[CPAP] Getting ready to call it quits

[Crimson Nape]

In order to record the high resolution data, the SD card has to be in the CPAP while you are using it.

[lightwolf1]

This thread may help:

From an old thread:

[jerryrw]

I put the SD card into it and a little orange light cam on and the screen said preparing SD card.  Then it stopped and did nothing.  There were no menu options to do anything.  After the light went off for a while I pulled it and loaded it into Oscar.

I do not have a copy of my sleep study.  The Drs have it.  I never asked for one.

[Crimson Nape]

Put the SD card in your CPAP and leave it there until you awaken tomorrow morning. You will then have your sleep data. You can not obtain your detailed sleep data after the fact.

[OpalRose]

Just want to repeat what others have said: The SD card must be in your Cpap while you are sleeping. When you wake up in the morning, wait at least 5-10 minutes before removing the SD card.

There is a link in my signature line that will guide you on Organizing the OSCAR chart.
While in OSCAR, use the F12 key to take a Screenshot of the daily page.
Select "Standard View". This will put the chart in order of how we want to see it.

Include the left side bar, minus the pie chart and calendar. Graphs to include: Events, Flow Rate, Pressure, Flow Limitations and Leak rate.

Use the Attachment Feature to post here.

[Ockrocket]

I'm going to sidestep all the questions but one .. the one nobody else has addressed.

You have now realised you sleep face down, which is definitely unusual.

Have you considered modifying a massage bed to sleep on? (the style with the face opening in them)

If this proves successful for using a CPAP mask you could perhaps consider getting a custom bed or mattress with a hole or cutout that allows you to sleep face down and continue CPAP treatment for the long term.

[jerryrw]

Here is a screenshot of last night's attempt.  I held in there as long as I could.  That 37 minutes felt like 4-5 hours and my watch says my heart rate went from 62 up to 76 during the attempt.

[jerryrw]

Thank you.  I had not thought about the massage table.  I was thinking to try sleeping in my office chair (which I do often already) so that I cant move around.  I've looked at neck pillows and various tennis ball  / strap contraptions for training to not sleep in certain positions.  I looked at the entire face type masks with the hose at the top.  

With my novice research I am leaning towards a catch 22 situation.  For the machine to work properly I need to not move around and stop sleeping face down.  In order for me to stop sleeping face down I need to get me to work with the machine.  

I'm not entirely sure why I am putting myself through this.  I have lived with it for over 30 years with only a handful of semi serious events.  I fixed most of the daytime nodding off with quitting smoking, diet and exercise and losing 85 pounds.  The sleep study was a result me answering a question at the VA; Are you a Veteran and snore?  Tel your PCP today!  They (and everyone that loves there CPAP) told me about this wonderful land of milk and honey that getting 'real' sleep will bring.  It is starting to seem like an awful amount of work for the faith of an outcome that I have no idea what is even like. 

Thanks for the help

[lightwolf1]

I'm not entirely sure why I am putting myself through this.

I'm sure you know, Jerry, that this is the real nut.

I think you need to get to the basics and ask "what is it that you (I) want?"  "What do you (I) want from life?"  Then -- what does that look like?

I'm sure you know about the downsides of untreated sleep apnea.  Shorter life span is the big one, and for good reason.  There are others, but I'm not sure a detailed list is appropriate right here.  One that many don't initially think of is risk to others.  Fall asleep at the wheel, and now it isn't just your a** in the fire.  A Burlington Northern train crashed into the back of a parked train, and they attributed part of the cause to SA (both engineer and conductor were killed, no one else thankfully).  But, you're a big boy and you can make your own choices.

If this site has a downside, it is that it can come across as "all CPAP all the time." There are a lot of cheerleaders here, probably because there is also a lot of success here.  The two go together.  If CPAP is causing great anxiety, then why?  There are other voices and other choices too.  There are dental devices that many who can't tolerate CPAP swear by.  There is also Inspire™, an implantable that others also swear by.  That one is tricky, as with it you can no longer have an MRI between neck and groin, so those with heart and lung issues are often excluded.  This isn't an exhaustive list.  The point is, there are other choices.  A good doc (VERY hard to find) can help you.

Back to the first issue.  If part of this is that you're just angry that you have to deal with this, then all of these choices will seem equally unpleasant.  Trust me, I know the territory.  If that's the issue, then you know you need to deal with that.  In the end, you may conclude that you're happy as you are and the risks are acceptable.  We all do things some others think are unwise. 

I would encourage you to fight back any anger you may have and find a solution that works FOR YOU.  Really, I want success for you.

In the end though, you will choose, even if that is choosing nothing.  

I wish you the very best.

[CyberSpiff]

The CPAP experience is new to everyone and it takes time to adjust. Think about it, you are first told you have a sleep problem even though you have been sleeping your entire life, then you are put through an overnight test and maybe titration to figure out what is up and how to treat it, you then get a machine with little explanation of how it works, given a mask that attaches to your face like an alien with little to no explanation, and let loose into the wild. No wonder we all get frustrated with it.

Listen to the smart kids, they can help you find what works, but they need data to do so in relatively quick order. Without it they can only make educated guesses, but will get you there the same it will just take a lot longer and require experimentation.

As to whether it is worth it, only you can answer that for you. Very few can put on a mask, start the machine and see immediate improvements. It is a process that the requires time to find what works best for each of us. The lads and lasses here can help, but there is no magic, it is hard work finding the proper settings. If you don’t want to do the work, that is a choice only you can make, but it’s your choice.