Just Diagnosed with OSA need some advice

[doughsthoughts]

Hey everyone.

I am 29 year old male in Orlando, FL. I am over weight by alot, weighting in at 320 lbs.

I have been snoring and having problems sleeping for a decade. My mom has OSA and has been trying to get my tested for a decade. Recently I have been nodding off at work or while driving to work. I wake up at night with massive panic anxiety attacks. I felt like I was drowing or sufficating. I finally had a sleep study, I had stopped breathing 131 times an hour, up to 30 seconds a time, and the oxygen levels dropped really low.

From first sleep study to having a Bipap in my house was about 7 days..

I am a bit confused, when i first talked to the DR, they said they would be sending out an Auto SV unit. I looked it up on the internet and was quite happy on the quality and functionality of the machine. I was feeling very safe.. I had rushed the issue since i was waking up at night or just not sleeping any more for fear of the attacks. I contacted the DME company. When the unit came out, it was A Bipap AVAPS, I called the DR back and they verified that the unit that was delivered will work.. but i asked her she said one thing and something else showed up... Its a respironics Bipap AVAPS, Heated Humidifier, w/ smartcard. I am using the 360 Opus Nasal Pillow. I wanted the Swift FX but I have to wait 6 months.

The numbers programed in
Ipap Max 20
Ipap Min 12
Epap 7
BPM 13
Ti 16

Ramp 45 mins Pressure 4

So my only real question is, Should I push the issue of getting the Bipap AUTOSV unit which seems alot better and can fix alot more breathing issues. Or just See if this machine works good enough..

Currently I do breath fine at night. My girlfriend has said a few times I do stop breathing at night, I am not snoring, but she can hear the machine really push hard to get my breathing again.

Another question.. Comfort items, Putting a cover on the hose, or on the plastic pieces of the face mask, is it really worth it?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope this becomes a good outlet for me for support. Every where i have read said I should contact people with Apnea for support So it makes it easier..

[tillymarigold]

The hose cover is necessary if the air inside the hose is ever significantly warmer than the air in the room (the water will condense in the hose, then pour on your face--this is called "rainout"), but you can mitigate it somewhat by keeping the hose under the covers with you. Although honestly I haven't figured out a way to completely eliminate rainout in the Opus because there's no way to cover the part of the mask right below the nosepiece.

I use the Opus 360 also and I *really* need the Pad-a-Cheek mask cover because otherwise I have deep grooves in my cheeks until noon. With my previous mask (Opti-Life) it wasn't as necessary.

If you have an auto machine (and you do), it should work as your girlfriend described.

I know nothing about auto BiPAPs so I won't answer that.

[jweeks]

Hi,

Welcome back to the world of the living. Those are scary bad numbers, and falling asleep while driving is scary bad. I know because that is exactly where I was 2 years ago. Like you, I let it go a decade or more too long before getting treatment.

I don't know much about the machines that you list. If you need a pressure of 14 or more, you really do want a BiLevel machine, so what you have is at least a good start. You also want a data capable machine where you can look at your charts. That is really important when you are first getting started. No data means no clue if it is working. If you machine has a card reader or software available, get it. If your machine doesn't have a card reader or software available, then you want a different machine.

The Swift FX is less than $100, so if what you have isn't comfortable, buy the FX on your own. Don't suffer with something you don't like for 6 months for less than the cost of a can of pop per day.

Hose cover - that helps with rainout, which is water in the hose. If you have issues with water running into your nose, a hose cover can help. The pieces for your face can also help with comfort. I found that I don't need them with the Swift mask. Its all personal preference.

-john-

[JohnBFisher]

... Hey everyone. ...

First of all, welcome to the forum. I know it can feel daunting, but you've come to a good spot where others can share their experience, what works for them and some tips and tricks. It makes it easier knowing you are not alone.

... I am 29 year old male in Orlando, FL. I am over weight by alot, weighting in at 320 lbs. ...

