UARS & CPAP

[miner49er]

Hello everyone,
I just got off the phone with my sleep doctor who confirmed that I have UARS(RDI of 17). I had suspected this for a while based on my symptoms. I am going to be ordering an Auto CPAP machine in the near future, though I understand that UARS sufferes have a lower compliance rate than normal Apnea. Just want to introduce myself and ask for any tips/tricks/advice or great success stories with CPAP for UARS specifically. I am really looking forward to not waking up with a massive headache and soreness.

Anyone on here have success with tongue exercise programs or acupuncture?

[slowriter]

Hello everyone,
I just got off the phone with my sleep doctor who confirmed that I have UARS(RDI of 17). I had suspected this for a while based on my symptoms. I am going to be ordering an Auto CPAP machine in the near future, though I understand that UARS sufferes have a lower compliance rate than normal Apnea. Just want to introduce myself and ask for any tips/tricks/advice or great success stories with CPAP for UARS specifically.

Yes. I posted this a few weeks ago.

If you can manage it, I'd strongly suggest trying to get ahold of a bilevel machine; the Resmed Aircurve 10 VAuto.

[Mogy]

Hi miner49er,
I have not been diagnosed with UARs but I have OSA.
Also, I haven't tried acupuncture but I do tongue and throat exercises every day. Along with regular(6 out of 7 days a week) cardio exercise and weight management, I have brought my AHI from 20 down to 5. Just to be clear, this is untreated AHI. I don't use a machine now.
I believe the throat exercises are an important part of keeping me feeling well.

[jimbud]

Hi miner49er,
I have not been diagnosed with UARs but I have OSA.
Also, I haven't tried acupuncture but I do tongue and throat exercises every day. Along with regular(6 out of 7 days a week) cardio exercise and weight management, I have brought my AHI from 20 down to 5. Just to be clear, this is untreated AHI. I don't use a machine now.
I believe the throat exercises are an important part of keeping me feeling well.

If you do not use a machine how do you know you are down to 5?
And holding.

JPB

[miner49er]

Hi miner49er,
I have not been diagnosed with UARs but I have OSA.
Also, I haven't tried acupuncture but I do tongue and throat exercises every day. Along with regular(6 out of 7 days a week) cardio exercise and weight management, I have brought my AHI from 20 down to 5. Just to be clear, this is untreated AHI. I don't use a machine now.
I believe the throat exercises are an important part of keeping me feeling well.

What exercise programs are you on? The one i ordered seems to be much more focused on tongue than throat. (https://ijustwanttosleep.com/)
How do you feel at 5 ahi? good night sleep?

[miner49er]

Hello everyone,
I just got off the phone with my sleep doctor who confirmed that I have UARS(RDI of 17). I had suspected this for a while based on my symptoms. I am going to be ordering an Auto CPAP machine in the near future, though I understand that UARS sufferes have a lower compliance rate than normal Apnea. Just want to introduce myself and ask for any tips/tricks/advice or great success stories with CPAP for UARS specifically.

Yes. I posted this a few weeks ago.

If you can manage it, I'd strongly suggest trying to get ahold of a bilevel machine; the Resmed Aircurve 10 VAuto.

Hey, I enjoyed your thread, its very useful info. Any update since July? Feeling better on Bilevel? still using the Bleep mask?

[ChicagoGranny]

... though I understand that UARS sufferes have a lower compliance rate ...

If you use it all night every night, you will have 100% compliance rate.

I am going to be ordering an Auto CPAP machine in the near future ...

Which model?

I have brought my AHI from 20 down to 5.

Mogy has long been one of the forum's quacks. I'd be careful about trusting anything he posts.

If you do not use a machine how do you know you are down to 5?
And holding.

Let's see what Mogy has to say to this.

[miner49er]

... though I understand that UARS sufferes have a lower compliance rate ...

If you use it all night every night, you will have 100% compliance rate.

I am going to be ordering an Auto CPAP machine in the near future ...

Which model?

I have brought my AHI from 20 down to 5.

Mogy has long been one of the forum's quacks. I'd be careful about trusting anything he posts.

If you do not use a machine how do you know you are down to 5?
And holding.

Let's see what Mogy has to say to this.

I cannot comment of Mogy's qauckery , but I can believe such a reduction is possible with the combination of weight loss and tongue/throat exercises.
I was just told I would be getting a call from the provider in a few days and I would work it out with them and my insurance. Given what I've read since I'll try for the Bilevel one suggested above and may just buy it outright if its not covered. I would honestly pay a few thousand bucks out of pocket to wake up in the morning NOT feeling like I just survived a boxing match

[slowriter]

Hello everyone,
I just got off the phone with my sleep doctor who confirmed that I have UARS(RDI of 17). I had suspected this for a while based on my symptoms. I am going to be ordering an Auto CPAP machine in the near future, though I understand that UARS sufferes have a lower compliance rate than normal Apnea. Just want to introduce myself and ask for any tips/tricks/advice or great success stories with CPAP for UARS specifically.

