Effectiveness of CPAP?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
SimSportPlyr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:13 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by SimSportPlyr » Sat Oct 13, 2012 4:26 pm

Xney wrote:You definitely want to get copies of your sleep studies.
Xney, absolutely!

Thx.

SimSportPlyr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:13 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by SimSportPlyr » Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:46 am

There have been a lot of glitches over the past couple weeks (my MDs Rx [from sleep study #2] languished for a long time on someone's desk at the Med Equip Co; Med Equip Co sent me an SD chip with the wrong settings), but I now (finally!) have had two nights when I've slept at least 2-3 hrs at home hooked up to cpap. Progress!

I have a question for the community: I've been keeping the cpap machine on the floor beside my bed, although that leaves me with rather little loose tubing to use when I move around and roll over.

I'm reluctant to place the cpap machine on a bed-level table, because I'm afraid it will end up crashing onto the floor.

Where do you folks locate the machine?

Thanks for any tips.

User avatar
Bon Bon
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:03 am

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by Bon Bon » Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:34 am

SimSportPlyr wrote:There have been a lot of glitches over the past couple weeks (my MDs Rx [from sleep study #2] languished for a long time on someone's desk at the Med Equip Co; Med Equip Co sent me an SD chip with the wrong settings), but I now (finally!) have had two nights when I've slept at least 2-3 hrs at home hooked up to cpap. Progress!

I have a question for the community: I've been keeping the cpap machine on the floor beside my bed, although that leaves me with rather little loose tubing to use when I move around and roll over.

I'm reluctant to place the cpap machine on a bed-level table, because I'm afraid it will end up crashing onto the floor.

Where do you folks locate the machine?

Thanks for any tips.
I have mine on the nightstand next to my side of the bed. It's blocked in on one side by the headboard, one side by the wall and the other sides by an alarm clock, lamp, etc. Otherwise I'd also be concerned about it falling off. I've read on here where some members keep theirs in a nightstand drawer, carefully protecting the hose from damage of course.

Have you seen this? https://www.cpap.com/productpage/cpap-b ... older.html

Good luck!

SimSportPlyr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:13 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by SimSportPlyr » Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:51 am

Bon bon, no, I was unaware of cpap bedside holders, but thanks very much for the link because that looks like a wonderful solution!

User avatar
2 B Sleeping Soundly
Posts: 822
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 2:24 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by 2 B Sleeping Soundly » Fri Oct 26, 2012 11:44 am

SimSportPlyr wrote:I have a question for the community: I've been keeping the cpap machine on the floor beside my bed, although that leaves me with rather little loose tubing to use when I move around and roll over.

I'm reluctant to place the cpap machine on a bed-level table, because I'm afraid it will end up crashing onto the floor.

Where do you folks locate the machine?

Thanks for any tips.
Just like Bon Bon, I keep mine on a nightstand next to the bed. I have added a couple of pieces of exercise mat material, cut slightly bigger than the PAP machine/humidifier to do a little sound insulating and also to keep the PAP machine/humidifier from sliding off (it stays put like it is glued to the nightstand ). One thing to try is to get more tubing length is to get a small extension hose to add onto the end of your 6 ft heated hose to make it a little longer. Here's a 24" hose that I use to make the 6 ft hoses from my DME 8 ft (they wont send me 8 ft hoses...<sigh>) https://www.cpap.com/productpage/24-inc ... -ends.html and the connector I use to join the two hoses together to make a 8ft hose https://www.cpap.com/productpage/univer ... ector.html. With the added 2 ft I find I can move around all I want and never have to worry about pulling the machine/humidifier off of the nightstand again (a story for another day ).

Hope you continue to improve and get the success that you want in your therapy!

