Going without medical advisory

Hi everyone!

I found the forum when looking for CPAP information at the internet. I would like to tell my history first, so you can understand better my case.

I started suffering with depression when I was 16. After going through a lot of med's, I finally found a treatment that helped me to recover some of myself and at least allowed me to move on.

Around my 24th's, I started to have problems with sleeping, not to fall asleep (I'm ready to sleep anytime of the day), but to avoid sleeping and to do the things a normal person would have energy to do (to sum up, I was almost always tired and with a lot of trouble to wake up in the morning). So, my med agreed to prescribe a sleep exam to me.

I went then for my first polysomnography, the result showed no apnea, but a lot of involuntary movement of my legs. The time passed, and without much to do regarding the legs problem, I moved on, but the lack of energy and weariness persisted. In the last year I did another polysomnography, but the result was totally diferent this time. It indicated a severe apnea, with more than 200 awakenings on the night, and a very high AHI, no leg's movement. So, I was elected to use a CPAP.

I rented a machine to see how it would work for me, but I didn't persisted and put it away. By now, I'm living on a small city and there isn't any specialized center related to the problem. I want to do something, I know that the problem is not only the weariness, but the many other important health problems coming with the obstructive apnea. I would ask you if it's possible to buy a CPAP/APAP and adjust the parameters on my own, without a direct medical advisory. And, if so, what machine would be more suitable for me? (I already have the mask, which I choose after trying some models at a medical center where I first rented the CPAP). I also would like a machine that could gave me information to undestand better the problem, with index, graphs, etc (once I consulted a manufacturer which told me that information would be only available to my doctor, is that true? I can't have full access to the information generated by a CPAP?)

I apologize by taking your time, any advisory would be great. Also apologize for any mistakes on gramar, since english is not my native language. Thanks in advance.

Hi marceltcm,
Yes, there are APAP machines that you can purchase to manage your sleep apnea.
Do you have a prescription for a CPAP or APAP from your last polysomnography? It would make buying a machine a lot easier. Suppliers require a prescription.
If you don't have a prescription it makes it harder.
Where are you located?
The machine that is highly recommended is the Resmed Airsense S10 Autoset. Make sure it is an Autoset. The older S9 Autoset is also good.
You can then download the free Sleepyhead software to look at data that your machine is collecting while you sleep.

Don't apologize for asking for advice - that's what the forum is about. We're all patients helping each other.

Hi!
Thank you so much for the answers!
So, I have a prescription of the time I first rented the CPAP, I have also the polysomnography. I think that wouldn't be difficult to acquire a equipment at the place I rented the first machine, I saw some offers on the internet too.
I'm from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and by the polysomnography was indicated a CPAP, but I don't know if they differ a APAP from a CPAP. By what I read so far, APAP is a better option, just a little more expensive, right? The models you mentioned (S9 and S10) are APAPs?

Also, Julie and Mogy, worth the question: the CPAP made great difference in your life? I saw some cases of success at other topic, but I would like to know about yours, how are you doing? Thanks a lot for the support

A couple of questions:
1) What brand of machine did you rent in the past?

2) What happened that led you to discontinuing treatment?

3) Do you still have the polysomnogram report? Did the sleep center try you out on a CPAP as part of the study? If so, what pressure(s) were mentioned in the report?

4) Does the prescription specify a cpap machine with a single pressure or is it more general so that a variable pressure machine would also be covered? Your local supplier where you got the original machine will be able to answer this question.

CPAP machines come in different varieties, some are:
Single pressure CPAP
Single variable pressure CPAP
Bi-Level pressure CPAP
B-Level variable pressure CPAP

The variable pressure CPAPs are referred to as APAP or auto-CPAP machines.
In your circumstances, it it likely that one of the APAPs would be better because they will record sufficient data to enable you to manage your own treatment. Some of the single pressure machine do this as well but some only record hours of use and that will be of no use to you at all. What you get will depend to a great extent on what the polysomnogram says about the nature of the apneas reported, especially if the sleep center did try you on a cpap as part of the study.

Hi Marcel, of course I think Cpap is good - or would not be still using it after many years. I actually use Apap (auto) but have also used plain Cpap. It can change your life!

