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Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I have been using CPAP for about 5 years now and have noticed a huge difference in my overall health. I am less tired, more energetic and seem to get sick less. I think my immune system is working more effeciently since my body is getting the rest and recuperation that it needs at night.

My biggest dilemma is that I have an Everest 3 travel machine that I use all the time. I would like to purchase a back-up machine but cannot find a vendor who still has one in stock. If anyone knows where I can purchase another machine, please let me know.

So happy to find this forum. Have a brother and son-in-law who are on CPAP as well. Will encourage them to check in here to find answers/encouragement. Thanks for being here. [/font][/b]
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
(04-30-2013, 08:38 AM)SuperSleeper Wrote: Wow, congrats, Sleepster. I didn't know you were still having that much trouble sleeping through the night.

Was there anything different you did that you think helped sleep all night with no wake-ups?

Before CPAP therapy I couldn't go two hours without waking back up, even if I took a sleeping pill. With CPAP therapy I found it easier to go back to sleep after waking. As the months went by it kept getting easier, I woke less frequently, and I found it easier to fall back asleep.

Now I rarely have to get out of bed because I find it so easy to fall back asleep. It's really just an awaking with maybe a glance at the clock or a quick trip to the bathroom.

The only thing different this time was that I was really tired!

My point in posting this is that even if people have been on CPAP therapy for a long time, and they think maybe they've stopped improving, there is always hope that improvements will continue.

Never give up!
Sleepster

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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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Good points, Sleepster. I guess it's not uncommon to see improvement over the course of numerous months. That's a good heads-up for someone thinking about giving up.

Great-info
SuperSleeper
Apnea Board Administrator
www.ApneaBoard.com


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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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
By the way, I logged 9.5 hours on the machine last night, 10 pm to 7:30 am when the alarm went off. I was really tired because I hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before. Nevertheless I had trouble falling asleep and I woke several times. I got out of bed for only one short trip to the bathroom. I spent, it seems, a lot of time in bed awake, trying to fall back asleep.

I think it's just a habit that was formed during those three decades of untreated sleep apnea, and it's hard to break. But it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be, and that's an understatement. I think this is a documented effect as I've heard others talk of it and cite medical evidence of its existence.

Anyway, I feel great today! Had to pop advils all day yesterday to keep the headache at bay, and today it's gone!!
Sleepster

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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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
At my provider's request, I had a sleep study done in 1998 at a local hospital. The first four hours of the study, I had wires/electrodes connected to me which indicated apneas, and for the second four hours, I was titrated with a CPAP machine. The result was that I was prescribed a CPAP machine which I used for 10 years. At this point, I don't remember the brand/model number of the machine, but I know it did not have a provision for adding water. And it was loud.

In 2008 the CPAP machine went South. At this point I had quit working and gotten a job, and was covered by a nationally known HMO. I went to their sleep medicine department and was issued a new ResMed S8 elite with a humidifier, and this proved to be a better machine.

Jan 23, 2012, the S8 stopped working because the on/off switch broke. So, I took the machine back to the HMO and they gave me a loaner (an S8 machine without EPR). A week later I retired on Dec. 31, 2012 and was not able to get back to the HMO in the Christmas week, for a replacement machine.

Jan. 1, 2013 I enrolled in Medicare part B, and also signed-up for private supplemental coverage and prescription coverage. OK, I thought I was set. I arranged for an appointment with a new physician (I was no longer covered by the HMO) and at the first appointment was supposed to get a thorough physical. I brought lab records and other medical history from the HMO, and included it in my initial survey. The physician is a young woman who is not a native American, and I don't know where she trained; but she is a licensed physician. After five minutes she listened to my heart and lungs and determined that I was alive. She then put on gloves and asked me to "assume the position". At this point, I pointed out that my prostate had been removed 5 years ago, as shown on my records, so I didn't get the exam. (She does have small hands though) I asked for prescriptions for the meds I was already taking, and she wrote those for me without any questions.

I went to a DME supplier (the one where I had originally gotten my first CPAP machine) and said I wanted a new S9. Whoa, they said, you have to have a doctor's prescription! Back to the Doc's office where I was prescribed to have a new sleep study. Went to the sleep study place and after 8 hours, was never titrated for a CPAP (or other) machine despite my asking for this 3 times. I asked the SS lab for a copy of the results, and they said no, they would only send the results to my Doc. I did manage to get a copy of the study and saw that yes, I still had apneas without a CPAP machine. The study was never sent to my Doc. I made a copy and hand delivered it to her. The sleep lab charged more than $5000 to Medicare and a substantial amount to my supplemental insurance. I asked the sleep lab why they didn't titrate me and they said that wasn't part of the study, but that I could come back for a second study if I wanted to be titrated. LOL on that.

At this point for Medicare faded so I went on the internet and found new S9 machines selling new for $900 to $1100. This included the humidifier, climate line hose, nasal pillow mask, carrying case, and SD card. I was going to buy one, but couldn't because I didn't have a prescription! So I went to a web site on which sellers can list all kinds of equipment, and found a used S9 Autoset for $400. I checked it out and found it had only 4 hours of use. The owner said he couldn't tolerate the face mask and decided to give up and sell it. So I bought it. And it works perfectly.

