I'm using a borrowed DreamStation Auto CPAP with either the Evora mask (which leaks some) or the AirFit F30i. I wear the caldera collar (thanks to your website page on collars--love it!). I love OSCAR!
I started CPAP October last year. I got a take home machine study with a cash rate (I had to pay out of pocket), so I had confirmation that CPAP was indicated and where to start with pressures. My morning headaches gradually improved by about half instead of every day. I was getting up 4-5 times a night to pee. I thought something else was waking me up but I could fall back to sleep immediately after peeing. Now I get up only twice a night with clearly a full bladder, so I am thankful to awaken and know this is good. Eventually (about January), I started sleeping 8-9 hours instead of 7 and my mind became clearer and my energy improved on about half my days. Clearly using CPAP is worth the trouble.
My AHI continued above 5, so I pushed my DME Dr to try BiPAP once I was on Medicare in May with medigap plan F, so I pay almost nothing for the study or the machine. I am greedy for more days of no morning headache, clearer mind and improved energy. So far, it seems like seeing light at the end of the tunnel, but not consistent or very bright. I still feel tired most of the time. My annual physical results are good.
In May my sleep study said CPAP was inadequate; crappy sleep night, so not enough sleep hours; have to do study again.
A June sleep study showed BiPAP worked on central apneas.
In July I tried DreamStation Auto BiPAP which was disastrous. My central apneas went way up and I was stuck trying several adjustments before they agreed to cancel the machine. As observed by others on the APNEA board, when my pressure went higher, my CA went higher. I kept feeling like the machine was rushing my breathing. I could not seem to finish my exhale before it was pushing me to inhale. I normally breathe slow and deep. I was made to breathe shallow.
July was during the Respironics recall, so no Resmed machines were available; I requested to try what they had available. (mistake) Miserable month!
I am now stable on the DreamStation Auto CPAP again. I needed a "time out" to recover from the BiPAP setback.
I use a garmin Vivosmart 4 watch with heart rate and O2. It says I am now (August) getting more than 1/2 hour of REM sleep, often over an hour. Likewise, deep sleep often hits an hour per night. I still have about 5 of 7 nights where my O2 goes to about 80% for several hours. It does not move on my wrist at night; I loosen it during the day. If I get a Resmed machine, I am willing to buy an O2 device to get better measurements. It was my observing my Fitbit and later, Garmin watch statistics from 2019-2020 that made me realise how poor my sleep was, so that I decided to do a sleep study.
The DME will probably go along with another machine trial, but probably make me do another sleep study. Whoopee. We need to do the "prove it path" so insurance pays. He says we could even go for an ASV. So he knows the required paperwork on Medicare.I see him Sept 24.
There are a lot of charts here, so I will put my questions on my next entry, so my history does not repeat.
Overview
Bipap