I have a problem with my dad and his cpap

[Life200]

Hi...
The problem is like this.
He had open heart surgery and needs his cpap.
He uses it every night.
But during the day he's too lazy to go to his bed, so he falls asleep in the living room, on the sofa, for a few hours a day.
Obviously we don't have two machines, so basically he sleeps a few hours every day without it.
My question is, its it dangerous, should he be using it *all* the time while he sleeps, or is it ok not to use for a few hours a day?

[LSAT]

Obviously. it's best to use it...if he's not, it would be best to sleep in a recliner or propped up so he's not lying flat. Not a bad idea to have a second machine if this happens daily. I would also be a back up in case something happens to the main unit.

[loggerhead12]

Doesn't sound like his therapy is optimized if he has to sleep for hours during the day.

[chunkyfrog]

Recovery after surgery/illness can require substantially more sleep.
This would be a good time to get a backup machine.
If CL seems too risky, check secondwindcpap.com, or cpap.com.

[ChicagoGranny]

he sleeps a few hours every day without it

Without it, he is experiencing apneas that damage the heart and, really, every cell in the body that depends on oxygen to operate properly. (And, all cells depend on oxygen to operate properly.)

Why does he need long naps during the day? Is he still recovering from surgery? Is his nightly CPAP therapy optimized? Are you keeping a check on his nightly AHI, leak level and hours used?

[jnk...]

Only the prescribing doc can answer your question with informed authority, since it depends on the reason for the prescription and the severity of the condition(s). But as a general rule, if the CPAP was prescribed for OSA, sleeping without it has the potential for increasing the odds of death during sleep, since the body panics when it can't get air.

Perhaps a simple solution (depending on location of electrical outlets for safe cord management) might be to keep the cpap on a sturdy rolling table that has locking wheels, so that it can easily be moved from beside the bed to beside the couch at some point every morning before nap time. Just be sure to remove the humidifier chamber before rolling it, and make sure all four wheels are locked any time the humidifier chamber is in place, to prevent damage to the machine. Keeping medical equipment near to where it will be needed is often an important principle for meeting patient needs.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LX0IPNF

[ajack]

The problem is going to be to use the machine, while awake. So it's there when he nods off to sleep in the chair.
I too would get a cheap backup machine. fixed pressure is normally recommended for HF and you can use the settings from the other machine. It's too hard to carry the other machine back and forward. In saying that, I have used a walker with tray. For my father when he has pulmonary edemia
http://cdn.drivemedical.com/media/catal ... /10124.jpg
Some people don't apnea if reclined a bit. Gravity doesn't obstruct the airway, but the head falling forward does.

[Janknitz]

Some people don't apnea if reclined a bit. Gravity doesn't obstruct the airway, but the head falling forward does.

I wouldn't count on that. I have apnea no matter the position. If I'm asleep, I have apnea.

[SewTired]

Have you talked to the doctor about his expected recovery period? In my Dad's case, he was never expected to recover completely due to the level of damage to his heart, so we just got him an extra oxygen machine so he could have one next to the bed as well as next to his recliner. While he technically should have a backup machine, he may be resistant to it due to cost. Talk to him and/or his doctor on his next visit. If recovery is expected to be quite long, get him a backup. If recovery is expected to be soon, he might be pretty resistant.

I miss napping on the couch. However, the couches of today are too deep and hard to get out of if you have simple arthritis, so we ditched it.

[sewsleepy]

My husband had this issue when he was in cancer treatment. I bought an extra power supply and kept it plugged in in the LR so I could just move his machine back and forth without having to reach behind dresser and unplug, etc. Another idea would be to put it on a rolling cart. Good luck.

[D.H.]

My husband had this issue when he was in cancer treatment. I bought an extra power supply and kept it plugged in in the LR so I could just move his machine back and forth without having to reach behind dresser and unplug, etc. Another idea would be to put it on a rolling cart. Good luck.

A rolling cart is a good idea if the bedroom and the room where the recliner is are on the same level. If you have the arrangement that's most common in my neighborhood, the bedrooms are upstairs and the other rooms are downstairs.

[jnk...]

Then you just have the servants send the cart down on the dumbwaiter.

[kaylee]

Because I now have the CPAP I have to go to bed. Obviously I am not as sick as your Dad but falling asleep before heading to bed was a problem at first. It might still be but the CPAP has made bedtime more structured for me - good thing because I was always falling asleep on the couch. They make such small CPAPs now it would seem he might be able to get a second or different one that was more movable. I sleep on the 2nd floor and would not be moving it back and forth.