tired, retired, & still VPAP'ing

Y'all, Have a couple items to update on my 'status'. I'm sitting outside the Dr office waiting for an appointment to see the sleep Dr... Saw him once before and I'm on the fence as to keeping him or not.
Sooo, Wed 31 July was my last day at work .. retired from Civil Service now, though it will not be generous . Worked 20 years outside govt; almost 20 in govt.
Progress on ASV has been iffy- still having many wake-ups and lots of fatigue. I'm going to ask about the new machine for COPD patients.. I have many times woken up hyperventilating, RR way above 20. I feel the machine is pushing me to breathe faster, when my natural rate is about 16. Wish me luck!

Well,

I may have a single-minded doc here. When I saw him in early Jan, I had just started on the biPAP to confirm centrals. He seemed disbelieving that I needed anything beyond the straight 8 cm the sleep study came up with, and totally uncertain about my taking myself to the ASV.
He's trying Ambien CR instead of the regular I've been taking. But I'm not encouraged by his manner . Any thoughts?

n0hardmask wrote:But I'm not encouraged by his manner . Any thoughts?

If you are not comfortable with the doc and you don't think he's really listening to your concerns, then it's well worth looking for a new sleep doc. If you've got another six month follow-up or whatever scheduled with this guy, you can leave that appointment on the books while you look for a new doc and cancel the existing appointment if you find another one who can see you before then.

Hi,

This may sound blunt on my part but it seems your doc is not listening to you and wants to shut you up with an ambien CR prescription. Not that there is anything wrong with that when the situation calls for it but it seems like your concerns weren't addressed.

I would look for another sleep doctor, particular one who has had experience with ASV issues. How you screen for that is another issue but hopefully, the ASV forum members can help you with that.

49er

Actually, most Docs even those who hold MDs in Sleep Medicine, know less about ASVs than posters on this board. Search posts by the poster John Fisher.

n0hardmasK: Congrats on your retirement: People ask me what do you do with all my time now that I'm retired. All I say is, "Whatever I damn well please. If I have to explain it, you won't understand". I note in your avatar there's a motorcycle... I can guess what you'll be doing

Hi, Y'all, Thanks for the feedback
Despite my doubting it would do any good, I tried switching back to the biPAP and lowering the range to 8- 13. That's down from the -17 range I've been running on the ASV.
1- I definitely started Centrals immediately, and the headaches worsened.
2- Second night I squeezed it down to 7.6 -10.6 and it was about the same. I did not have the big jump in the Apops/Hypops that I expected by dropping it down that far. Felt pretty crappy.

So, I am trying the lower pressures on the ASV: something like 7.x to 13-ish, and am feeling somewhat better; and puzzled. Both the auto PAP and the ASV will run the pressure up beyond 17 if I let it.

I just last night started on the Ambien Extended release and almost slept through the night. Will have to see what a few weeks does for my awakenings. My usual minimum is 4 per night. I would have been reluctant to do that while having to get up to go to work each morning... an advantage to being temporarily unemployed (ie retired).
Will check back in periodically, when I can get to internet. Thanks for the feedback!

n0hardmask wrote: I just last night started on the Ambien Extended release and almost slept through the night. Will have to see what a few weeks does for my awakenings. My usual minimum is 4 per night. I would have been reluctant to do that while having to get up to go to work each morning... an advantage to being temporarily unemployed (ie retired).
Will check back in periodically, when I can get to internet. Thanks for the feedback!

I resorted to ambien to help me adapt to ASV's high pressures and unique challenges. It helped, that's for sure, but it's kind of a bear getting off the stuff. I think I've got it licked after about two months of tapering off (if only my ASV stays on track without any major problems )