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Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I have been on the hose for 2 weeks now.  I dropped from 40.2 AHI during my sleep test to between 1.1 - 0.6 AHI depending on the night.  I have a beard so leakage was an issue but my provider sent me home with silicone and memory foam masks.. The Resmed F20 Air fit mask has worked well.  No problem keeping the mask on all night.  This weekend I have taken on 2 home reno chores without the misses having to remind me.  I do have more energy and have stopped dozing off in the chair.  So I would have to say that this APAP thingie really works.  On a 2 week cruise starting next Sunday so I will include getting through airport security with a machine to my resume.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Today marks week 16 since jumping back on the wagon.
 
I'm down 57 lbs. I only lost a couple of lbs in the past 2 weeks, so, I definitely hit my first plateau. Which I'm cool with. I'm not in a sprint and am happy with my progress thus far and especially with how I'm feeling.
 
I've completely adjusted to the APAP lifestyle. It's almost to the point now where I don't even notice the mask on my face anymore. I figured which mask works best and is most comfortable for me. Learning how to adjust the pressure points on the straps took a little practice, however, I know exactly where that is.
 
I monitor my sleep results every morning now. I found a link which provided Resmed's software for reports, etc, called, ResScan. It's the exact program the DME (durable medical equipment) technician uses for compliance reporting, etc. I'm using it now on my own laptop and can easily create and download my own report(s) for the doctor.
 
Cheers!
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
You might find sleepyhead is a better tool for monitoring your own progress, it has a lot more data displayed than the resscan software ever will.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
(08-06-2018, 04:45 AM)matthewb Wrote: You might find sleepyhead is a better tool for monitoring your own progress, it has a lot more data displayed than the resscan software ever will.

Yeah, I use both. My Doctor won't except Sleepyhead for compliance reporting though.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
My CPAP journey started a few months ago,  my wife had told me for years I always snored bu I had started to stop breathing for long periods of time and would snort when i started again (often after she jabbed me in the ribbs). I started to take it seriously when she recorded me falling asleep mid sentence whilst talking in bed. Other symptoms were Nanny naps in the afternoon, always feeling lethargic no matter how long I slept and other symtoms I wont go into.

My personal GP arranged for me to see a sleep specialist who arranged for a sleep centre trial within a week, I am a veteran so that probably helped as government pays. I didn't feel I slept at all the night of the study, but they told me I did.

The result was I had a mild case of sleep apnia, according to the study 10 per hour.

I started with Respironics Dreamstation and 3 different masks as a trial machine, I tried the full face for first couple of  days but felt too chlostrophobic and wasnt comfortable. I tried Resmed P10 nasal pillow which felt much better except for sore nostrils every morning and headaches.

I found after working with sleep phsychologist from supplier every few days, that Auto was more comfortable and quieter than running fixed pressure of 10. Starting ramp pressure of 7 and Auto 8- 16.

I used the Dreamstation for about 6 weeks as I was on holidays, and when i started doing research I learned that many prefered Resmed, this due to different algorythm.

So on return after seeing my specialist sleep doctor, he recommended Dreamwear Nasal pillow instead of prongs of P10. I also swapped the Dreamstation with  a Resmed 10 Autoset to see if there was a difference. He also suggested that I start using an application called CBTI-Coach as it will get me into a good sleep routine.

The provider told me they dont normally allow patients to swap and change, as both machines are considered equal with a few minor changes. Masks however you can try as many as required as they are a personal matter.

I also got some Dreamwear gel nasal pillows as well as standard pillows, with the unit (no full face), as I believe I can usually keep mouth closed with medium pressure.

The Dreamware with standard pillows vs Resmed was far more comfortable and I woke on the first morning with no soreness and no headaches.

The second night I tried fixed pressure of 10 and it was bearable but didn't like exhale pressure. Resmed set on 3 to give maximum relief.

The third night I swapped the pillos out for gel nasal pillows which seal like glue, I couldn't tollerate the fixed pressure for more than an hour or so, as it was far too powerful.

Fourth night switched to auto with Gel nasal pillows 8-16, only lasted a few hours and woke with sore eyed due to air pressure.

