CPAPtalk.com

Jus a suggestion--try masks that your doctor does NOT like.
You are the one who has to wear them--not him.
Nasal pillows are 1000 times less unpleasant than the full face styles
that doctors seem to be fixated on.

reader2580 wrote: ↑

Thu May 09, 2019 2:53 pm

I am still wondering if there are other treatments for Sleep Apnea that aren't CPAP/APAP, mandibular advancement, or Inspire?

The only other *effective* treatment is to have a hole cut in your throat so you can still breathe even when your airway blocks above the hole.

It's extreme, but effective.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu May 09, 2019 5:41 pm

Jus a suggestion--try masks that your doctor does NOT like.
You are the one who has to wear them--not him.
Nasal pillows are 1000 times less unpleasant than the full face styles
that doctors seem to be fixated on.

I started with nasal. The reason to go with full face is due to opening my mouth while sleeping as confirmed by a sleep test.

And a lot of us find that mouth breathing goes away when we can finally breathe as intended.

I upgraded my Sleepy Head to the latest version and now it just crashes when importing the data so I can't post any graphs yet. I'll have to work on it more this weekend.

reader2580 wrote: ↑

Thu May 09, 2019 7:56 pm

I upgraded my Sleepy Head to the latest version and now it just crashes when importing the data so I can't post any graphs yet. I'll have to work on it more this weekend.

Oscar is out. It is supposed to fix some of the sleepyhead bugs. I haven't tried it yet but some are saying it works well.

reader2580 wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2019 4:18 pm

....I simply can't find a CPAP mask I can tolerate for more than a few hours. I need to use a full face mask due to my mouth opening...A few months ago I threw out two or three grocery sacks full of CPAP masks that didn't work out for me...

What specifically is the problem with masks? Fit? Leaks? Claustrophobia? Strap marks? Facial skin irritation?

Not sure which masks you've tried, but here's suggestions.

• Hybrid style with pillows and covers the mouth: RespCare Hybrid (my mask) or the Liberty

• Under-nose cushion like the Amara View

• Oral-only like the Tap Pap

If you buy from our host www.cpap.com, they have return insurance OR send your masks to Pugsy who helps people with mask issues.

Honestly, I think we are pushing rope here.

OP got an alternative which is what he was after.

Okay, a tracheotomy is overkill for moderate sleep apnea. I would live with being tired over getting a tracheotomy. My understanding is there can be all sorts of complications revolving around this. I have my doubts I could convince a medical professional to put in a tracheotomy simply for sleep apnea anyhow.

I was able to get OSCAR installed and it didn't crash when reading the SD card. I'll try to get graphs uploaded this evening.

It has been almost three years since I had been using CPAP and full face masks previously. I switched to mandibular advancement at that point which didn't really work either. I recall the issue with the full face masks was leaks. The masks had to be so tight that it felt like my face was being crushed in. I ended up taking the masks off after an hour or two. I have the Dreamwear full face now and I can tolerate it just fine. I just end up waking up after two to three hours and can't get back to sleep quickly without stopping CPAP. I suspect the pressure might be getting high enough to cause leaks that wake me up, but that is just a guess.

Here is data from OSCAR.

You could try min 12 then 13, I doubt you will need 14, there is a bit of a mask leak.

Do you need the exhalation pressure relief (EPR or A-Flex)? Personally, I prefer a constant pressure. The cycling up and down of pressure with EPR is a bit annoying to me. You might try turning EPR off.

The Oscar graph shows your sleep apnea is being treated. Although, it could be tweaked a bit. You need to concentrate on sleep hygiene and related issues so you can sleep and tolerate the mask.

Which mask are you currently using? How tightly is it adjusted? One common mistake is to overtighten the mask, therefore making it more difficult to tolerate.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Sat May 11, 2019 8:07 am

The Oscar graph shows your sleep apnea is being treated. Although, it could be tweaked a bit. You need to concentrate on sleep hygiene and related issues so you can sleep and tolerate the mask.

Treated well enough for a doctor, yes. but not that good.

Needs more pressure.

palerider wrote: ↑

Sat May 11, 2019 10:54 am

Needs more pressure.

More pressure won't help if he can't keep the mask on. Anyway, turning off EPR will give him more pressure.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Sat May 11, 2019 11:01 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Sat May 11, 2019 10:54 am

Needs more pressure.

More pressure won't help if he can't keep the mask on. Anyway, turning off EPR will give him more pressure.

If more pressure helps him sleep better, then he very well may keep the mask on more, because he'll be asleep, instead of being restless.

His machine doesn't have EPR, it has *flex, and that is much less pressure drop than EPR.