Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
deedees5462
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Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by deedees5462 » Sun Mar 19, 2017 8:54 pm

Hi, I was just wondering who else has to use supplemental oxygen along with their cpap/vpap machine and does it help. I have had 4 sleep studies and I always need oxygen along with machine. My dr ordered the vpap adapt sv and oxygen concentrator which feeds into my hose at 3 liters.

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Goofproof
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by Goofproof » Sun Mar 19, 2017 9:27 pm

If you dr has ordered it, it can't hurt, I've been using it for years. Downside it eats electric. Jim
Use data to optimize your xPAP treatment!

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire

Woody
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by Woody » Mon Mar 20, 2017 3:58 am

When I was perscribed cpap 10 years ago I was also started on 2L of
oxygen at night with my cpap. And just like some of us have a backup
cpap I have a backup oxygen concentrator doesn't everybody ?

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dkcs

Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by dkcs » Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:37 am

deedees5462 wrote:Hi, I was just wondering who else has to use supplemental oxygen along with their cpap/vpap machine and does it help. I have had 4 sleep studies and I always need oxygen along with machine. My dr ordered the vpap adapt sv and oxygen concentrator which feeds into my hose at 3 liters.
I'm on 2L at night and it does make a difference for me. Check with your local power company and see if they offer a discount for a lifesaving device which the oxygen concentrator is considered to be, this will help a little bit with the extra cost of running the concentrator.

deedees5462
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by deedees5462 » Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:27 am

No I do not have a backup O2 concentrator. Or do you mean backup o2 as in a tank of o2??
I do get a have a plan with electric company for those with medical life support which does make a big difference. I really wish I could afford a generator for backup power. Of course, So. California does not lose power very often.

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Patrick A
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by Patrick A » Mon Mar 20, 2017 1:23 pm

Well, I have no posted for some time. On the 3rd. of February I went to the local hospital for an out patient, Echocardiogram. I was having trouble breathing they had a nurse put an IV in my hand so they could inject a dye of some kind for contrast. When she was done I was still short of breath. She would not let me leave and took me to the ER. Anyway, they admitted me to the hospital. I was there for 10 days. They sent me home with an Oxygen tank set @2 Lpm. They also delivered a concentrator set @2 Lpm. I use a Respironics M series BiPap. And I now have a Respironics Everflow Concentrator. I ordered a Respironics Simply Go Portable Oxygen Concentrator and spare battery I got an e-mail that it's out on the truck for delivery today.

Woody
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by Woody » Mon Mar 20, 2017 5:36 pm

No Deedees I have two concentrators . I bought one on crag's list and found another
one at a yard sale for $25 because that little dial to set the O2 flow rate had broken
but that only cost me $40.

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cpapwife (as guest )

Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by cpapwife (as guest ) » Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:10 pm

Hi, my husband uses an o2 concentrator with his cpap.

He is a notorious hypoapnea breather - just lying down to be quite can drop his O2 saturation (yes we bought our own to test, just cause it seemed like a good idea). He was diagnosed with sleep apnea, waking up 91 times an hour, with things getting worse maybe during REM but not clearly figured out.

The software on our machine (philips resprionics system one, in the process of getting a new one currently) showed treated (8-11 range, hangs out at 9/10 most of the night), getting from below 1 up to 2 AHIs a night, that most of his events are hypoapnea.

While testing o2 saturation, he drops below 90 regularly each night for a while (if I remember right it is a longer period of a couple of hours where he goes lower - though up and down in the actual number).

We talked to our sleep Dr about this and were told:
1) We should all be pretty high whether awake or asleep, standing or sitting, etc. Numbers above 95 are good but people without problems are typically higher than that (like 97 - again this is off the top of my head).
Note: Hubby will do 95 or 97 when sitting up awake, but drops big time just laying down and relaxing.

2) Insurance covers O2 concentrates when the person is below 88 for more than 4 minutes (again off the top of my head so I might be off a little on the # of minutes, but pretty short period of time). That is over a night and I think they add them all up and you don't have to be continually under 88 for 4 full minutes.
Note: I was not happy about that number, 90 vs 95 felt pretty big to me, 88 was even lower.

