My BIGGEST Mistake In A 68 Year Old Life?

In 2011 I had a home test that showed moderate to severe and got a new Philips CPAP. Sinus infections led to a switch and my insurance company authorized my DME (Crapia) to give me the same brand but APAP and I immediately found my way to the clinicians menu:-) I turned it WAY down and first night dropped to 0.5 to 3.5 for the next 2 months. Life was better though I HATED the full face masks and began to experiment.

I sold my motorcycle to a man who by coincidence also had OSA and told me to try the Swift FX. I did and now life got REALLY good. No, GREAT to amazing. But after a coupe months a really bad thing became a severe thing and it was called sinus infections. Now a year prior to beginning PAP I had been through a sinus surgery for deviated septum and partial turbinate reduction. All went perfectly and PAP never seemed to cause me any problems like I had worried about. But switching to the nasal pillows and using the Russ Macmillan Ultimate Chin Strap to close my forever open mouth, I now began endless sinus infection, hearing loss and got so dizzy I couldn't walk or drive, was stuck in bed for weeks, literally. So my sinus surgeon placed tubes in both ears to allow draining and as luck would have it, I woke up 95% deaf and this time I STAYED this way and the infections now became serious enough to end up back in the hospital. Tubes were removed and it was about a month or 2 part of my hearing returned. Still, and thank God for the VA because the one thing they ever did to help me was give me a set of $6K hearing aids.

But I was never to be able to tolerate Pap again so I sold all my gear and that was it. Till last week. My OSA is now SO bad my wife is terrified and unable to even watch anymore since a series of major surgeries, 5 in 4 months left me in a wheelchair for life and on major doses of Opioid medications for whatever life I have remaining. And today I just discovered (a bit late sadly) that these alone can often lead to Central Apneas and this is terrible news since without using insurance this time due to the serious nature and my wife and I BOTH afraid to even wait, she bought me a new AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier and a lot of gear for it as well as the least intrusive full face mask I could find so we spent $1300.00 this time but it just got here yesterday since the online seller was unable to utilize the included 24 hour FedEx shipping due to the hurricane blocking all roads around them. THIS alone should have been a warning, an omen of what I would soon find.

So to my amazement, I survived the first night last night in a hundred degree heat wave in bed with mask on for 8 hours (but only 4.08 hours of DEEP sleep according to Garmin) and to my horror this machine shows mostly all were Centrals. It showed:


7:54 usage hours
70
Good mask seal
20
10.6 events per hour
3
7 mask on/off
0
Total myAir score 93/100


...Worse I went back to bed today and just slept 3 more hours with the same mask and it went from bad to MUCH worse.



2:13 usage hours
22
Good mask seal
20
27.9 events per hour
0
1 mask on/off
5
Total myAir score
47/100
“Usage hours” shows the number of hours you used your machine on a particular night.

So MY take and I am learning from scratch here since this type of software was never available to ME before if it ever even existed back when, but it would seem we bought the WRONG machine and there goes $900.00... And if so, for US, it's just too bad because that is just money we honestly did not have but the love of a wife who simply will NOT let me die and be done with it may have just been the most heartbreaking event of our almost 40 years together. I am guessing here that even a Bi-Pap wouldn't do the job and would likely require a $5K or more ASV machine? Neither is possible as we are spent out and my only hope, again based upon MY ignorance is, I wonder if I dare to try my old Swift FX Nasal mask,if my numbers may drastically improve? But then my fear NOT based upon ignorance, is the nasty sinus infections may come rushing back in?

I guess I am assuming that if this machine shows overwhelming Centrals at the rate of 2.4 as OSA and all the rest as Centrals, the machine can NOT be wrong? We bought this just for this reason because I had told her I was afraid it was "different" this time and that it honestly feels like I AM dying and just scares Hell out of me. I have seen a LOT in War, a lot in peace but the kind of suffocating I have been through the past year is honestly just a terrifying experience and so much so, I was willing to spend this much that we just could not afford to find out, once and for all. Guess I just told myself it couldn't happen to ME?

So wonder if those of you who do have the experience can tell me just how much trouble I might be in? One night in hundred degree weather in a full face mask may not be the best place to make an assumption? But me thinks that old handwriting IS up on that old wall....

One night is by no means an accurate representation.
The good news is that you hung in there longer than the first night for a lot of us here.
It gets better. Give it more time.
MyAir is less than ideal. More data is available on the screen if the machine is set correctly.
Get the clinicians manual, if you don't have it already.
Good luck, and welcome to the forum.

Let's start with the basics.
Go here and read about the software available
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment
Download and install SleepyHead software. It's free and fairly easy to use.
Read this
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... SleepyHead

What are your pressure settings?
Are you using EPR exhale relief, if so at what setting?

