UPDATE: My new backup plan for power outages. . .

and camping. OK, here's the deal: I am petrified of the idea of being without OSA treatment for even a night. I know the depressed zombie I was before treatment and the much more lucid, happy person I am now. I know my hypertension is gone, I know a lot of health things have changed for the better, far better. I LOVE my cpap machine. So, I'm paranoid about the idea of losing my treatment for even a night.

Because of this, I have more than one machine and mask. I have 2 battery backups that are plugged in all the time. I cannot have a generator since I live in a condo. Any batteries I use must remain in my bedroom, so I think large deep cell batteries are not too good an idea because of the fumes. I can't hook up my car to run my machine. I guess I could sleep in my car if I had to, though. Solar panels are out since I live in a place that has as much cloud cover as Seattle, WA (SE Michigan). When I hear of week-long power outages like the ones in New England right now, I tremble in my boots. I had experienced one here several years ago, pre-cpap. I know that the electrical infrastructure in the U.S. is aging and will be more prone to failure in the future. With the dire economic picture, I don't expect them to upgrade the grid anytime soon.

Plus, I like to camp and really, really want to be able to camp with my grandsons. I have to fly to see them, and I suspect airport security would frown on taking a large enough battery pack on the plane .

So, I went and got a TAP 3 dental OSA device. I've had it about a week. I've used it in conjunction with my cpap for a few days in a row. I don't have a lot of mouth leaks with it. So far, it's too early to know how well it will work. It's actually pretty comfortable. I plan to use it along with the cpap at the regular pressure (no chin strap needed if the leak rate remains as low as it is now). Once I get accustomed to it and have it cranked out as far as I need, I plan to do some testing using my cpap at the lowest level. If my AHI is good with this, I'll ask my doctor to have me retested with a sleep study using the TAP3. Even if it doesn't work as well as my cpap, it's still a viable plan for long power outages (combined with side-sleeping using the backpack method). I can also do some camping with it. Only time will tell. . .

Although I don't post very often these days, I will let everyone know how it goes, good or bad. It may take a few months to know, but I thought others might have been thinking along these lines. I'd love to hear any thoughts and experiences.

Hi RosemaryB,

Nice seeing you back on!

That's a neat plan you've got going on, be sure and post back after you find out if it's going to work/ or not...

As far as the power outages, we don't have many of them (I live in CA), thank "GOD"! I don't know what i'd do, I don't have any kind of back up battery whatsoever, duh huh?

Guess I need to start thinking about getting one, they are just soooo expensive!

Take care RosemaryB, I hope you get to visit your grandkids soon, I have 7 and I see them quite often as tthey all live here in town!

Sleepy NoMore

Please everyone - think really hard before even considering ever sleeping in your cars with any power on (and breathing while asleep through the machine that lets you sleep so soundly). Who knows which night could be the one you forget to open windows (or even close them while half asleep and cold) and end up sleeping for good in the car from CO2?

Good for you RosemaryB. Would you tell us how much you paid for the TAP3?

Thanks,

Good warning Julie. Even though my cpap treatment is going fine, I'm still a bit scattered in my thinking and do things I know not to do. Just a couple nights ago I put on my mask and my rigged strap and layed down. Something kept nagging at the back of my mind and I didn't fall asleep right away, then I got a headache (this was all in a matter of minutes). I reached up to adjust my mask and realized the strap was covering the vent. Argh! Not sure how long it would take or the consequences of that. I always think about that with so many of us using homemade straps, but slipped up just this once. Good to be mindful. About the car, seems I read on here once that the power from a car is not consistent enough to properly support cpap - can't say I know anything about it.

Rosemary, thanks for posting this. I, too, am interested in seeing your results as you test out the dental device. My only backup plan at this point is a recliner. Getting a battery backup is cost prohibitive for me too right now. I'm especially interested in seeing how your data looks as you progressively lower the pressure while using the device. If you would, please remind me how severe your apnea is. Might make a difference to those considering the same and watching your results. Sure hope it's the ticket to you being able to camp with those grandkids unencumbered (except for the backpack ) and yet not a zombie.

Kathy

rooster wrote:Good for you RosemaryB. Would you tell us how much you paid for the TAP3?

Thanks,

It was $2500, which included the visits and device itself. My insurance will cover a good portion from what I understand, which is the other reason I wanted to do it this year since I'd already met my deductible, etc. Not sure how long the good insurance coverage will last, so I took the plunge. I'll let you know how much the insurance pays once I get it sorted out.

