Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Couldn't you use a full mask, Hugh?
My mask covers my nose and mouth.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I was given just the "nose pillows" as it was observed during my study that I slept with my mouth closed and didn't need the full mask. FWIW. Interesting thing is that when I was traveling recently I didn't use the machine at the hotel(1 night) and sure didn't feel any better or worse. But, with the BOTL here telling me it takes quite sometime to notice a difference- esp. if you weren't feeling bad to begin with- I guess I should use it- and will.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I tried the nose pillows at first. Hated them. When my mouth would fall open, I'd feel a gurgling, choking sensation. My full-face mask is much better.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Yes, indeedy; opening my fresser makes me choke! Yawning becomes difficult!

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

You can get a chin strap and that will fix your mouth falling open.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Tried it, hated it. :(

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I just got my machine today! Going to use it tonight!

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Great news MJ!! :tu

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

May it bring you many nights of peaceful sleep!

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I went for a sleep study last night, I'm not sure how successful it was, I don't feel like the amount or quality of my sleep represents how I normally sleep, but I guess I'll see at the follow up in a couple weeks.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I would've sworn I slept a couple hours max during my sleep study...turns out they got all the intel they needed from me. I bet you'll find the same.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

;tpd;
They know you might have trouble sleeping, but once you are asleep you generally sleep much the same as you would at home. All they need is a few hours of you sleeping to tell if you have it or not.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I felt similarly when I had my study. I got there at 9:30 pm ish, got all hooked up to the machines, didn't fall asleep till at least midnight. They woke me at 5 am to go home. I hardly ever sleep that little at home.

I've had my CPAP since August of last year. Last night was great. I don't have school today, so I could sleep in. Went to bed at 10:00, fell asleep before 11, woke up at around 10:15 this morning. Ahhh, that felt good!

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Interesting article and, if it pans out, very positive development for anyone with OSA.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27083_3-10456870-247.html

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

You gotta have that thing surgically implanted??

I'll stick to my "bad-halloween-costume" mask, thank you.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

:tpd:

I'm starting to get used to the mask/machine. If nothing else, my AHI has gone from a whopping 29 (sleep study prior to CPAP) down to an average of 1.2 over the last 7 days.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I already have a surgically implanted device in my chest, so I guess this wouldn't work for me!

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

...

(Whats an "AHI"?):tu

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is an index of severity that combines apneas and hypopneas. Combining them both gives an overall severity of sleep apnea including sleep disruptions and desaturations (a low level of oxygen in the blood). The apnea-hypopnea index, like the apnea index and hypopnea index, is calculated by dividing the number of apneas and hypopneas by the number of hours of sleep.

Essentially, it is the number of "events" per hour.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Anything 5 or less is considered "normal", so at 1.2 you are doing great! If you up the pressure a little bit on the cpap you may be able to get it under 1. My DME left the instruction card for changing the settings on the machine with me when he dropped it off. I'm not sure he was supposed to, but I used it to adjust mine up .5 and saw the AHI drop. I'm not sure that is making any significant difference, but I figure it can't hurt. My doc was impressed when I told him last year.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

So your machine gives you that number? I would be most interested in that if I could find it- kinda proof positive that a difference is being made, even if I don't really feel it.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Yes, a lot of machines have a digital readout that gives you usage statistics and your AHI. I know some don't - my father's, for example. But I think even his has a card that reads the data so that his doctor can review it. Yours should as well. If there isn't any way to track your stats, you should talk to your doctor about getting one. As you say, you don't have any way of knowing if its working otherwise. I'd press hard on that if I were you.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I'm scheduled to have a sleep study done in a couple of weeks and my wife is concerned if I need one of these machines that it will be too loud for her to be able to sleep in the same room any thing I can tell her good or bad would be appreciated

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

M fathers old machine used to be loud, however machine these days are very quiet. A fan on it's lowest setting is louder.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I will, thanks! And, machines are quite quiet.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

You're welcome :tu

As others have said, its pretty quite. My wife describes it as white noise.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Just saw this thread for the 1st time...

My name is Rudy and I have sleep apnea as well...

I was diagnosed about 5 years... Classic symptoms of snoring excessively, stopping breathing while sleeping, etc.

