CPAP/sleep apnea (2 Viewers)

k9dr

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As many of you already know, especially those unfortunate enough to have shared a room with me, I snore, apparently quite loud :unsure: My wife has been prodding me for years to get a sleep study and I finally relented. Lo and behold, it was far worse than I expected - I have severe obstructive sleep apnea. My doctor and CPAP technicians have all said they have never seen AHI numbers as high as mine. Apparently I am having over 67 apnea/hypopnea events per hour :wow:

So last night was my first night on CPAP and it will definitely take some time to get used to. I did not sleep well and I am exhausted today. I was able to wear the device all night and my AHI dropped to 23 events per hour - still very high but significantly improved. I am using a ResMed 11 with an F30i mask.

Ultimately, I am interested in surgery to correct the issue, but my doctor suggested I try CPAP first:

https://www.inspiresleep.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Le4j4X_8wIVoDytBh02Sgw3EAAYASAAEgKmvvD_BwE

CPAP users, please chime in with any advice you think might be helpful.
 
I also have severe obstructive sleep apnea but I’m terrified of surgery complications and flat out can’t do the mask despite several attempts. Trying to lose weight and sleeping on my side where the apnea isn’t as prevalent.
 
As many of you already know, especially those unfortunate enough to have shared a room with me, I snore, apparently quite loud :unsure: My wife has been prodding me for years to get a sleep study and I finally relented. Lo and behold, it was far worse than I expected - I have severe obstructive sleep apnea. My doctor and CPAP technicians have all said they have never seen AHI numbers as high as mine. Apparently I am having over 67 apnea/hypopnea events per hour :wow:

So last night was my first night on CPAP and it will definitely take some time to get used to. I did not sleep well and I am exhausted today. I was able to wear the device all night and my AHI dropped to 23 events per hour - still very high but significantly improved. I am using a ResMed 11 with an F30i mask.

Ultimately, I am interested in surgery to correct the issue, but my doctor suggested I try CPAP first:

https://www.inspiresleep.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-Le4j4X_8wIVoDytBh02Sgw3EAAYASAAEgKmvvD_BwE

CPAP users, please chime in with any advice you think might be helpful.
Definitely pursue the surgery options if that is what you are wanting, but don't give up on the CPAP! I have used mine EVERY night for years and it has worked wonders. I use a full mask because, apparently, I am a mouth breather in my sleep. :wtf:

I use to catch myself dozing off at work sometimes and even in stop and go traffic. I was always tired, and irritable. Now, I feel very refreshed each morning so long as I get 6+ hours of sleep. And my wife sleeps much better now.

I've had apnea and snoring issues since I was a healthy, athletic teen. But as big as I am now, it certainly has become worse. Not that you need to lose weight, but it would certainly help my issues, though not completely mitigate them.
 
Definitely pursue the surgery options if that is what you are wanting, but don't give up on the CPAP! I have used mine EVERY night for years and it has worked wonders. I use a full mask because, apparently, I am a mouth breather in my sleep. :wtf:

I use to catch myself dozing off at work sometimes and even in stop and go traffic. I was always tired, and irritable. Now, I feel very refreshed each morning so long as I get 6+ hours of sleep. And my wife sleeps much better now.

I've had apnea and snoring issues since I was a healthy, athletic teen. But as big as I am now, it certainly has become worse. Not that you need to lose weight, but it would certainly help my issues, though not completely mitigate them.

My snoring decreased when I lost weight a few years ago, but I was unwilling to live without IPA's and ice cream.
 
Severe mixed sleep apnea here. I’ve had a full face CPAP for 4 years now, absolutely can’t sleep without it. I never thought I was “that tired” until I got my CPAP. Stick with it if you can, you’ll feel a million times better.

P.S. if you have trouble sleeping with a full face mask, try getting a firm memory foam pillow so your face doesn’t sink and push your mask off.

P.P.S. If you have younger kids, get them to an orthodontist who can and will measure their airways. There are things that orthodontics might be able to fix early that might save your kids from being adults with OSA.
 
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I also had a baseline score of 67. When wearing my CPAP, it is down to 4. I've had to change mask styles a couple times over the past 7 years, but the newest one with the softer nasal pillows are the most comfortable one yet.

Stay with it. You will actually acclimatize yourself to the CPAP mask faster than you think. It's gotten to the point where I don't even notice it as an intrusion anymore. I would caution against any surgery as a last resort.

I had a uvulopalatoplasty done by a HEENT years before I was properly diagnosed with OSA. I am now at chronic risk of aspiration from regular eating and drinking (I also have allergies so tend to mouth breathe also), and it bugs the hell out of me sometimes and scares me for the future.
 
