newly diagnosed with OSA but dont think CPAP machine is work

So let me introduce myself, My name is Mark waterman, I am 37 years old and just recently diagnosed with OSA (2 months ago and just got the CPAP machine 5 days ago). According to my doctor, I have a pretty severe case. Although i dont really fully understand the numbers (thats how i ended up here looking for help and advice) my doctor ecplained that on the average I stop breathing 78 times per hr for 10 secs or more. Now I have nothing or no one to compare to, but my doctor made me feel that I had an extreamly bad case of OSA. Here's my questions and concerns that i hope I can get help with. I just started that CPAP machine last week and I dont see much of any improvment. I am renting the Resmed S9 Escape auto, with the pre programmed pressure numbers of starting at 4 with a 30min ramp to 15. I remember when I was doing the sleep study, when i 1st put the mask on, I started to experiment with holding my breath to see how the machine would react. if i held my breath for 2 secs the machine would basically shoot a burst of air down mu throut. The machine i have now does not do this. Its just constant pressure, which I dont like. If I dont put the mask on very tight (to the point where i wake up every hour from pain on my nose) it will leak in the cornes and blow air into my eyes. I have tried all adjustments asd unless I crank the velcro straps tight it leaks. I also dont seem to feel any better. from what i ve read and some people Ive talked to, I was under the impression that once using the CPAp machine, I would feel so much better, not tired or fatigued. I wake about every 2 hrs to adjust the mask so i can be getting a good sleep anyway. Ive always been the person who falls asleep constantly, i can sleep in the middle of the highway, If I wanted. I still am very tired after a week of use. is this because Im not use to it, or is it just not working. I dont know maybe thiese questions/concerns sound stupid to the long time users, i guess I just am not seeing the benifit. The mask sucks, maybe its a cheap one (resmed mask) maybe its the best one on the market, I dont know. Any advice. Ive also seen the APAP setting on my machine and the EPR. The pressure to exhaul really doesnt bother me much so i guess I should stay with the Cpap. Also I ve read here that people can monitor there nightly results. is this done by the SD card that is installed in the Resmed S9 Escape machine. Any helps is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance to all who have contribvuted to this forum. i greatly appreciate it.

Hi Mark.. and welcome to the forum. First, please take a moment to register properly and LOG IN... that will give you full access to the forum features. Once you do that, your name will be in blue and be clickable. When you log in you will then need to go to the User Control Panel (top left) and then Profile....and then choose Edit Equipment and choose your gear from the pull down menus. After that, choose to show your choices in TEXT.

The bad news is you have a basic model S9 which will NOT give you any efficacy data only compliance data. If possible, see if you can get an upgrade to either the autoset model or the elite (straight cpap) model which are fully data capable.

Once we know your exact machine, mask, etc.... those who use those will be able to provide help to you based on their experience.

BTW: 78 events an hour is SEVERE OSA. You are lucky to have been diagnosed at such a young age. Now... on with therapy and getting you on the path to the healthy, rested and long life. It will take some time to get over the sleep debt you own from the years of 'suffocating' while sleeping. It will get better.....

Best of luck!!

Hiya!

No, your questions don't sound stupid. Actually I think I asked all of these myself about a month ago when I started =)

Many folks see results very gradually, over weeks or even months of therapy, so do not give up. I've begun to notice more energy after a few weeks on the CPAP, but I am still tired a lot. It's getting better over time, so I'm staying with it. Give it a couple of weeks and see if you're getting better.

Meanwhile, the Escape won't be able to give you a lot of data on the overall benefit of the therapy. For that you need the S9 Elite or Auto. I have the Elite myself, which works with software called ResScan to show what happened during the night with detailed graphs.

Do sign up for the forum, and do hang in there. Don't give up!

Meanwhile, the Escape won't be able to give you a lot of data on the overall benefit of the therapy. For that you need the S9 Elite or Auto.

It sounds like you may have the Escape Auto--it has only PARTIAL data capabilities--it can't for example, tell you if your mask is leaking too much. So if you decide to return it and get a data capable machine, don't let your DME provider do a snow job on you and pretend that this is a data capable machine. Avoid anything with "Escape" in the name.

markaas wrote: I am renting the Resmed S9 Escape auto, with the pre programmed pressure numbers of starting at 4 with a 30min ramp to 15.

