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New to APNEA and few questions
#21
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
(02-18-2015, 12:46 PM)centex99 Wrote: Now, my only question is... do I truly need it. I have exceptional insurance, which covers 100% after my $250 deductible, but that means I'll be out the $250. I can afford that, but is it going to be beneficial or more trouble than its worth to use this machine with my fairly low #s.

Don't know.... The answer lies in the symptoms. Do you have daytime sleepiness? Do you often awaken while driving through the neighbors cow pasture? Did you nearly drown yourself at the restaurant last night in your bowl of clam chowder?

What about your weight? Are you the same slim, trim girl magnet jock you were in highschool? In my case I am proud to relate that I can wear the same jean sizes I did in highschool. I just can't get them up past my knees anymore.

Your blood pressure is now under control.. That's good.......... Perhaps it would have been better if your cardio-vascular system wasn't reduced to spaghetti squash in the first place? Maybe cpap therapy would be a good thing if it could help keep you as nice on the inside as you are on the outside.

These, and so many questions can only be answered by you. Now, after your nap, wake up and ask your wife what she thinks you should think.
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#22
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
(02-18-2015, 12:46 PM)centex99 Wrote: Now, my only question is... do I truly need it. I have exceptional insurance, which covers 100% after my $250 deductible, but that means I'll be out the $250. I can afford that, but is it going to be beneficial or more trouble than its worth to use this machine with my fairly low #s.

It looks like you would be out the $250 even if you got a brick because even a brick would cost more than your $250 deductible.
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#23
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
(02-18-2015, 12:46 PM)centex99 Wrote: Its a local DME (Rem Sleep/hrsleep/total respiratory). Per my previous post, they ordered the for her version for me since my #s are so low I figured the extra RERA measurement would be beneficial, plus it does everything the airsense 10 does plus more, so seems stupid to not have the best since I pay the same.

Now, my only question is... do I truly need it. I have exceptional insurance, which covers 100% after my $250 deductible, but that means I'll be out the $250. I can afford that, but is it going to be beneficial or more trouble than its worth to use this machine with my fairly low #s.

centex99,
Your AHI may be fairly low now, but what about 6 months from now or a year from now? This won't go away by itself. You also mentioned high blood pressure. Even though treated, it may get worse with untreated apnea. Untreated apnea is the precursor to so many other health issues. Don't take that chance!
OpalRose

OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#24
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
Yeah, so, I personally don't feel I have the normal symptoms. I am not tired all the time/etc. I don't fall asleep in the afternoons, I wake up fine in the mornings (sometimes better than others). I do snore and sometimes bad. My wife has occasionally caught myself not breathing/waking myself up in an apnea, but its not all the time.
In regards to weight, I'm ~6' and 340#, so am definitely overweight and I'm not overly active. I work from the computer, many days working from home. I was only initially referred to the sleep dr because of my blood pressure and not any other symptoms/etc. I may try to call and discuss with my primary care or family friend (MD) and/or try to visit and get another opinion from another sleep Dr.
I seem some results on here only getting AHI #s down to where I'm currently at. I don't really want to go through the process of using a CPAP if its going to provide minimal benefit/relief/improvement to my sleep/life/etc. I'm not opposed to using a CPAP, but want to make sure I actually NEED it first.
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#25
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
Since your RERA score is so high, and this is respiratory resistance, it is measurably affecting your restorative sleep cycling, and you may not notice until some other sympathetic system in your body goes on the blink. Overcoming the resistance will result in cleaner sleep and generally more refreshed mornings.

I suspect the settings you'll find effective will be lower than many of us, as RERA is sometimes nicknamed an 'adolescent apnea'. You may not have the need for as wide a swing in pressure, or as high a start pressure.

Not all of us are dismayed by not reaching < 6, 5, ... 1. I am not the least distressed that my avg is 4.85 and that I have 6s and 7s. I feel the difference. Nearly all of us started with sleep study results in the 27 to 80 AHI range. Nearly all those that are unhappy about not breaking thru the 5 barrier are having other symptoms, such as some form of bad sleep.

Though a lot of us are wishing we felt even better, most have sensed measurable benefits in wellbeing.

