Please tell me it's going to be OK!

Just for fun, google: "cpap failure rate." One site states,
"Why has the 50-60% failure rate not changed over the last decade?"
Guess I'm not the only one who quit that nightly hell.

nosnore wrote:Just for fun, google: "cpap failure rate." One site states,
"Why has the 50-60% failure rate not changed over the last decade?"
Guess I'm not the only one who quit that nightly hell.

I wonder what you are doing here if you are so pleased with your decision to quit CPAP?

I bought a '73 Chevy and it was a piece of crap. I sold that "automotive hell", never to return, and have zero desire to participate in the Chevy forums.

roster wrote:In any case, I spoke to Dr. Park and another doctor about concerns of mouthbreathing while using a full face mask. They both said with successful CPAP treatment so much good is being done for the patients health, that problems from mouthbreathing become minor.

Did they suggest that mouth breathing with a FFM is relatively inferior to not mouth breathing? In other words, clearly in a contest of CPAP vs. no CPAP, any CPAP is better than none, but in nasal CPAP vs. FFM, is the mouth breathing with a FFM enough of a drawback that people should exhaust their nasal CPAP options prior to moving to a FFM? I don't know if that has been studied, and I've never seen anyone mention the inferiority of FFMs (besides me wondering about it).

nosnore wrote:Just for fun, google: "cpap failure rate." One site states,
"Why has the 50-60% failure rate not changed over the last decade?"
Guess I'm not the only one who quit that nightly hell.

I would find it interesting to know the CPAP "failure" rate of those who come to this forum for help. While not even close to 0%, I bet it is MUCH lower than in the general population, for a couple of likely reasons.

Nosnore, if you are interested, log in and start a thread asking for help in making CPAP therapy work for you. There are lots of knowledgeable, caring, generous people on this site who will step up to the plate and try to help you eliminate the obstacles that stand between you and treatment success.

SleepingUgly wrote:

roster wrote:In any case, I spoke to Dr. Park and another doctor about concerns of mouthbreathing while using a full face mask. They both said with successful CPAP treatment so much good is being done for the patients health, that problems from mouthbreathing become minor.

Did they suggest that mouth breathing with a FFM is relatively inferior to not mouth breathing? In other words, clearly in a contest of CPAP vs. no CPAP, any CPAP is better than none, but in nasal CPAP vs. FFM, is the mouth breathing with a FFM enough of a drawback that people should exhaust their nasal CPAP options prior to moving to a FFM? I don't know if that has been studied, and I've never seen anyone mention the inferiority of FFMs (besides me wondering about it).

I am certain they would say 100% nasal breathing is superior to periods of mouthbreathing ceritus paribus and I would say the same. The problem is the "ceritus paribus".

Life is loaded with tradeoffs. 100% control of mouthbreathing is difficult in people with the tendency to mouthbreathe. I have already had a big cost to have my turbinates resectioned and badly deviated septum corrected. This did reduce the amount of mouthbreathing and the benefit exceeded the costs.

To reduce mouthbreathing even further, there is an effort and economic cost and a small marginal improvement in health.
My personal cost/benefit analysis says continue mouthbreathing when needed. This is also how I interpreted the two doctors reaction to my situation. I am striving for a good life not a perfect one.

This situation would change if I could find, or someone would invent, a simple, easy, cheap solution to keep the mouth closed at night. The cost side of the equation would be small and less than the benefit. I will keep my eye out for a solution but will expend little energy pursuing it.

snipsnsnails,

Don't think we forgot you. We are still here if you need us.

Sorry for the unrelated excursions.

nosnore wrote:. CPAP therapy is pure hell. Try sleeping on your side
or abdomen.

Bull Shit! I slept 9 hours the first night with my cpap, woke up without a headache and have ENJOYED SLEEPING with my cpap ever since. My neighbour says he will sleep without his wife before he will sleep without his cpap. Go ahead and quit. I hope you have good insurance and you will enjoy your family changing your dirty diapers after you have a stroke.
You probably have already reproduced so your death won't be a Darwinian benefit for humanity.

Nosnore, do you want help?? There are good people who will be more than willing to help you in any way they can (it's just that those ways are already pretty clearly defined). You could choose the tactics of your sponsors:

(1) "The John Fisher approach" -- you will get knowledge, support, and empathy. (If you still are noncompliant, you need a tougher approach. Consider Group 2).
(2) "The 2x4 approach" -- If you liked bootcamp, you will like this approach. You whine, you do 25 push-ups. You complain, 30 push-ups. You complain in a whiny voice, 55 push-ups. (If you have not increased your compliance or lost any weight in this group, and you are still actually here, you belong in the John Fisher group).

meh... dont feed the troll...
If he trully wants help, he will ask for it... at the moment, he is just trying to stir the pot.

ignore his snide remarks and lets get back to the OP's issue instead.

okitoki wrote:meh... dont feed the troll...
If he trully wants help, he will ask for it... at the moment, he is just trying to stir the pot.

ignore his snide remarks and lets get back to the OP's issue instead.

Yes, but his "snide remarks" are posted on a thread labeled "Please tell me it's going to be OK!" I'm going to work off the assumption that he didn't just find a thread entitled in a way suggesting that the OP is vulnerable and he came to make him feel worse. I'm working off the assumption that when he saw this thread, he wanted to hear the same hope that the OP wanted to hear. So I'm trying to give him a little push in the direction of asking for help, although I do think solicitations for help on this site should come with a choice of how they would like their support, like: (1) I would like a kick in the pants and frequent reminders that my feelings are inappropriate for an adult, and that will be motivating for me to get off my ass and do what I should do, vs. (2) I would like empathy and validation that this is hard. I can hear advice better after I see that the other people understand where I'm coming from. Then I will be more able to throw myself into this.

roster wrote:

nosnore wrote:Just for fun, google: "cpap failure rate." One site states,
"Why has the 50-60% failure rate not changed over the last decade?"
Guess I'm not the only one who quit that nightly hell.

