Kenny's CPAP Thread

[ozij]

Thanks for the info.
O.

[tattooyu]

Why the sad face Ozi?

[ozij]

A new seal every 7 weeks gets to be very expensive for a person whose insurance won't cover that. to me, seven weeks seem like a very short time, I'd expect a seal to last almost twice as long.

O.

[tattooyu]

The past two nights were BLECH. My current chinstrap kept slipping so my leakage graph was all over the place... peaks and valleys. My average leak rate was .25 for both nights, and I can certainly feel the difference.

Where the heck is my PapCAP already!?

[Kiralynx]

As a side note the med assistant to my doc also uses the Swift LT and has never had an issue when she gets a cold etc, she said the heated humidifier tends to keep her nasal passages clear. Just thought I'd pass that on as i knew you were thinking about purchasing a FF masks as backup.

All I can say is... don't wait to have a full face as a back up. I've been asking for one for months because I know what it's like when I get hit with a respiratory infection.

Well, last Sunday, I got hit. No amount of humidity and air blast could get past the level of congestion in my nose. Or the amount of coughing, which negated therapy right there.

Sunday night was my first non-Bipap night in five months. I was diagnosed with apnea because of chronic pain issues, which have been virtually nonexistent since Bipap. I went to sit up last Monday morning and screamed because of the pain. My DME said they didn't have anything in stock: they would have to order it and send it to me. My husband took one look at me, and said, "<Bleep> that. Order something from CPAP.com overnight."

Which I did. Got the Pro-Basics Zzz-mask, which, once I fitted it with a strap correct for me, has worked tolerably well. I still hate full-face masks. But I can deal with this one for emergency situations.

Always have a back-up!

[tattooyu]

Right now I just don't I think I can afford one out-of-pocket, so that will have to wait another month. At that point I hit 3 months, so a new mask will be covered by insurance. You can bet your sweet bippy that it will be a FF mask for backup.

[Kiralynx]

Right now I just don't I think I can afford one out-of-pocket, so that will have to wait another month. At that point I hit 3 months, so a new mask will be covered by insurance. You can bet your sweet bippy that it will be a FF mask for backup.

I sure as Hades couldn't afford one out of pocket because I just recently got a back-up machine. I also couldn't afford to wait five days for Apria to get around to ordering and sending a mask.

ONE night without my Bipap had me in so much pain I screamed when I got out of bed. I sat up the second night. The third night, I had the new mask. Still don't like full-face because of my claustrophobia. But I jacked the humidifier up as high as it would got, and the extra moisture helped with the lung congestion. (Could not do this with pillows!)

With respiratory CRUD going around, I heartily recommend you not do what I did.... which was wait until I could afford it. And then I needed it before I could afford it!

[tattooyu]

After days of digestive problems (probably related to my IBS or gallbladder surgery), which led to a bout of reflux (now gone), which led to some temporary asthma, which led to increased apneas... (WHEW!)

... I finally am back on track. I was so excited with my numbers last night I wanted to share them.

Usage: 7:30 hours
Leakage: 0.00 L/s
AHI: 3.0
AI: 0.1
HI: 2.9


I had ONE apnea last night. I feel so much better today!

[DoriC]

Hi Kenny, doing the happy dance for you!!

[twokatmew]

.... I was diagnosed with apnea because of chronic pain issues, which have been virtually nonexistent since Bipap. I went to sit up last Monday morning and screamed because of the pain....

My rheumatologist was pumping me full of antidepressants to ease the pain of fibromyalgia/osteoporosis/Crohn's arthritis, despite that I'd asked for a sleep study. (He ordered a sinus CT instead.) Fast forward six months, and my PCP ordered a sleep study without my even having to ask. Voila, since I started on CPAP less than two weeks ago, pain is markedly improved ... without antidepressants!

Do they make any FFMs for those of us with small features? Even the F&P 406 petite nasal mask is a little big for me....

[tattooyu]

Hey there. Yes, I'm still alive and kickin'! We were in the middle of a move, so I MIA for a bit.

That's great twokatmew. I'm so happy to hear that you are getting better. I'm skeptical that I may have Crohn's, but I'm just not sure. I was told forever and ago that I have IBS, but I'm thinking of having my doctor check again.

I have increased my physical activity lately and feel better even though my numbers have gone up a little (I'm sleeping deeper and dreaming WAY more). I'm thinking about upping the bottom pressure just a tad to compensate.

[cflame1]

Do they make any FFMs for those of us with small features? Even the F&P 406 petite nasal mask is a little big for me....

Check small and XS sizes... a typical DME might not have them in stock, but I'd bet that they could order them.

[twokatmew]

That's great twokatmew. I'm so happy to hear that you are getting better. I'm skeptical that I may have Crohn's, but I'm just not sure. I was told forever and ago that I have IBS, but I'm thinking of having my doctor check again.

Thanks Kenny! I sure hope you don't have Crohn's or any other IBD. IBS is certainly no fun, but IBD is even less fun than that....

[tattooyu]

Me too. You know there are two things that have really helped my digestion--no three:

1. Reducing foods that contain gluten. At first I eliminated them completely but that was unnecessary.
2. More physical activity.
3. Stop holding my muscles.

I'll explain #3. I wasn't aware of it and have probably been doing this my whole adult life (maybe longer?), but I was unconsciously holding in my stomach muscles, which in turn caused my back to be tense, which then caused all sorts of IBS flare-ups. Not only that, but I think that was contributing to my panic attacks that had resurfaced, or somehow part of the fear cycle. Now, every few minutes I check that I'm not "holding", and it's helped me greatly.

Just wanted to share that.

[Muse-Inc]

I wasn't aware of it...but I was unconsciously holding in my stomach muscles, which in turn caused my back to be tense...Now, every few minutes I check that I'm not "holding", and it's helped me greatly.

Thanx! This might help me with my shallow breathing issues...for some unknown reason, I no longer belly breathe, it's all high up in my chest, weird. Will try the ck self out every few mins. Might ease my back ache too.