I have used cpap (Remstar) at setting of 12 for last 2 years. It was working very well and life was good for awhile. Recently I have awakened myself snoring with the mask on, and my granddaughter and son have commented on my snoring (must be pretty bad if they heard it in another room through closed door!) I am also noticing lately that I feel like I am suffocating with the mask on. Think it might be time for new sleep study - don't see my doc until April, but am having more and more of the exhaustion etc from OSA so think it isn't working! Opinions welcome.
I have noticed comments re apap and am curious what exactly the difference is between that and a cpap. I may consider discussing it with the doctor when I see him again.
Thanks,
Verna
Snoring with cpap
3 posts
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Janelle
Using an APAP means never having to have another sleep test if you don't want it.
An APAP will automatically compensate for whatever pressure you need at that time during the night. Most people don't need their titrated pressures all night long or even night after night. This is the beauty of the APAP. It only gives you enough pressure to prevent or stop the event. They detect a difference in airflow and will adjust accordingly.
Usually a doctor will tell you if you are snoring on CPAP you are not getting enough pressure. And will hike the pressure up again.
It is also suggested that anyone on CPAP have an annual sleep study to see if their needs have changed. This of course is going to require a visit to the specialist to arrange the sleep study and order it, plus a visit to the sleep lab, plus another visit to the doctors office to receive the results. Then a visit to the DME or whatever to have the pressure adjusted.
With APAP I would think your specialist would like to see you annually to check up on your progress or lack thereof, and recommend new medications, or make other suggestions. But since the APAP is already compensating for any higher pressure needs, changing the pressure or having a sleep study, unless there are some other problems, isn't needed.
So, basically, while an APAP may cost you more initially, it is going to save you heaps of money in the long run for co-pays for sleep studies and additional doctors office visits
Also be sure to keep your mask in good condition and replace as necessary. You may be having leaks you don't know about which would compromise your therapy. Most insurance companies will pay for a new mask every 6 months and a CPAP/APAP every 3-5 years.
With all the innovations and improvements coming out every year, it would be foolish to not take advantage of this.
I don't know about your machine, but the ones now are so quiet you can barely hear them!
An APAP will automatically compensate for whatever pressure you need at that time during the night. Most people don't need their titrated pressures all night long or even night after night. This is the beauty of the APAP. It only gives you enough pressure to prevent or stop the event. They detect a difference in airflow and will adjust accordingly.
Usually a doctor will tell you if you are snoring on CPAP you are not getting enough pressure. And will hike the pressure up again.
It is also suggested that anyone on CPAP have an annual sleep study to see if their needs have changed. This of course is going to require a visit to the specialist to arrange the sleep study and order it, plus a visit to the sleep lab, plus another visit to the doctors office to receive the results. Then a visit to the DME or whatever to have the pressure adjusted.
With APAP I would think your specialist would like to see you annually to check up on your progress or lack thereof, and recommend new medications, or make other suggestions. But since the APAP is already compensating for any higher pressure needs, changing the pressure or having a sleep study, unless there are some other problems, isn't needed.
So, basically, while an APAP may cost you more initially, it is going to save you heaps of money in the long run for co-pays for sleep studies and additional doctors office visits
Also be sure to keep your mask in good condition and replace as necessary. You may be having leaks you don't know about which would compromise your therapy. Most insurance companies will pay for a new mask every 6 months and a CPAP/APAP every 3-5 years.
With all the innovations and improvements coming out every year, it would be foolish to not take advantage of this.
I don't know about your machine, but the ones now are so quiet you can barely hear them!
This begs a new question, though: Under what circumstances should you talk to your doctor?
If you buy the APAP (and the monitoring software, which I think is a must), and find that you spend 90% of your time at (say) 11 or less, and then at some point down the road you notice that now you're consistently at 14 or less, and then 16 or less, etc.... At what point is it appropriate to contact your doctor and say "Hey, something might be going on here."
Same with some of the other numbers. How high should your AHI get before you say "Hey, this is clearly a problem the machine can't address!"
Liam.
(No more cute closings. Too many objections.)
If you buy the APAP (and the monitoring software, which I think is a must), and find that you spend 90% of your time at (say) 11 or less, and then at some point down the road you notice that now you're consistently at 14 or less, and then 16 or less, etc.... At what point is it appropriate to contact your doctor and say "Hey, something might be going on here."
Same with some of the other numbers. How high should your AHI get before you say "Hey, this is clearly a problem the machine can't address!"
Liam.
(No more cute closings. Too many objections.)
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3 posts
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