Anybody else using a CPAP?

Hi guys, was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. I scoffed at the thought at first, but Dr talked me in to going with a cpap machine. I hated it to start, but the last few mornings I have woken actually feeling a bit refreshed! Got a heap of work done yesterday too.
I have a rental machine to try - a Phillips system one.
Question is, are any of you guys using one? How have you found it and what type is best?

Cheers
Rx

My wife has used one for almost two years now. First night she used it was the first morning in her adult life that she woke up without a headache. She has noticed that she has more energy, too.

I have had a bipap for over 10 years---can't sleep without it--have to get a sleep study every 5 years and then adjust the pressure to up what you need

Been using one since about 1995. I had an operation first, worked for about 6 months. Been using a machine ever since. went camping with the Boy Scouts, a two nighter. worse two nights I had in several years. best fit is the one most comfortable for you. Good luck and better sleeping!

I use an excellent Aussie-made ResMed S9 w/full face Quattro mask. Great unit, supposedly most quiet on market. I did notice that the cpap selling company here appeared to push the Phillips model a bit automatically, I had to insist to get the ResMed.

(quoted from post at 00:42:18 10/04/15) I use an excellent Aussie-made ResMed S9 w/full face Quattro mask. Great unit, supposedly most quiet on market. I did notice that the cpap selling company here appeared to push the Phillips model a bit automatically, I had to insist to get the ResMed.

Click to expand...

I've had one since 2001 and can't sleep with out it!

About five years on mine. Also use in afternoon for quick nap, seems to rest better using when relaxing if really tired.

(quoted from post at 18:58:03 10/03/15) Hi guys, was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. I scoffed at the thought at first, but Dr talked me in to going with a cpap machine. I hated it to start, but the last few mornings I have woken actually feeling a bit refreshed! Got a heap of work done yesterday too.
I have a rental machine to try - a Phillips system one.
Question is, are any of you guys using one? How have you found it and what type is best?

Cheers
Rx

Click to expand...

I have a old ResMed Ellite II variable pressure that I love to hate. Won't sleep without it however.

I use a bipap. I don't think I could get used to a CPAP. The Bipap stops blowing in when you're breathing out. The CPAP blows all the time.

I'm in the CPAP club too. I have forgotten it once or twice when packing for business trips and those were really miserable nights as other have noted. One of the major benefits here was my wife not having to hear me snore all night. I used to have to stay awake until she was asleep to at least give her a fighting chance at sleeping.

Good Luck with yours, give it some time to adjust. Sleep Apnea can be deadly too, so do what you can to take care of it.

Kirk

So I wonder if one really needs to have the sleep study to use one of these. If you fit the typical mold for having it (overweight, big neck, tired all the time, falling asleep all the time, high blood pressure, ....) what would be the problem with just buying a machine and trying it on your own? I see you can buy machines on eBay and other places. Could one just buy one and try different settings until you feel you are resting better? Is there any harm that could come from using one if you didn't actually have sleep apnea?

I'm at 15yrs on a bipap. After I got used to wearing it I started having dreams again!
There are many types of mask's available. Keep trying until You find the right one.
Good luck and welcome to the club.

Steve A W

About 12 years for me. Wish I had it 20 years sooner.

Had severe sleep apnea for over thirty years before being diagnosed. Severe fatigue, headaches and memory loss.
Had CPAP now for over fifteen years. Probably dead by now with out it. At first I had a nose mask, but I would open my mouth. At that time their answer was a strap under your jaw kind of like Bugs Bunny used in the cartoons when he had a toothache. That was a joke. Went to a mask covering both nose and mouth. Problem solved.
Never used a BiPAP. I now experience a constant O2 level of 93%. Not a serious problem, but not 97-99%. I am curious if my use of the CPAP for over fifteen years has anything to do with it. With the constant pressure perhaps my lungs have become conditioned not to exhale fully. The doctor says no, but I see it as the reverse of athletes training at high altitude to perform better at low altitude.
Very important to clean the mask regularly. If not infectious crap will build up and you'll end up with sinus infections. The mask is an ideal environment for bacterial growth.
When Sleep Apnea became common, Surgeons began claim they could solve the problem. I don't know anyone who benefited from the surgery and wish they had never had it done.

I have had one, the nose type, for many many years. I don't even nap without it. I expect I would be dead by now without it. Paul

Steve A W, or anyone who can answer... I use a CPAP with a full mask. It works well but I wake with a dry mouth. Would a bipap help with the dry mouth?