John

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: EasyLife Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: 11-09-11 Start PAP therapy. Current settings: APAP 13cmH2O - 17cmH2O / Ramp, off / A-Flex, off / Respironics Premium Chin Strap / Sleepyhead Software
One time a cop pulled me over for running a stop sign. He said, "Didn't you see the stop sign?" I said, "Yeah, but I don't believe everything I read." -- Steven Wright

User avatar
Julie
Posts: 19898
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:58 pm

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by Julie » Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:17 pm

You should do a forum search for a Hose Buddy - it's a thin 'stand' (similar to that used for IV bags) that hold the hose up and away - they just about all swivel of course - so you don't have to worry about pulling the machine down, but you can also rig an attachment to your headboard (or a wall hook, etc.) for the hose so it goes up and over your head (wouldn't need to be that long) and achieves the same purpose.

SimSportPlyr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:13 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by SimSportPlyr » Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:18 pm

Hose Buddy sounds very useful! Yet another accessory I was unaware of.

Thanks for the suggestion.

User avatar
jen4700
Posts: 410
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:16 pm
Location: New Mexico, USA

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by jen4700 » Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:45 pm

SimSportPlyr wrote:Here's an update.

I called my CPAP supplier today and explained that I'm having difficulty getting comfortable with the machine.

The person I spoke with happens to be the boss of the tech who set me up with the machine.

He suggested that I try meditation; that the shortness of breath could be due to panic or anxiety related to the mask, even though I don't feel panic or anxiety.

He also suggested that I turn off C-Flex.

He said that I am prescribed for a set pressure, and that he can't authorize me to change the pressure setting.

He also said that the compliance rate of his patients is 80%.
He's full of it. I very much doubt that with an attitude like that he has an 80% compliance rate. I think Pugsy has sent you info about how to adjust your pressure. Take control of your therapy.

I think you're asking all the right questions and - with time - you will find a therapy that is effective for you and you WILL feel better. Hang in there!

_________________
Mask: SleepWeaver Elan™ Soft Cloth Nasal CPAP Mask - Starter Kit
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: CPAP start date 4/20/12. BiLevel 12/8. SleepyHead for Mac. http://sourceforge.net/projects/sleepyhead/

User avatar
deerhound
Posts: 386
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:15 am
Location: Corrales, NM

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by deerhound » Fri Oct 26, 2012 1:35 pm

I just had a new baseline sleep test done last night. No CPAP machine. Only the 2nd time in 4 years I have slept without my machine and the 1st time in a bed, not a recliner. I don't have the other results yet , but the Tech said I had an AHI of 155.7. That is 156 events an hour. I kept waking up not breathing and I could feel my heart racing. Not much sleep. When I am using my BiPap machine, my AHI is always below 2, and normally below 1. Going from 156 events an hour to less than 1 is very effective treatment. I wouldn't dream of not using my machine except in very exceptional circumstances. Good luck and follow Pugsy's suggestions, she knows a lot.

Dale

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Home made ceiling mounted hose hanger, Backup machine: AirCurve 10 VAuto. settings EPAP 8 IPAP max 20
AHI:
Untreated 156
Treated 1.1

SimSportPlyr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:13 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA

Re: Effectiveness of CPAP?

Post by SimSportPlyr » Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:05 pm

Following up on my earlier comments about initially feeling a 'lack of oxygen'.

Both during my 2nd sleep lab and for the two nights I have since used cpap, I have not had the 'lack of oxygen' feeling. There are two 'before' and 'after' differences: i. I have stopped using the humidifier; and i. I have switched to a different Mirage FX masks (from a 'loaner' to a 'non loaner'). So, apparently, either the humidification was causing the 'lack of oxygen' feeling or there was something do to with the loaner Mirage FX mask.

Regarding the pressure level, both during the 2nd sleep study and now at night I was using a pressure of 5 CM H20. Previously, it was set to 'auto 6' (that is, the machine would adjust upward from 6 CM H20, if it detected apnea). So, apparently, the lack of oxygen was not due to a too-low pressure in my case.

'2 B Sleeping Soundly', thanks for your comments and suggestions. I'm learning a lot from you folks!