[Diagnosis] New diagnosis, in shock

[Silverwitch]

Good to know. Thank you.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Silverwitch,
Good luck as you start your CPAP therapy; and WELCOME! to the forum.!

[Sleepster]

Do you happen to know whether Kaiser will offer the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her right off the bat or will they require me to try cheaper machines first?

They may try to saddle you with a cheaper machine, but regardless of what they say, do NOT accept delivery of anything other than a ResMed Autoset. If, during your titration, you find it difficult to exhale against the pressure, you may qualify for what we call a bi-level (also called a BiPAP). If that's the case, do not accept delivery of anything other than a ResMed VAuto.

The bottom line is this: They may try to tell you anything to get you to accept delivery of a lesser machine, but once you take possession of it you will find it very difficult if not impossible to exchange it. Just tell them that you want what you want, and if they won't give it to you you'll go elsewhere to get it. Again, they may try to talk you out of doing that by telling you it's not an option, but do NOT let them do that to you.

I can see how I may seem like some kind of paranoid nut case, but I have seen over and over again reports here about how equipment suppliers will tell you anything to get you to accept a less expensive machine so they increase their profit. In many cases they are not even lying to you, they are simply telling you what they were trained to tell you and believe is the truth. But it's NOT true.

Caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.

[Sleeprider]

I think Kaiser is using the Resmed Autoset throughout their system. They are pretty easy to work with and fast, however I believe they own the machine and may require return if you don't continue with Kaiser. I could be wrong, but that's what I've seen.

[nitaslenz108]

Welcome to the Forum! I am fairly new too and do not post often. Reading the posts of others has truly helped me cope and the advice given has helped me immensely. I just want to encourage you to pursue treatment! I too was in shock. I thought my problems were more mental health related. Increased anxiety, panic attacks, mood swings without a known trigger, insomnia, depression. I went for years thinking I was just crazy and going through an empty nest sydrome related depression. Then in 2019, I started to have memory issues on occasion and wake up after only 3-4 hours of sleep in a panic. I sought treatment and luckily my new Primary physician wanted me to get tested for apnea. It turns out I had severe apnea!!

I was having trouble accepting the bi-pap therapy but found that I started feeling better as my AHI reduced. Even with an AHI that bordered moderate apnea, my memory improved and the panic attacks reduced to a minimum. Last month I reached out for some help on this forum to adjust my machine and WOW! I now have an AHI below 2.5 each night and almost all of my symptoms have disappeared!! I will continue the therapy with an antidepressant for a little while longer but strongly believe that over time, my body will repair itself and no longer need the medication. YIPEE!! Right?

The dark spiral that sleep apnea can create will take time to go away but I now can see light at the end of the ill-fated tunnel. FYI--untreated sleep apnea can cause many things, including weight gain. The weight gain then causes the apnea to increase for most...then more weight gain and increase of the other symptoms, etc. etc.... I have already started feeling more energetic and am now able to lose weight. I don't know if others experience carbohydrate and sugar cravings when their apnea is out of control, but I sure did! I've read it may be due to the body seeking a quick energy source which makes sense to me. Anyhow...I wish you all the best as you begin treatment and want to encourage you to pursue it, even if the shock and doubt are overwhelming right now. It is quite possible you will learn over the course of treatment that there were other symptoms triggered by the apnea of which you thought were not a problem for you...until they are gone and you find a new lease on life!!
Best of Wishes!~

[Dormeo]

Hi Silverwitch, another 71-year-old California woman with Kaiser here. I had a home sleep study, then a group instruction on using the machine and a mask. At that group session, I was given a summary of my sleep study.

I was sent home for "titration" with a Philips machine, which I hated. Fortunately, at the end of the week I was given a ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset as my "keeper" machine. I was also sent home with a nasal mask that carved a wound in the bridge of my nose; they replaced that with a ResMed P10, which was much better.

On the ResMed machine, I was given settings of 4 - 20 with EPR of 3. Huh? Over time, and especially by reading posts at this forum, I was able to adjust the settings to do a better job for me. And then with encouragement from people here, I switched to a ResMed Vauto bi-level machine, which is better still, for me.

But no way Kaiser/Medicare would cover the cost of the Vauto, so I bought a lightly used machine from a trusted on-line seller. Before I made the switch, I asked for a copy of my prescription for masks and other peripherals so I could use an online CPAP supply place. If Kaiser ever looked at my compliance data for my original machine, they would probably want it back, but they apparently don't look after the initial compliance period. So I'm keeping it as a back-up machine.

More information than your really need, but I hope it is of some help.

[sheepless]

"I don't know if others experience carbohydrate and sugar cravings when their apnea is out of control, but I sure did!"

me too. I've long said when I feel poorly I eat poorly & vice versa. between years of an abundance of carbs &sugar, exhaustion, inactivity & stress, it looks like I may now be diabetic, adding injury to insult.

[nitaslenz108]

I am so sorry to hear that you also have the carb cravings and may have led to a diabetes diagnosis. I have several family members that were diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.  They were able to change their diet which basically reversed their diagnosis!!  I am borderline diabetic myself so getting this much needed sleep therapy may keep me from tipping over the diabetic edge.  Maybe yours will reverse too?? I am not craving the carbs as much.  Now it is more about changing up my habits.  Agghhh

[Silverwitch]

Do you happen to know whether Kaiser will offer the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her right off the bat or will they require me to try cheaper machines first?

They may try to saddle you with a cheaper machine, but regardless of what they say, do NOT accept delivery of anything other than a ResMed Autoset. If, during your titration, you find it difficult to exhale against the pressure, you may qualify for what we call a bi-level (also called a BiPAP). If that's the case, do not accept delivery of anything other than a ResMed VAuto.

Can you point me to a good explanation of how on earth one exhales against pressure in the first place?  I remember intermittent positive pressure devices from my days as a nurse in the 1970's -- I believe those machines delivered air into the patient (usually via a tracheostomy or face mask)  and then clicked off allowing passive exhalation, repeating the cycle in accordance with a set timing. Later ones were triggered by the patient's effort, I seem to recall.  How do these modern devices work?

[Silverwitch]

 Anyhow...I wish you all the best as you begin treatment and want to encourage you to pursue it, even if the shock and doubt are overwhelming right now.  It is quite possible you will learn over the course of treatment that there were other symptoms triggered by the apnea of which you thought were not a problem for you...until they are gone and you find a new lease on life!!  
Best of Wishes!~

As I've read about the various s/s of sleep apnea I've quickly begun to realize that treatment will be essential for me. For example, I've been experiencing foot cramps during the past year and then last night had a vicious full leg cramp. I did some quick reading and learned that cramps are often relieved by CPAP, so that's a good reason to be serious about treatment. I had a particularly stressful year and am not surprised that my body is reacting (it always does, one way or another).  Attempting to deal with the added stress, I've increased my exercise, lost weight and lowered my BP but obviously that's not enough.  

Best of wishes to you as well.