I was working on a large project where we had weekly update meetings @ 2pm... I would always fall asleep in those meetings... To the point that the other guys would be betting on how long it would take before I fell asleep.

My wife appreciates the fact that I can no longer snore and the sound of the CPAP is just white noise.

My Dad has sleep apnea as well... Before he was diagnosed, he would fall asleep playing cards! He also rolled a car and hit a couple of deer as well.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Does anyone have any issues with their face being chapped since using the mask? I've just noticed that the corner/side of my mouth is very dry and chapped and I dont really know what else to do about it. Any one else suffering?

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I get that a bit. Using the humidifier helps.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I use the humidifier every night, on its highest setting. Am I over humidfied?

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I have similar issues however I tend to sleep with my mouth open and even with the humidifier on high I still wake up with an extremely dry mouth, anyone else have this problem?

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I get a little ring around my mouth where the mask sits sometimes and it seems to be more prevalent during the winter months. I've considered growing a goatee just to deal with it, but have heard that facial hair will hurt the seal. I don't know another solution really, sorry.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Would love to read some updates. :)

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I had a follow up with the Neurologist a couple weeks ago and she said that I don't have sleep apnea, and that I just snore a lot. Ironically she also said that I could possibly be narcoleptic because I hit REM in 3 minutes.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I tried sleeping without my CPAP for one night on my trip to Alaska...I couldn't fall alseep without it. It works like a champ!! :D

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

bump.
How's everybody doing?

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Apparently I still snore pretty badly when I drink a quart of tequila, despite the two somnoplasty surgeries. :r

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

CPAP is working for me. It's a a pain but it beats the alternative.

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I can't imagine sleeping without a CPAP. I feel so good in the morning and hardly ever feel like I need an afternoon nap. A few years ago I almost fell asleep at the wheel several times in the mid-afternoon.

A few weeks ago the power went out during the night... I was awake is seconds of the CPAP going off.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

My wife is going for a sleep study soon. All of the classic symptoms of sleep apnea are there, and I can't tell you how glad I am that she is finally going to get checked out.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Use it, but feel the same when I don't- which is when we travel. I'm thinking that it's a bit of a racket for me. I'm sure it helps some, I just think these folks tell everyone they have apnea after the test, no matter what- mine is "mild" but I still should use the equipment for $250 a month or whatever it is.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

I really like mine -- I have been using a CPAP for almost 12 years. I sleep better and feel better. The only times I have an issue are when the cushion on my mask starts to get worn out enough that it does not seal as well or when the straps on the mask need to be tightened... Fortunately, my insurance provides me with a new mask every three months.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

it looks like my apnea has almost disappeared after losing over 100lbs. Last week, the night after my surgery, I was in the hospital at the medium care. I had a sore throat and decided with the medical staff not to wear my cpap mask, they would monitor my sleep and if they decided that I should wear it anyway they would tell me. I only had 3 or 4 apneas that night, while a couple of years ago I would have have 3 every 2 minutes.

So in a few months, when I lost another 60 of 70lbs, I will file for a new sleep study to see what happens and if I can sleep without my cpap from then.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Good for you Ferdie!! :D I can't fall sleep without mine. It's become my security blanket.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

That's great news, Ferd.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Good news, Ferdinand. :D

I am scheduled for part 2 of my most recent sleep study in early December to get my prescription for CPAP. Hoping it makes the difference for me that so many others say it has made for them.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Congrats Ferd!!

I've found I sleep much easier with a CPAP. I do tend to sleep with out it, but only when I get really uncomfortable with it on, or I'm willing to sleep that much longer. But that happens maybe once or twice every time I get a break from school.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

That is great news!

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

fun part is, the health insurance decided it was time for me to get a new machine. So the service contracter just brought me a brand new respironics cpap, much smaller and better than the old one.

Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
 

Used my new (first) CPAP for the first time last night...and woke up with a problem called aerophagia. It seems I swallowed air all night and filled my intestines up with air. The pain was nasty, and my stomach etc is still all messed up. I am not going to use the machine again until I see the doc in person, sounds like I could do some damage to my colon if I continue with this. F**k.