Never used a bipap, is the off-on cycling an annoyance?

I've been using one for 4 years now and I can say I feel better. It probably would not hurt to go see a heart Doctor in the near future to be checked for A-Fib. My heart doctor is the one who sent me to the sleep lab to have a study done and within an hour into the study they put me on the machine and I have used it ever sense. A-Fib and Sleep Apena seam to go together. Not something to fool with that's for sure. Bandit

Steve@advance
I've never used a cpap, started out with a bipap.
As far as the dry mouth I just started having that problem
in the last year or so.At first I thought I was opening my
mouth. Then it dawned on me that my lips were stuck shut also.
My Doc recommended a mouth spray for nighttime dry mouth.
I just finished the first one and am not satisfied with it.
I'm going to try a different brand next.


Steve A W

Banditfarmer- Back in the early 1990's I had sleep Apnea and A-Fib. Doc said lose weight and quit caffeine and nicotine. Back then I weighed around 230 lbs. (5'10").

Dropped the weight to 180 and cut the caffeine to one can a day. Finally, quite smokes around a year ago.

Sleep Apnea and A-Fib have disappeared.

I ve been using one for about 4 years after being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. Can t sleep without it. It takes some getting used to but well worth the trouble

I have been on one for about 8 months.
I had a few problems at first but it is working good now.
I sleep well with it.

I just started using a jaw strap with my CPAP and
it eliminated the dry mouth.

Used one for 10 years now, love it, couldn't sleep without it. The trick for me is not to strap the mask on too tight, experimented some, and just lightly use one strap around my face / neck. Absolutely love it. I go camping, and if I can find an electrical outlet anywhere near, I'm happy. In a pinch I CAN do one iight without it, but it just ain't right.

I have been using a ResMed for several years. It took some getting used to, but it has improved my sleep a lot and general health somewhat. Had to try a couple of different masks and ended up with a Fisher and Paykel full face mask with the ResMed machine.

Mine will never go away, Mine are both caused by all the disc's in my neck are shot. The only thing they can do is fuse it from top to bottom and they wont do it now because of my age. So I have had to make a lot of changes to keep going. Bandit

I think the same as you cheap Insurance paid most of mine it was great to get to sleep again

Thanks for the support there good people!
I took the doctor's recommendation as he had put me on blood pressure pills which didn't work so higher strength pills were ordered.
He said the sleep apnea is one more thing not only to raise blood pressure, but quite a few other complications as well.
So I'm giving it a try. I'm sure I feel a bit better during the day, and seem to have more energy so have the hopes up to get on top of this and get off the blood pressure pills.
Thanks to all
Rx

Had one 5 years now. Tough to get used to, still do a fair amount of figeting getting comfortable each night.
When I was fitted for the machine in hospital, I slept through the night. First time in 15 years. Doc said I, "tolerated that well".
This will be worth it.

I wish I could help you guys, but I don't go to the doctors,
but I can give some hope.
When I was working (avg 65-85 hrs a week) I had it very badly.
not overweight, good shape, big though.
My wife would always belt me awake when I stopped breathing....
how she always knew?...who knows..woman mystery.

But, I have been retired 9 years now...and it doesn't happen much anymore. I still drink beer and eat whatever...but it faded.
Work physical and mental stress might have something to do with it.

Can one be used if the person has a beard?

Been using one for about 20 years and wouldn?t be without it. Currently use a Resmed with good results. If I remember correctly one of the first CPAP designs came from a firm in Australia. My company looked at purchasing the technology, but choose not to. My Sleep apnea is more genetic and not caused by things such as overweight issues. My dad and several of my siblings have sleep apnea at a relatively early age.
There are several interesting clinical studies looking at the relationship between Sleep Apnea and Dementia. Some studies suggest that individuals with untreated Sleep Apnea have earlier onset of Dementia and possibly Alzheimer?s

Had the same ResMed for over 20 years, wish I had 1 by the recliner for those Sunday afternoon naps, just cant sleep without it.

