Moderate sleep apnea, want to wait...

I'm glad those others chimed in because we do want to be sure you get what will be best for you and get all the necessary things.

I'm just going to sum it all up here to avoid confusion.

You want the prescription to say -
Respironics Remstar M Series Auto with A -Flex ( or C-Flex - second choice) with integrated Heated Humidifier, 6 ' tubing, permanent and disposable filters, mask of patient's choice.

Yes, if the DME lets you try a couple of brands of machine that's great but you want your prescription to be specific.

Did I get everything you others, who helped out here? My prescription is 6 years old and just says cpap machine with Simplicity mask. Everything else came with it at that time but I am in Canada so the folks from the US who added know what happens there.

I specifically asked for the Simplicity mask then because I had used it in the titration test and it felt pretty good. You may find the same and then want the doctor to write a particular mask on the prescription. It probably won't be the Simplicity that you use for titration but if the one you use feels pretty good, ask for it to be specified on the prescription. Again, your DME may let you trial a few masks.

Pretty much nailed it Hawthorne -- thanks for consolidating....

take care
cheers
goose

I thought it might help. Things can get confusing. Thanks, goose!

Thank you very, very much for clearing that up for me! I am actually looking forward to getting this started now, ASAP.. It's 1am here and I am scared to go to sleep just thinking of what happens when I do fall asleep! If some of you can remember back to when you went through this, could alot of you feel it happening as you went to sleep? Tonight I am laying on my side as usual and I just don't know but I felt something... It's hard to describe but it's almost like you can feel the whole thing relaxing in your throat. I don't like this sensation at all! Now I wonder if this whole thing was related to my huge thyroid or not? I am also wondering if my huge thyroid helped to hold that muscle up? I wish now that I never had the surgery because not only do I have to go on cpap but I am also going to ask my doctor for a full time anxiety medication as I don't want to take the Xanax. Someone had mentioned about Lexapro to me and I might try that. And if my anxiety decreases with cpap use then I can wean myself off the medication. I just need some sort of life back right now.. I cannot sit still at all, my mind races from one thought to the next, I panic, choke.. You name it... lol

Well, I just witnessed what goes on with my husband.. I am getting him an appointment made with our dr so he can get a test done. He was laying on his back snoring and I heard a choke so I turned around and he moved. I then watched his stomach take a full breath of air and the following breaths get shallower and shallower and not much movement of his stomach. I then saw him take in a huge breath of air, not gasping, and his stomach rise to the fullest. This shallow breath kept continuing every other few seconds it seemed until I just woke him up and said, Hun you do have it, get on your side. To which he did and is now not snoring and breathing is fine... What is it about being on your back that makes it worse? He is getting a machine too, I will demand him to do so! He said he does not want to go and does not have it. I told him from long ago he did and he just does not want to believe me.. Now I have proof because I watched it happen. I told him tonight I will be the guinea pig so he can see how it all works.. This should look cute and a picture for a Hallmark card for Halloween.. hehehe The 2 of us in masks...

MichelleFL wrote:What is it about being on your back that makes it worse?

Gravity. Gravity pulling the sleeper's relaxed base of tongue back and down against other soft relaxed tissues in back of throat. CPAP (at the correct pressure) shoves the soft tissues aside to allow breathing, even if the person is on his/her back.

Here's a good video describing what happens during sleep apnea events:
http://www.resmed.com/en-us/patients/un ... 40x380.swf

MichelleFL wrote:He said he does not want to go and does not have it.

Like OSA, I guess denial runs in families.

Yes! Gravity! That's the word I was searching for earlier this morning when I read this post!

I knew someone, like Rested Gal, would come along and answer your question. That's the great thing about this forum!

As she said, cpap (set to the correct pressure(s)) keeps the airway open, in spite of gravity even for someone like myself, who has to sleep on my back because of other health issues.

Thansk again, Rested Gal!

I spoke with my sleep study center today and the tech they want me with does not work on Thursdays.. I was actually sad because I want to get this whole thing started, the sooner the better! I was up until 3am last night because now I am terrified to go to sleep. I asked the sleep study manager who writes the script and they said that they do and my doctor signs off on it. I told him I have researched this alot and I want a specific script written as I already know what type of machine I want... I told him exactly what you said and how you worded it as to what I want.. he said well make sure to talk with your tech about this.. Sound like a brush off? I will not accept any script nor fill one until it says what I want! I am doing this right the first time and I don't have time or money to play around with this. He did tell me that their center has many masks that I can try on that night and see which one I really like.. Since I used it all night they should let patients take it home as a "gift"... lol

So looks like I have to figure out a day next week to get this done when mine and hubbies schedules are in sync with the techs.

MichelleFL wrote:<snip>
Since I used it all night they should let patients take it home as a "gift"... lol
<snip>

Actually, someone on the forum has said that their mask was sent home with them after using it for titration.

Glad to hear that you have decided not to wait! You won't regret it, and you are going about it right with the advice you've gotten here. The two of you doing it together will make it easier. Incidentally, I believe there is some sort of "Halloween CPAP Mask Contest" going on here!

Georgio

It's nice that they want you to try many different masks on your test night, but in reality you need to try a mask for a few nights or a week before you make a decision on whether it works or not. To try numerous masks will distract from the reason you're there -- to find out what pressure works best and to do that you need to sleep not change masks.
Try a few of them on, but try to decide which one feels the best for the test and use that one. It may not necessarily be your "dream mask" and chances are it won't be, but as long as it seals well and is comfortable it should give the center a good reading on your pressure needs......
If the DME will let you try different masks -- do it. Try the one you titrate with for a few nights or a week if it feels good. If not, try a different mask.
I ended up with the mask I titrated with (ComfortGel size Medium), I still like it, though my original mask was the wrong size (I use a small). I use 2 different masks and rotate between them. I'm using the ComfortGel the past couple nights because the Headrest pillows made my nose sore after a couple weeks of use. I use the Headrest as my main mask, but there are times when it irritates my nares, so for a few nights I use the CG....just seems to work that way.

Again, the mask is the Holy Grail of xPAP........Even when you find one, continue the search!!!!

Take care!!!!
cheers
goose

Georgio wrote:Glad to hear that you have decided not to wait! You won't regret it, and you are going about it right with the advice you've gotten here. The two of you doing it together will make it easier. Incidentally, I believe there is some sort of "Halloween CPAP Mask Contest" going on here!

Georgio

Halloween Mask Contest?? Ohhh I will win hands down! With my hair how it looks in the morning and no make-up, I scare myself! Then after a good cup of coffee in the morning I am feeling a little better but still look like Frankensteins Bride..

My friends I have another question for you.. What do you mean when you say about taping your mouth? In which way do you tape? Across, up and down? What type of tape do you use? I can see myself doing this and everything is well until in the morning when I go to pull the tape off and half of my lip coming off with the tape! I also have read about a chin strap and maybe I should have them throw that in with my prescription as well? Heck we pay enough for the insurance, I should get all I can...