Don't be too alarmed about the nap having such a high AHI...naps are notorious for including a lot of awake/semi awake flagged events that aren't real.

Let's see when those centrals are showing up...is it all night or part of the night.
It might not be as dire as you think.
If you do need a special machine for those centrals they can be found for a lot less than $5000. We can talk about that later.
First let's see the data that your machine can show you..there's a lot more than what you are seeing on MyAir or the machine's LCD screen.

Thanks you both. I was a regular here years ago before my life went away. I couldn't figure out my old password and got nowhere trying so began anew here as well. I had Sleepyhead already downloaded but this new 4K laptop is scaling in a way I can't render images properly and my wife is locating my oldie laptop so I can charge it and get it up & running tomorrow I hope. I changed setting on this one and it just RUINED everything and she is still chewing me out 14 hours later:-) The irony of this software that is built in? I bought this machine Solely for it too since after what I went through hacking into my old Phillips gave me an ulcer. But that said I LOVED seeing every moment of my night and also tied in my pulse oximeter and tied in my 02 saturation's etc
The meds I now take make me a certified IDIOT but will try my best to re-acclimate. This group ALWAYS was my hangout and got me through a lot of tough times that led to better ones.

Hopefully you'll be able to post your data and have some of the data gurus here offer some input about the centrals your machine reports. Some are good at looking at the details and seeing if they look "real". It's not unusual for themachine to report centrals when we are waking or even something like holding our breath when turning over in bed. With your medications one might assume that these are indeed evidence of central sleep apnea, but I'd suggest you take it a step at a time and confirm that your needs are beyond what your machine can handle. Hopefully you can get the treatment you need, or get affirmation that your needs are being met. Good luck with things.

Don't give up!

There are some amazing people here with incredible knowledge and willing to help.

I also started years ago back when I swear there was only cpap and way full face masks. It was so uncomfortable and the trial and error of the learning process discouraged me.

Time has passed and now I am 68 also. Now I look for improvement in quality. Not always perfection of complete solutions but every day a little better. Or every day a little wiser knowing one can have 2 different results with identical scenarios.

In the last 2 months I have gone from I have to do this or its going to kill me to trying this, trying that, finding MY perfect mask. Not THE perfect mask but the one that gives me the most comfort with reasonable results. Anything is better than the nothing I was doing.

I have that deviated septum. That stubborn mouth breathing. Those nights that just are not as good as others. But hang in there. It gets different. Then better. Then different. Ebb and flow. Just as life is.

I should have started 20 years ago, but the machine available at that were large and hard to carry on planes. My job at that time required a lot of travel and I was already carrying a nebulizer to treat my asthma when traveling. I opted for UPPP and deviated septum surgery at that time. Since many of the symptoms disappeared, I thought I was doing good. Three years ago, my wife noted I quit breathing while sleeping, and while in the hospital following knee replacement surgery, it was noted my blood oxygen was dropping while I slept. I did the sleep studies, and am not using a bi-level machine. I was 73 when I started using the machine.

OK here is my lastert info if anyone can help read this and guide me? Wait, it won't let me post any link to my data?

Can't post links unless you are logged into your member account.

There are ways around it by modifying the link so we can fix it and make it work.
like imgur.com/xxxxxwhatever address
post the complete url and then substitute (dot) for the dot in imgur.com
like this
imgur(dot)comxxxxx

Also...please use the same ID even if not logged in....we have no way to know one guest from another guest unless you at least keep the same ID...like your first OldMarine ID.
I assume you are the same person but I don't know for sure.

OK, let me try this and THANK you to anyone who may be able (and willing!) to help an old idiot? I began the night last night with about 2 hours with my new full face Amara View and could NOT get it to stop leaking (AGAIN!). I switched back to my trusty Swift FX Pillws and went to sleep:-) Data at"

imgur Dot com /a/5VmtJ
God how I hope the above works?

http://imgur.com/a/5VmtJ

I don't want the daily report.
I want the daily detailed graph.
I can't read the summary statistics...too blurry

I want this

How to organize...3 pages be sure to read all 3 pages
https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize
I don't need or want all those graphs on the right and I don't want or need the calendar or pie chart on the left.
You can turn the pie chart off (Preferences/Appearance/remove check mark).
You can hide the calendar...View and toggle the Show calendar choice.

DO NOT EVER click on the toggle for "FULL SCREEN"...there's a bug in it and you might not be able to easily get out of full screen.

Looks like the bulk of your AHI is central but I need to see the detailed graph to be able to offer any ideas or thoughts as to what we can maybe try to reduce the centrals with your current machine.

