my first night with my Provent trial pack

[Mary Z]

NateS, the Provent is not a mask so you do not have the danger of breathing exhaled air. Once you exhale with a Provent the exhalation air is gone. If you can deal with the restricted inflow of air breathing through the nose while awake there is no reason to breathe through the mouth. I believe they say that because people believing they have to start out breathing through their nose while awake find the sensation uncomfortable and quit the therapy. I think it's great that someone trying it is willing to give us feedback. If you plan on using it long term of course you would want data on whether it works to reduce your apneas sufficiently. For those occasions where a CPAP is not convenient or feasible- camping, on an airplane, short power outage it would certainly be handy to have around. Just as a MAD would be handy under those circumstances. I'm amazed at the people giving it a thumbs down unless someone is using it as their primary therapy without a sleep test. I think the next time I see my doctor I will ask for a prescription for emergencies. Hurricane season is coming and I don't have a generator.

[avi123]

I got a 10-night trial to hopefully avoid bringing my travel machine with me on short trips and for those times when we lose power up here in the woods. I was impressed - think I got a good night of therapy (of course I can't get any numbers from them). What was hard for me was starting out breathing through my mouth as they tell you do in the instructions - I am not a mouth breather so this was the hardest part and it was an adjustment to the feeling once I was breathing through my nose - you do get a strange sensation so I know it is doing something pressure-wise. I'm going to do a few more nights before I make my final judgment. If I feel pretty good in the morning I will be more than happy to use these for occasional travel of 1 or 2 overnights. It will not be replacing my machine since I do have a fondness for my pretty Resmed S9 . Longer travel I will bring along my old reliable Resmed S8.

Comments,

To get your numbers you could use a ZEO.

The Provent device is nothing more than a simple PEEP creator (PEEP = Positive End Exhalation Pressure).
For years, Anesthesiologists and Respiration Therapists, have been using this technique on certain patients
in the operating rooms and in surgical intensive care units.

See here how PEEP works:

http://www.ccmtutorials.com/rs/mv/page14.htm

I could create a PEEP in a regular mask while CPAPing by plugging SOME of the intentional vent holes, or using a ventless mask and installing a PEEP valve at the inlet to the mask. The valve creates 2 to 3 cm of exhaling pressure above athmospheric pressure. It is adjustable.

[NateS]

…I'm amazed at the people giving it a thumbs down unless someone is using it as their primary therapy without a sleep test.…

Mary, I hope you don't consider me as among that group. I am asking questions which come to mind about this therapy. I did the same thing when I was resisting xpap therapy. By raising objections to xpap therapy, I eventually became persuaded that I was wrong to resist it, and that my objections were unfounded. That's the mental process many of us are going through in these discussions about Provent therapy.

Regards, Nate

[chunkyfrog]

For me, what is uncomfortable awake will be equally so while asleep--if I can get there/stay there.
As a reflexive mouth-opener, I am quite certain this would not work for me--ever!
I wonder how many others sleep agape and do not know it
(or would not believe it--even when told.
Just something to think about . . .

[NightMonkey]

I could create a PEEP in a regular mask while CPAPing by plugging SOME of the intentional vent holes, or using a ventless mask and installing a PEEP valve at the inlet to the mask.

That would be very dangerous due to the possibility of CO2 buildup in the dead space of the mask caused by an insufficient method of flushing. It is described in Nate's post ->

"Explanation of warning: Ventilation systems are intended to be used with special masks with exhalation ports to
allow a continuous flow of air out of the mask. When the ventilation system is turned on and functioning properly,
new air from the ventilation system flushes the exhaled air out through the exhalation ports. However, when the
ventilation system is not operating, enough fresh air will not be provided through the mask, and exhaled air may
be rebreathed. Rebreathing of exhaled air for longer than several minutes can in some circumstances lead to
suffocation. This warning applies to most models of ventilation systems.

Nate

avi, You might want to delete that section of your post lest some unknowing individual try to experiment with the idea and off himself.