Anyone do better with oxygen instead of CPAP?

It occurs to me my issues have been more like every breath is labored and not refreshing, as opposed to apnea events being the main issue. Like before CPAP, I would feel myself on the threshold of falling asleep, then wake up due to feeling short of breath, even though I was conscious enough to know I did not have apnea events at those moments. Indeed, my sleep study I did 2.5 years ago really seemed to say more about RERAs being my issue than OA events. At least according to me interpretation. I did get an OA diagnosis but honestly don't think I fit the criteria that well. UARS might have made more sense, in my opinion. Intuitively I would think I might be able to get away with breathing oxygen instead of using CPAP. God a simple cannula would be much more comfortable that a hot and sticky total face mask, and plus I could stop this damn aerophagia.

I guess I may have to consult another sleep specialist. But at the end of the day I don't really trust anything except my own experimentation to see if I subjectively feel better trying it. Can oxygen concentrators just be purchased without an Rx if I can't find a doc to prescribe one?

And I suppose oxygen combined with CPAP might be able to reduce pressure needs, no? This might be a route to reducing my aerophagia.

Thanks, and God bless all during these anxious coronavirus times.

I know someone who simply couldn't tolerate CPAP. Her doc put her on oxygen as a second choice. She ended up sleeping in a recliner full time as she doesn't have apneas when sitting. Just seems to me a person only partially obstructed getting some additional oxygen could offset the the desats, but I am interested in hearing the input of those actually knowledgeable about this. That wouldn't be me. However, if one is obstructed, that added oxygen isn't getting to the lungs. Wonder if anybody here has had a sleep study while wearing oxygen only for comparison.

Apnea events mean the airway is closed or you simply aren't breathing....no air is moving.
Being on oxygen won't move that air that isn't moving.
What it does do is when you are breathing again and your breathing moves the air the oxygenation levels in your blood will go up a bit faster IF they dropped during the apnea events.

metallikat36 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:38 am

And I suppose oxygen combined with CPAP might be able to reduce pressure needs, no?

No...you need X amount of pressure to hold the airway open period because of saggy airway tissues. Adding oxygen doesn't affect how much pressure is needed to hold the airway open. Your pressure needs won't change.

In general, if your diagnosis is garden variety Obstructive Sleep Apnea, there should be enough oxygen in the ambient air, provided the room is reasonably well ventilated. The problem is that you're not breathing that air, not that it's "bad" air.

There might be specific cases where CPAP is not effective or cannot be tolerated, so it might help in those cases.

Remember that oxygen carries the risk of fire or explosion. I never heard of even one case of a CPAP caused fire or explosion.

I guess I should clarify that I use bilevel with a pressure support of like 9. A lot of that is really to make my inhalation deeper and not just to overcome the little bit of obstruction. Like all my muscles are just kind of weak from underlying general health problems. My rationale is that I wouldn't need to kind of force such deeper inhalations. If I had more oxygen in the air I might be able to get away with my normal super shallow breaths.

Anyone know where I can buy a used one without Rx?

metallikat36 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 27, 2020 3:46 am

Anyone know where I can buy a used one without Rx?

send a private message to forum member lsat.

he often has machines to sell. while i haven't bought any myself, forum members here have and have nothing but good things to say about the experience.

Question: "Anyone do better with oxygen instead of CPAP?"
Answer: Only if they NEED oxygen, but NOT CPAP!
If you are hoping for a way around using cpap--sorry, it doesn't work that way.
If you want help with using cpap--hang around, we try to help.