Newbie needs advice- titration study?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Txracer
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Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by Txracer » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:59 pm

I recently had a sleep study done and found out I have OSA and need a cpap. The catch is my doctor says I need a titration study before she can write a prescription. Since my sleep study was completed I have lost my health insurance coverage due to cost.

Any advice? I'm tempted to buy an auto cpap on Craigslist as I am exhausted all the time and need to try and fix this.

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kteague
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Re: Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by kteague » Thu Jan 19, 2017 2:43 am

Getting a user machine sounds like a workable solution for your situation. Be very careful about what you are getting and make sure it collects the data you need to self titrate. There are a few trusted forum members who often have or find good deals. Maybe one will chime in if they have something. There's always a chance that machine may not in the end be sufficient, but the odds are good it will suffice. If not you can always resale it. You'll find plenty of help and direction on here to get you going in the right direction.

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Pugsy
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Re: Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by Pugsy » Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:35 am

People can usually self titrate fairly easily as long as they don't have some sort of complicating factor (like a lot of centrals during the diagnostic sleep study).
Get a copy of that sleep study you had and if it's plain jane vanilla OSA you can find a good data providing cpap/apap machine and with the help of available software you can zero in on optimal pressure settings fairly easily.
Kaiser has been doing just that instead of doing titration sleep studies. It's becoming more and more common for insurance companies to opt for using the machine to sort out the pressures and save the in lab titration studies for the cases that aren't run of the mill.

So you can do it but you really need to know the machine models and which model would do what you want and need.
Craigslist can be a mine field unless you really know the machines and the seller knows theirs (which often they don't).
There are ways to get the machine you need without RX though.
We have a forum member grayghost4 who has some (both new and used). He's a stand up guy and can be trusted to deliver.

Stick with targeting either the ResMed or Respironics brand and learn the model names and numbers that will do what you need in terms of data gathering. You are going to want the data....because you want to make sure the therapy is working.

How much money can you comfortably spend on a machine and don't forget the mask...it requires RX also but again we have ways of getting around that.

In terms of mask...which kind to start with.....do you have chronic nasal congestion that forces you to breathe through your mouth or is your nose clear most of the time so that you don't do much mouth breathing?

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Txracer
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:47 pm

Re: Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by Txracer » Thu Jan 19, 2017 4:08 pm

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to get a machine from a forum member here.

I do have chronic nasal congestion so I was planning on getting a full face mask for sure. Any favorites? I'm a side sleeper. Should I get some different masks to see what works the best?

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jtravel
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Re: Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by jtravel » Thu Jan 19, 2017 5:10 pm

My advise is Talk to your DR and ask him to prescribe you the Apap machine with 4-20 settings. Also get a Copy of the sleep study for your records and read it.
Mine recommended A Cpap titration study and Apap or the Apap set to 5-20
DR recommended Titration and insurance rejected it and recommended Apap. Slowed the whole process down and wasted my time and money.
My DR had no clue about Apap so I suggest you read up and then explain it to your DR. I had to do that and then he signed the Form from Cpap.com for me.
You can get a perscription form from our Host Cpap.com and have the DR sign it. This will be good for ever and allow you to Buy masks and Machines from Cpap.com or other DMA and online stores.
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-faq/Prescriptions.html
You can also buy machines from Craigs list and fourm members without a prescription.
Amazon.com has several options for machines and masks without a Prescription so that is another option.
As others have recommended you want to get a machine that collects data and can be used with the free sleepyhead software to fine tune your treatment on your own.

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Pugsy
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Re: Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by Pugsy » Thu Jan 19, 2017 5:56 pm

The only full face mask I have ever really had any success with is the Respironics Amara View. I think it's a good starting point for a newbie.
If you are contacting grayghost4....check with him as he might have one available.

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jtravel
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Re: Newbie needs advice- titration study?

Post by jtravel » Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:55 pm

Getting the Right mask that works for you is the hardest part of the whole treatment is what I have found in my experience.
I stared with the PR dream ware nasal mask and had mostly good results. It however caused pain at the point right under my nose after extended use.
I then purchased the PR wisp nasal mask and started using that most of the time. The pain under my nose went away but with extended use it became uncomfortable in other areas around my nose.
I found myself switching between the two masks as the situation demanded.
I then tried a couple full face masks but found they caused my face to sweat a lot. I now only use the full face if my nose is plugged.
I then purchased a F & P Pilairo nasal prong mask. at first it caused soreness inside my nose. I purchased a jar of now Industries 100% pure Lanolin and used it on my sore spots until the mask no longer caused sore spots. Really liked this mask and I found my self using it and the Wisp most of the time.
I also purchased a Resmed P10 Nasal pillow mask right before Christmas and have been using it off and on. I find this mask leaks much more than my others during my sleep if should turn the wrong way.
It also seems harder to breath with it compared to my other masks. I believe that is due to the diffused exhaust ports on the mask compared to my others.
many people love the P10 and that is the main reason I decided to try it.
Like i said finding a mask that works for you and you like will be the hardest part of treatment.
Without a full sleep study with titration I would also caution you on buying out of pocket a new top of the line Apap machine as it may turn out it does not work for you.
Some people find in the end that they need more expensive bi-paps or ASV machines and end up wasting money on Cpap/Apap.

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