getting my mother to try my CPAP

Hi All,

I've been using my CPAP for over 2 years now, so I am pretty well squared away. I started noticing apnea symptoms in my 10 year old so I purchased this O2 meter: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1 and tested everyone in my family. Sure enough, she had desats (one of them down to 83). I got her in for an apnea consult and the information I provided ended up being the clincher to getting her a sleep study. And she's got it

All this to say, I had begun to suspect that it ran in my family. My mom has insomniac symptoms and my aunt has asthma and is overweight. They both had significant desats on the O2 meter. I gave them their info but neither did anything with it. They both don't have a lot of money to spend on a sleep study, and neither seem inclined to try the cheaper at-home ones, so my thought was to let them try my machine. The questions are 1) is it possible to do with the machine that I have and 2) what settings do I need to put it on? I have a PR One (60 Series), RemStar Auto with A-Flex.

Also, any advice on how to get a parent to try one would be useful

Thank you

Yes, you could use your machine and get an idea if the machine is sensing anything it wants to fight.
I did this with my sister, her husband and my brother.

In terms of settings. I would start out with something modest just to see if the machine wants to increase the pressure and then worry about optimizing the settings based on their feelings about using the machine should it be needed.
I would start with something like 5 or 6 cm minimum and maybe 10 cm max. I suppose you could use more max but if the machine goes above the 10 it could cause some problems sleeping and right now the main idea is to see if the machine senses the need to increase (which would probably mean some level of OSA is going on). Then use the available software to see where the machine went to and how long it might have been up there.
Establish the need first and then worry about ideal pressures.

Also, any advice on how to get a parent to try one would be useful

I'll let you know when I figure it out

My Dad didn't use his until after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer that eventually spread to his lungs. That combined with emphysema from years of smoking made it pretty difficult for him to breathe, and the CPAP definitely came in handy then.

My Mom adamantly refuses to use one, says that the doctor told her her Apnea wasn't bad enough for a machine (I have my doubts that he said that - She's pretty stubborn) - but with sleep apnea and A-fib, I'd feel a lot better know that she has the mask at night.

Their reluctance for testing may be their way of telling you to leave them alone. Just like telling someone to quit smoking or lose weight.

Pugsy wrote:In terms of settings. I would start out with something modest just to see if the machine wants to increase the pressure and then worry about optimizing the settings based on their feelings about using the machine should it be needed.
I would start with something like 5 or 6 cm minimum and maybe 10 cm max.

OK that's pretty much where my settings are already but is there another setting to turn on so that it auto-titrates or does it already do that?

Pugsy wrote:I suppose you could use more max but if the machine goes above the 10 it could cause some problems sleeping

I'm glad you mentioned the max issue as I was just wondering what the harm would be to having it higher. You're a mind reader

SewTired wrote:Their reluctance for testing may be their way of telling you to leave them alone. Just like telling someone to quit smoking or lose weight.

Very possible but my mom tends to "not be interested" when things cost $$.

dbreweur wrote:

Also, any advice on how to get a parent to try one would be useful

I'll let you know when I figure it out

My Dad didn't use his until after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer that eventually spread to his lungs. That combined with emphysema from years of smoking made it pretty difficult for him to breathe, and the CPAP definitely came in handy then.

My Mom adamantly refuses to use one, says that the doctor told her her Apnea wasn't bad enough for a machine (I have my doubts that he said that - She's pretty stubborn) - but with sleep apnea and A-fib, I'd feel a lot better know that she has the mask at night.

I knew someone would say that My mom has some funny heart issues going on too. I just have to hope that if I do get her to try it, she has the best sleep ever and wants one of her own.

Thank you to all those who replied. I thought I wasn't getting any responses since I didn't get an email and only now remembered to log on.

elocin71 wrote: is there another setting to turn on so that it auto-titrates or does it already do that?

Auto mode with a minimum and maximum to include a range of pressures will enable the machine to auto titrate within whatever parameters (the range) you have set.

Pugsy wrote:Auto mode with a minimum and maximum to include a range of pressures will enable the machine to auto titrate within whatever parameters (the range) you have set.

Thank you!

You might try getting a low cost recording oximeter. Have your mom use it overnight and then check it in the morning. Desats from any apnea should show up. I used one that turned out to show that my Mom only had positional apnea. Adjusting how she slept was all she needed. But certainly the same method would work to determine if your mom is having apnea issues. Maybe seeing low oxygen levels will convince her?


https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Finger-Puls ... S+oximeter

SewTired wrote:You might try getting a low cost recording oximeter. Have your mom use it overnight and then check it in the morning. Desats from any apnea should show up. I used one that turned out to show that my Mom only had positional apnea. Adjusting how she slept was all she needed. But certainly the same method would work to determine if your mom is having apnea issues. Maybe seeing low oxygen levels will convince her?


https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Finger-Puls ... S+oximeter

Great minds think alike! This was the O2 meter that I got. Yours sure was cheaper!
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

As I stated in my original post, unfortunately she didn't do anything with the O2 desat info

elocin71 wrote:[

yours works better

I am currently fighting the same battle with my wife. She is going in for her third study tomorrow night. This time for a bipap titration.

Okie bipap wrote:I am currently fighting the same battle with my wife. She is going in for her third study tomorrow night. This time for a bipap titration.

Is she still not convinced after the first study? Pretty impressive that you've gotten her to do two already. I just offer d my mom he use of one of our machines so I hope she'll take me up on that, since it's free. Ill stop asking after that but at least she'll know the options available.