Markaas,

Your DME has provided you with a machine that does NOT record any efficacy data. Hence neither you nor your doctor will ever be able to really tell how effective your treatment is.

So start working NOW on getting tha Escape or Escape Auto exchanged for an S9 Elite or S9 Autoset.

Next, it's a pretty rare person who starts to feel better immediately. There's a lot to get used to with sleeping with a hose on your nose and the learning curve is steeper for some of us.

BUT---start keeping track of the issues you have that are causing problems with getting to sleep with the mask on or staying asleep with the mask on. Ask for help here. A piece of advice: Separate out the stuff you say about your leaking mask and post it on a different thread with a title like Newbie needs help with Mask Leaks on the <fill in mask name>.

And it helps to learn the exact equipment you are using and your prescribed pressure: That's the only way you can really get help either from here or your DME.

Best of luck

Thank you for the welcome Emelia. I have gone and registered and filled out as much info on my equipment as I could right now as I am at work and do not know all the details. Once i get home and have acess to the machine, mask etc. I will get it all updated. i assumed i had a basic machine. to try and upgrade, should i do that through my doctor or just contact the place Im renting it from. Are there any specific reasons that i can use to request a better Resmed machine, such as climate control or the autoset feature. i would assume (although dont know for sure) that in order for them to upgrade there has to be a mediacl reason or doctor referral. Am I correct in assuming this? So with my machine the resmed escape auto, i can not access full details? I am positive the mask is leaking. Thanks again for your fast response and help. I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!!!

Thanks to all who have responded with great advice, i will try to get the autostart or elite. But people are refering to the term DME, what does DME mean or stand for, i assume it has something to do with the provider of the cpap machine?

markaas wrote:Thanks to all who have responded with great advice, i will try to get the autostart or elite. But people are refering to the term DME, what does DME mean or stand for, i assume it has something to do with the provider of the cpap machine?

Durable Medical Equipment provider. Yup, that's the people who sell/rent/maintain your machine.

Thanks Talon NYC, that makes sense. Any recomedation on how to go about upgrading to a auto set or elite resmed. I have the escape and from what i understand from reading on hear I should try to get a better machine, one thats more cabable of reading data etc. But is that difficult, can i just call my DME (Lincare) and request it, or does my doctor have to prescribe it? Thanks again for all your help.

Having your doctor call them and ask specifically for a machine that can track such data wouldn't hurt. Remember a DME business is still a business, and will give you the gizmo with the highest profit margin unless someone (like your doctor) makes them do otherwise =)

The DME is probably going to stonewall you and tell you that the Escape Auto provides data for you. It does in a limited way, it provides daily data (limited as well and unsure exactly what) but it doesn't RECORD the data so you can't see the trends over a period of time.

Another thing if they have it set wide open as you indicated, they are probably setting you up for failure. Many of us can not breathe at that low of pressure (near the 4 end). If you were titrated with a machine at the sleep study they should have some ball park figure of what your range is. I would get the report from the doctor or ask for a copy of it from the DME (some will give it to you). Post the results here and members can make suggestions that should work for you, if the doctor isn't any help.

I would make a visit to the doctor and soon as after a set amount of time (30 days usually) you are pretty much stuck with the machine you have. If you are overweight, tell the doctor what happens when you lose weight? You will need the data to help determine your pressure needs. If you aren't overweight, do you require more pressure in one position over another (such as back sleeping or side sleeping)? Think of as many variables as you can to arm yourself with reasons you need the recorded data.

Good luck I hope you are successful in getting either the elite or the autoset.

Ok, can you tell me what titarated means?

TalonNYC wrote:Having your doctor call them and ask specifically for a machine that can track such data wouldn't hurt. Remember a DME business is still a business, and will give you the gizmo with the highest profit margin unless someone (like your doctor) makes them do otherwise =)

If your doctor has a relationship with the DME calling would probably help. Another aproach is to have your doctor provide you with a new written prescription that specifies a specific machine with data capable features and maybe even add "dispense as written". Give this prescription to the DME and hopefully get the machine you need.

Good luck
Dennis

markaas wrote:Ok, can you tell me what titarated means?

Short story, titration is the process of figuring out the pressure you need to control your Sleep Apnea

The DME gets paid exactly the same for either machine by the insurance, so the DME makes more profit by selling the cheaper model.