Experience with CPAP machine?

http://tinyurl.com/nfc4ecu

After reading this sobering article connecting snoring and sleep apnea to earlier onset of Alzheimer's, I am going to speak to a loved one about getting their snoring checked-out.  

Are the CPAP machines viewed as torture devices that are barely tolerated or are they really helpful?

ETA: I am really having trouble getting this to post correctly!


Most people I know consider CPAP machines to be machinations from hell.  However, for those of us who cannot sleep without them, they're a godsend.

My dentist has sleep apnea and one day when I was there I was telling him about my experiences and referred him to my doctor (Federico Cerrone).  I also told him not to get a plastic face mask, but to get the Sleep Weave (fabric) mask.  He did go, had the sleep test, and the next time I went he ran up to give me a giant bear hug and thanked me profusely for lecturing him and literally changing his life.  He said, not only is he now sleeping through the night, but his blood pressure is down, his cholesterol is down, and he's lost some weight.  His regular doctor is thrilled.

I find the sleep apnea thing relative to wearing glasses, a hearing aid, taking medications for your health.  Many people are just in denial and won't do it, even if it will improve their health and wellbeing.  But I think the type of mask you get makes all the difference in the world.  Good luck convincing your loved one.


I tried the CPAP, but could never get comfortable with it. We adjusted pressures, tried different masks and nosepieces, none of it worked for me. That said, I know a bunch of folks who swear by it. I really think the only way to know is to try. Sorry that I'm not much help. 


Thanks folks. This is going to be a hard-sell but something needs to change.  Night time isn't just noisy, it's scary listening to all the time between breaths.


Agree that it's all about the proper, well-fitted equipment/mask, which can take some persistence.  Also about convincing the insurance that it's needed and that the patient has taken whatever preliminary steps the insurance company requires.  I think I would call them to confirm their requirements before scheduling pretty much anything but a consult with the PCP. 

Best wishes!  It can make a big big difference in a person's ability to sleep (sometimes, 2 people's ability to sleep).



kmk said:

Thanks folks. This is going to be a hard-sell but something needs to change.  Night time isn't just noisy, it's scary listening to all the time between breaths.

 Well before anybody knew about sleep apnea, my sister and I would lay awake at night hearing my father's horrible snoring, gasping for air, and then silence -- until he gasped again.  It wasn't until we were adults that we spoke about it and realized that during the silent moments, we'd hold our breaths and pray that he would breathe again.  Really horrible memories.


i have been using one for 5-6 years


convinced I'd be dead withhout it.


dr cerrone here as well


I've been using one for almost exactly one year.  It took awhile to get comfortable with the mask, but now it is second nature.  I wake up in the morning having to figure out if the mask is on or off.  Before going on CPAP I would wake up several times a night and and usually fell asleep when ever I turned on the TV.  Now I usually wake up once a night and either go right back to sleep or get up for an hour or so and check email and MOL and then go back to bed.  This is my own level of craziness as I usually go to bed quite early.  I end up with two uninterrupted sessions of three to four hours each.  If I stay up late I will usually do seven hours without awakening. 

Like most everything in life it is your desire that makes the difference.



The medical implications of untreated apnea are terrifying.  The big hurdle is getting the sufferer to go to his/her doctor and say so...tape him/her if you must, but push for it.

We had no problem with insurance coverage...when my spouse went in and repeated my observations, they sent him for a study, and the results were quite clear.  He adjusted to the CPAP with surprising ease..not to say he loves it, but he manages with it, and is highly compliant.  I'm a little embarrassed, because I think I had more trouble learning to wear a night guard for grinding teeth....

Having a device with a water chamber for hydration can be a big help, as is finding a mask that works -- if the sleep study is conclusive enough they may wake him part way through and start trying out masks that night.

Not a convenient or pretty device (we call him Darth Daddy when he is wearing it), but the science on the medical risks is worth the hassle.  He has used it on red-eye flights to and from Europe, while camping with Scouts, etc.  We've invested in a battery pack both for power failures (he had to do without for a night or two after Sandy, and wasn't happy about it), as well as the occasional scout camping trip.  We travel with an extension cord for inconveniently designed hotel rooms, and stop to buy a gallon of distilled water whenever we reach our destination.  Our days of travelling light are behind us....


I've been using a CPAP for quite some time, probably at least 5 years.  It took a few days to get used to wearing it, but it wasn't a major problem.  At this point I can't really sleep without it.  I don't snore at all with it, while I apparently snored quite loudly without it (all alleged!)

It didn't solve all of my sleep issues, but it is definitely an improvement.  The only real drag is having to cart it around with me if I travel, and I'm bad at getting the parts (mask, tubing, etc.) replaced proactively.


Oh, I also didn't have any problems with insurance.  I did see a sleep specialist, so there is a chance you could have more of a problem if you're getting a prescription from a doctor that doesn't specialize in sleep disorders.

