Should I quit with the Cpap?

[Jirel]

Okay, I started using a CPAP about 3 to 4 years ago. I was getting nothing but state 2 sleep. My pressure was set at 4 and i believe I weighed around 235. In 2008 I had to leave work due to disabilities. I now weigh about 205. The first thing I noticed when I got the Cpap is that my night sweats stopped. About a year ago they started up again. I've experimented lately and found that if I don't wear the Cpap they seem to stay away. But I AM getting tired earlier in the evening (not a bad idea as I've not been getting to bed until 2 - 4am and now I'm heading for bed around 1am. But since I just started knew antidepressent meds, it culd be that. Oh, yeah - I don't have insurance. So I can NOT afford a sleep study. Last month was bad enough, I had 3 doctor's appt in 1 month and had to borrow money from my emergency 'stash' to eat. That stash is limited and when its gone, there's no more comming. No I can't ask family for help, I don't have any. Parents dead and I was an only kid with no significant other. Any suggestions?

[Pugsy]

What do you want us to do? Do you want to give up or find some way to make it work?

If you have the machine showing in your profile you have the equipment to get you headed in the right direction without going back to the doctor. You started cpap so I am assuming there was a diagnosis sometime back then.
What was it? What have you not been compliant?

You can treat yourself if you are stong enough to do the learning that will be needed to manage things and strong enough to perservere. You need the sofware so you can see exactly what is going on.

So please clarify what you wish us to help you with. I was confused by your post. I saw symptoms and excuses but nothing indicating you want to sort through the problems. It is late and I had a bad night myself last night so maybe I just didn't get it.

Tell us what you want to do, the someone can either tell you how to do it or it is not possible.

[kteague]

Hello and welcome to the forum. A few thoughts... If nights sweats are your main judging criteria, while they can be a symptom of sleep apnea, they can also be relational to certain meds and hormone levels, so it would be hard to determine what the presence or absence of them actually means. Congratulations on losing the weight you have lost. While that can be helpful in the severity of sleep apnea in some, it is not a guarantee of no longer needing cpap. Your sleep is still quite out of kilter - taking steps to get on a better schedule can only help your health as you deal with medical issues. I don't know what your disabilities are, but everything is better with proper sleep. Google sleep hygiene to get more info on regulating sleep.

I do hope you have developed a circle of friends for support - not financial, just for life in general. This forum will give you great support in a journey to make cpap work. And will also provide the feedback friends and family generally do - including being honest with you when you seem to be taking a path that could be harmful to you. That's what friends are for.

Given the choice of 1) using cpap without proving again it's needed, or 2) not using cpap even though there is no proof it's not needed - seems #1 is the choice in your best interest. Now, does your treatment need tweaked, maybe even due to weight loss? Probably. And maybe even just because you mentioned a pressure of 4 - that number caused me lots of trouble as I couldn't breathe with that setting. Oh, choice #3 is to keep using cpap but tweak your treatment. That's a win-win situation.

Hope you get back with more information and a commitment to moving forward. I quit once, lasted a few weeks/months. Started back and got things right with some help here, and have never looked back. Losing 50 pounds has not cured my sleep apnea nor lowered my pressure, but cpap has successfully treated it.
Kathy

[Goofproof]

The equiptment you show in your profile is not the same type, so when you find out what you are using we can better help. At 4 cm pressure I wonder how you are alive now, I wouldn't be. Wheather to continue to use CPAP is your choice, from the way you sound you don't have a lot of life ins, and no-one to profit from it. Not using the CRAP treatment correctly will result in higher health care bill shorter life, or no life. The choice was easy for me I chose Life, and got informed in how my treatment worked. This is the place to learn that if you care. Reading the Our Wisdom will answer most questions. If you really want to make it work, people are here to help. Jim

[sleepycarol]

I read some of your old posts. You joined the forum in the summer of 2007. You indicated that you have some serious illness such as diabetes, lupus, and arthritis. You indicated that you are on pain medication, plus some others.

You, also, indicated that you have mild apnea and the Remstar M series PLUS machine.

If your pressure is 4, you probably aren't getting adequate treatment. Most of us couldn't breathe with pressure of 4. Unfortuantely if you have the PLUS series machine you aren't going to be able to get any useful data from it. Don't waste your money on the software IF this is your machine.