I should have started over 20 years earlier, but I was the victim of an HMO that FAKED my first sleep test.
My anger has not abated--now I crusade against HMO's of any type, including Medicare Advantage.

xxyzx wrote:

OldMarine wrote:In 2011 I had a home test that showed moderate to severe and got a new Philips CPAP. Sinus infections led to a switch and my insurance company authorized my DME (Crapia) to give me the same brand but APAP and I immediately found my way to the clinicians menu:-) I turned it WAY down and first night dropped to 0.5 to 3.5 for the next 2 months. Life was better though I HATED the full face masks and began to experiment.

I sold my motorcycle to a man who by coincidence also had OSA and told me to try the Swift FX. I did and now life got REALLY good. No, GREAT to amazing. But after a coupe months a really bad thing became a severe thing and it was called sinus infections. Now a year prior to beginning PAP I had been through a sinus surgery for deviated septum and partial turbinate reduction. All went perfectly and PAP never seemed to cause me any problems like I had worried about. But switching to the nasal pillows and using the Russ Macmillan Ultimate Chin Strap to close my forever open mouth, I now began endless sinus infection, hearing loss and got so dizzy I couldn't walk or drive, was stuck in bed for weeks, literally. So my sinus surgeon placed tubes in both ears to allow draining and as luck would have it, I woke up 95% deaf and this time I STAYED this way and the infections now became serious enough to end up back in the hospital. Tubes were removed and it was about a month or 2 part of my hearing returned. Still, and thank God for the VA because the one thing they ever did to help me was give me a set of $6K hearing aids.

But I was never to be able to tolerate Pap again so I sold all my gear and that was it. Till last week. My OSA is now SO bad my wife is terrified and unable to even watch anymore since a series of major surgeries, 5 in 4 months left me in a wheelchair for life and on major doses of Opioid medications for whatever life I have remaining. And today I just discovered (a bit late sadly) that these alone can often lead to Central Apneas and this is terrible news since without using insurance this time due to the serious nature and my wife and I BOTH afraid to even wait, she bought me a new AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier and a lot of gear for it as well as the least intrusive full face mask I could find so we spent $1300.00 this time but it just got here yesterday since the online seller was unable to utilize the included 24 hour FedEx shipping due to the hurricane blocking all roads around them. THIS alone should have been a warning, an omen of what I would soon find.

So to my amazement, I survived the first night last night in a hundred degree heat wave in bed with mask on for 8 hours (but only 4.08 hours of DEEP sleep according to Garmin) and to my horror this machine shows mostly all were Centrals. It showed:


7:54 usage hours
70
Good mask seal
20
10.6 events per hour
3
7 mask on/off
0
Total myAir score 93/100


...Worse I went back to bed today and just slept 3 more hours with the same mask and it went from bad to MUCH worse.



2:13 usage hours
22
Good mask seal
20
27.9 events per hour
0
1 mask on/off
5
Total myAir score
47/100
“Usage hours” shows the number of hours you used your machine on a particular night.

So MY take and I am learning from scratch here since this type of software was never available to ME before if it ever even existed back when, but it would seem we bought the WRONG machine and there goes $900.00... And if so, for US, it's just too bad because that is just money we honestly did not have but the love of a wife who simply will NOT let me die and be done with it may have just been the most heartbreaking event of our almost 40 years together. I am guessing here that even a Bi-Pap wouldn't do the job and would likely require a $5K or more ASV machine? Neither is possible as we are spent out and my only hope, again based upon MY ignorance is, I wonder if I dare to try my old Swift FX Nasal mask,if my numbers may drastically improve? But then my fear NOT based upon ignorance, is the nasty sinus infections may come rushing back in?

I guess I am assuming that if this machine shows overwhelming Centrals at the rate of 2.4 as OSA and all the rest as Centrals, the machine can NOT be wrong? We bought this just for this reason because I had told her I was afraid it was "different" this time and that it honestly feels like I AM dying and just scares Hell out of me. I have seen a LOT in War, a lot in peace but the kind of suffocating I have been through the past year is honestly just a terrifying experience and so much so, I was willing to spend this much that we just could not afford to find out, once and for all. Guess I just told myself it couldn't happen to ME?

So wonder if those of you who do have the experience can tell me just how much trouble I might be in? One night in hundred degree weather in a full face mask may not be the best place to make an assumption? But me thinks that old handwriting IS up on that old wall....

if you have centrals you need an asv

they are available used for about 2000 not 5000

First, thank you for your service. From you login name I am assuming you were a Marine.

Second, the NEXT worst mistake you could make is listening to ANYTHING xxyzx says. Listen to Pugsy, or some of the others.

chunkyfrog wrote:I should have started over 20 years earlier, but I was the victim of an HMO that FAKED my first sleep test.
My anger has not abated--now I crusade against HMO's of any type, including Medicare Advantage.

I'd like to put in a good word for my Medicare Advantage plan - UPMC for Life. They have not ever questioned the need for testing or treatment. I feel blessed to have this coverage. Yes, there are bad ones out there, but not all of them.