I didn't give up on the chance of getting Medicare to provide me with a new machine, so I went back to the Doc, told her that I needed this particular machine, and she finally wrote a prescription and sent it to a second DME supplier here in town. Two days later the new supplier called me to have me come to their office for the machine and to have a fitting for the headgear. This quick transaction has me believing that the Doctor's group has a financial interest in this DME supplier, either some form of ownership arrangement, or some type of kickback (consulting fee!).

I went to the DME supplier and was shown how to use the machine by one of the technicians. When she was finished with her talk, I asked if she had set the machine EPR to level 3. Oh, she said, I forgot that. She did fill out the forms to get reimbursed from Medicare, and pointed out that I was eligible to come back periodically for new masks, and other supplies (for which the DME supplier would make money). I asked her if she had programmed these dates into the machine, and she said, Oh, I didn't know you could do that. I left the office with the equipment and decided to program everything myself when I got home.

I took machine data on a flash drive, back to the DME supplier's office after a month. I was told that they couldn't read it from the flash drive, that I would have to bring (take?) the SD card from the machine for them to get the data. At this point I had to go into their office to show them how to use the ResScan program to download data from the flash drive onto their computer. Oh, they said, I didn't know you could do that! I looked at the invoices that would be sent to Medicare and see that this S9 machine with humidifier, hose, case, etc. is going to cost Medicare more than $2600. Is there any wonder why Medicare is going broke?? Before I went to the DME supplier, I called Medicare (you have to have a speaker phone and a lot of time) and finally got through to a person. I explained that I had a prescription for the machine, that I wanted to buy it online, and asked if I could get reimbursed for this. I was told that this was not possible, that I had to get the equipment from a DME supplier who is registered with Medicare.

At this point my opinion of the DME supplier is a little bit lower than low. My experience with Medicare and reading about it in the news for several years, leads me to believe that it will have to change or die. I don't believe the Doc I'm seeing is knowledgeable about sleep studies, apneas, and equipment (what else?). I have to see her again soon and will provide her with a copy of ResScan, my data, online learning sites, etc. Hopefully she will come up to speed.

I believe that medicine has become just another commodity, that I must be an informed consumer, and be my own advocate. I have found online sites to obtain medicines without a prescription, medical equipment, and many learning sites (which I need). I am not a doctor and will still rely on expert opinions, but will check out all options. Using the S9, I have zero apneas, and get good sleep, so I'm happy with the equipment. I do see online that the difference in price between the S9 AutoSet and the S9 Elite is about $50. Seems like the same machine with different software, maybe minor difference in parts. Why get the Elite when the AutoSet functions better??
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I was a doubter. I will admit it. I started getting more and more tired, and, doctors were blaming it on everything from food allergies to depression. I started to need naps about a year ago, then the fatigue got bad. Not until I started to read the Apnea posts did I realize the sleep Apnea may be contributing to my hypertension, lack of concentration and falling asleep while driving. To think that waking up ( I didn't remember) countless times an hour and an air machine could help me? Again, I was a doubter.
I tried the cpap during a sleep study and it was hell ! Congestion and claustrophobia made me rip the mask off by 3 am.
Nevertheless, it was determined I try the mask at home. It has been less than a week, and hopefully I wont jinx it, but the difference has been nothing short of amazing. Again, the first night or 2 were uncomfortable, but ironically, the fatigue which it was treating, made me so exhausted at night, that I was literally asleep in minutes. I was too tired to be uncomfortable.
I still wake up at around 3 am, and usually end up pulling my mask off, but the 4 or 5 hours I do get, seem to have given me a dramatic boost. I no longer fall asleep at my computer, the couch, in waiting rooms or in the car. I am going to play basketball with my son ! Hope this feeling is permanent !
To all who are struggling with the cpap, I say endure ! If that is truly your problem, the machines do work.
Do not let sore throat, dryness etc. steer you from your true goal - a better life.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
(05-11-2013, 01:00 PM)BostonSleeper Wrote: I still wake up at around 3 am, and usually end up pulling my mask off, but the 4 or 5 hours I do get, seem to have given me a dramatic boost.

That's fantastic that you're seeing improvement in the way you feel. Keep in mind that sleeping without the mask increases your risk of heart disease. Also, as your body and mind are trying to adjust to this new way of sleeping, you send them mixed signals by sometimes sleeping with and sometimes without the mask.
Sleepster

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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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Thanks for the advice, Sleepster. I actually did put it back on this morning, but sometimes I wake up and its off ? Will be more vigilant, Thanks!

[i]That's fantastic that you're seeing improvement in the way you feel. Keep in mind that sleeping without the mask increases your risk of heart disease. Also, as your body and mind are trying to adjust to this new way of sleeping, you send them mixed signals by sometimes sleeping with and sometimes without the mask.[/quote][/i]
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Soon you won't even know it's there. You'll have to check to make sure not only that the mask is still on but that the CPAP machine is still running.
Sleepster

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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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I have had the auto c pap now since last Thursday & I haven't woke up with my heart pounding like it was so, I know it's helping me but, I'm waking up at least every 2 hrs with a leak & I don't know how to look at the data on my machine. The Dr has it so I only can see how many hrs I used it & if the mask fit is Good or Poor. Can somebody tell me how to see other data?Thinking-about
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