I recommend cpap to a lot of people and I think it is a game changer for most of them. But I would also tell you to try and do whatever you need to to get your lifestyle in order as well. The best thing you can do is try and make those changes and allow the cpap to help you whip you do that. Surgery for OSA is a much bigger proposition but there are also some more minimally invasive options as well.
 
I also had a baseline score of 67. When wearing my CPAP, it is down to 4. I've had to change mask styles a couple times over the past 7 years, but the newest one with the softer nasal pillows are the most comfortable one yet.

Stay with it. You will actually acclimatize yourself to the CPAP mask faster than you think. It's gotten to the point where I don't even notice it as an intrusion anymore. I would caution against any surgery as a last resort.

I had a uvulopalatoplasty done by a HEENT years before I was properly diagnosed with OSA. I am now at chronic risk of aspiration from regular eating and drinking (I also have allergies so tend to mouth breathe also), and it bugs the hell out of me sometimes and scares me for the future.

I am only considering a minimally invasive procedure, specifically Inspire Sleep. I would like to avoid major surgery if possible.
 
Just got assessed for sleep apnea myself. Still waiting for the results. During the summer would wake up full on choking and gasping for breath. It's scary as hell but fortunately it has not happened for a month
 
I've had sleep apnea for 25 years, been on a CPAP for close to 20. It got worse as I got older (and heavier) after college, and when I got the CPAP it was a game changer. I'd have to go back and check out some past sleep assessments for actual number but I got the same reaction from the doctor, IIRC it was close to 100 episodes an hour, and I had longer periods where I actually stopped breathing. He said I essentially never really fell asleep. I was told I actually have 2 different kinds of sleep apnea, the obstructive kind (which has become less severe with some weight loss) and central sleep apnea, which is neurological. yay.

Get it addressed as it can lead to a ton of other things you don't want like high blood pressure and heart issues. I don't go anywhere (ANYWHERE) without my machine now. It can take a week or two to get used to the machine, don't give up on it Mark. The fact that you made it through a full night without ripping it off is a good start. :) If, after a week or so, this one is still not working - try a different mask/nasal cushion. As others have said, some prefer just the nose, others need the full face mask. I use the Phillips Respironics ComfortGel (just covers the nose) and I think I have the same machine as what you were prescribed. There are numerous different setups, give them all a try if needed.

I've never really considered any of the surgical options as the CPAP has helped that much and my docs never recommended it. It can be a pain in the ass to have the machine but most people get used to it eventually.
 
I have been on a CPAP for several years. I enjoy a full night's rest every night. I did take a little getting used to but I finally came up with the best mask option that works for me. I had started with a nasal mask only and found out my mouth would open at night so I switched to a full mask. It worked great but was not the most comfortable option. I finally settled on the AirFit F30. Great mask! I have been using this mask since it came out and I have no complaints. Once properly fitted I have less than 3 events per night. With this mask and the ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset machine, I have had zero problems. I am also using a SoClean and have had no issues with respiratory infections.
 
I'm in the CPAP club too. I first tried the full mask, and I knew it wouldn't work for me. I switched to the nose pillow thing, and they worked out great. No more waking up tired or with a sore throat. (or getting the elbow from the wife in the middle of the night. ;))
 
In addition, depending on your insurance sometimes it is just cheaper to buy the machine online with a coupon rather than chewing up FSA dollars going through insurance.
 
I have been on a CPAP for several years. I enjoy a full night's rest every night. I did take a little getting used to but I finally came up with the best mask option that works for me. I had started with a nasal mask only and found out my mouth would open at night so I switched to a full mask. It worked great but was not the most comfortable option. I finally settled on the AirFit F30. Great mask! I have been using this mask since it came out and I have no complaints. Once properly fitted I have less than 3 events per night. With this mask and the ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset machine, I have had zero problems. I am also using a SoClean and have had no issues with respiratory infections.
I definitely recommend the SoClean. It is a must have.
 
I too have a CPAP machine and have used it for over a dozen years. I hated waking up choking, and trying to catch my breath. I have on a few occasions forgotten my machine at home, and the next few days were absolute hell on me and my system.

I also had issues with Beer and Ice Cream....weird that if I had them in the same day, it would make my sleeping a hellish nightmare.

Keep using the mask. It will do wonders for you and your wife. I'm amazed mine didn't kill me before I had the mask.

Also, try nose pillows instead of the mask. I find the pillows will offer a better sleep.
 
Sleep much better with it but PITA at airport

I got used to it within a couple weeks
 
I bought my machine without even thinking of going through my insurance. I paid $475 for a ResMed Airsense 10 from CPAP.com last November. It was 50% off at the time. I called my insurance after, and all they could do was use that amount towards my deductible. I started getting supplies using my insurance which only cost me about $36 a year.

