Do I need a doctor to use a cpap

[NightMonkey]

Just a bit more on the side effects, while rare Severe side effects may include heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), severe nose bleeding, and air pockets in the skull.

Holy shit, now I think I will trash my CPAP machine lest it kill me tonight.

[chunkyfrog]

It sounds like somebody is looking for an excuse to not get treated.
What the 'professionals' know is quite often little better than the prevailing state of the art
when they (or their teacher) first hung up a shingle.
Continuing education in this field is, sadly, hit or miss--sadly, way too many misses.

[nichola]

You NEED a sleep study before you start playing around with a CPAP machine.

That's not necessarily true for every person.

Did you watch the presentation in my link above?

Link to a Powerpoint presentation by board certified pulmonolgist/sleep doctor (Dr. Barbara Phillips) at a meeting of the American Lung Association of the Central Coast - November 2004:
"Not Every Patient Needs to Go to the Sleep Lab"
http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/Barb ... t_0830.pdf

Dr. Barbara Phillips is board certified in both pulmonology and sleep medicine.

Of course it would be better for everyone to have a full attended PSG sleep study in a sleep lab. A PSG sleep study can uncover other sleep disorders besides plain Obstructive Sleep Apnea. But a sleep study or screening of any kind can be completely out of the question financially for quite a few people who are unemployed and/or have no medical insurance. If a person in that kind of situation strongly suspects he/she has obstructive sleep apnea and desperately wants to try CPAP, I say, "go for it." But I'm not a doctor. I'm simply a self diagnosed, well treated cpap user...for seven years now.

I looked at it.... and sorry but i dismissed it when there was the dot point on imapproriate use of CPAP is harmless, you will see above the non harmless potential side effects of CPAP useage

And reading further she does not appear to be advocating no sleep study, but without titration (given that her research criteria noted people's AHI levels)

Oh and she also is advocating for HEALTH PPROFESSIONALS to be prescribing based on their assessments... not on self diognosis.

[nichola]

Just a bit more on the side effects, while rare Severe side effects may include heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), severe nose bleeding, and air pockets in the skull.

Holy shit, now I think I will trash my CPAP machine lest it kill me tonight.

*groan* its not for anyone to stop using it... but it is important as to understand what could potentially happen and have a health professional monitor you for those serious issues

[nichola]

It sounds like somebody is looking for an excuse to not get treated.
What the 'professionals' know is quite often little better than the prevailing state of the art
when they (or their teacher) first hung up a shingle.
Continuing education in this field is, sadly, hit or miss--sadly, way too many misses.

Ummmm your ASSumptions are completely incorrect.

I have been 100% compliant since I started using CPAP.

A good health professional knows the risks of using the things they prescribe, yes some are incompetant and dont update skills but that certainly isnt true of the entire field

[Pugsy]

Nichola,

What would you suggest someone do that had no insurance, no way to pay for a sleep study and spouse had witnessed an apnea event? Many, many people work but have no health insurance and no way to pay and due to the fact that they work, they are denied state aid which would help pay.

Here in the US charity for sleep apnea sufferers is extremely limited. In an ideal world that wouldn't be a problem but unfortunately it is not an ideal world.

[nichola]

Nichola,

What would you suggest someone do that had no insurance, no way to pay for a sleep study and spouse had witnessed an apnea event? Many, many people work but have no health insurance and no way to pay and due to the fact that they work, they are denied state aid which would help pay.

Here in the US charity for sleep apnea sufferers is extremely limited. In an ideal world that wouldn't be a problem but unfortunately it is not an ideal world.

Aponea events in non sleep apnea suffers do happen.

I would suggest they have a serious discussion with a doctor. Explain the situation and rule out other potential possibilities, also ensure they can be monitored if they do try CPAP without a sleep study.

I completely understand not being able to afford your healthcare, but what happens if they do have another underlying condition which is affected by the CPAP, or goes untreated becuase they are using CPAP for 12 months and keep 'struggling' because it isnt the right treatment. What happens if it is complex SA and they are having centrals with a machine that doesnt give data (the OP doesnt state which of the 200 series he is using... and it looks like none of the 200 series have data??).

[NightMonkey]

Hello eveybody,

I am 34 years old and have lost my job due to economy so I have no insurance. I have gone back to school and this December will have my new degree so hopefully that will help me to gain employment. Anyway I do not have insurance, but got a cpap machine from a friend who's father past away. Anyway I need one I know I need one, but I do not know how to calibrate it. It is a Fisher & Paykel Sleep style 200. Can anyone help me with this? Thanks in advance for any help.

Someone here should tell you how to set the pressure at 8, 9 or 10.

In the meantime, starting tonight, you should avoid all backsleeping. Sleep on your sides or your stomach.