Yes. I posted this a few weeks ago.

If you can manage it, I'd strongly suggest trying to get ahold of a bilevel machine; the Resmed Aircurve 10 VAuto.

Hey, I enjoyed your thread, its very useful info. Any update since July? Feeling better on Bilevel? still using the Bleep mask?

Yes to both!

[slowriter]

I was just told I would be getting a call from the provider in a few days and I would work it out with them and my insurance. Given what I've read since I'll try for the Bilevel one suggested above and may just buy it outright if its not covered. I would honestly pay a few thousand bucks out of pocket to wake up in the morning NOT feeling like I just survived a boxing match

Normally insurance in the US will require you to start with CPAP, and only if you fail that, will consider bilevel.

That was my path, and I bought a barely used VAuto while waiting on doc, sleep lab. insurance.

I did ultimately get approved for the bilevel, but haven't used the prescription yet (figured I'd wait and see if Resmed releases new machines in the next year).

If you buy out of pocket, you have four options, depending on preference:

1. new (most expensive, obviously, but full warranty, etc.)
2. secondwindcpap.com (reasonably-priced low hour used, with shorter warranty they provide)
3. here! LSAT often sells them for a good price (no warranty).
4. Craigslist, OfferUp, etc. (here you can get great deals, but obviously takes time and patience, and no warranty)

You need a prescription for first two options; not for the last two.

Edit: I totally forget to list this forum as a good source; fixed!

[ChicagoGranny]

I can believe such a reduction (to 5 AHI) is possible with the combination of weight loss and tongue/throat exercises.

No one should be discouraged from losing weight when necessary, and no one should be discouraged from doing airway exercises.

Do note that 5 AHI over 7 hours of sleep is 35 awakenings - very unhealthy.

It's good if you keep updating this thread. Helpful members can easily follow your history. And, they can provide great advice on getting good breaks on machine prices - some new machines, some new opened box, and some lightly used.

[miner49er]

I can believe such a reduction (to 5 AHI) is possible with the combination of weight loss and tongue/throat exercises.

No one should be discouraged from losing weight when necessary, and no one should be discouraged from doing airway exercises.

Do note that 5 AHI over 7 hours of sleep is 35 awakenings - very unhealthy.

It's good if you keep updating this thread. Helpful members can easily follow your history. And, they can provide great advice on getting good breaks on machine prices - some new machines, some new opened box, and some lightly used.

btw, is that you in the profile picture?

[miner49er]

Hi miner49er,
I have not been diagnosed with UARs but I have OSA.
Also, I haven't tried acupuncture but I do tongue and throat exercises every day. Along with regular(6 out of 7 days a week) cardio exercise and weight management, I have brought my AHI from 20 down to 5. Just to be clear, this is untreated AHI. I don't use a machine now.
I believe the throat exercises are an important part of keeping me feeling well.

If you do not use a machine how do you know you are down to 5?
And holding.

JPB

actually I believe it may be possible to monitor AHI with a simple o2, blood pressure finger monitor. I bought one of these before I knew anything about apnea and it will show clear spikes in pressure and decreases in o2 throughout the night, less than one per hour for me, and recently I was given a .7 AHI score from my sleep test. This device was over 100 dollars though.

[Pugsy]

actually I believe it may be possible to monitor AHI with a simple o2,

I hate to burst your bubble but overnight pulse oximeter results aren't always a reliable tool for evaluating sleep apnea because not everyone will have significant drops in oxygen along with the OSA events.
I have a good friend who had an in lab sleep study and came out of it with AHI of over 60. Pretty severe.
She never really had much of a drop during the sleep study....overall average reading awake was around 96% and she never dropped below 94%. Her pulse rate didn't vary much either. I saw the sleep study because I asked for it because what she was reporting was unusual.

Anyway...the absence of desats or pulse rate changes don't always mean everything is all hunky dory in the sleep apnea department.
It can give a pretty good indication of the presence of apnea but not always reliable for the absence of apnea.

[Whale Road]

I have a good friend who had an in lab sleep study and came out of it with AHI of over 60. Pretty severe.
She never really had much of a drop during the sleep study....overall average reading awake was around 96% and she never dropped below 94%. Her pulse rate didn't vary much either.

Something much like that happened to my older brother. Fortunately, his doctor was wise enough to send him for an overnight in-lab study. His sleep apnea was severe, and he was happy to start using CPAP. He warned me and I got a diagnosis with an in-lab study.