Full Face Mask, light and no forehead bar?

[readyforsleep]

Sleeping on your back raises new issues and before you know it you are wearing a backpack to bed filled with uncomfortable things so you don't sleep on your back.

Readyforsleep, please speak for yourself, or at least mention that many people have difficulty because of the things you mention. I do not sleep on my back, I'm a side sleeper and sleep perfectly well on my side without a backpack or a tennis ball or anything else to keep me there. My FF mask does need a liner, and sometimes my pillow helps "cure" a leak. I hardly ever go above the red leak line anymore. A liner is not a big issue, and easy to adapt to.

good point.

[vsheline]

I have to pay full price for my equipment since I couldn't pass a sleep test, scored AHI of 1.9 according to my doc. Maybe I should have studied harder. Funny thing though, I get 17.3 reading with my ResMed S9 and the ResScan software.

I don't understand what you mean about your sleep study AHI being 1.9, surely that means you don't have sleep apnea?

What it means is that I didn't meet the criteria that Medicare has established for authorizing payment for the equipment. I have to pony up the dough from my life savings.

I suspect the test was flawed but I'm in no position to challenge that yet ....

Hi surferdude2,

What is breakdown of the 17.3 AHI, how many Obstructive Apneas, Central Apneas and Hypopnes?

To see whether the hypopneas are obstructive or central, in ResScan move the graphs of Snore and Flow Limitation (FL, which indicates a type of obstructive partial restriction of your airflow) and Tidal Volume (Vt, the volume of air inhaled or exhaled in each breath) or Minute Ventilaion (MV, which is the total amount of air breathed in one minute) or Flow (which is the rate of airflow entering and exiting your airway and lungs) and Events next to each other. (In ResScan you can do a left mouse button press/hold in the box with the graph label and the cursor will change shape and let you drag the graph up or down to reorder the graphs.) When you zoom in closely on the graphs near Hypopnea events (until just one or two minutes fills the screen) are your Hypopnea events accompanied by Snore or Flow Limitation? If yes, I think that would indicate the hypopneas are likely obstructive in origen rather than central. On the other hand, if the hypopneas look more like Periodic Breathing, which is when the tidal Volume (Vt) or Minute Ventilation (MV) or the amplitude of the Flow graph slowly increases and decreases cyclicly (cycle periods typically take about 30 seconds or a minute or two), I think this would indicate the hypopneas are likely central hypopneas in origen.

Higher pressure will help avoid obstructive events, but higher pressure will not help avoid central events and often makes central events occur more often. Higher pressure is also associated with aerophagia (air swallowing). More rarely, higher pressure is associated with vision or hearing or balance or heart or lung problems.

You should get a copy of your full sleep report(s), including all data (graphs or plots). Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have a right to the full report including data. You have a right to this for your own records.

I think a diagnostic study would be invalid if there was not a certain amount of REM stage sleep while sleeping in the supine position (flat on back). I suggest you investigate this possibility.

In any case, print out ResScan full reports showing your sleep data, and persistently ask that your doctor look at the diagnostic study in detail, with an eye toward invalidating the results of the diagnostic study, to get a new one authorized by Medicare.

Surely there is an appeal process to go through. I think you can appeal even without your doctor's help, but but if your present doctor won't advocate on your behalf, I suggest getting a sleep specialist involved, or a new one.

Also, I suggest you start a new thread to focus on this, in case any forum members may know what are the criteria for the minimum amount of sleep needed during diagnostic sleep study.

Good luck!

[JimZZZ]

I'm pretty new to this and started with pillows and a chinstrap and being comfortable enough to fall asleep and keeping mouth shut was difficult. Switched to F10, I think its pretty comfortable and really doesn't bother me that much

Having been a F&P Simplus FFM devotee for several months, I am hesitant to make a change but the marginal propensity to tweak is suggesting I should try the AirFit F10. I'm wondering whether it will stay in place when side sleeping as well as the Simplus. Any thoughts?

[surferdude2]

Also, I suggest you start a new thread to focus on this, in case any forum members may know what are the criteria for the minimum amount of sleep needed during diagnostic sleep study.

vsheline, Thank you kindly for the suggestion that no doubt will eventually lead me to a better understanding of sleep apnea and how my case can be evaluated. I am still in the early stages of CPAP usage and am still gleaning information in order to intelligently present my condition to anybody that is interested. When I get it better organized, I'll take your advice and lay it out for some expert opinions.

surferdude2

[drgrimes]

Gabby don't give up on nasal pillows just yet. If you can make them work, you will be happier in the long run. In the beginning I had hell. I had air blowing out my mouth and couldn't get into chin straps. I finally made a chin pad that ties around my neck that is sufficient diameter to keep my mouth from opening. This way I don't have more junk wrapped around my face.

Another thing I discovered is that we have to get used to some leaking. I was going too tight trying to get rid of it altogether, but I was getting sores. Somewhere I read the Swift FX nasal pillows are supposed to fit very gently against the nostrils, and swell too make seal when pressure is applied. It's a bit of a balancing act, but now I don't even think about CPAP when I go to bed.

I think Surfer Dude is right in that the strange noises can be distracting, so I have one of those white noise wind machines. By the way SurferDude I really like your Avatar....quite creative.

[surferdude2]

By the way SurferDude I really like your Avatar....quite creative.

Thanks but I can't take the credit for that. My brother created that for me. He has been on CPAP for 12 years and has been a terrific help in getting me started on it when I was struggling in vain. I got to try his unit out to see if it would help me. Most folks don't get that opportunity and end up at the mercy of the system.

[Gabby]

Thanks Drgrimes, no I have decided I am not giving up on pillows yet.
I was getting discouraged last week after a bad run.
I think it was more to do with changing over to my new S9 Autoset machine and lifting my pressure from a straight 6 to trying out new auto pressures of anywhere between 6-14. Creating havoc with my numbers.
Finally the last few days I have settled on pressure of 9-12, adjusted my EPR and my headgear, and last night had AHI's and leaks under 3.
I am so happy now, I hope I am able to carry on in this vain for most nights.
I am glad you are doing ok with your Swift FX. I used that mask before switching to P10.

I don't know what a white noise machine is.

[Skypilot]

I'm don't know what a white noise machine is.

Good on yer Gabby.

White Noise - I think I am safe in saying (I am sure I will be corrected), - do you remember the whooshing noise an analogue TV used to make when there was no channel tuned in (and the screen was a wash with random white dot type picture - that is video noise) - that sound is white noise?

It is a broad spectrum type of random noise.

A white noise machine is a machine that makes white noise that you can hear.

[Gabby]

Cheers Skypilot.
I don't think I would like that.
If it helps people go to sleep that's great. I suppose it's the same as listening to music.
We all have to do what we have to do.

[surferdude2]

Get your free white noise HERE You can visit that site and have it play white noise for you all night or whatever.

snippet:

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