I wasn't thinking of keeping the car running, Julie, just using the battery while the car is off. I'm glad you added the warning, though. Don't want anyone trying that. I was joking a bit with the "sleeping in the car" since I park on a public street. But if I was desperate enough I just might do it (engine off, of course!). Oh, and I got the converter cord for my cpap from cpap.com that allows it to run on battery power. Can't run your humidifier on battery power, though.

Kathy, I have moderate OSA. I don't think they work as well with severe, though they can help lower the pressure if worn together. If I see interesting changes or a trend, I'll get them ready to post here at some point, along with my progress. In the beginning, when you are getting used to the device, it doesn't make a difference.

The backup battery I got is the Xantrex from Amazon, Kathy and SleepyNoMore. It's a glass mat battery and safe to keep in your bedroom, no fumes. Only good for a night or two, though. I got it on sale, which they have sometimes. I don't remember the model number. I hope both of you can afford one, soon. I know there are cheaper routes if you have someone who knows about these things. I think I paid around $100 for the Xantrex. It was a very good sale, but they have them periodically.

Wearing it with my cpap replaces the need for a chinstrap . Kind of expensive as a chinstrap/mouth taping replacement . It does help tremendously with the bruxism, though. I'm hoping, too, that it will lessen my TMJ, which chinstraps and some masks (hybrid-type and full face) seem to exacerbate at times. But with TMJ, you need to advance the device very, very gradually and do exercises. Just to give a few more details.

kteague wrote:Even though my cpap treatment is going fine

I'm glad to hear it's going well for you!

SleepyNoMore wrote: Take care RosemaryB, I hope you get to visit your grandkids soon, I have 7 and I see them quite often as tthey all live here in town!

I wish mine lived nearer. I miss seeing them lots.

Just an FYI ... deep cycle AGM batteries do NOT give off fumes/gases nor do they leak (even if you set them upside-down).

Also, OSA severity is independent of treatment pressure/titration.

Excellent idea, Rosemary! I know Jen (Socknitster) bought one before her last pregnancy. PM her and see how she's doing with it. She's been missing for a few months and needs to get her face out of the diapers.

Keep us posted on it! I was thinking along similar lines recently, about getting a dental device for "emergency use". But I couldn't decide which one, and the TAP3 was kinda beyond my means. But I might be able to figure it out.

Cheers,
Babs

Babette wrote:Excellent idea, Rosemary! I know Jen (Socknitster) bought one before her last pregnancy. PM her and see how she's doing with it. She's been missing for a few months and needs to get her face out of the diapers.

Keep us posted on it! I was thinking along similar lines recently, about getting a dental device for "emergency use". But I couldn't decide which one, and the TAP3 was kinda beyond my means. But I might be able to figure it out.

Cheers,
Babs

You could use it for Civil War re-enactment, too, if you are still doing that. Some people comparison shop. I read somewhere about someone who got a TAP II for $1000 a few years back after comparison shopping. Of course, I read this after I'd started the process with this dentist .

SleepyNoMore wrote:
Take care RosemaryB, I hope you get to visit your grandkids soon, I have 7 and I see them quite often as tthey all live here in town!

Mine live in Michigan. I live in Florida. Haley, my youngest is 9 months old on Friday....

"Also, OSA severity is independent of treatment pressure/titration. "

Dreamstalker, did you read the "news" item on the forum today where a research doctor reported in CHEST Journal that his study determined those with greater severity OSA require higher pressure? Would like to have seen the details of that study. Hope Medicare doesn't get wind of that and use it to justify not paying for titrations unless a set pressure based on a predetermined scale correlating to severity is tried first. Also reported that a higher BMI is not an indicator of a need for higher pressure.

DreamStalker wrote:Just an FYI ... deep cycle AGM batteries do NOT give off fumes/gases nor do they leak (even if you set them upside-down).

Also, OSA severity is independent of treatment pressure/titration.

Thanks for the info on the deep cycle AGM batteries. I think the AGM is the same as "glass mat," so that would make sense.

The severity of OSA for purposes of using the dental device may be different. Apparently it works best for mild or moderate OSA. It may work in a different way, or it may just be one of those random statements that get made based on hearsay, poor reasoning, or flimsy evidence.

Oral appliances are FDA approved for mild to moderate OSA. I understand that they really only work for mild and barely moderate OSA.