Yet another new user

[sm753]

First of all I wanted to say how much I appreciate all the helpful information on this site. Glad to see so many active members. My first inclination was the go to /r/cpap on reddit but was disappointed by the lack of activity there.

So to tell you where I'm coming from, I've been dealing with OSA for over half my life. I remember even back as far as high school, if I didn't have any extracurricular activities after school I'd come home and just pass out because I was so tired. In college, I struggled to stay awake pulling all night study sessions or staying out all night with friends. After college, I'd struggle to stay awake at my desk and would just go home and take a nap after work. Though I will say regular exercise and healthier eating has helped curb daytime drowsiness. Driving out of town I'd have episodes where I couldn't keep my eyes open...yeah thinking back it was scary. Also for context, I exercise regularly now and have been for the past 5-6 years, I'm 5'10" and 185 pounds so weight, so I don't think weight is an issue with my OSA?

The past few years I've had 2 sleep studies done, the first was a waste because my doctor was incompetent and unresponsive so I stopped following up with her. The second sleep study got me a referral to an ENT who reviewed the results of my sleep study. He said (and quote) "...if you don't do anything about it, it won't kill you." He told me I "didn't want" CPAP and that my sleep apnea wasn't severe enough for my insurance to pay for it anyway. The ENT suggested some other treatment options including removing some nasal "turbinates" tissue or something or steroid injections in my...throat flap thing. Sorry this was a few years back, I can't remember exactly what he said. Basically, my insurance wouldn't pay for CPAP so that was the end of that and I didn't explore the issue any further.

Recently, I started talking to a friend who uses a CPAP machine, and also works for one of those companies that do the sleep studies and etc. A week ago he gave me his "spare" or maybe "old" CPAP machine, the one I have in my profile. He recommended getting a "nose pillow" mask for comfort so I bought the one in my profile off of Amazon.

It took me a few nights before I could fall asleep with the "mask" on only to wake up 2 hours later and ripping the mask off (originally my friend included a FF mask). The past few nights with the nasal pillow, I'd go to bed around 11pm and wake up around 3am...and I would just be wide awake. I couldn't fall back asleep with the nose mask on so I would just end up taking it off. My friend suggested I reset the machine so it'll "ramp" back up in pressure so I'll try that tonight. But for those couple of hours I am asleep with the mask on I think is making a difference...or it could just be a placebo effect. My Fitbit sleep tracking is telling me I'm restless LESS often with the mask on. I feel a little better in the mornings and at work. After only a week...could this just be a placebo effect? I've read comments here saying doctors saying it takes up to a month for any noticeable changes.

My machine is just on default settings or whatever since there's no doctor involvement... I just learned about Sleepyhead so I'm going to mess with getting that setup when I get home. I think I'm also going to increase the default "ramp up" period pressure which is currently at 4, based on what I'm reading here it seems like it's a little slow for me, I feel like breathing is a little "labored" with the current setting.

IF anyone has any other suggestions beyond what's in the "beginner guides" here in these forums, or want to share their experiences, I would certainly appreciate it.

[LAGrandpa]

The machine that you have in your profile needs an additional module for it to record data. It's called a smartlink module. Here is a link.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... odule.html

[ChicagoGranny]

needs an additional module for it to record data

Are you sure? The specs say the machine comes with an SD card, and the Sleepyhead Wiki says it works with DeVilbiss Intellipap (without waveforms).

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... #specs-tab

http://sleepyhead.sourceforge.net/wiki/ ... =Main_Page

[LAGrandpa]

I'm sure. It's the machine I am currently using.

[sm753]

The machine that you have in your profile needs an additional module for it to record data. It's called a smartlink module. Here is a link.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... odule.html

Do you think it's worth the $100 to get the module?

[chunkyfrog]

Since mine is only a backup machine, I have never used the module.
I'd skip it, knowing what I know today.
You can get a lot of data from the codes, a little more from the module.

[KillingMe]

Yes, my Intellipap works with Sleepyhead, and I never bought the data module. I just take out the SD card and put it in my laptop SD card slot.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Yes, my Intellipap works with Sleepyhead, and I never bought the data module. I just take out the SD card and put it in my laptop SD card slot.

Yet another feather in CPAPtalk member JediMark's cap for his excellent FREE Sleepyhead program.

[LAGrandpa]

I just take out the SD card and put it in my laptop SD card slot.

If you even have a SD card slot then you must already have the data module because if you look at the pictures closely in the link in ChicagoGranny's post you will see that the base machine does not have a SD slot.

Do you think it's worth the $100 to get the module?

That is a question you must answer for yourself. It was worth it for me because I am now able to get a lot more data than I could from the smartlink codes and my machine now works with SleepyHead. If you shop around you might find it for a cheaper price. I bought mine from secondwindcpap.com

[ChicagoGranny]

The machine that you have in your profile needs an additional module for it to record data. It's called a smartlink module. Here is a link.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... odule.html

Do you think it's worth the $100 to get the module?

I will never do without software to manage my therapy.

I suggest contacting these people - http://www.secondwindcpap.com/Contact_Us.html

They have some used equipment and there is a slight chance they would have a used module they would let go cheaply. It shouldn't hurt to ask.