Our o2 tester was not valid to submit for report, we had to get one from the Dr (simple one that squeezes your finger, nothing special). The first night while dropping below 90 as usual, he didn't drop below 88. We asked for another night, got it actually over a weekend (picked it up Fri), and ran it for two nights. Both showed under 88 and they accepted the information. Note, we ran ours on the other hand just to compare the two.

We got approved for an o2 concentrator but took a quick look on craigslist and found a lightly used (300 hours or so) Invocare Solo2 for $300 and figured that would be cheaper than our copay with insurance and took it (we liked that it was a smaller machine also).

Hubby used it with 2 liters per minute (what Dr prescribed) and big difference. It raised his O2 stat levels about 3 points on average and he never dropped below 90 the entire night (hit 90 but not below). While I would love 95, having it be 95 most of the night and above 90 the rest of the night made me happier.
The machine goes up to 3 liters per minute. So he uses it at that level. I don't remember clearly if we checked o2 at 3 lpm but fuzzily I think we did (it would have been like me to do that) and I don't think there was a big difference. Hubby doesn't report feeling different at 2 vs 3 liters. But he also reported not feeling different when a bad sleep Dr did a study and put him on a cpap of 8 and his AHIs jumped high (as well as his O2 saturation dropped low).

I am not on this forum often (just when I need to research something new), but feel free to PM. Though I realized I was not getting PMs and had an old email listed, when I updated this my account got deactivated. Hopefully that will get fixed soon and I can get and send PMs again.

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Goofproof
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by Goofproof » Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:51 pm

Sounds like you need to get the Sleepyhead software up and running, soinds like his XPAP treatment must not be working correctly . un less he has a breathing problem too. I'd make sure the XPAP treatment is correct first. A nasal mask and leaking the air out of the mouth can make treatment very poor or none. Jim
Use data to optimize your xPAP treatment!

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire

cpapwife (as guest as I am currently unactivated after changing my email address)

Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by cpapwife (as guest as I am currently unactivated after changing my email address) » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:24 am

goofproof - it is just hypoapnea (under breathing), no other lung problems at all - fully checked out in a locked glass chamber.
We all don't fit the same mold - unfortunately as fixing issues would be so much simpler that way.

Others have reported the same thing, after the AHIs are greatly reduced, they still do better with some O2.

If we really wanted to spend a lot of money digging into it, (multiple specialized sleep studies trying to figure it out), it is likely REM related (noted in a sleep study as a possible cause of breathing issues), but I would not expect anything else to be done other than O2 prescribed so no point spending the money.

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Goofproof
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by Goofproof » Thu Nov 09, 2017 3:46 pm

You are correct we all have different problems that appear to point to the same thing. I do have shallow breathing, but the main problem leads to the heart.

With XPAP my O2 dropped below 90 quite a bit, normal max for me was 92, the dr put me on XPAP with O2 to help for 4 years, It did not help still 92, so he stopped the O2 for 3 years, still 92. After 3 years without added O2, he started it again at 92, now after all this time I am still on it mixed with XPAP. my O2 levels have risen to 95 in the daytime, still using O2 with XPAP at night.

I have found no my heartbeat BPM drops at rest to 35 BPM, I haven't passed out from it. I have a de=fib + pacemaker that wouldn't pace me for 11 years, just had it changed out for a dual chamber unit, too early to know if it corrected the slow BPM, at least it never made things worse, for me that's a win win. In my case using O2 isn't a game changer, but I am sure using it isn't hurting anything but me electric bill. Best of luck to your Hubby! Jim
Use data to optimize your xPAP treatment!

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire

CpapWife
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Re: Who else is using cpap/vpap and also O2?

Post by CpapWife » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:37 pm

Jim, sorry to hear about that. Dratted stuff that happens to us when we get older - don't you wish we could just stay young physically forever? lol.

My husband has great stats when he is awake sitting up - 97 at last Drs visit, never below 95. It is only when he lies down and starts to really relax (that almost drowsy place or just before that ) that his Apnea starts (mostly hypo events) and his O2 drops. For years before being diagnosed with sleep apnea he would often nap/sleep in a recliner as he felt he breathed better there. Probably something with physical structure aggravated when he truly relaxes (lying down fully alert and awake doesn't cause the problem, just when he really relaxed deeply).

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