Can I skip some days?

[bluetrout]

I just posted my equipment on my profile since apparently that will help with advice. My trailer does have a 12 volt battery and I already knew I could use the outlet to run the CPAP machine. I also have the appropriate battery for the machine. I already knew I could use the machine while camping. That was not intended to be my question. The question is simply can one skip days? Many answers on that. Thanks.
On a positive note I want to thank a member who has sent me excellent information via a private message. Much appreciated.

[chunkyfrog]

Skipping a night, especially once you have acclimated to treatment,
is rolling the dice on how horrible can you feel when suddenly deprived of decent sleep.
If you really need to know, I cannot stop you.
It is still a bad idea.

[Lucyhere]

If you really need to know, I cannot stop you.

Are you really, really sure about that?

[jnk...]

. . . rolling the dice on how horrible can you feel . . . a bad idea.

I believe that some patients with atrial flutter are prescribed CPAP even though they have NO reported daytime sleepiness at all. In fact, for some, my understanding is that they would not truly be considered OSA with their low number of sleep-breathing events and absence of symptoms. For some, the CPAP is mostly a prevention strategy more than a direct treatment of full-blown OSA. For such patients, only the heart doc would know whether a break from that strategy was reasonable/advisable/foolish/dangerous/other in any particular case.

I have no idea if the above relates to the OP or not. But in my opinion, the whole 'you will feel terrible and maybe die' approach, as true as it may be for some patients who post here, is simply not true for every single person prescribed PAP therapy.

But hey what do I know. I don't even understand the blasted cable box these days.

[chunkyfrog]

Agreed. I am "lucky" in that I get immediate feedback if I happen to doze off unmasked.
Nothing makes you compliant like a boot to the head.
The absence of compelling symptoms leaves one to work on faith alone.
Or efficacy data, if one can be so fortunate--or persistent.
Not everyone's faith is that strong.

[Judge Nap]

On a positive note I want to thank a member who has sent me excellent information via a private message.

One of the advantages of posting advice in a forum such as this is the vetting process. By vetting, I mean someone posts advice, and that advice is subject to the scrutiny of others. At times, the scrutiny has revealed that the advice was not the best. In some cases, the advice was even revealed to be counterproductive.

So just remember, that advice you received by PM has not had sunshine of consensus.

Personally, I am suspicious of any advice sent to me by PM. It makes me wonder if the person sending it knew it would fade quickly under the light of sunshine in the forum.

[Judge Nap]

But in my opinion, the whole 'you will feel terrible and maybe die' approach, as true as it may be for some patients who post here, is simply not true for every single person prescribed PAP therapy.

But hey what do I know. I don't even understand the blasted cable box these days.

Maybe the OP will return from a miserable two-week trailer journey and let you know what your blasted opinion was worth.

[Hang Fire]

So just remember, that advice you received by PM has not had sunshine of consensus.

Time for me to confess. I was the one that sent the PM. It was to inform of my booklet, "7 Easy Steps to Avoid CPAP While on Trailer Journeys", only $12.99. And for a limited time, add to your order my booklet, "4 Additional Easy Steps to Avoid CPAP for Life".

Now, special offer to all cpaptalk.com members only, shipping and handling charges will be waived on all orders placed by midnight EDT today. Just PM me with your CC number.

[chunkyfrog]

At least I hope you are kidding . . .

[CowFish]

We're thinking of a 2 week trailer journey.

Experiment before you go on the trip. Skip Friday and Saturday nights when you have the next days off to recover.

Congratulations, MS! You offered the only advice that makes sense - short and simple! Unfortunately, your advice is probably lost among the people here who like to puff their egos up with convoluted, long-winded posts.

[CowFish]

Time for me to confess. I was the one that sent the PM. It was to inform of my booklet, "7 Easy Steps to Avoid CPAP While on Trailer Journeys", only $12.99. And for a limited time, add to your order my booklet, "4 Additional Easy Steps to Avoid CPAP for Life".

Now, special offer to all cpaptalk.com members only, shipping and handling charges will be waived on all orders placed by midnight EDT today. Just PM me with your CC number.

Well,that is funny.

[Guest]

Thanks jnk. Intelligent and constructive amidst the "don't run with scissors" babble that seems to dominate here. I love the advice not to pay attention to a PM because it's not "vetted" by the forum members. Are you kidding me? Some great people here but a large % of folks needing mental care...and some other hobby.

[CowFish]

Thanks jnk. Intelligent and constructive amidst the "don't run with scissors" babble that seems to dominate here. I love the advice not to pay attention to a PM because it's not "vetted" by the forum members. Are you kidding me? Some great people here but a large % of folks needing mental care...and some other hobby.

Supposedly, the only people using CPAP are those who felt bad before they started using CPAP. If these people want to feel bad on two-week vacations, none of us mentally ill people can stop them.

[jnk...]

I believe that the AASM knows of that which it speaks in its present practice parameters:

"3.1.7 OSA Severity – Relationship to Efficacy and/or Effectiveness -- Most of the Level I and II studies of the efficacy of CPAP treatment have been conducted in patients with moderate (AHI 15 - 30) and severe (AHI > 30) disease as defined by the AASM. The 3 Level I studies and 3 Level II studies that were restricted to patients with mild to moderate OSA found that CPAP reduced AHI but did not improve objective sleepiness or blood pressure. Conflicting results were found for subjective measures of sleepiness, neurobehavioral performance, mood, and quality of life. Thus, it remains unclear whether CPAP has utility across outcomes for this level of disease severity." -- http://www.aasmnet.org/Resources/Practi ... essure.pdf

I believe it natural that most of the posters here are ones who have received the most benefit from PAP therapy and commendably want the world to know it. (I count myself among that number; my OSA is particularly severe, and I believe PAP therapy saved my life.) Nevertheless, I also believe that the science of the studies done in connection with so-called mild apnea, especially when the patient lacks any daytime symptoms, is significant in its inconclusiveness, especially in view of the overwhelming lack of consensus among professional clinicians. And I believe that to be so despite the seeming consensus of the self-selected advice-givers that tend to populate internet forums.

For similar reasons, I also am wary of certain forms of PM advice--other than, of course, the sharing of links to authoritative sources. I do understand the motivation for that form of communication, though, for those averse to "attack" from the members adhering to the vox populi. Personally, as a recovering troll, I live for that sort of thing!

But hey, just me.

Bottom line is that all any of us can share is our personal experience and impressions based on what we've chosen to read. I don't recommend that anyone prescribed PAP go without it, but I also acknowledge the legally established moral right of all people to choose for themselves based on their own opinions, preferably formed in consultation with their medical team.

[Hang Fire]

I also acknowledge the legally established moral right of all people to choose for themselves based on their own opinions formed in consultation with their medical team.

So, if one doesn't consult with their medical team, then they have no right to choose for themselves?