapse during tonsillectomy). When I woke up from sedation someone from anesthesia team came over and said I had sleep apnea. I asked if they were sure and they said yes they were sure.

After that I went back go VA and said I would like a sleep study done. Luckily I was able to see a non VA provider and it only took a couple months.

I told Technician before test that I doubted I had sleep apnea but anesthesiologist said I did.

Results were severe sleep apnea.

During this time my exhaustion became unbearable. I called VA before I got sleep Study results because I was having a tough time. I literally started balling my eyes out during entire conversation of trying to get appointment. I couldn't help it and I never cry.

Exhaustion and brain fog kept getting worse then I finally got my APAP. Original settings were 4 to 20. The great advice here quickly had me increase minimum pressure to 6.

I was having great numbers and still exhausted. It only got slightly better then started getting worse again. So I googled and googled some more. I was trying to find a way to fast track feeling better which I can imagine everyone wants.

I found a thread on another forum that someone said they noticed almost immediate improvement when adding supplemental 02 to their CPAP. Which led me to see if I could qualify for it. My numbers were already at 2 ahi or better.

From what I read I learned I needed to have oxygen desaturation below 88% for minimum of 5 minutes ( i have now learned that even that isn't probably to harmful if it's only 5 minutes). I went online and bought an inexpensive recording pulse oximeter.

I was getting readings around 5 minutes under 88% when sleeping with daytime SP02 usually around 93%. I showed this to sleep center who ordered an overnight oximetry test. That showed. I was under 88% for 93 minutes and under 90% for around 5 hours out of 9 hours recording time.

I ended up convincing them to give me supplemental oxygen until I could have a titration study done. My brain fog and mental confusion and exhaustion went away pretty quickly after starting the oxygen and I was left with excessive sleepiness which was a big improvement.

I had my titration study and am now on CPAP setting of 10. No more supplemental oxygen. I'm still having some oxygenation issues some nights but not all nights.

As a result of the oxygenation issues and fatigue despite great numbers I was sent to pulmonologist and found out I have mild restrictive lung disease. My gas exchange and lungs themselves are good but my lung capacity is reduced and it looks like my tidal volume is low.

Overall I'm feeling much better. Brain still isn't working like it used too yet after 4 months but exhaustion is way better. Energy is to do things is back as well!

So what did I learn personally? Sometimes a little more min pressure where appropriate can make all the difference ( min pressure can help oxygenation). Don't ever give up and you can get some great advice.

I was just on vacation and had the energy to hike!

Going to keep it short.
Long time snorer. Kept ignoring it. Wife pushed... finally BP keep creeping up for no apparent reason, I had a sleep study and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. Since day one I've used my CPAP. I can't say that I've found myself a LOT more rested, but I am a bit more rested. I'm not sleepy during the day like I used to be. I do have more energy.. not crazy amounts more - but more. which is definitely cool. As annoying as the stupid hoses were I found that after about 2-3 nights I was fairly comfortable with my setup. I'm still refining it, and do get annoying at hoses around my pillow - but it's all manageable. It isn't like I have to completely change how I sleep to accommodate my nose pillows/hose.

Good luck to all of you out there that might be new to the world of hoses
It isn't that bad!!!

Hello!

I had no idea I had sleep apnea. I’m seeing a cardiologist and he suggested the home sleep test. It came back with mild to moderate. It took forever to get the assigned medical company to process the paperwork, insurance claim, etc. Finally, I was set up with a machine, nasal mask (I hated it from the first night), exchanged it for a mask to cover my mouth too (I didn’t realize I breathe through my mouth). I couldn’t deal with the welts the thing left on the bridge of my nose. A third visit for another mask and I think I have the one for me.

I’ve had my CPAP machine for 3 weeks tomorrow. I just signed up to be a member of this forum so I’m still figuring it out. I don’t have my machine in “my signature” yet. What I do have is a ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset for Her with ClimateLineAir hose; 1st mask = AirFit N20 nasal mask; 2nd mask = AirFit F20 full face mask (hated both). Now I have a Philips Respironics Amara View minimal contact full face mask. It’s not one of those plastic masks that covers your whole face but a mask that fits under your nose and covers your mouth. It’s not perfect but it works better than the other masks I tried and I don’t have red welts on the bridge of my nose. My nose was red all day long! It took 3 days for it to go away after I started with the new mask!

In the beginning, I felt like I was sufficating at the beginning of the night and drowning in air in the middle of the night. I called the medical supply place and talked with a nicve guy who suggested I watch a YouTube video on how to adjust the settings. What a difference it has made. I highly suggest everyone do this. I called my doctor and they said I had to deal with the damn thing for 30 nights before they would make any adjustments. How ridiculious! I turned up the start air flow, turned down the max, adjusted the ramp up time and increased the humidity. With the new mask and these adjustments, I am MUCH happier and can see that the adjusted machine settings is going to make me more compliant.

Luckily for me, I’m a back-sleeper so it wasn’t too difficult staying still at night and keeping the mask on. I do use one of those fabric eye pillows with the flax seeds in it to keep the hose up on the bed at night and to keep it from yanking the mask off my face.

I didn’t want to believe I needed a CPAP machine but so far I can tell it’s helping with the tiredness in the early evening. I’m glad I kept an open mind and kept trying to find the right solution for me. Now if I can just keep my husband from saying I look like I’m ready to fly an F16 or a cast member from Star Wars!