The closest thing I've had to an insurance problem is that they'll stop giving you replacement materials at a certain point if I don't go back in for a checkup.  Honestly, that makes perfect sense.

I am surprised when I go for a checkup and my doctor asks me if I'm using it, and she always seems to be expecting to hear 'no'.  I suspect it isn't uncommon for her to prescribe these things and have them go unused.  Since I can't fathom going without it, I'm always surprised that she's surprised that I'm using it.


This individual was just on an international flight with a group of peers.  Apparently during the overnight hours in the darkened cabin and while asleep on his back, his snoring/apnea was on full display for all the others to hear and see. Comments were made because folks all around were concerned.


susan1014 said:

We travel with an extension cord for inconveniently designed hotel rooms,

No CPAP users here, but extension cords have become standard equipment on our trips for device charging. And they go in the carryon bags, just in case ...


Excellent...if he doesn't want to hear it from you, perhaps the public exposure will help and validate your concerns!

kmk said:

This individual was just on an international flight with a group of peers.  Apparently during the overnight hours in the darkened cabin and while asleep on his back, his snoring/apnea was on full display for all the others to hear and see. Comments were made because folks all around were concerned.

 


I've slept with one every night for the last 17 years. It is a godsend.


It's been a life changer for my husband - not only do I sleep better (so much quieter!) but he sleeps a ton better, and is no longer falling asleep on the couch while watching tv every night.  He feels so much better - it's definitely worth it.


Sleep apnea is more that just sleepless nights and snoring.  One of the fishermen from Deadliest Catch died from untreated sleep apnea.  Died.  And he was young too.


I've heard there are newer self regulating machines, it changes the pressure every few breaths based on the last five or so.  This is good because as your sleep apnea changes you won't be over or under treated.  It is also good because even at the correct pressure your level might change based on how lightly or deeply you are sleeping.


I love my machine.  Yes, I can feel that it is on, but I sleep so much better.  After hurricane Sandy when we lost power for nine days I was in agony without my machine.  At the time I was pregnant which can aggravate sleep apnea.  I would have nightmares that I was being strangled to death and wake up gasping for air.  I ended up sleeping in an upright position, but even then it was only marginally better.


I've used a CPAP machine for about 7 years.  As others have said, it's all about proper fit of the mask and perhaps some pillow adjustment.  I don't want to sleep without it now.  Even when I take a nap, I use it.  So dedicated am I that I have taken it overseas, which also involved lugging a heavy step-down transformer.



spontaneous said:

 After hurricane Sandy when we lost power for nine days I was in agony without my machine.  At the time I was pregnant which can aggravate sleep apnea.  I would have nightmares that I was being strangled to death and wake up gasping for air.  I ended up sleeping in an upright position, but even then it was only marginally better.

 

This is one of my great fears. I've been lucky in that the last two decades I've only had to deal with a only few hours of no power in one stretch a couple of times, but just in case, I have a battery backup which would be good for a couple of nights, and I have a car adapter so that if worse comes to worse, I would just sleep in my car if there was no power.


My CPAP mask (7 years+) has two straps that go behind the ear, that hold a band less than 1" in width across my cheeks toward my nose with the rubber pillows.  I'm so claustrophobic, but this setup has a very small footprint and stays in place almost always.

Dr. Cerrone here too--it's been a game changer the CPAP.  Good luck.



drummerboy said:


spontaneous said:

 After hurricane Sandy when we lost power for nine days I was in agony without my machine.  At the time I was pregnant which can aggravate sleep apnea.  I would have nightmares that I was being strangled to death and wake up gasping for air.  I ended up sleeping in an upright position, but even then it was only marginally better.

 

This is one of my great fears. I've been lucky in that the last two decades I've only had to deal with a only few hours of no power in one stretch a couple of times, but just in case, I have a battery backup which would be good for a couple of nights, and I have a car adapter so that if worse comes to worse, I would just sleep in my car if there was no power.

 This is one of the top 2 reasons I got the whole house standby generator -- no sleep for 13 days after Sandy.  I was a zombie.


I have used one for several years now. It is actually a comfort to sleep evenly with the CPAP.  Machines are much smaller than they used to be, and very quiet. Before this, my husband would have to shake me to breathe again, as the sufferer is not aware when they stop breathing. Really works ...


I'm probably close to 10 years with mine now, and I never sleep without it.  I drove the then-spouse crazy when I'd breathe in and he'd count the seconds waiting for an exhale.  

Found I couldn't stay awake at work, and my blood pressure was rising.  Happened to read an article that described just those symptoms as signs of sleep apnea.

My dad was a big-time snorer for most of his short life.  I'm convinced sleep apnea was one of the causes of the heart attack that killed him at just 51 years old.

The results from my first sleep test were shocking enough to make me a true believer.  I do see a pulmonologist rather than a regular doctor.

I've been single the whole time I've been using mine, and often think about the embarrassment of sleeping with someone else while using it.  But I'm sure the lack of snoring would be a god-send.  

Just have to find another CPAP user, I guess.



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