My wife used to jostle me awake at night when I would stop breathing. One day we were driving up I-75 above Atlanta and I was driving. It was a long straight boring road. I had my sunglasses on. I don't remember going to sleep. But she jostled me and told me I started snoring. Pulled over and let her drive the rest of the way home. Went to the doctor soon after that and got a sleep test done. The result - severe obstructive sleep apnea. Tested me one more night to find my CPAP settings. The machine only went up to 20 so that was my setting. After a few months of trying I couldn't do it. They tried a BiPap machine and I still couldn't do it. So finally I had the UP3 surgery on my throat. Tested again and this time my pressure was at 12. Went back to a CPAP and used it for a long time. After taking 2 years to get used to it I finally could use it. And I got to where I couldn't sleep without it. Still can't sleep without it. A few years ago I went into the hospital with severe breathing problems. Seems my lungs were not exhaling the CO2 and it was building up in my blood stream. The treatment for that is BiPap at high pressures. So I stayed in ICU till they got most of the CO2 out of my system. And they sent me home with a BiPap machine to use at night instead of CPAP. I have been using a BiPap ever since. They set the pressures at 10 and 15 but it couldn't keep up with my deep breathing. So I went to Google and found out how to change the settings. I set it at 12 and 17. I did tell my doctor and he didn't complain about it. I tried the nose mask at first but my mouth dropped open. So I switched to the face mask that covers mouth and nose. My mouth still dropped open. I tried a chin strap. Too uncomfortable. Now I just use a short piece of very soft cotton rope and tie it around my head and mask using a square knot. It holds my mask tightly to my face and the pressure keeps my mouth shut. No more annoying mask leaks either.
It's been quite a journey, but I can't sleep without it now. I'm on oxygen during the day and at night I just plug the oxygen line up to my BiPAP hose.
My wife also uses a CPAP. For the dry mouth issues we both use a heated humidifier inline with the PAP hoses. Just have to fill it with distilled water every night.

Pooh Bear

I had a sleep study done back in 8/09 and showed I needed a cpap. Had Apnea real bad, slept very little at night. 10 days later I had a slight heart attack and a 5 way by pass at age 51. Had a lot of stress and overweight some. After surgery I lost 40# and was feeling pretty good. Heart DR. highly advised I get on the CPAP. I tried a full face mask and it was a fight for 6 months. Finally I just quit using it. I changed jobs and got rid of all my stress in 9/11. About two years ago I had to renew my CDL and DR would not renew it because I was not using the CPAP as ordered by heart DR. Tried the CPAP again but this time I used an over the nose only mask and a chin strap to keep my mouth closed. Actually got used to it pretty quick. Quit using the chin strap after coulpe weeks and sleep like I haven't in many many years. As others have said once i got to used to it can't sleep or nap without. I used to wake up several times a night my wife would jab me too quite often. Now I can go to bed at 9:30 and before I know it is 5:00. Very seldom wake at all now. If I do it is just for a few seconds. Feel 1000% better. I use a Intelipap auto and love it. For your sake and your loved ones get on it. Yes it can be a challenge but try different masks until it works for you. You won't regret it.

on it which keeps her mouth from getting dry

My Wife has had one for about ten years now. Hers has a moisturizer on it which keeps her mouth from getting dry. Works good on her.

Yes, they will work with a beard. None of them seal perfectly that I have found, but some leakage will not negate the effect, just annoying.

The first mask will be fitted at the Drs office. They will check the size and know the best options. After that you can order them online, experiment with the different designs. I like the Resmed Mirage Quattro. The gel type did not work with a beard.

Sleep Apnea diagnosis in 2000 with CPAP. Had UP3 Surgery in 2006 and went from Moderate to SEVERE Apnea - -besides being VERY painful, forever getting food down my windpipe, It made the Apnea worse - -and my family doctor, sleep doctor, and the ENT doctor don't know why!!

In answer to your questions:A sleep study really needs to be done.

First, there really isn't a true profile - some people with big necks and overweight do not have Sleep Apnea, others that weigh 105lbs dripping wet (my Aunt) have Severe Sleep Apnea.
Secondly, the pressure needs to be set pretty well - -too little results in little help, too much pressure is sometimes thought to induce Sleep Narcolepsy, where a person really doesn't sleep, just completely numbs out, even in the daytime without warning - -completely different than Sleep Apnea.
Third, they look for other sleep issues: brain activity, breathing, heart/lung issues, restless leg syndrome, etc.

The sleep studies are really painless and as comfortable as possible. I had never spent a night in a hospital until my first one, and "slept" all night with wires and nurses around (NO, couldn't get lucky at all!!).

Sleep apnea, in addition to extreme fatigue, can lead to heat attacks, digestive disorders, kidney issues, and severe depression, as the brain doesn't go the 4th level below REM sleep to create the enzymes needs for balanced metal health.

IF IN DOUBT, PLEASE CHECK IT OUT!!!!!!

Call me if want to discuss further (think you still have my number?)