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Cpap and getting better sleep: What's your experience?
I was in the hospital for pneumonia and while I was getting a nebulizer treatment the therapist asked if I use a Cpap at home, at the time I didn't have one. Now mind you I was only sleeping for 2 hrs a night during my pneumonia bout (2 weeks) and the therapist asked if I were open to using a BPAP (what they call it in a hospital) it was a large machine and I said of course. Upon using it I still only slept for 2 hours but it was a very restful 2 hours of sleep and was welcomed. I told my Pulmonologist and got set up for a sleep study, and it is all history. I sleep more restful (have much less visits to the bathroom at night) and use it religiously. Medicare covered my testing and machine. After my test my doc told me I stopped breathing x amount of times a minute, and was restless (tossed and turned) an ungodly amount of time during my test. On the follow up test (with the Cpap) the number decreased significantly. My sister snores like a constant thunder storm and she went for a test and got her Cpap, and now she doesn't snore at all and tells me she sleeps much better.
There are two ways to use the machine, with a nostril mask (so to speak) and a full mask (you usually see on TV movies). The latter is what I use, I couldn't get use to the nostril application, and if you were to catch a cold, I don't know how well it would work, but I use the mask never the less. Hope this helps, and do read the instructions about your machine.
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Yes............we have tried everything. At first we tried the Cpap but that was a disaster so we changed to the Bipap because of my Copd. My pressure goal is 12 but I cannot get over 10 without having severe stomach pains from swallowed air. Thank you for your reply.
I am uncertain why it is @roserivitar feels exploited by her doctor and apnea machine provider and why she puts "apnea problem" in quotes, as if it isn't real. The machine doesn't make up the statistics, it can only report them. With that many events per hour, keep on using the machine or you will most certainly have major difficulties. I also had that many events per hour for a while but there are fewer now. I very much doubt that your doctor and the medical company are simply trying to make money off you.
Have used CPAP therapy for almost 20 years and the most helpful practice I have found is to use a Breathe Right nasal strip every night. Helps considerably in keeping nasal passages open even when slightly congested. I use a nasal (not a pillow) mask and do well as long as I don't mouth breathe. I found that a chin strap helps considerably in reducing leakage.
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1 ReactionHello @galpalsal, Welcome to Connect. All I can say is that we are all different in the way we handle frustration, anxiety, stress and pain so we as members can help by trying to be understanding and offering suggestions from our own experience. I remember when I had my follow up appointment with sleep medicine after using my CPAP for a month or so. I had to bring in my CPAP and mask so they could download the data and I was ticked because I had to bring everything in. My question, why can't I just pop out the SD memory card and bring that tiny little thing in. They should be able to read the data off of it. While I was there in the waiting room grumbling to myself I saw another older gentleman who was also obviously bothered by something so I asked him how he was doing. He spent 20 minutes telling how much he hated the CPAP and using it. He was having issues with the mask which is a really common problem for new users including myself. In fact I'm a 3 or so years user and still am looking to find a better mask that will not give me the CPAP nose.
I think it needs to be a partnership between the doctor and the patient. One where the patient can ask questions and expect helpful answers and honesty if they don't know the answer plus suggestions on what the next step would be.
Do you mind sharing what you were searching for when you found Connect?
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1 ReactionHi Mike @miker8888, That is a great suggestion. I did try the Breathe Right nasal strips but I guess I forgot about them after I started using the CPAP with a full face mask. I have a deviated septum and the sleep medicine doctor didn't think it was causing my obstructive sleep apnea problem. Fast forward a little over 2 years of using the CPAP I finally setup an appointment with an ENT a little over 3 months ago to see what I could have done to fix my constant breathing/congestion problems in the right side of my nose. He thought it was due to rhinitis and prescribed a twice daily nasal rinse followed by a proprietary Mayo Clinic nasal spray. The past 2 months since I've doing the nasal rinse and using the spray I can't believe how much it's helped. My breathing is much better but now I need to find out how long I need to use the medication spray. I'm assuming I will probably keep doing the twice daily nasal rinse.
I have been thinking about trying a nasal mask and have tried several under the nose full face masks but I'm unable to keep them on all night long so switch back to my full face mask when it gets too bad. Do you mind sharing what specific nasal mask you use?
John, you are absolutely correct. I re-read my post and realize it came off as judgemental, not helpful. I believe I wrote what I did because I sincerely doubted the doctor/provider was trying to exploit the poster. I constantly reassure people to hang in there and trust their doctor. Yes, it is easy to get frustrated and then get suspicious. I just don't want folks to discontinue treatment. I also think I got weary of the mindset which says that the person is getting ripped off, lied to or betrayed, etc. (But that's MY issue). We live in a contentious world and I hate to see it enter the medical field. I want to see people believe in their treatment and get better. Should have phrased it better.
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3 ReactionsThanks @galpalsal, I was kind of thinking that was the case. Have you seen one of my favorite websites for patients?
https://patientrevolution.org/ -- Check out "Tools for the visit" under the How we revolt menu.
I believe it is the airfit n20. It is a light head gear with magnetic clasps. Very easy to put on and take off. The mask just fits over the nose and is small enough that it doesn't block my vision. My problem is that as the cpap ramps up, I sometimes open my mouth with weird gurgling noises erupting. A chin mask was a good solution. A full face mask does not work. I get the Breathe Right strips at Costco at a good price.
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1 ReactionThank you for your reply to my comment. I understand the seriousness of my negative thoughts. Can you explain why or how the machine can report 70 events an hour for a 40 minute nap yesterday? There have been many similar reports in the 1 and 1/12 years I have had this machine. That is not even possible. The medical supply company can't explain it nor can the doctor. As it was explained to me, the machine needs 10 seconds to even recognize an apnea event.
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1 ReactionHi @roserivitar, That would be a great question for the sleep medicine doctor. There is a lot of different technical information available that tells you how the events are recorded but it's not so easy for the average bear including myself to understand.
Respiratory Event Detection by a Positive Airway Pressure Device: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3274337/
Rules for Scoring Respiratory Events in Sleep: Update of the 2007 AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3459210/
If I understand it correctly, it's just recording changes of air volume/pressure the machine using sensors and mathematical algorithms to come up with the events per hour. So even though you only recorded 40 minutes worth of time using the BiPAP it saw an "average" of 70 events. It does beg the question if the machine is calibrated correctly or if there is an issue with the settings which would be a great question to ask your sleep medicine doctor.