New to CPAP -- Headaches pre-CPAP and with CPAP

[Sleeprider]

If you are buying out of pocket check out Supplier#33. The Resmed Autoset costs about $650 today and that leaves plenty of profit for the supplier. If yours charges $400 more for Resmed than Philips, something is wrong. Feel free to clarify your insurance situation

[BaconLime]

If you are buying out of pocket check out Supplier#33. The Resmed Autoset costs about $650 today and that leaves plenty of profit for the supplier. If yours charges $400 more for Resmed than Philips, something is wrong. Feel free to clarify your insurance situation

I am paying all expenses out of pocket. I double checked the Dreamstation supplier; the PR Dreamstation was 499 and the Resmed Autoset for Her is 883, unless I'm overlooking an added feature or something.

Still curious since I haven't returned used equipment before, is that something all suppliers accept? If I don't get the swap through the same supplier are there costs with the return? The website of the supplier I bought the Dreamstation from says they'll match prices of *authorized* sellers.

Thank you for weighing in.

[BaconLime]

I don't see a return policy on the website of the supplier I bought the PR Dreamstation (not one of the suppliers listed here), but I've looked at 1/2 dozen other cpap suppliers' sites from the list on this forum and all of them state that they do not accept used machines unless there is a manufacturing defect. I haven't contacted the one I bought from yet. Planning to query tomorrow.

[BaconLime]

So swapping the Dreamstation out for a ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet is not going to work out with the supplier I bought the PR Dreamstation from. I will look into buying a used one via the board supplier list in a few weeks when I can afford it (I pay all expenses out of pocket).

Meanwhile, I started taping about a week ago and it has helped. I have had some good mornings without headaches with AHIs below 1.0.

This morning though, bit of a set back with headache. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Sleeprider]

What Flex setting are you using? I think it will help to use a higher minimum pressure. Your graphs show quite a bit of flow limitation, and I'm surprised that the breathing pauses were not flagged as apnea. Higher minimum pressure should help to open your airway and make breathing a bit easier. I'd like to see if your results improve at 7 or 8 cm.

[BaconLime]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give that a try.

Flex settings? I'm not sure what that is. I'm sure it's on the board in multiple places. So off I go...

EDITED TO ADD:

OK, found it. A-flex, 2.

[Sleeprider]

Flex is a comfort setting and I found 2 was fine for me when I used a Philips machine. I did not like the setting at 3 and found it disrupted my breathing, so was going to suggest a change if you were at 3. You can try alternative settings and see what is most comfortable. I'm pretty sure things will improve with higher minimum pressure. The change from 4 to 6 has positive results, and we just need to elevate towards 8.0 to resolve the remaining obstruction.

[Sleepster]

This morning though, bit of a set back with headache. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You will have setbacks but overall things will improve. I had chronic headaches before CPAP but eventually they went away. It just takes a bit of time. It's different for everyone.

[BaconLime]

Flex is a comfort setting and I found 2 was fine for me when I used a Philips machine.  I did not like the setting at 3 and found it disrupted my breathing, so was going to suggest a change if you were at 3.  You can try alternative settings and see what is most comfortable.  I'm pretty sure things will improve with higher minimum pressure. The change from 4 to 6 has positive results, and we just need to elevate towards 8.0 to resolve the remaining obstruction.

Thanks for the suggestions; sharing your wisdom. I will give those a try and report back in a few days.

Does A-flex vs C-flex matter? I am curious by nature and eager to learn, however sometimes with the headaches, when the material gets overly technical I find myself easily distracted.

You will have setbacks but overall things will improve. I had chronic headaches before CPAP but eventually they went away. It just takes a bit of time. It's different for everyone.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My headaches are improving, which I am super grateful for. The journey won't be a straight line.

Speaking of lines, do the stair-step inhalations (see attachment) have any significance? That's what 90% of my inhalations look like.

[Osiris357]

Your leak rate is effecting the shape of the waveform. If you didn’t have a leak there they would look normal IMHO.