Fifth night swapped the standard pillow back, and slept reasonably well but still felt I needed more relief on exhale.

I then changed the algorythm to 'For Her' as this is supposed to be a little less harsh on the response.

This felt far better for the exhale relief compared to standard autoset algorythm.

I believe in my case this is because I take very long shallow breaths (martial arts training and scuba diving in my past)

I could have had any brand of machine I wanted as government pays, but due to many bad feedback on Dreamstation motor noise complaints I seriously considered Resmed, even though Dreamstation has 5 year guarantee vs Resmed 2 year.

I asked my supplier if I could trial Dreamstation again with Dreamwear, they declined and then told me most patients never ask as the therapy is the same on both machines, and they had patients waiting for loan units. I cant fault the supplier, as you are normally only entitled to a four week trial before you start paying weekly fees after that. I have not payed for any of the time with machines, and I have access to the phsychologist by phone or email as required to discuss therapy.

Both machines treat apnia, the clincher for me is the extra algorythm on the Resmed 'for her', you are literally getting 3 machines vs Resmed Autoset standard which only has two.

If your worried that your too manly for white with a couple of flowers, you can buy vinyl wrapps to customise the unit. I personally dont care what colour it is, as long as it works.

I will be posting reports when I get my new machine with both algorythms as I found that the SD card is faulty on loan unit so only has limited data, and also will update the other reviews on here as Dreamstation has things I prefer over Resmed when my newbie status expires.

Hope this can help others who are just starting on there journey.

Sleep-well
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I've been lurking for a couple of years...so now I feel I can post something worthwhile. I've had sleep apnea since I was a teenager. Didn't know much about it; didn't worry much about it. Yeah, I would sleep through movies with the wife. When she was driving I would be napping. When driving alone, I would slap my legs and sometimes my face to stay awake. I fell asleep in the car wash.

Denial ain't just a suburb of Cairo.

Three years ago, they cracked open my chest and did a quad bypass. Someone said something about heart disease being related to sleep apnea. It took another year to get a sleep study. Yes; I had an AHI of 94 on my back and 22 on my side. Kind of a "three breaths and hold" situation.

Sooooo, I had a second sleep study to see what a CPAP machine could do. I failed my sleep study.

A couple of weeks later I met with a doctor that specializes in sleep disorders. He suggested a autoBiPAP machine. He helped me find one in the classified ads. I bought it, he suggested a couple of settings, and I tried it.

I bought a nasal mask and a strap to keep my mouth shut. Turns out I didn't need the strap on my mouth; I seldom breath through my mouth now.

I don't fall asleep in movies anymore, or have to slap myself while driving. My wife no longer needs ear plugs to block out my snoring. I wouldn't say I feel that much more alert (I can still sleep in Church). But I certainly sleep better. And maybe I won't have to get my chest opened up again.

Actual numbers....I typically have an AHI around 0.2. Many nights it is 0.0.

God bless those who invented such machines and those who provided software like Sleepyhead so we can actually take charge of our sleeping.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
RJamesCroft, welcome to the posting side of Apnea Board. Congrats on the success with the therapy. Here's to wishing it continues. Coffee

Nice dig with the "Denial ain't just a suburb of Cairo." line BTW. Laugh-a-lot
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
(08-30-2018, 07:45 AM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: Nice dig with the "Denial ain't just a suburb of Cairo." line BTW.  Laugh-a-lot
no, we all know its a suburb of Luxor
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I'm not sure I count as a success story, as my therapy has sorta collapsed lately. But I've been on since June and was feeling good until about a month ago.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
After 10 years on CPAP, I've learned that it is very helpful to be unable to hear the CPAP machine or see the mask.  Wearing ear plugs and a blindfold wth CPAP means the wearer is in relative quiet--I can only hear the sound of my own breathing--and total darkness.  Because the CPAP mask anchors the blindfold in place, it eliminates the clock watching that many of us do when we wake up in the middle of the night, look at the clock radio and think about how much longer we have to wear the mask. It took three or four weeks to wearingthe extra items with my CPAP mask, but I found that I fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night,
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