Here is a good link for stomach sleeping - http://www.uarsrelief.com/sleeppositions.html. That link also explains why it is important to avoid backsleeping at all times.

You should also avoid alcohol after 5:00 p.m.

Stick around and get educated and take control of this condition we are afflicted with.

[Pugsy]

(the OP doesnt state which of the 200 series he is using... and it looks like none of the 200 series have data??).

Correct. No data. Not what I would think would be ideal choice either but like I said, its not an ideal world. I would want all the latest data possible.

Perhaps where you live, there are more easily accessible avenues for people with no money or health insurance.
Unfortunately that is not the way things are here. Many people go untreated with any number of medical conditions. We can "what if" the other way too.. What if someone had plain jane vanilla OSA that could easily be managed with simple CPAP. What if they died in their sleep from some complication when CPAP could have saved them but they didn't do anything at all because they had no money for proper "ideal" treatment and follow up.

I do understand your point though and I thoroughly agree but sometimes reality steps in and things can't go the way we would like for them to go. So we do the best we can given what we have to work with. Is it perfect? No. But sometimes it is all we have.

[nichola]

Even if someone cant afford a sleep study they should be able to afford at least to go see a doctor on a 6 monthly basis and be monitored. and to go originally at least to have a check up and eliminate other possibilities. YEs this may mean some sacrifice, but this is their health we are discussing. The consequences of not treating OSA are severe I agree, but so can using CPAP if its not what you need and you have another serious condition (or hell you have OSA AND something else... you read here most people also have other medical issues either as a result of OSA or that have been exasserbated by the OSA).

I do live in a place where I have easy access to a doctor. HOWEVER I had to pay for a large chunk of my sleep study because i wanted a home one instead of in hospital (in hospital it would have been free.. but wouldnt have been any good cos i have panic attacks in strange places). and I am now having to buy my own CPAP machine, no isurance etc. I am forced to pay $300 more than Americans cos I have to buy it and have it shipped over. If i purchased from where i lived I would be looking at $1800 for the same machine.

CPAP machines are subsadised here... BUT only if you meet the ' low' income requirements. I am $50 a YEAR over that cap so I do not qualify.

Right now I am making huge sacrifices to afford to buy myself a machine. I am purchasing it on a credit card I shouldnt be using... BUT my health is important.

*shrug* it is clear the OP will likely do this anyway... but I wanted to offer the other side of it... there can be serious complications to CPAP treatment and it is always best to involve a medical professional.

[Ineedanap]

I do live in a place where I have easy access to a doctor. HOWEVER I had to pay for a large chunk of my sleep study because i wanted a home one instead of in hospital (in hospital it would have been free.. but wouldnt have been any good cos i have panic attacks in strange places). and I am now having to buy my own CPAP machine, no isurance etc. I am forced to pay $300 more than Americans cos I have to buy it and have it shipped over. If i purchased from where i lived I would be looking at $1800 for the same machine.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. Im struggling to pay the approx $800 my treatment cost after deductibles and I'm almost sorry I didn't just get a good APAP off craigslist myself. I am pretty sure my titration wasn't done properly anyway. I think this person should figure out how to set it to 10, leave it there for a month and see how they feel. With time hopefully they can go get a sleep study but if not, at least they're not falling asleep driving and killing someone or losing their job because they've got brain fog. At the very least they'll hopefully be able to pick up a data capable machine if they find that the cpap is helping them.

A completely different story but fits here, I have a friend whose father stops breathing for a minute at a time. He drives a truck long distances and cant have a sleep study done. People with sleep disorders cant drive trucks. She tried to buy him a cpap on craigslist but unfortunately hes also stubborn and wont even try it.

[chunkyfrog]

To nichola:
I am rubber; you are glue.
It's time for somebody to get a clue.

[TalonNYC]

Did the OP ever say WHERE he/she is? There's lots of folks on here, someone might be able to steer them toward the right resources for their situation.

Now, onto the "CPAP will kill you" section of the thread.

Yes, xPAP can be dangerous, but so can aspirin, ibuprofen, and tylenol (actually that last one can be REALLY dangerous). Don't even get me started on Nyquill, vitamin E and beta carotene.

All medical concerns can be dangerous, no matter how many people use them every day. When I was in college for Pharmacy, a clinical pharmacology professor told me the best information I heard in the two years I went before realizing I did not have a future in medicine:

"Medical treatment is all about curing the patient before you kill them with whatever you're doing to try and cure them."

[nichola]

To nichola:
I am rubber; you are glue.
It's time for somebody to get a clue.

Very mature....

[nichola]

Seriously I did not say CPAP can kill you, please dont over react to something I did not say. I have to say I do not understand the quite agressive reactions to the suggestion that CPAP use should be monitored as it can have serious complications in some people. I would have thought a forum which is commited to people getting the right treatment would advocate for good medical care, which would include a competant doctor.