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Renting / Testing Out CPAP Machine?
#1
Renting / Testing Out CPAP Machine?
Hello everyone,

(TLDR bottom)

For the past couple years at least (from what I can remember), I've had problems sleeping. It wasn't until a family member mentioned my snoring from across another room that I put 2 and 2 together and decided to get tested.

I can count on one hand the amount of times I got good sleep (one was recently when I got drunk, which usually doesn't make sense since alcohol depresses sleep quality). 

May 2022:

I get a sleep polysomnography test done. 5 hours of sleep, 5 minutes of REM. Apparently no snoring (which is odd because I snore), no leg movements, nothing weird. BUT, during the 5 minutes of REM I did have, I had an AHI of 18. I'm in my young 20's, thin, and have a family history of snoring but unconfirmed sleep apnea in parents (trying to get them to get tested now). 

The doctor was hesitant to prescribe CPAP because from this test I didn't have sleep apnea. Which doesn't make sense since the diagnostic criteria for CPAP is >5 AHI and symptoms of fatigue (and others), which I had. Other than that, he didn't really help much.

Oct 2022:

Recently I had another appointment with another sleep doctor. He was a little more helpful than the first. He spent a good amount of time on educating me about sleep apnea, told me to try out a few things (like neck and throat exercises, mandibular devices, and a "backpack" preventing me from sleeping on my back). Still though, no CPAP (the gold standard... urgh). 

This was a week ago. I've since tried to use a tongue retainer (which I noticed was helpful on one day (yesterday) but overall not much difference). I'll be incorporating the other things as well and see if it helps.

Now:

I've got a phone call appointment with my family doctor for end of October (to get a third referral to a place a family friend recommended for sleep apnea as he has it). It'll likely be months before another consultation with a sleep doctor (and either I pay out of pocket for another sleep test or wait until May 2023 (yay Canada)). 

TLDR: Obviously I'd like to try anything and everything I can. That got me thinking, why not try to perhaps try CPAP, regardless of official diagnosis. Is this even possible? Are there places which rent out a CPAP to try or even to buy used? I'd love to wake up refreshed from sleep, rather than feeling like a hangover every time I wake up. Any suggestions are helpful. Thanks!
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#2
RE: Renting / Testing Out CPAP Machine?
Hi sowo123! - Welcome

First, Most all insurance will only authorize a CPAP if your AHI is >20. Under the current guidelines, the patient's apnea is considered treated if their AHI is <=5. Who and how the standards came to be is a mystery. Thinking-about

You might be better off buying a good used Resmed AirSense 10 Autoset. The Autoset can be used to auto titrate, and along with a free analysis software, OSCAR, will allow you to fine tune it to your needs. Please check our Supplier List for online suppliers.

- Red
Crimson Nape
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com
___________________________________
Useful Links -or- When All Else Fails:
The Guide to Understanding OSCAR
OSCAR Chart Organization
Attaching Images and Files on Apnea Board
Apnea Helpful Tips

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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#3
RE: Renting / Testing Out CPAP Machine?
I'm going to be renting a machine until my DME unit arrives, but it's based on an actual prescription from a doctor and a sleep test with an AHI of 47. I'm not a doctor, but if I were in that position, I'd try to get to a second medical opinion as soon as possible - I don't know that I would self-prescribe a CPAP unit without an OSA diagnosis.

Since I have yet to actually use a CPAP, I'm a bit tentative on how it's all going to work - Now, the folks who've been here a while may be able to give you all sorts of useful help about doing the initial setup and use on your own - I'm speaking from my inexperienced side of the scale. 

While I was waiting for a diagnosis/prescription, I'd be looking for any sleep hygiene things I could implement or try without a CPAP, like side sleeping, soft cervical collar, a zQuiet or similar mouth piece, etc.

(This isn't medical advice, just telling you what I would do in the absence of an actual diagnosis).
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#4
RE: Renting / Testing Out CPAP Machine?
(10-13-2022, 11:08 AM)sowo123 Wrote: Are there places which rent out a CPAP to try or even to buy used?

No, because you need a prescription.

Lots of people have barely-used CPAP machines sitting in their closets. I just gave one away the other day.

If you have a local Facebook page or the like you could post there that you're looking for one. You can look on craigslist.

Once you find a machine, you can get the clinician's manual from ApneaBoard. Learn from the manual how to look up the total number of hours the machine has been used. A guideline is that we expect a CPAP machine to last 5 years. So 8 hours of use every night for 5 years is almost 15000 hours.

You need a machine that is fully data capable so that you can see your data on your computer. Preferably one that auto-adjusts the pressure.
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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#5
RE: Renting / Testing Out CPAP Machine?
What was your AHI for the entire night of your sleep test? If I'm reading right, it was over 5; is that correct? And do you know the breakdown of events? (Central apnea, obstructive apnea, hypopnea.) If you have a copy of the report, you can remove the personal information and post a scan of it here.

It sounds as though your sleep test results may support a diagnosis of mild sleep apnea. I'm not sure how things work in Canada, but in the US you can get a prescription for a PAP machine from any physician, nurse practitioner, or dentist. They'd want to see the sleep report, I'm sure, before writing the prescription. Once armed with a prescription, and with enough money, you can then self-fund a PAP machine, ordering one on line. -- But again, I don't know whether things work the same way in Canada.
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