I wonder what you are doing here if you are so pleased with your decision to quit CPAP?

I bought a '73 Chevy and it was a piece of crap. I sold that "automotive hell", never to return, and have zero desire to participate in the Chevy forums.

Roster, I bet you were smart enough to realize you still needed a car in your life, so maybe you bought a Ford instead and lived happily ever after?

SleepingUgly wrote:

okitoki wrote:meh... dont feed the troll...
If he trully wants help, he will ask for it... at the moment, he is just trying to stir the pot.

ignore his snide remarks and lets get back to the OP's issue instead.

Yes, but his "snide remarks" are posted on a thread labeled "Please tell me it's going to be OK!" I'm going to work off the assumption that he didn't just find a thread entitled in a way suggesting that the OP is vulnerable and he came to make him feel worse. I'm working off the assumption that when he saw this thread, he wanted to hear the same hope that the OP wanted to hear. So I'm trying to give him a little push in the direction of asking for help, although I do think solicitations for help on this site should come with a choice of how they would like their support, like: (1) I would like a kick in the pants and frequent reminders that my feelings are inappropriate for an adult, and that will be motivating for me to get off my ass and do what I should do, vs. (2) I would like empathy and validation that this is hard. I can hear advice better after I see that the other people understand where I'm coming from. Then I will be more able to throw myself into this.

Assuming this troll is indeed a troubled and unhappy ex-xpap user, and not a bored frustrated toubled and unhappy adolescent coming to stir the pot, there is something nosnore should know:
Two things actually:
You can participate in this froum freely as a guest, without registering.
When you resgister, your former "guest" name will show as "also posted as". Registration will not give you a new identity. So, if you feel better asking for help as a guest -- you can do that.
We're generally a kind and caring bunch -- many of us are here because:

1. Cpap therapy was overwhelming both emotionally and technically
2. We felt at a loss
3. We searched for help and reassurance
4. We found it
5. We would like to help others going through the same thing

Now that that's clear, we can safely ignore the troll if he/she continues spewing his bitterness. And we will gladly help if she/he asks for help outright.

Welcome to the forum, snipsnsnails!

YOU WILL BE FINE!!
It amazes me how supportive this group is, looking at all of these posts!
Congratulations to you and your special Lady.
After we got married, I began to snore: hormone changes and asthma were the charming combination. We almost got separate beds.
My coworker and I were both sleepy in the afternoons. His red blood cells were high: they thought he had cancer somewhere. He got a sleep study and in his first study, they had him use the mask (he was extreme in his apnea). Within a week , his red blood cells count was normal. That was how his body was compensating for his apnea events. I then had my study, then a titration study. The afternoon sleepiness was gone as well as my blood pressure went down after starting on my CPAP. Your wife did such a loving thing when she recorded your snoring!
I started with my training "full mask" . I then willed myself to sleep with my mouth closed, armed with a chin strap. I gave the chin strap to my coworker.

You most likely want a machine with expiratory relief. That means that the pressure is lowered automatically when you exhale so you don't have to exhale against the high pressure. Two companies make them: Respironics calls it "C-flex". Resmed calls it "easy breathe EPR". Without this , I find that I cannot breathe.

It is always nice to have a machine that can do CPAP (set pressure) as well as APAP (automatic increase of the pressure when it senses an apnea episode). And a card that can record ie for up to 365 days. The Resmed S9 series does this. That's the one that I want to get. I heard that the Resmeds are quieter, but I don't know if that is the consensus of this community. You sleep study will dictate if you need a CPAP, APAP , a BI-PAP or whatever.

I also recommend an external battery, if power is inconsistant (as we found in Thailand), to use on a long plane ride, etc. You charge it up ahead of time and it lasts for ~ 3 days. They say you can use car batteries , but I didn't want to chance it. I purchased the Respironics external battery kit with the 12 volt cable ( steep at $314.00). I see that Cpap.com has one made by them that is a bit cheaper. You will also want to ask if it is capable for D/C charging as they use in the rest of the world. Test how long it takes to completely discharge before you go. And bring your adaptor plugs if you need them ie; internationally.

One last thing: when traveling by plane: your CPAP is medical equipment so they can't count it as a carry on. I always put my mask and tubing in a zip lock bag so the TSA inspection wand cooties don't get on it. I also have an extra travel CPAP with expiratory relief that I use: when mine smelled like cigarette smoke (Las Vegas hotel) when I got home, I made purchased on cpapauction.com. I carry in my travel cpap: an extension cord and a little electrical outlet plug that screws into the lightbulb socket of the hotel lamp. They never have outlets by the bed side stand. And zip lock baggies for protection from the hotel cooties...
See? Everything will be OK with this group mentoring you in!

Just thought of one more thing about your relocation. If there's a big altitude difference, mention it here for any possible considerations.

detcord wrote:

snipsnsnails wrote:Hmm, something tells me Sleepy Tiger knows what a frozen chicken a la king MRE tastes like as well. Thanks folks! I'm reading and learning.

On a side note, I actually liked the Chicken ala king.

Yep,frozen one could eat it like a popcicle. On another side note I was particularly fond of detcord and dumptrucks...this was all a long time ago and during peacetime. The guys serving today deserve our accolades and prayers. In my time it was just a good way to get your hands on loud toys.