pjdaly wrote: ↑Fri Apr 05, 2024 9:31 pm
vandownbytheriver,
(snip)
Re running a bi-level machine and bumping min pressure to 16:
I have been letting the doctor choose machines and pressures. This would be me taking over my apnea treatment from my doctor and that would be awkward and more importantly I'm not qualified to do that. And I suppose that would mean I'd have to buy the machines and supplies on my dime rather than medical insurance as I do now (with no copay).
Most of us here have 'taken over', as you say. I believe I know more about my condition and best treatment than my doctor... given that (original AHI 104) he suggested a new sleep study (try to sleep without CPAP!) and didn't even suggest Ambien (it would have taken full anesthesia). The result was a 'failed' sleep study, 500$ wasted and a 'new' diagnosis AHI of 24! 14 years and +100lbs later, I'm almost cured! You're here... *we're here*... because our doctors have not been able to fix us up properly... my point is that this condition has to be run from the inside, you're the only one that knows how you're responding... going back and forth to the doctor is expensive for one thing, depending on how that's run.
You *always* have the right to change your pressures etc... you have the prescription for the machine. If you get stuff free that's great! I have to meet a 5000$ deductible/out of pocket before insurance will pay... and the prices to get there are outrageously high... so I just go straight to cpap dot com. Amusingly, when I asked them how long my prescription would last, they told me *forever*... bought a brand-new AS10 C2C for 399$... doctor was irate that a) I hadn't seen him in five years and b) I got a new machine without his consultation. *I* was the one that suggested I get a bi-level titration... my treated AHI was always less than 2... but I didn't like my O2 graphs and breath waveforms, something my doctor did not even try to read... 'that's for the sleep techs!'. Become your own sleep tech... that's what I had to do. At the recent titration I really hit it off with the tech... he could tell I knew WTF. Ended up making a believer out of him regarding mouth-taping... he was skeptical. Hopefully he's watching Jason and Nick videos now... he is a sufferer, that's important... your doctor should be a user too if you can find one... mine is, or claims to be. Anyone know a sleep doctor in the Austin area that knows WTF?
Re: "it raises pressure due to OA's, H's, FL's, and Snore. Flat on your back you're having mega FL's I bet"
I have very few OA's... sometimes none and the CA's are multiples of the OA's.
My April 2 Events were: 12 CA, 22 H, 2 OA, 12 RERA
Snore graph was empty that day. I looked at some other days and the Snore graph has something like 2 to 4 ticks.
I assume "FL" is "Flow Limit??" Don't know how to interpret FL... for April 2 it seems most of time under .33 and 10 or so spikes under .67.
Yes, FL = Flow Limitations. Doesn't sound like your sleep is very restful, sadly. An FL shows the machine thought your breaths were 'flat-topping' or otherwise distorted in a way that demanded more pressure. CA's do not respond well to pressure. Some events fall between CA and OA/H... this is where the sleep tech earns their money... the machine's event count is almost always less than reality.
Re sleeping on back:
I have to sleep on my back for another medical reason and I'm lucky in that regard that I naturally can and do.
Some people can't and some people toss and turn but I don't move.
In fact I started on sleep therapy after my wife noticed me not breathing while asleep.
We don't know if that was obstructive in nature or central (CNS) in nature. Since you require supine sleeping I recommend titration for bi-level. I recently went bi and am enjoying the benefits of it.
Re the hose leak found by Uncle Nick:
I saw your post earlier (before your response here) and watched Nick's video. I don't have that issue as I run the hose straight back out of the machine and over the back of the nightstand. I noticed right away that there was no swivel when I got the machine a year ago and thought that was a bad design. So I made sure the hose is never pulled side to side.
OK... you saw the problem... make sure the little stob is clicked in. I predict lots of AS11's with duct tape on them.