Well, the good news is that you are young and your body will bounce back better than some of us old farts! And it does help.

... I have been snoring and having problems sleeping for a decade. My mom has OSA and has been trying to get my tested for a decade. ...

A wise mom. OSA does run in families. Essentially due to physical issues (and just the way your nerves are wired) you may be more prone to OSA than the average bear.

By the way, OSA may in and of itself helped contribute to your weight gain. Get your OSA under control and you will feel more energetic, want to do more active things, will tend to eat less and will find it much easier to loose weight. So, that's a good side effect for you.

... I finally had a sleep study, I had stopped breathing 131 times an hour, up to 30 seconds a time, and the oxygen levels dropped really low. ...

Well, there's your problem! But you already knew that. Oh, well. I guess I can't collect a fee on that advice.

... From first sleep study to having a Bipap in my house was about 7 days. ...

That's actually pretty quick. It often takes weeks.

... I am a bit confused, when i first talked to the DR, they said they would be sending out an Auto SV unit. ... When the unit came out, it was A Bipap AVAPS, I called the DR back and they verified that the unit that was delivered will work.. but i asked her she said one thing and something else showed up... Its a respironics Bipap AVAPS, Heated Humidifier, w/ smartcard. ...

Hmmm... Here's where I'm obliged to say "I'm not a medical professional. I don't know what your sleep study demonstrated." But I can make some educated guesses.

First of all, I've got a bunch of questions:

• Did you get a copy of your prescription for your unit? You are entitled to it. You can ask either your doctor or your DME. That will say what was prescribed.
• Did you get a copy of you sleep study. Even the sumamry resport is informative. Again you are entitled to it. Your sleep lab should provide that to you. If they give you the run around, remind them that per US federal law they are obligated to provide you with a copy of it.
• Do you remember your doctor mentioning "Central Sleep Apnea"? Or did your doctor explain that you sometimes just stop breathing, not just due to an obstruction?
• Do you remember you have an issue with your heart? Did your doctor mention periodic breathing?
• Do you remember and/or know the pressure setting on your unit?

Okay, those questions were just to eliminate other potential issues. It's most likely that either due to your weight (and the resulting hypoventilation) or due to high pressure requirements, your doctor decided the BiPAP AVAPS unit would be a better choice. The BiPAP AVAPS unit is often prescribed to patients that suffer hypoventilation. It is very common that someone who is overweight will have chronic hypoventilation. Why? Well, all that weight restricts the amount that you can breathe. It makes it harder to breathe in during the night. The BiPAP AVAPS unit helps you breathe in more deeply than you would on your own.

That's probably all that it is. If so, as you loose weight you won't need as much pressure support.

... I am using the 360 Opus Nasal Pillow. I wanted the Swift FX but I have to wait 6 months. ...

Well, I've got MUCH better news for you on this. You might want to go look at CPAPauction.com. You can get CPAP.com to request your prescription for your doctor. It's really easy to do. Then you can move that prescription over to CPAPauction.com. With that, you can purchase a slightly used or just never opened mask for a LOT less. I don't know if any Swift FX masks are over there yet. But from what I've seen most people are very happy with them.

... So my only real question is, Should I push the issue of getting the Bipap AUTOSV unit which seems a lot better and can fix a lot more breathing issues. Or just See if this machine works good enough. ...

In your case, it might actually be better, since it will help you maintain enough air input to help you sleep much better.

... I do breath fine at night. My girlfriend has said a few times I do stop breathing at night, I am not snoring, but she can hear the machine really push hard to get my breathing again. ...

You *really* need to get a copy of the sleep study summary. As I note, it's just a few pages. It *sounds* as if you have some central apneas. In that case, the BiPAP AutoSV Advanced unit would be better suited to help you. But that could be an exception (the centrals). Your doctor may have thought the ability to keep you ventilated was more important.

... Comfort items, Putting a cover on the hose, or on the plastic pieces of the face mask, is it really worth it? ...

