CPAPtalk.com

Saw my new Resperologist again today. Got him to review my SpO2 printouts. He felt that they where not bad and that they don't explain why I am feeling so crappy. It was his opinion that it was more likely that interrupted sleep from untreated apneas are causing me feel so bad.

He wants me to try a Total Face mask, go back to the ENT for more consultation, and to see a sleep dentist. Sigh. More waiting...

Last nights info:

Look at the range in the pulse rate. Would that be fairly normal? Would it increase during REM for instance? Also is there any way to find out how long the lowest desats lasted and if they correlate with the high pulse?

When I last saw my doctor (July 06), he had mentioned that the lab at the hospital (Georgetown) was using the total face mask more and more because patients seemed to have success (or rather the sleep study was successful). He said what he had heard from patients regarding the mask at follow up was good as well.

TM

So, did you have a titration study done for your Bi-Pap? Sounds to me like you need a new titration study. Your sats should not drop below 90% while on the machine. If you are, some thing is not right, oral leaks, mask leaks or true events. Remember, the LOWER number, the E-pap setting, is what is controlling your obstructive events. IF you needed 8 or 9cm to control your events while on CPAP you may need to go to a setting of 12/8 or so. In our lab we have to keep at least 4cm difference between IPAP and EPAP.

cohodependent wrote:So, did you have a titration study done for your Bi-Pap? Sounds to me like you need a new titration study.

I'm not eligible for another sleep study until July.

cohodependent wrote: Your sats should not drop below 90% while on the machine. If you are, some thing is not right, oral leaks, mask leaks or true events.

Trying to trouble shoot until I can get back on a nasal mask of some type is pretty much pointless. Oral mask is just not a workable solution for me but its the only thing I can do until the nasal issue is resolved.

My BiPAP trial is now over so its back to APAP... I would like to continue to use BiPAP but since it didn't resolve the nasal swelling issue my Dr. wouldn't be willing to write the letter needed to justify it. He would probably write the prescription but then I would have to pay for it out of my pocket. At some point I will switch but not until I can afford it.

The Oracle is a tough interface. Most of my patients are unable to tolerate it. I have had only one who could and he loves it. Go figure. The other thing about the Oracle is you need lots, and I mean LOTS of humidification. I think that there are only a few that are designed to be used with it. I have never used a Total Face mask. Frankly, I have never seen one. We have just about every thing else.

When I do an initial fitting for a study I usually try to fit at least 4 different mask on my patients to give them an idea of what is available and find one that they can tolerate. What nasal mask did you use before?

[quote="cohodependent"]The Oracle is a tough interface. Most of my patients are unable to tolerate it. I have had only one who could and he loves it. Go figure. The other thing about the Oracle is you need lots, and I mean LOTS of humidification. I think that there are only a few that are designed to be used with it. I have never used a Total Face mask. Frankly, I have never seen one. We have just about every thing else.

When I do an initial fitting for a study I usually try to fit at least 4 different mask on my patients to give them an idea of what is available and find one that they can tolerate. What nasal mask did you use before?

I generally find that I get a better fit for most of my patients with the Flexi fit Full Face mask. There are those who can use the UMFF, but like most all of the FF mask that are out there, it is very tough to get a good fit.

Thanks for your kind words!

cohodependent wrote:The Oracle is a tough interface. Most of my patients are unable to tolerate it.

Amen to that! It really is pretty brutal. The worse part for me is that it doesn't control my apnea well at all. It creates a flapping pallet. I was talking to my DME the other day and he said he had one other patient on the Oracle who complained of this. The dryness and drooling, while terrible, are minor compared to this.

I'm actually considering trying to go a few nights without CPAP (would be the first time in 9 months). I really hate the thought of going back to that Oracle (I'm sure a night or two without would send me back however)

cohodependent wrote: What nasal mask did you use before?

Flexifit 407. I found it very comfortable and is still the only mask that I feel really relaxed and easy to use.

dsm wrote:Just wanted to say that your contributions here are of great interest & I hope you keep posting

I second that motion. Please do stick around.

cohodependent wrote:The Oracle does need lots n lots of humidification & the HC150 is the only H/H I know of that can deliver it.

That is the one that I tried as a second inline humidifier. It does help but I have gotten used to the dry mouth and couldn't see paying $200+ CDN dollars for it.

cohodependent wrote:The frustration with the oracle is having to effectively plug up your nose

I find the associated pressure 'poping' that goes along with that very hard to get a good sleep with. Very annoying

Do you have any latex allergies? I have never heard of any one having the problems that you are having. I will try to do a little research to see if I can help find you an answer. Oh, are you using distilled water in your humidifier, and changing it daily??

cohodependent wrote:Do you have any latex allergies?

Not that I am aware of.

cohodependent wrote:I have never heard of any one having the problems that you are having.

Yeah I do seem to be the odd ball out on this one. My ENT said he has had a couple patients however who's noses just couldn't handle the air pressure. Its not clear to me at all what the real problem is.

cohodependent wrote:Oh, are you using distilled water in your humidifier,
and changing it daily??

Yes and yes.

James, you can find a good used Fisher & Paykel HC 150 for sale on yahooauctions and, if I remember correctly, eBay as well. They've been running about $50 - $70 last I looked, maybe a month ago now, two months at the most.

And I can vouch for the fact that those babies can put out the humidity that the Humidaire 3i can't even begin to match! Been there, done that. When our furnace was really drying the house out, that 150 sure saved my bacon! While I didn't run into anywhere near what you have been enduring I did develop one devil of a sinus problem. I saw and felt dramatic improvement w/just one night w/the 150.

nope, e-Bay does not allow the sale of CPAP machine on their site
You can only sell the manual, accesories and masks

Just to clarify: the Fisher & Paykel HC 1500 is a stand alone heated humidifier, it is not an xPAP machine.