Hi marceltcm,
To answer some of your questions:
"By what I read so far, APAP is a better option, just a little more expensive, right? The models you mentioned (S9 and S10) are APAPs?"
Resmed makes 3 versions of the S10.
Airsense S10 CPAP. -Don't get this one. It is a CPAP without data.
Airsense S10 Elite. This one is a CPAP with data. Much better.
Then there is the Airsense S10 Autoset. This one is the APAP with data and is more expensive.

"Also, Julie and Mogy, worth the question: the CPAP made great difference in your life? I saw some cases of success at other topic, but I would like to know about yours, how are you doing? Thanks a lot for the support"

My APAP helped me a lot in the beginning, when my sleep apnea was the worst. I never really got the full benefit though because I couldn't use it the whole night. After a few hours I would wake up and would not be able to sleep with the mask on.
Right now I don't use it much because I decided to 'cure myself by losing weight, doing some exercises, and of course the tongue/throat exercises. My AHI is now at about 5. I feel the same whether I use the APAP or not. I am doing well.
If you are interesting in any more of the details I posted them here.
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... leep-Apnea

Mogy wrote: ↑

Fri May 11, 2018 9:34 pm

Hi marceltcm,
To answer some of your questions:
"By what I read so far, APAP is a better option, just a little more expensive, right? The models you mentioned (S9 and S10) are APAPs?"
Resmed makes 3 versions of the S10.
Airsense S10 CPAP. -Don't get this one. It is a CPAP without data.
Airsense S10 Elite. This one is a CPAP with data. Much better.
Then there is the Airsense S10 Autoset. This one is the APAP with data and is more expensive.

"Also, Julie and Mogy, worth the question: the CPAP made great difference in your life? I saw some cases of success at other topic, but I would like to know about yours, how are you doing? Thanks a lot for the support"

My APAP helped me a lot in the beginning, when my sleep apnea was the worst. I never really got the full benefit though because I couldn't use it the whole night. After a few hours I would wake up and would not be able to sleep with the mask on.
Right now I don't use it much because I decided to 'cure myself by losing weight, doing some exercises, and of course the tongue/throat exercises. My AHI is now at about 5. I feel the same whether I use the APAP or not. I am doing well.
If you are interesting in any more of the details I posted them here.
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... leep-Apnea

Kind of like taking Sugar Pills from Mexico to cure your Cancer. Jim

Here are the ResMed devices: https://www.resmed.com/us/en/commercial ... vices.html

And the Respironics devices:
https://www.sleepapnea.com/products/devices

Mogy wrote: ↑

Fri May 11, 2018 9:34 pm

Resmed makes 3 versions of the S10.

Resmed makes FOUR AirSense models,FIVE AirCurve models, and none of them are called "S10".

Hi marceltcm,
It looks like I've made a serious mistake and the CPAP Police have caught me.
From what I gather, Resmed had the S9 product line and updated it to the Airsense 10 product line. If that is not correct, I am sure they will point out what is correct.
My apologies!

Mogy wrote: ↑

Fri May 11, 2018 11:12 pm

Hi marceltcm,
It looks like I've made a serious mistake and the CPAP Police have caught me.
From what I gather, Resmed had the S9 product line and updated it to the Airsense 10 product line. If that is not correct, I am sure they will point out what is correct.
My apologies!

No, if we were the cpap police, we'd have shot you in the name of the public good.

I'm just someone that doesn't like idiots misleading newbies.

I'd just like to encourage you as you go forward with treatment to be fact oriented more so than feeling. Those who have limb movements and sleep apnea can have a bit of cat-and-mouse chase, and it can make it seem one does not "feel better" and the tendency is to blame CPAP treatment. Machine data can help you be sure your treatment is effective. It would not be surprising if you had OSA even when it didn't show on the first sleep study. Your active legs could have prevented sleeping enough for the apnea to manifest. On the flip side of that, severe apnea in the later test could have kept the limb movements at bay. It would not be surprising if once the apneas stop, the limb movements take that opportunity to get active again. This is called masking. Just need to be aware that COULD happen. If it does, we can talk more about that then.

This is the person giving everybody advice on how to benefit with CPAP....
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... leep-Apnea