Anyone tried tongue and throat exercises?

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:48 am

OK, now that I have convinced my doc to write a prescription for a didgeridoo, I am having trouble convincing my DME to order one. They claim that a) they've never heard of such a thing, b) my insurance probably wouldn't cover it, and c) it would be outrageously expensive. YEAH RIGHT! how typical. (they said the same about the APAP, C-Flex and the Activa).

I didn't find these on cpap.com, I know it's only a matter of time, but I can't wait. Meanwhile I have decided to get this out-of-pocket. Hey, it's MY health that's at stake! (to quote HKS). My question for PJ, it looks like one could operate an APAP, a nasal pillow system, AND the didgeridoo all at the same time, and quite effectively. Has anyone tried this?

The other issue (assuming you have tried this), is there a problem getting to sleep? I don't see how it could be much worse than my first night on CPAP. And finally, are there spousal / bed-partner adaptation issues? The DW suggests it couldn't be any worse than the snoring. (?)

I await your advice.

pjadams · Post by **pjadams** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:09 am

Well.....I called it nerve damage, I mentioned it to the Dr and he didn't say it wasn't...but I call it that because I don't know what else to call it. Right under my right sinus, I get severe sharp pains every time a mask presses...and it's been at least 3 years since I wore a mask that touched there, but every time I try the full nose mask, it hurts. When I was wearing it regularly I had constant pain and sensitivity both in that spot and on my upper lip. (Numbness in upper lip too) Yes, I did have to wear that mask extremely tight because air poured out around otherwise. I am chipmonk cheeked with deep creases nose to lips, and they were unable to make a mask block the air gaps without the tightness. But then the nasal mask was made available to me and that has worked, still works. I can actually wear it quite loose in comparison. Any leaking now is from around my nostrils because I have a "wide Irish nose" (

Singing, anyone????) and huge nostrils that tend sometimes to widen even more when I breathe in. I'm training them to tighten up , so people don't have to look up my nose every time they look at me.

pjadams · Post by **pjadams** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:22 am

In answer to the last question...I remember my first night on the machine....

I couldn't get the mask right, it blew in my eyes, slipped off my face, caused chest pain. After a couple hours of "trying" I literally threw it (the mask, not the machine) across the room. Called the Dr back and said I'd never try it again, then decided to get pro active with it, because I wanted to sleep so bad. I added straps ( headbands from the dollar store), did some research and found out they sold humidifiers - no, they hadn't told me) called the Dr. back and demanded one (I'm good at demanding). His office said insurance wouldn't pay for it. So I called the insurance company, and DEMANDED again...they said of course they would pay for it if Dr ordered it! Got my humidifier, but he wouldn't order the heater. So I started setting the little tank on a heating pad all night long. Finally DH called the insurance company (his insurance) and told them the house would burn down from that heating pad if they didn't let me get a humidifier. So they did.

As far as spouse, he sleeps with fan noise every night to block outside noises, and he welcomed the machine noise.

ETA: And I've changed CPAP Drs...the one I have now is closer and sooo much better.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier

pjadams · Post by **pjadams** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:26 am

Oh, WAIT!!!!! You meant sleeping with the didj and your machine "going"?

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:14 am

pjadams wrote:Oh, WAIT!!!!! You meant sleeping with the didj and your machine "going"?

OF COURSE !!!

With the air going down the hose, up the nose, and wherever, and out the digderidoo, I bet you could keep that puppy honkin for HOURS! And plus, it would block out all those other really distracting noises.

(tell me you haven't tried it?)

This requires Quicktime: http://www.didges.com.au/sounds/Drone.mp3

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:40 am

Ric wrote: . . . it looks like one could operate an APAP, a nasal pillow system, AND the didgeridoo all at the same time, and quite effectively.

ROTFL. I'm with you Ric. Once you get circular breathing programmed into your autonomic nervous system it should work quite well. Have you ordered your didgeridoo yet?

BTW, I find two spellings; didgeradoo and didgeridoo. Anybody know which one is preferred?

Regards,
Bill

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 12:53 pm

That picture in the link of the two street musicians playing their didgeridoos is priceless. Maybe that's how we'll all end up--panhandling so we can buy one more mask.

harikarishimari · Post by **harikarishimari** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:54 pm

NightHawkeye wrote:BTW, I find two spellings; didgeradoo and didgeridoo. Anybody know which one is preferred?

This, from Ric's link above (http://www.didges.com.au/):

How do you spell didgeridoo? Some of the popular spellings are:

didgeridoo
didjeridu
didjuridoo
didjuridu
didgeridu

The name came from the first white settlers in Australia. The pronunciation of the word didjeridu is said to be the sound that they heard coming from the instrument.

I notice the phpbb spell-checker prefers "didgeridoo".
(The same spell-checker that changes I'm --> Iamb)

Gidgie · Post by **Gidgie** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:16 pm

Oh help! This is just too funny.......I laughed 'til it hurt! The next thing I want to know is just HOW.........exactly, do you play a didgeridoo?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 6:20 pm

Ric · Post by **Ric** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:38 pm

HOLY COW MAN !!! the SIZE of those puppies !

Thanks guest!

NightHawkeye wrote:Once you get circular breathing programmed into your autonomic nervous system it should work quite well. Have you ordered your didgeridoo yet?

YES!
Looked on eBay under "medical equipment". Nothing.
Funnily, they were listed under "musical instruments". BWAHAHAHA !

Lots of stuff out there.
Amazon: CDs, training books, "How To Didgeridoo", "Flamenco and Didgeridoo" (strange mix).

iTunes: "Bagpipes and Didgeridoo", "Didgeridoo and Bach", "Tales from decrypt".

Nothing on "CPAP and Didgeridoo". This is new territory.

.

Mask	Humidifier

Additional Comments: My machine is a 10 year old Sullivan

Anyone tried tongue and throat exercises?

Question for PJADAMS