No Longer Need C-Pap?

[judysunlakes]

I recently spent time away from home and shared a room at a hotel with my friend, and she told me she never heard me stop breathing, etc. even once during the 3 nights. My husband also has related the same thing. Someone mentioned to me that after a couple of years with C-pap you may no longer need it. (they had seen a program on TV re: this subject)
My question is, has anyone heard of being able to get off C-pap? I have an appt with my Sleep Dr. this week, think I will ask for another sleep study.
Thanks for any input
Judy

[Guest]

Someone mentioned to me that after a couple of years with C-pap you may no longer need it. (they had seen a program on TV re: this subject)
My question is, has anyone heard of being able to get off C-pap?

Nope.

But PLEASE get back to us after you have your sleep study and tell us what you find out.

We constantly hear rumors about someone who talked to someone else who heard from a friend who saw something or read something somewhere that said something about getting off cpap. But we never see any proof. Do you think you could find out which TV program said this? It would be interesting to followup on and see if there was any verifiable evidence.

Meanwhile, please let us know the results of your PSG. If your OSA is gone, finally we'll be able to point to the facts and say IT IS POSSIBLE.

[oldgearhead]

I can't resist telling my story on this thread. In early 2001 I was diagnosed with OSA. A sleep study showed very high AHI numbers. Therefore, I was put on a CPAP machine with a pressure setting of 10 cm/H2O. I tollerated
the CPAP treatment pretty well using a non-heated humidifier and an Adam Circuit (pillow type) mask.

Next, about nine months later, quite by accident, I discovered the OSA
symptoms were not present if I slept on my side. No snoring, and deep
sleep came back without CPAP. This was a bit difficult, because I had never
slept on my side before, but it worked!

Fast forward to: February 2006 - IT"S BACK!
1) I only sleep for 4 hours, then wake gasping.
2) No deep sleep what-so-ever.

My 2006 sleep study is tomorrow. Therefore I've:
1) dusted off an older Remstar Pro (with C-Flex).
2) made sure that 'Adam' is ready.
3) ordered a new mask.

'Adam' is really nice for sleeping on one's back. However, he is awful
for side-sleeping. I hope the new one is better. Do these classic
masks gain value when they become obsolete? Do I have the only one left?
Are they collectable?

I hope all of you will welcome me back in the 'Hosehead' community.

[roster]

Just a word of caution from my own experience. I had undiagnosed osa for at least 15 years and the last six I was at the severe level (by my own estimate). I eventually diagnosed osa myself and scheduled a sleep study which confirmed it.

I had been complaining for years and now my doctors say they missed the diagnosis because I am slim and my wife never complained about snoring. After I scheduled the sleep study my wife told me I don't think you have osa because you rarely snore and I have listened to you in your sleep and you don't stop breathing. Boy did the sleep study prove her wrong!

The caution here is that there are many like me who are slim, don't snore and are otherwise very quiet when sleeping! Get the sleep study done!

P.S. On the other hand, I do carry a very large life insurance policy with my wife as the beneficiary. Maybe this explains her comments.

[Guest]

Next, about nine months later, quite by accident, I discovered the OSA
symptoms were not present if I slept on my side. No snoring, and deep
sleep came back without CPAP. This was a bit difficult, because I had never
slept on my side before, but it worked!

You indicate your symptoms were not present from 2001-2006 because you slept on your side. Did you have a PSG proving your OSA was gone? When you say IT'S BACK, I'm more inclined to think it was never gone.
It is quite common for people who stop snoring to think their OSA is gone. A PSG then reveals the OSA is still present. The bad news is, people want to be rid of cpap so badly, they don't have the followup PSG study. They know the odds are against being cured, so they decide to live in ignorance and spread the false word that they're cured. This does everyone a disservice. Anyone who quits cpap without the followup PSG is jeopardizing their own health and future. Anyone who falsely claims their OSA is cured without having a PSG study to prove it, is jeopardizing the health and future of everyone who believes them. This is definitely a case where ignorance is NOT bliss.

[Guest]

After I scheduled the sleep study my wife told me I don't think you have osa because you rarely snore and I have listened to you in your sleep and you don't stop breathing. Boy did the sleep study prove her wrong!

On the other hand, I do carry a very large life insurance policy with my wife as the beneficiary. Maybe this explains her comments.

ROTFL!

[chdurie2]

rooster:

do you mean that you think your wife would mis-report her observations about your sleep behavior so that your life insurance policy would pay her a lot of money more quickly than might otherwise happen?

[NightHawkeye]

My question is, has anyone heard of being able to get off C-pap? I have an appt with my Sleep Dr. this week, think I will ask for another sleep study.

Judy,

If you choose to be CPAP free, also get your sleep doc to prescribe or loan you an oximeter for a week or two to see how your desaturations look when you're "off" CPAP. I wouldn't rely too much on a single night's worth of data. You may be surprised at what you see for some nights versus others.

I'm one of those lucky folks who managed to "pass" my sleep study, not once, but twice. My sleep doc was convinced I didn't have apnea until I brought in oximeter data suggesting otherwise. My apnea comes and goes (largely as the result of jaw position, I suspect). Lately, I've been noticing that not only sleep position but the firmness of my pillows affects my apnea. On reflection, I also realized recently that I used a very firm pillow during my last sleep study. So, the answer to your question is, yes, if you're like me and have another PSG, you might pass it.

Personally, I have no desire to abandon CPAP though, because I am grateful for its benefits, but maybe I'll feel differently after being on CPAP for a few years.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Bill

[wawasteele]

I'm one of those lucky folks who managed to "pass" my sleep study, not once, but twice. My sleep doc was convinced I didn't have apnea until I brought in oximeter data suggesting otherwise. My apnea comes and goes (largely as the result of jaw position, I suspect). CPAP

[quote="NightHawkeye
I'm one of those lucky folks who managed to "pass" my sleep study, not once, but twice. My sleep doc was convinced I didn't have apnea until I brought in oximeter data suggesting otherwise. My apnea comes and goes

Wow I am coming out of lurk mode for this.

I thought I was the only person who "passed" their sleep study. My doctor told me I did not have OSA. However, she couldn't explain the nights I woke up gasping for air and my overwhelming fatigue. I told her that IMO it comes and goes. She said that wasn't possible, either I had it or I didn't.

I also have another chronic condition, post-polio syndrome (PPS). I emailed a nurologist at UCLA whom I had seen for PPS. Her reply was that OSA could be intermetint. With that, I was able to finally get an APAP from my HMO. I have got the card reader and sofrtwear myself. Guess what? I do have apenas and they do very vastly from night to night. Since I have had my machine, over 3 months now, I haven't had one gasping for air or chocking attack. I don't have to get up several times at night for the bathroom and although energy is still limited, due to PPS, I have more energy than I have had in years!