Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
emreee93
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Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:34 pm

Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by emreee93 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:23 pm

Hello everyone,

My name is Emre, I am 24 years old student from The Netherlands. I have been chronic fatigue for over a year now and since 6 months it has been more extreme. I already did a lot of tests, here in the Netherlands healthcare is free as long as you are referred to by a physician. Had 2 sleep studies beceuse I have dry mouth and wake up in the night girlfriend noticed my breathing. one sleep study showed a rdi of 5,5 with almost all hypoapneas with a mean of 30 sec longest was 45. Doctors are clear in that I DO NOT have apnea. But they can not find anything else I I am just diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and hyperventilation syndrome .

I want to self treat with an APAP I just bought today.

It is a fisher and paykel icon + with a ffm and a nose mask

My questions:

1. How should I set the pressure ?
2. Which mask should I use I have no idea I tend to sleep with my mouth open.
3. This APAP also detects flow limitations and responds to this as I think I might have this.
4. Any other tips ?

I look forward to you answers and do not mind my English!

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Julie
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by Julie » Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:48 pm

You don't have apnea. Cpap treats apnea. What are you treating? This is nonsense!

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Bertha deBlues
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by Bertha deBlues » Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:53 pm

CPAP may not help. Have you received treatment for the chronic fatigue syndrome? You need to ask your doctors what else can be done. Best of luck to you.
And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. - Paul McCartney

emreee93
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by emreee93 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:11 pm

Julie wrote:You don't have apnea. Cpap treats apnea. What are you treating? This is nonsense!
Why is it nonsense my ahi was 4,5. I just want to try it, If it doesn’t work I will know immediately and sell the APAP. I am trying everything on my path.

emreee93
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:34 pm

Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by emreee93 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:13 pm

Bertha deBlues wrote:CPAP may not help. Have you received treatment for the chronic fatigue syndrome? You need to ask your doctors what else can be done. Best of luck to you.
Yes I am going to an ortho molecular doctor next week. And beginning next month I am going 3 times a week to a center for chronic fatigue syndrome where they help you with a multi disciplinary team. In the meanwhile I want to try the cpap if it doesn’t work I will sell it .
Last edited by emreee93 on Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Bertha deBlues
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by Bertha deBlues » Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:18 pm

Post your question here to see if someone there can help: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum- ... oard-Forum

You can get a clinician's manual, which will tell you how to adjust the settings here: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... P-Pressure. Someone more knowledgeable than I can help you decide what pressures to start with.
And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. - Paul McCartney

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Bertha deBlues
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by Bertha deBlues » Fri Nov 10, 2017 2:21 pm

emreee93 wrote:
Bertha deBlues wrote:CPAP may not help. Have you received treatment for the chronic fatigue syndrome? You need to ask your doctors what else can be done. Best of luck to you.
Yes I am going to an ortho molecular doctor next week. And beginning next month I am going 3 times a week to a center for chronic fatigue syndrome where they help you with a multi disciplinary team. In the meanwhile I want to try the cpap if it doesn’t work I will sell it .
Understood. I am glad to hear it.
And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make. - Paul McCartney

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ChicagoGranny
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by ChicagoGranny » Fri Nov 10, 2017 3:16 pm

emreee93 wrote:It is a fisher and paykel icon
There are three models of Icon (Auto/Novo/Premo) with different capabilities. Which model do you have? Please fill out your equipment profile - https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info
emreee93 wrote:1. How should I set the pressure ?
I would set it at minimum 7 cm and maximum 20 cm. (The algorithm will not take the pressure any higher than needed.)
emreee93 wrote:2. Which mask should I use I have no idea I tend to sleep with my mouth open.
The FFM is made for people who mouthbreathe or leak air through the mouth. With a nasal interface, when the mouth leaks, the CPAP therapeutic pressure is not maintained in the airway.

Welcome!

emreee93
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2017 3:34 pm

Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by emreee93 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 3:28 pm

ChicagoGranny wrote:
emreee93 wrote:It is a fisher and paykel icon
There are three models of Icon (Auto/Novo/Premo) with different capabilities. Which model do you have? Please fill out your equipment profile - https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info
emreee93 wrote:1. How should I set the pressure ?
I would set it at minimum 7 cm and maximum 20 cm. (The algorithm will not take the pressure any higher than needed.)
emreee93 wrote:2. Which mask should I use I have no idea I tend to sleep with my mouth open.
The FFM is made for people who mouthbreathe or leak air through the mouth. With a nasal interface, when the mouth leaks, the CPAP therapeutic pressure is not maintained in the airway.

Welcome!
Thank you I have just added my machine. It is an auto I will set the pressure like you said. I don’t know about the mask I read that nose masks are more effective in treatment

Soothest Sleep
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by Soothest Sleep » Fri Nov 10, 2017 3:56 pm

Dry mouth indicates open-mouthed breathing. Nose masks may not be effective for those who breathe with mouth open because the pressurized air escapes the airway, rendering inefficient therapy. A full face mask is an option in that case.
O soft embalmer of the still midnight,
Shutting, with careful fingers and benign,
Our gloom-pleas'd eyes, embower'd from the light,
Enshaded in forgetfulness divine
-- John Keats

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ChicagoGranny
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Re: Self treating with APAP, any advice is welcome !

Post by ChicagoGranny » Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:27 pm

emreee93 wrote:I don’t know about the mask I read that nose masks are more effective in treatment
That's some misleading thought that gets passed around here. What people are thinking about is the truth that breathing through your nose exclusively during sleep is healthier than breathing partially or fully through your mouth. Now, for those of us who sometimes breathe through our mouth during sleep, we must find a way to keep the mouth shut, or we must use a FFM. As far as a nasal interface being more effective than a FFM, if you can't keep your mouth shut, a nasal interface may be very ineffective.

A properly operating CPAP system can deliver highly effective treatment with a FFM. We have many people here using FFMs and achieving an AHI of 1.0 or less.
emreee93 wrote:Thank you I have just added my machine. It is an auto
That is a good machine.

As far as self-titrating, the use of Sleepyhead software is highly recommended. Most of the regulars here use it to optimize and analyze their CPAP therapy. See - https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead .