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Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
#11
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Hi kiwii,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you on your CPAP journey and also with getting your machine fine-tuned to better meet your needs, you have come to the right place for guidance.
trish6hundred
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#12
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Thank you for the warm welcome, Trish!

Well, I definitely misspoke when I said there had been no aerophagia last night. Tummy is distended and I'm feeling pretty miserable.

What is it about a bi-level that is supposed to reduce aerophagia?
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#13
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Please excuse the meltdown.

Really struggling (emotionally) tonight. I still need a doctor for getting an inhouse sleep study, but I want to stay away from them. Far, far away.

I suspect the current doctor is more interested in optimizing insurance payments than taking care of me (and there is no way that I'm doing a study at his facility). I have an appointment next month with another doctor, but I'm really concerned that he is going to be more of the same. He's affiliated with a topnotch medical center though. I'm afraid that if I change my settings myself, there is a risk of offending the new doctor and not getting his cooperation for a sleep study. I've only had a take home test. I would like to know what else might be happening when I sleep, besides OSA.

I think I am foolishly waiting to change my settings; that I'm being too stubborn & focused on a comparison test between the 3 days on my back vs the 3 days on my side so that I can test the trustworthiness of the current doctor. I want better settings now! I'm stressed about speaking with him tomorrow.

Sad
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#14
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Relax. When we are sleep deprived we are not operating at 100% and the Doctors know this (we on the forum know this also, because we were then at some time in the past). The people here are very good, and truly care.

I changed my settings and totally messed things up. My Doctor just asked "why did you do that?" I did not have a good answer and he just changed them back with a slight adjustment. He did as much as he could and finally gave me permission to make my own adjustments. With help from those here, I got my sleep apnea under control. It did not happen quickly, but for me, I did not have to just "get used to it". There were changes that were made that really helped.

Hang in there, you are in the right place. Do your best to get as much sleep as you can-it helps to get you thinking straight again.. I also have the AirCurve 10. It might help identify what needs to be done if you concentrate on what the CPAP makes you feel like. Gasping for breathe? Inhale being cut off? Just can't breathe normally and not sure exactly why?

Most of all do not stress. Persist. get well. Don't accept it being just how it is until you have exhausted all options.
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#15
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Thank you, PoolQ, I needed that 'voice of reason.' Much appreciated.

I messaged my doctor, so all that is left is to see how/if he responds. I think I'll go knit and listen to an audio book for a distraction.
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#16
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
(09-17-2017, 09:44 PM)kiwii Wrote: ....... I'm afraid that if I change my settings myself, there is a risk of offending the new doctor and not getting his cooperation for a sleep study. I've only had a take home test. I would like to know what else might be happening when I sleep, besides OSA.

I think I am foolishly waiting to change my settings; that I'm being too stubborn & focused on a comparison test between the 3 days on my back vs the 3 days on my side so that I can test the trustworthiness of the current doctor. I want better settings now! I'm stressed about speaking with him tomorrow.

Sad

Awwww...

If I'm reading this correctly, you're a person who likes to participate in managing your own health. That seems consistent with your other posts.

IMO no matter what, get a doctor who is happy to have you participating in your own healthcare. IMO if the doc is going to be offended, get a different doctor. That doc may be good for a lot of other folks, but not for you.

Keep good notes, so you have documentation on your thinking process. Put them in a manila file when you take them to the doc, so it's clear (doc's arrogance notwithstanding) that you take yourself and your health seriously. Even if you never open the file in the presence of the doctor. You could even paper clip your talking points to the front of it, very obvious.

IME some docs are like used car salesmen. (I even once wrote a piece analyzing a doc's strategies along the lines of classic sales training... the presumptive close, the false alternatives, act now or it'll be gone...). I can easily get taken by some docs, so I have to anticipate and strategize in advance.

It sounds like you're right on track in taking care of yourself! Good luck, and check in here for more support!
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#17
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Thank you HalfAsleep. Those are some good ideas.

Yeah, this whole experience is catching me at my worst. Like PoolQ mentioned, there is the lack of sleep. There are also some past trauma issues that are getting triggered.

I'm trying really hard to stay rational and, the worst part is: I can't tell if I am succeeding or not. I'm starting to feel like I'm in a dream, or walking through a dense fog and I can't see clearly.
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#18
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
(09-18-2017, 12:01 PM)kiwii Wrote: Thank you HalfAsleep. Those are some good ideas.

Yeah, this whole experience is catching me at my worst. Like PoolQ mentioned, there is the lack of sleep. There are also some past trauma issues that are getting triggered.

I'm trying really hard to stay rational and, the worst part is: I can't tell if I am succeeding or not. I'm starting to feel like I'm in a dream, or walking through a dense fog and I can't see clearly.

You sound very rational to me.
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#19
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
(09-18-2017, 12:52 PM)HalfAsleep Wrote: You sound very rational to me.

Lol! Thanks for that vote of confidence! I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

Thank goodness for these forums and the wiki though. If not for ApneaBoard and the helpful people here, I would be completely lost (of course I've barely touched the surface of the wealth of information here, and have so much more to learn).
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#20
RE: Kiwii's Search for Restful Sleep
Update:

9/15 - Lying on left side, new mask (Simplus, size Medium; first night with correctly fitted mask) - no evidence of aerophagia until later in morning: distended abdomen, discomfort, pain, belching - began using GasX, it helped.

9/16 - left side. I think I took GasX before bed, but can't remember. symptoms of aerophagia reduced.

9/17 - started on left side; restless & not feeling well, woke up twice on back; woke up around 2am and couldn't go back to sleep for a couple of hours (mask still on)

Q1: Is my copy of the take home sleep study the entire record, or would there be some portion that would show actual data rather than the interpretation of the data? doc here

Q2: If I set my machine on airplane mode, does that prevent others from accessing it? Is there anything else I can do to restrict remote access (short of dismantling the machine in a way that voids the warranty)?

Q3: May I have a nutshell version of why PS 3 is better than PS 4 for me? I'm going to the wiki now to try to understand it. Thank you.

I know there is more, but frankly doing well to get this up. I can also post oximeter results for days 9/11-9/13 (9/14?) but oximeter bit the dust during the night and all other data is irretrievable (as far as I can tell - Win98 & Win7 do not recognize it anymore and it will not turn on).

My deepest gratitude.
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