Central vs Obstructive Sleep Apnea

[Jas_williams]

Good luck with the machine let us know exactly what you get and post data after a couple of nights sleep and we can help further

[JerryL]

Thanks! I was halfway to the place to pick up the machine on Friday when they phoned me to cancel (the nurse got called away for an emergency).

I noticed on another thread on this forum that some people have machines that tell them their AHI during the night. Do some CPAP machines do this? Do all CPAP machines do this?

[palerider]

Thanks! I was halfway to the place to pick up the machine on Friday when they phoned me to cancel (the nurse got called away for an emergency).

I noticed on another thread on this forum that some people have machines that tell them their AHI during the night. Do some CPAP machines do this? Do all CPAP machines do this?

Only the good ones.

https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment/cpapmachines Look for the ones that have 'data yes'

[Barb (Seattle)]

here is the difference when you're (me!) treated good. I WAS on cpap on bipap settings. this was my result. CA were the centrals. I so clearly need an ASV machine. It's very obvious. now, to get medicare convinced in November to pay for it, but if they don't I'll make payments on one with Care Credit if they take it. There is no way I'll ever sleep without one of these types of machines for the rest of my life







this is my result after getting a cpap that handles centrals....the S9 vpap adapt. a total WORLD of difference looking at my sleepyhead data....





I am so grateful to the ones here (pugsy especially) who helped me

[Barb (Seattle)]

I hope it's ok I put my statistics on this thread......maybe someone who sees the title can be helped.....

[JerryL]

Thanks for posting those, Barb. The improvement in your central ("clear airway") events and AHI score is crystal-clear, even to a newbie like me!

[Barb (Seattle)]

I am kind of excited. It's been a year of crappy numbers...and to have it good finally. it feeeeelsss wonderful!

[JerryL]

Julie, JNK, Pugsy, Zonker, BTS, Jas_williams, Palerider, and Barb, thanks for all your help.

I have some more questions, if you don't mind!

(1) If I do have some central apnea issues, and I got a CPAP machine that only addresses obstructive apnea, is there a significant risk that this machine could make my central apnea worse? (I have read that central apnea can be caused by pressure too high.)

I have read that if I have central apnea, a BiPAP, VPAP or ASV machine would be the best choice. But I’m willing to try the CPAP first to see it it works, because I don’t know whether I actually do have central/complex apna. Except – I am nervous that the CPAP might make things worse, or give me long-term permanent problems! That’s my biggest fear! Am I over-thinking this?

(2) Barb posted her “sleepyhead” data. Am I correct that data such as this is only generated by the more expensive xPAP machines? In other words, a run-of-the-mill CPAP machine does not produce data on how your breathing went during the night, even if you download programs from the internet to help it do so?

(3) Does a machine that produces data require that various electrodes be attached to the sleeper? Or do they calculate all this data solely through your air tube?

(4) If my insurance just gives me a CPAP with constant pressure and no data output, how will I know if it is solving my problem?

(5) I’m concerned about my test results. Based on the comments above, I’m not convinced that what I need is a CPAP set to a constant pressure of 9cm. I would prefer an AutoPAP machine. I’d also love to have a machine that produces data. If my doctor prescribed a constant-pressure CPAP machine that doesn’t produce data, is it worth going back to him and asking for something more sophisticated? Or should I go ahead and use the machine they are giving me this week, see if helps me get better sleep – and then if it doesn’t, address that problem then?

(Because of the way Medi-Cal works, my doctor has already sent the prescription to the hardware supplier, and I'm supposed to pick up my machine this week. I never saw the prescription, so I'm not sure exactly what machine they plan to give me, but the paperwork does clearly say "CPAP", not something-else-PAP.)

(6) During my first sleep study, the nurse/technician told me that I have “moderate” apnea, especially when sleeping on my back. She said it wasn’t as bad when I sleep on my side. That made me wonder if the problem could be solved just by somehow forcing myself to sleep on my side all night long? (Normally, I go to sleep on my side, but after I fall asleep I roll onto my back and stay there most of the night.)

[palerider]

1. There's a *possibility* but I wouldn't consider it "significant". Some people are adversely affected, you might not be.. The too high pressure thing affects about 1 in 7 people. "bipap" and "vpap" are two names for the same things, from different manufacturers. both are "bilevel" machines, much like "camaro" and "mustang" are trademark names for different manufacturers muscle cars. an ASV is a type of bilevel machine.
2. No, pretty much everything except the bargain basement "brick" machines will produce that data.
3. There's a pressure and flow sensor in the machine, it extrapolates all that data from the airflow.
4. You won't. Insurance doesn't care, they pay the same thing for junk machines as well as full data, and auto cpaps, simply don't accept the cheap ones your DME may try to foist off on you.
5. Yes, it is. Push for an auto machine.

[Mogy]

Hi JerryL,
1) Yes, you are over thinking it a bit. If the extra pressure from the CPAP causes more centrals, usually it resolves itself within a few months. Your body gets used to the extra pressure. The CPAP is not doing any irreversible damage.
3) No electrodes. Just a mask, and possibly an oximeter if you want to track oxygen levels.
4) Oximeter will help, but it is best to get a machine with data.
5) I am not sure how your insurance works. If you get a machine that isn't optimum, can you exchange? Or should you push for something more up front?
6)There are other options besides xPAP. On this site, they push machines.

[palerider]

Hi JerryL,
1) Yes, you are over thinking it a bit. If the extra pressure from the CPAP causes more centrals, usually it resolves itself within a few months. Your body gets used to the extra pressure. The CPAP is not doing any irreversible damage.
3) No electrodes. Just a mask, and possibly an oximeter if you want to track oxygen levels.
4) Oximeter will help, but it is best to get a machine with data.
5) I am not sure how your insurance works. If you get a machine that isn't optimum, can you exchange? Or should you push for something more up front?
6)There are other options besides xPAP. On this site, they push machines.

And Mogy pushes idiocy.

[JerryL]

Thanks! I got my machine today: a Philips Respironics DreamStation CPAP. The pressure is fixed at 9cm, although there is a "ramp up" feature. It has Bluetooth, and mentions a "DreamMapper" app; I don't know if it's compatible with Sleepyhead. I looked at the catalog, and while the "Pro" version has a couple extra features, they don't seem essential. Of course, my big unknown is whether an AutoPAP or bilevel machine is really what I need....

[palerider]

Thanks! I got my machine today: a Philips Respironics DreamStation CPAP.

I'm so sorry, the CPAP model, as you were told, is the junk model.

Take it back and refuse it... You need *AT LEAST* the pro model, preferably the auto model.

[BTS]

I wish people would stop taking bricks ... DMEs are scum giving these out when you can get an Auto or at least the Pro.... Take it back, do more research and never walk away with a brick ... And if you go ResMed the same thing take the Auto and if not that nothing less than the Elite ... Research people... Look things up, no reason walking away with this shit when you are reading all about how not to take a brick here on the forums..

[Barb (Seattle)]

Thanks! I got my machine today: a Philips Respironics DreamStation CPAP.

I'm so sorry, the CPAP model, as you were told, is the junk model.

Take it back and refuse it... You need *AT LEAST* the pro model, preferably the auto model.
[/quote]

I totally AGREE!!!!!


well, I have to edit that. For my husband, it's working great. pressure 14. maybe a 1/2 of an apnea once in a while.