If you are on disability, which you indicated you were then you should qualify for medical assistance from your state. Have you tried applying?

I know money is tight -- it seems it is with everyone, myself included. BUT your health should be a priority. I would try to find a decent used apap and go from there. Then you would be able to see the data to figure out what is going on. You can find them many times on craigslist, garage sales, etc. Ask around. You may say you don't have the money. Many of us can cut expenses if absolutely necessary -- do you smoke? drink? have cable? satellite? cell-phone (unless it is your primary phone)? other vices? Cut out some of those expenses and put it towards your health care.

[roster]

4 cm is the lowest pressure machines can be set at. It is very rare for 4 cm to provide effective therapy. You probably still have apneas. This may be the root cause of other health problems.

[jweeks]

Hi,

As far as quitting goes, that might solve your problem one way or another. You might end up with low blood oxygen and have a stroke. That will land you in a nursing home and you will get round the clock care. Or maybe you will have a heart attack and die. Again, problem solved. Not to sound like a jerk, but OSA is a serious health problem that kills people. If that doesn't concern you, then it is OK to quit. But if you want to live, you are going to want to get effective treatment.

There are options if you work hard enough to find them. There are groups out there that can set you up with a CPAP for no cost. You can also buy used machines inexpensively. If you want to do it yourself, you need to get a data capable machine such as an M-Series. The strategy would be to increase the pressure over time and watch for the AHI number to drop. Of course, that is nowhere as good as a titration study and a prescription from a medical doctor, but it might keep you alive long enough so you can save up or otherwise solve the insurance and income issues.

Good luck. I'm sorry to hear that you have so many struggles to deal with.

-john-

[Jirel]

Thanks for the suggestions. The financial assistance from the state is out. I get too much money. Never mind the fact that I can spend $1000 a month on doctor prescribed medications, thereby dropping my (real) income to $1500 a month and I live alone and have no family so I can't get any financial help anywhere, that doesn't count. So I've already started cutting some of my meds. My Rheumy knows and is okay with it as she understands the money situation. I thought I had heard that if you don't need a cpap it can be detrimental to your ability to sleep, but if I don't have to worry about that then I will continue with it. Sleepycarol is correct, I have a Remstar M series PLUS machine. I also used a nasal mask - I used to use nasal pillows but found the mask more comfortable. John, sorry but telling me it could kill me doesn't move me. I just went through 6 weeks of fighting not to kill myself because of major depression (my Rheumy almost had me committed just to protect herself) and I still don't have a reason to live. I just no longer want to actively kill myself. Yeah, yeah. If I had the will I'm sure I could find someone out there to treat me, but who the heck cares.

[Autopapdude]

I would let your qualified PHYSICIAN make any such decision in terms of cessation of sleep therapy. Unless someone is a doctor on this board, it would be irresponsible and probably illegal to make any sort of consultation in terms of telling someone not to use a Cpap any more. That is a decision that can only be made in consultation with medical professionals after serious consideration. I'd reiterate that a pressure of 4 probably isn't doing anything, but please let a doctor make the decision about your condition, not some layperson's opinion.

[ozij]

Okay, I started using a CPAP about 3 to 4 years ago. I was getting nothing but state 2 sleep. My pressure was set at 4 and i believe I weighed around 235. In 2008 I had to leave work due to disabilities. I now weigh about 205. The first thing I noticed when I got the Cpap is that my night sweats stopped. About a year ago they started up again. I've experimented lately and found that if I don't wear the Cpap they seem to stay away. But I AM getting tired earlier in the evening (not a bad idea as I've not been getting to bed until 2 - 4am and now I'm heading for bed around 1am. But since I just started knew antidepressent meds, it culd be that. Oh, yeah - I don't have insurance. So I can NOT afford a sleep study. Last month was bad enough, I had 3 doctor's appt in 1 month and had to borrow money from my emergency 'stash' to eat. That stash is limited and when its gone, there's no more comming. No I can't ask family for help, I don't have any. Parents dead and I was an only kid with no significant other. Any suggestions?

Since one of your earliest posts mentioned using ramp, I wonder if you meant to write you pressure was set at 14.