You live in FL. You may have a high enough relative humidity and warm enough climate you won't get "rain out". That's when the humidity from the heated humidifier condenses on the sides of the hose and ends up splashing into your face. No fun. If you get that (due to AC in your bedroom or the like), then sure it helps a lot.

Although I also find the hose cover more comfortable than the plastic hose. Ditto on the strap covers for the mask. You might want to look at PadACheek.com for some high quality covers and strap covers. I think I will be ordering from her once I decide which mask works best for me.

... Thanks for taking the time to read this. ...

Happy to. It's all about helping one another. It makes a huge difference. And it can be pretty difficult to adjust to being a hosehead!

... I hope this becomes a good outlet for me for support. Every where i have read said I should contact people with Apnea for support So it makes it easier ...

If for no other reason than your doctor and your DME usually have NO idea what it is like to LIVE with an xPAP unit. Folks here have gone through many of the same trials and errors.

By the way, you can purchase EncoreViewer and a SmartCard reader from CPAP.com to READ what your machine recorded about your sleep. That will help you and help your doctor as you continue with your therapy. Here's a link:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-bundle.php?BundleID=64

Again, you might find that over at the CPAPauction.com site.

Hope all that helps.

[rested gal]

So my only real question is, Should I push the issue of getting the Bipap AUTOSV unit which seems alot better and can fix alot more breathing issues. Or just See if this machine works good enough..

Currently I do breath fine at night. My girlfriend has said a few times I do stop breathing at night, I am not snoring, but she can hear the machine really push hard to get my breathing again.

I'm not a doctor or anything in the health care field, so what I'm writing is just my layperson's opinion. I'd probably stick with the AVAPS machine you were given. Sounds to me like it's doing what needs to be done. As far as I know, it would certainly be the right machine for the job if OHS (obesity hypoventilation syndrome) was in the diagnosis.

Ramp 45 mins Pressure 4

I'd not push the Ramp button when you turn the machine on. I'd skip using Ramp and let it start using the prescribed treatment pressure right from the get-go, unless for comfort reasons you really, really need to start out easy. Even then, I'd want the Ramp start pressure to be set higher -- at 7 anyway, and I'd want a lot shorter ramp time. But that's just me.

Another question.. Comfort items, Putting a cover on the hose, or on the plastic pieces of the face mask, is it really worth it?

For some yes, for others...not needed. Just go with whatever you want to do. I like a cover on the hose myself, for several reasons... helps a bit to prevent rainout (condensation inside the hose), makes the hose look less "medical", and less noise from hose dragging on furniture (bed, nightstand) when the sleeper turns over or moves in bed.

when i first talked to the DR, they said they would be sending out an Auto SV unit.
---
When the unit came out, it was A Bipap AVAPS, I called the DR back and they verified that the unit that was delivered will work.. but i asked her she said one thing and something else showed up...

I'm just guessing... the doctor may have misspoken the first time when he/she mentioned "Auto SV" and intended it to be the AVAPS machine all along. Especially if OHS is part of the breathing problem.

Back to this for a moment:

Should I push the issue of getting the Bipap AUTOSV unit which seems alot better and can fix alot more breathing issues.

I don't think it's a matter of a BiPAP Auto SV being "better" than a BiPAP AVAPS machine. They are different types of machines -- each designed to deal with specific types of sleep disordered breathing. That doesn't make the BiPAP Auto SV be "better" than the AVAPS machine, or even be able at all to fix, in the most effective way, the kind of sleep disordered breathing you have. The AVAPS could very well be the best machine for you. It might also be exactly "what the doctor ordered", so to speak....even if the doctor (or someone at the doctor's office) may have been referring to it by the "wrong" name.

Perhaps you'll have an opportunity to talk with the doctor and get your questions about the type of sleep disordered breathing you have and the type of machine you were given explained more.

Hope you are feeling better and better!