Opinions needed

Deadmanwalking · Post by **Deadmanwalking** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:04 pm

Hello all, i am seeking some info so I can make a decision.
I have had my equipment for approx 4 years. I have tried many times with not much luck.
this time is the most productive due to this site and all the wonderful people helping with information and such.
I originally had my sleep study and they put me on my bi-pap with a nasal mask.(I have terrible sinus, malformed sinuses I am told)
I have never been able to breathe properly thru my nose so needless to say the nasal mask was a flop.
Oh ya my pressures on the bi-pap were set at I=15 E=12.
I went to a full face mask for a while and felt like I wasn't sleeping at all and gave up.
Now my MD says I have to get back on the bi-pap to lower my BP or he's going to start a whole slue of BP meds on me.
He is giving me 3 months to show some improvement, so far into my second week with a new mask etc. I am not feeling much improvement, actually I'm feeling worse again.
Long winded I know but here's the question: My original pressures were set with a nasal mask, now I am on a full face mask, would the pressures still remain the same?
My md says he will send me for a new sleep study, should I do it? would it be beneficial?
I really hate to go through that again, it's like being wrapped up in barbed wire and told to go to sleep.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, DMW

mrmarcos · Post by **mrmarcos** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:18 pm

Sounds tough! I know what you mean about sleeps studies. I have had two and I didn't sleep for either of them but next time I am going to ask them to not talk to me while wiring me up, and I am going to listen to calming music on my ipod, oh and bring my own comforter and pillows!

Now, regarding your question. The setting on your machine are for a study that used a nasal only mask, and you have blockage from sinuses. So, it is very reasonable that you might need a lower pressure for you full mask, but not necessarily, it really all depends on you as a whole person.

The trick is that they are experimenting on you, so why don't you do the same?

Try adjusting the setties on your BPAP when using the full mask, and if you have a bed partner, ask them to report on your symptoms. If you don't have a bed partner, you can record yourself with a voice activiated recorded. But maybe that is not needed since you seem to have a pretty good sense as to how you feel after sleeping.

Lastly, there are BPAP devices for home use that have recording devices in them. That might eliminate the need to do a sleep study. And if you have a computer you can usually view the results with an extra computer device. That would allow you to adjust the settings yourself after setting how they affected you. Do some research on the web and ask your doctor to write a script for that exact model. Most companies have a 30 day return policy, so plan to call you doctor once a month to have him or her change the script.

Doctors are presciption writers, you know your body best, be nice, but firm with your doctor, they are working for you.

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:35 pm

There are several articles you can read (on the web) about doctors who want us to us an auto titrating machine instead of the expensive sleep studies. When we hear "expensive" it usually makes me think of insurance company doctors, but you might consider asking for the Respironics Auto BiPAP and letting it see how you are sleeping. A four year old machine is somewhat outdated when compared to the newest equipment you might be able to rent.

My Auto came to me set at 4/20. The machine figured me out..sort of. But I have other issues the machine was not designed to handle. Hopefully you might rent an auto and see if it could help you.

I LOVE your description of the sleep study test. "Wrapped in barbed wire...."

We have some great people on this site, they are about as good as the doctors we see when figuring out our titration settings.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, bipap, Titration, auto

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:33 pm

Did anyone like their sleep study?? Since yours was done so long ago and you have some other medical conditions now I think that it would be beneficial to have another titration study done. Insurance covers studies once a year and I have heard that some will allow a new study every 6 months-God I hope I would never have to have that many studies done!

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:58 pm

lvwildcat ..... covered is an interesting statement. I have a deductable of $618 this year and almost $700 next year. After meeting the deductable I am still responsible for 20% of the cost of the sleep study and doctor's report, making it around $1000 out of my pocket. So "covered by insurance" is not necessarily cheap. I rarely meet any of the deductable for other reasons during the year so yes it is totally out of my pocket. I personally will avoid titration studies in favor of an auto machine whenever I can.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Titration, auto

Deadmanwalking · Post by **Deadmanwalking** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:00 am

[There are several articles you can read (on the web) about doctors who want us to us an auto titrating machine instead of the expensive sleep studies]
dllfo, could you point me to any of these articles, I new at this and not sure where to look.
Thanks, DMW[/quote]

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:19 am

Depending on your insurance coverage (copay and deductable) you could purchase an Auto BiPap (Respironics) with your old prescription for $1295 (out of pocket with no insurance) and not worry about convincing the doc. It might be close to or less than the out of pocket for another sleep study with the barbed wire....

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): bipap, Prescription, auto

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 12:58 pm

Deadmanwalking wrote:[dllfo, could you point me to any of these articles, I new at this and not sure where to look.
Thanks, DMW

Here are some links to studies about auto-titrating machines.

http://www.sleepsolutions.com/clinical_ ... o-CPAP.pdf

http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/reprint/113/3/714

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... s=12406840

http://lewiston.mit.edu/sleep/Autopatent.pdf

http://www.sleepsolutions.com/clinical_ ... 230508.pdf

I hope these are helpful for you,
Moogy

Deadmanwalking · Post by **Deadmanwalking** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 3:20 pm

moogy, Thanks, that's alot of reading, but a quick scan thru the info has me convinced that an auto machine could be very benificial to me. Now to convince the doc.
Thanks again, DMW

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 4:20 pm

you probably don't even need the bipap. The problem (as I see it) is with the machine you have it is just like a plain jane cpap machine only it is a bipap.

If you were most likely put on it only to tolerate the pressure, but if not set up correctly it can make therapy worse. Then that is another reason not to use it.

you should trial a autopap machine. it should be set like to 6.0cm to 15cm pressure range. It should also have CFlex. If you have the Classic bipap humidifier I would consider the classic Remstar Auto w/Cflex, then you can use the same humidifier.

The result for you will be overall lower pressure, the Cflex will make it more comfortable and it is much easier to set up and get it right.

If you are having difficulty breathing though your nose, cpap therapy will never work properly until you address that. I would suggest seeing a good ENT and checking for a deviated septum. Have the nose surgery if needed, I had it years ago it wasn't that bad and it made a huge difference in breathing through the nose.

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 6:16 pm

Since you are already accustomed to a bipap, go for the Respironics AutoBipap if you can swing the cost.

Moogy

Deadmanwalking · Post by **Deadmanwalking** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:27 pm

Ok thanks, everyone, so far i'm liking the opinions. keep em coming.
As far as surgery, I am looking into a sinuplasty. Has anyone heard or had any experience with this?? It's sort of like a angioplasty, the doc insert a tube into the sinus cavity, then blow it up to widen the sinus passages. outpatient surgery, back to work the next day. Sounds good to me, what do you guys think?? DMW

Deadmanwalking · Post by **Deadmanwalking** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:30 pm

If anyone is wondering what my avatar is, This is how I need to stay awake at the computer sometimes. DMW

moparman · Post by **moparman** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:41 pm

Iam from wv and heading your way on the 6th to va there to have another one done, just had one on the 31st of august.. Iam having all kinds of problems now from the machine screwing up.

Deadmanwalking · Post by **Deadmanwalking** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:07 pm

Moparman, What type of machine are you using that is screwing up??DMW

Mask

Additional Comments: Machine:Resmed S7 Elite; Oracle Mask(YES! My DREAM mask!!)

Opinions needed

Opinions needed

Avatar