A 35 pound weight loss may have changed your pressure needs, and if it were me and my pressure was 14, I would experiment setting my machine at lower pressures,dropping 0.5 cms at a time. When the pressure is too high it can disrupt your breathing and your sleep.
I certainly would not stop cpap before experimenting at lowering the pressure from what I assume is 14.

If you definitely see you machine showing 4, then dig out your PSG and Rx to check what they say. 4 cms/h2o is an extremely rare Rx. I'd be wondering if the pressure changed by mistake from what it was prescribed.. Is it possible that 4 was your AHI - number of apneas and hypopneas -- and they prescribed CPAP nevertheless because of you oxygen desaturations?

Studies have shown that people can learn to find their own proper pressure even on a machine like yours -- one that does not report AHI, or leaks. I'm as enthusiatic (or is the operative word "obssessed"? ) as anyone about software and reading data -- but don't let our enthuisasm give you a feeling that nothing can be done. You can find your right pressure by changing the pressure gradually.

So:
Look up your PSG and Rx and tell us what they say.
Look at the machine's LCD and see if its pressure shows what the Rx said you should have.
Tell what they all are, and let's try to help you feel better.
O.

[KatieW]

[quote="Jirel" If I had the will I'm sure I could find someone out there to treat me, but who the heck cares.[/quote]

I seems obvious to me, that alot of people on this forum care! And you cared enough to ask the question.

I'm glad you came back. Re-read the good advice here, it is from people who have been there, and truly understand. And want to help you.

[Muse-Inc]

Ah Jiral, not a good place to be eh? Sounds like apnea is causing probs...lotta good suggestions offered. I'd second the dig out your sleep study data and post. I've lost 53#s; my sleep doc's dropped my pressure from 11 to 9, so you might need less pressure if your airways changed (mine did). Might try adding fish oils (Coromega, least expensive from vitacost.com, tho Vitamin Shoppe occasionally has them on sale) as they help depression...not the situation just the depression. Better sleep will also help with that and the pain too. Wishing you better sleep.

[fishhead]

I just went through 6 weeks of fighting not to kill myself because of major depression (my Rheumy almost had me committed just to protect herself) and I still don't have a reason to live. I just no longer want to actively kill myself. Yeah, yeah. If I had the will I'm sure I could find someone out there to treat me, but who the heck cares.

'm sorry that your going through some tough times. but, don't give up. life really is beautiful and worth the effort.

if your machine was only set at 4cm, i also have to question how effective it was in treating your apnea in the first place since most people find that's not enough pressure for normal breathing, let alone control apneas. and good for you in losing some weight! i need to do that, myself. the change in weight may mean you have to start over in finding the best use of the cpap machine.

but the fact that you've been/are depressed may indicate that you could benefit from cpap therapy. it's just hard to see things clearly if your not sleeping well.

[DoriC]

Jirel, We all care about you so if you'll answer the questions posed by some very knowledgeable people here, they can help you get started on optimal OSA therapy that may be the root cause of many of your ailments. I can tell you that one year ago my husband was ready to give up on life also. He is a "senior" with many medical problems and war injuries that make it hard for him to walk. He felt he had lived long enough. He spent most of his day sleeping and most of his nights gasping for air. But when there were no other options left he opted to give life a chance and began his cpap journey. I won't tell you it was easy and yes, he did have me as his caregiver. Still we had many anxious months with thoughts of giving up, but with the ongoing help of these good people and becoming somewhat educated,we kept fighting and today my husband's quality of life has improved so much, his medical issues are stable and he's enjoying the simple life. BTW, an update for those who know our story, today Mike took out his billiard stick hidden in the back of his closet and said he may go down to our clubhouse and "practice".

[sleepycarol]

It sounds like you have been hit by numerous whammies and are having a hard time coping.

As was suggested, check and see if your pressure is truly set at 4. If it is, it probably is not adequate enough pressure to keep your airway open. Talk with one of your doctor's explain the situation, and see if an increase in pressure is warranted.

I purchased an apap from http://www.cpapauction.com for $40.00 last fall. It was an older unit, with low hours on it. They can be found at a reasonable cost if you are persistent. Ask around, you maybe able to find a friend that would let you borrow theirs for a few nights to get an idea of your pressure needs.

Don't give up and know that many on here do care and many will have useful suggestions.