If you could buy any machine---

[Luigi]

Hi.
I've been trying to get this all to work for 8 months now. Still so frustrated and sleepy most of the time. My biggest problem is rainout that wakes me up ever 1-2 hours just to clean the water out of my mask. I've been back to the DME people upteen times (2to 3 times per month), I've tried all their instructions, all the info on this forum, etc. I think I have a piece of crap machine but now my insurance company says I've converted to purchase so I can't change machines for two years!
I'm thinking about purchasing my own machine with my own money and I'm wondering what I should look at.
I wanted to switch equipment companies but the second one my doctor recommended doesn't seem to want to take me until I try to get the other company to return the machine on warranty. I don't know what to do at this point cause I've lost all confidence in this machine! I fell asleep while driving to work again yesterday and now I have to drive with the windows down just to stay awake.

Can a person buy their own machine and have the doctor calibrate it to the perscribed settings? I'm on the auto setting but usually the machine is set at 12.
I'm also having problems with the masks making my head itch at night and that sometimes wakens me as well.
I alternate between the mask I've listed in my signature and a Fisher Paykel mask.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[dsm]

Luigi

A good number of us here did just that. Bought our own machines & set them to out titration pressures then varied them for optimal therapy over time.
You will get all the help you need as long as you don't have any serious medical condition & only have vanilla OSA. If you have specialized requirements, many here will back off offering settings opinions as that is best left to a specialist RT.

Good luck

DSM

[Wulfman]

Hi.
I've been trying to get this all to work for 8 months now. Still so frustrated and sleepy most of the time. My biggest problem is rainout that wakes me up ever 1-2 hours just to clean the water out of my mask. I've been back to the DME people upteen times (2to 3 times per month), I've tried all their instructions, all the info on this forum, etc. I think I have a piece of crap machine but now my insurance company says I've converted to purchase so I can't change machines for two years!
I'm thinking about purchasing my own machine with my own money and I'm wondering what I should look at.
I wanted to switch equipment companies but the second one my doctor recommended doesn't seem to want to take me until I try to get the other company to return the machine on warranty. I don't know what to do at this point cause I've lost all confidence in this machine! I fell asleep while driving to work again yesterday and now I have to drive with the windows down just to stay awake.

Can a person buy their own machine and have the doctor calibrate it to the perscribed settings? I'm on the auto setting but usually the machine is set at 12.
I'm also having problems with the masks making my head itch at night and that sometimes wakens me as well.
I alternate between the mask I've listed in my signature and a Fisher Paykel mask.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

This isn't that hard to figure out.
You've probably been spending too much time at your DME's and not enough time here asking questions.
If you're getting rainout, you've got your humidity setting too high. (using a hose cover will help some, too.)
If you're getting drowsy again, you may be leaking your therapy air out your mouth while you're sleeping (Are both of your masks nasal masks?) Therapy pressure may not be optimal, either.

It doesn't take a doctor to set a machine to your prescribed settings.......you can do that, too.

Most important question:
Do you actually have the Encore software (Pro or Viewer) to see your nightly data?


Den

[rested gal]

My biggest problem is rainout that wakes me up ever 1-2 hours just to clean the water out of my mask. I've been back to the DME people upteen times (2to 3 times per month), I've tried all their instructions, all the info on this forum, etc

Have you bought and tried a "heated cpap tube" from sleepzone.com.au ? Often called the "Aussie heated hose."

That's by far the best way I've used to control rainout. If I didn't already have one, I'd probably buy and use a cheaper alternative (Repti heat cable) that is equally as effective according to people who have that.

LINKS to discussions about the Aussie heated hose - to prevent rainout
viewtopic.php?t=5305

Luigi, I looked back through previous topics you posted in. Several times I saw you mention "EPR" as the pressure relief feature on your machine. EPR is a feature on machines made by the company named ResMed. Your equipment profile, however, shows a machine made by the company named Respironics. If you don't mind, would you write down all the words that are written on the top surface of your machine and tell us the full name of your machine?

[kwikwater]

You're in the right place! We feel your pain!! It's what keeps most of here, continuing to improve our therapy. It would be helpful if you could let us know what you've tried, so we don't bombard you with all the things that have worked for us. On the other hand, LOL, I learn a lot from the lists of suggestions that are offered each time someone asks an open question!

For me, I'm more tired each day now, than I've been for the first 4 years of CPAP. I also am fighting way more cotton mouth. Sounds like mouth leaks, so I fully taped my mouth - like 2 1" strips 6" long, horizontal across my mouth. Well, a leak won't go out of my mouth for sure, but the air can still circulate IN my mouth. Next I changed from a good, but traditional styled chinstrap to a PapCap and moved the strap under the back of my jaw rather than around the point of the chin, which helps the tongue to block the air from coming in the back of the oral cavity. I'm much more rested since then, in the past week, and my Encore and Sp02 numbers agree!! My next target will be securing my nasal pillow, but I don't think I'll have to go there.

Keep reading here and hang in!!
Kelvin

[timbalionguy]

Another point. If you buy a machine online from a dealer (like this board's sponsor CPAP.com), they will set the pressure for you, to what is on your prescription. But it is a good thing to know how to set the pressure yourself, in case you would have a need to do it.