Hi everyone! I am happy to report that I've optimized a set of pressure conditions where my xPAP treatment is now fully effective (AHI 2.5). The key realization was that once my obstructive events got started, they became progressively harder to resolve. Thus in using auto-adjust mode, it proved to ...

Thanks Mike. I didn't realize the adjustment was done so gradually. Reminds me of the braces I had when I was a kid. They made the moulds this morning. It's a "Thornton Adjustable Positioner" (TAP) first generation, which has gotten good reviews. Hopefully I will get the same sort of results you did...

p.s. I have an appointment to get an oral appliance made tomorrow morning. Once I get it, I'll post further results on the board.

I have done an experiment using PureSleep in combination with CPAP, results are here: http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62226&p=643353#p643353 Bottom line: for me the device reduces some but not all of the obstructive episodes. It is likely limited by its tendency to slip out of position o...

Hi everyone. I went ahead and did a little experiment, using an over-the-counter PureSleep "boil-and-bite" dental device. This device has been the subject of some controversy on the board before ( http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=28887 ), so I thought I would add one data point to the dis...

Hi Mike, thanks for the reply! These are all exactly the answers I wanted to hear. Being able to go down to 6 cm would be a dream -- I barely feel anything below 12 cm anymore. And the way my ENT doctor explained, my particular anatomy makes me an excellent candidate for the dental appliance (or max...

Hmm I did some more Googling and found that "bubble CPAP" is supposed to have advantages over regular CPAP for newborns. The argument is that the pressure vibrations from the bubbles makes gas exchange easier for the infant's lungs. So Fisher and Paykel has made a commercial version of the bubble CP...

Hi guys, Just read an interesting article about a very simple CPAP device that can be used to treat babies in developing countries: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/27/health/27breathe.html This is a "bubble CPAP" device. The pressure regulator is just a Nalgene bottle full of water. The mask interfac...

Hi Mike, just reviving your old thread so I can ask more about experiences people have had combining CPAP with oral appliances. My situation is that I have long duration apneas (>60 sec), even at high pressures (18 cm) ( http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=68516 ). Sometimes the CPAP will wo...

An update for everyone. I saw an ENT doctor this morning, to see if he could figure out which anatomical features were causing my obstructive apneas. He did exactly what DeltaDave outlined -- stuck an endoscope up my nostrils and poked around, also asking me to making a snoring sound (he told me thi...

Hi DeltaDave, just googled "Empty Nose Syndrome". Oh wow. Who would have known those stubby turbinates would be so essential. Always good to know all the possible side effects ..! I really would prefer to just get CPAP working properly over any surgical options. It's similar reasoning to my continui...

Hi DeltaDave, thanks for the extremely detailed post on what to look for when being examined by an ENT doctor. I'll print out your post and make sure I go through every single word with the doctor. You have probably saved me from a lot of wrong directions! Thanks. If you don't mind me asking, did yo...

Hi Cuda, it looks like we're in a similar situation indeed! It's interesting that we have the same breathing pattern, and obstructive apneas that persist to high pressure. I've got an appointment to see an ENT this coming Friday. I'd like him to do some in-depth probing of my airway anatomy to see i...

Hi Jamis, My operating system is also Windows 7 64 bit. I have a CMS50H though, which may be better at interfacing with the newer OSes. I downloaded SPO2 assistant v2.1 from this page: http://www.pulseoxstore.com/Manuals-Downloads.html and as for drivers, the oximeter automatically installed somethi...

It would be great to be able to add more sensors to existing CPAP machines. I mean, the person's already got a 6 foot long tube attached to their face every night, what's a few extra sensors? An earlobe oximeter attached to the mask would be super handy .. yeah and maybe a chest strap branching off ...