This is the stuff I can get and how often. I get filters too, which are included with each shipment.

Screenshot 2021-11-04 125641.png
 
I have had one for over 6 years. I have a bipap instead of a cpap so that it is not constant pressure and it starts at a lower pressure and increases during the night. I also use the nasal pillows, and have the heated line to reduce the condensation. I have an HSA with a high deductible plan, so I buy replacement parts for half the cost on eBay compared to DME providers. My wife loves the memory foam mask, better seal and more comfort, she had pituitary surgery so she cannot take the pressure on the base of her nose for nasal pillows.

The one thing I found after first getting mine was that for the first couple weeks i had a lot of lucid dreams. Dr. said that it was not unusual because you are catching up on REM sleep (or just like being naked and flying like superman)

If you are having pressure issues, contact your provider to review the settings and reports. If you do not have a bipap, they might switch your machine.

Good luck, hope it works out for you, Mark.
T
 
I’ll echo what others have said, it takes a little getting used to, but once you do you realize how much better your quality of life is. in addition, in what I think is a Pavlovian response, once I put in the mask I now fall asleep much more quickly than I used to. i can definitely tell a difference the next day the few times I fall asleep with no mask on. And @bergs I’d give it another shot. They’re constantly coming up with new masks that are less obtrusive and more comfortable, and it might really help,you out.
 
For any non-OSA-aware persons who are perhaps reading the thread out of interest, a "point" on the severity scale means a continuous apneic ("non-breathing") break of 10 seconds or longer in each 1 hour period. 5 or less is considered "normal". 30+ is considered "severe".

So, someone like me who had an initial score of 67 (more than double of severe), this means that the average number of apneic episodes of 10 seconds or longer per hour of sleep was 67, or over 1 per minute. The risk is that the brain forces you to wake up just enough to take a breath, and that means you never really truly settle into deep restorative sleep. This also keeps your body's adrenergic tone high, which has general consequences to overall cardiac health, especially for those who already have underlying heart disease.

Strangely for me, I never really had the chronic tiredness effect despite this, and would never nod off during the day. But the underlying cardiac risk is not negligible, and combined with my high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol scores (both now well controlled with simple medication) constituted a risk worth investigating and treating.

Luckily, my private health plan through being a government employee covers at least 80% (up to 90%) of costs of machine and peripherals, and I am eligible for a new machine every 5 years if required (and/or as technology improves).
 
I've been using a CPAP for over 15 years, and "recently" (a couple years ago) switched to the ResMed AirSense 10, and the machine is so quiet compared to the other 2-3 different other CPAPs I've used. Switched from a full mask to ResMed Swift FX nasal pillow mask a while back, which I like compared to the mask, then more recently switched to a ResMed AirFit P10.

It's annoying at first, but you get used to it. I don't think I've missed a night in years, and when if I don't use it I feel really tired and miserable the next day.
 
Mine would always get flagged by the x-ray and have to be swabbed (for explosive residue or whatever) at secondary...
Odd. I've taken it across the border twice in my carryon and they never said boo. But they looked at my chips both times...
 
I once brought my machine with me to Baltimore. My friends that I was visiting worked at Ft. Meade in the weapons experimentation department. I had my laptop with me, and I had asked for a cloth to clean the screen with. He pulled out a cloth that he used for his laptop from work. Little did I know that there were particles of RDX on the cloth. I proceeded to wipe my laptop down, and when it was put away, it was next to my CPAP machine. I was able to board a flight to Toronto, but once I got there, they swabbed both machines and found an excessive amount of RDX on them. Needless to say fun was to be had by all (NOT!).
 
@Ben8257 ... :whistle: :whistling::unsure::ninja:

Hope the CPAP continues to help Mark!! Would be interested in hearing how the surgery goes if you decide to go through with it. We have some friends and family using CPAPs as well and all have said it really really makes a difference, especially if they don't wear it for a night after being acclimated to it for a long time
 
Have had CPAP for over 20 years. Like you, my wife kept after me until I relented and went to the sleep lab. Takes a little getting used to, but now I can’t sleep without it.
 
If it takes more than a couple weeks to get used to it, try a different mask. I have gotten where I can't sleep well without it. Glad you're acting on it, sleep apnea is dangerous. I routinely travel/fly with mine and dont' have a problem... I also have a small compact travel cpap, but don't usually use it because it doesn't have a humidifier and is very loud. Its very small, though. The humidifier is great in the winter when the air gets really dry in the house.
 

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