QAL
Dedicated to QALity sleep.
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#26
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
(02-18-2015, 10:43 AM)clrapstad Wrote: I am new also to this and I have the airsense 10 for her (not because of the girly look to it) because of the features it has. So far so good I have had 8 hours each night on the machine. I chose a full face mask because of my allergies, sinus structure and mouth breathing. I would try a nasal pillow if I thought I had any chance with it when I am sick with cold or allergies.
Drawbacks of full face mask there is more contact with your face which can cause more leakage and if you have skin irritation more surface to get irritated. I have to remove mask to take a drink of water and for some reason the side of my nose always itches when I put the mask on. I can't imagine what it will be like when I get sick and asthma flare with the full mask, coughing and sneezing ewwwww.

Benefit of full mask, I can breathe through my nose or my mouth or both during the night. I don't have to wear a chinstrap to keep my mouth closed which freaks me out as a mouth breather.

My AHI's are down below 5 and I think I am sleeping better but I am having these dead tired moments in the afternoon which looking on here looks fairly common, I hope that goes away fairly soon.

This is a great place to get support and get your questions answered.

My husband uses a nasal mask and has a machine that is over 10 years old, his skin gets irritated by the masks. He has a beard but it doesn't stop them from sealing.


Hi cirapstad,
Welcome, it's good to hear your therapy is working, but is normal to still get tired during the day. Just remember how long you've gone without proper sleep and
some people take longer than others.
In regard to masks, it is a personal preference. What works for one will not work for another. Best of luck!
Sleep-well
OpalRose
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#27
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
(02-18-2015, 02:59 PM)centex99 Wrote: Yeah, so, I personally don't feel I have the normal symptoms. I am not tired all the time/etc. I don't fall asleep in the afternoons, I wake up fine in the mornings (sometimes better than others). I do snore and sometimes bad. My wife has occasionally caught myself not breathing/waking myself up in an apnea, but its not all the time.
In regards to weight, I'm ~6' and 340#, so am definitely overweight and I'm not overly active. I work from the computer, many days working from home. I was only initially referred to the sleep dr because of my blood pressure and not any other symptoms/etc. I may try to call and discuss with my primary care or family friend (MD) and/or try to visit and get another opinion from another sleep Dr.
I seem some results on here only getting AHI #s down to where I'm currently at. I don't really want to go through the process of using a CPAP if its going to provide minimal benefit/relief/improvement to my sleep/life/etc. I'm not opposed to using a CPAP, but want to make sure I actually NEED it first.

Your AHI is over 5 , so yes for $250 bucks you can enjoy the fact you have good insurance and once you settle into cpap you will be glad you did.
After 3 months now for me I enjoy a good nights sleep, and there the benefits of not waking up in the middle of the night to pee or waking up in the morning with a concrete mouth from snoring. they are more but you need to find some out for yourself. Big Grin
Sleep-well
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#28
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
A single night sleep study may not catch all cases or magnitude of sleep disorders. I have a friend who has all the classic symptoms of Sleep Apnea (loud snoring, high BP, Neck Size, nocturia, waking up multiple times etc. etc.) but his sleep study said no OSA. He got a pulse oximeter at home and checked his Spo2 levels and they were dipping below the critical 88% multiple times.

You may want to get a CMS-50i or a CMS-50f (< $150) and plot your nightly Spo2 levels for a week or so.

Even if you don't have OSA now, your snore rate is pretty high so you may progress to sleep apnea in the next few years, so getting the machine may be a good $250 option to exercise now.
PRS1 Auto & Dreamstation Auto w/ P10 and straight pressure of 8cm
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#29
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
All good advice... still undecided.
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#30
RE: New to APNEA and few questions
(02-19-2015, 12:58 PM)centex99 Wrote: All good advice... still undecided.

In which case I think you've made your decision.

Sleep apnea and cpap therapy aren't things you think about all that much. You either recognize it's an issue for you and commit to doing something about it, or you don't.

It's not a lot different than quitting smoking. If we have been told to quit smoking, we commit to doing it, and do whatever it takes to get it done. Or we don't. We might decide that smoking can't be "all that bad" when it comes to our health and ignore the risks. After all, many of us are truly indestructible, aren't we? One thing's for sure: if we decide that "Well, I'll skip a cigarette or two and see how it goes....." we will not quit.

There's not a lot of difference between what smoking can do and what untreated apnea can do. They both can cause our life to go up in smoke.

So it's wonderful if the apnea isn't causing you serious heart, kidney, gizzard or other problems yet. Check back with us when it does, we'll still be here.








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