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I did an at-home sleep study (which I don't recommend), which indicated I had moderate sleep apnea.

 

The doctor prescribed me an automatic CPAP machine, which I had to decline.

 

I declined it because I could not breathe with the unit running.  The instant that pressure was applied, it felt as if mucus needed to run down the back of my throat.  No matter how I tried, I couldn't clear my head with the mask applying pressure.  Even if I breathed through my mouth, the sensation would bother me until I cleared my head.  Add in that I'd have to use the unit for 4 hours every night for 90 days for insurance to pay for it.  So, it was not an option.

 

Hence why I don't recommend at-home studies.  If I was diagnosed with severe apnea, I'd still need the in-lab study to know how to calibrate the CPAP.  More so, an in-lab study would have examined more factors rather than measure a few metrics to determine what was my problem.

 

Anyone else have/had this issue?  If I can't breathe with the unit at the store, I'm not taking it home.  I'll ask my PCP about it, but I'm thinking I might have to inquire of my ENT guy if there is a cause for this happening.  Even if medication would resolve the issue, I don't think I want to HAVE TO take meds just to use the CPAP.

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A few of my friends have auto-calibrating, self-reporting machines.  If you didn't get that, you're being ripped off.  They will all tell you that breathing properly during sleep definitely changed their lives.  Do you also have allergies and/or other sinus issues?  The machine may reduce allergy problems but you have to get past the current set of symptoms, such as by using a decongestant.

 

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9 minutes ago, SwampNut said:

A few of my friends have auto-calibrating, self-reporting machines.  If you didn't get that, you're being ripped off.  They will all tell you that breathing properly during sleep definitely changed their lives.  Do you also have allergies and/or other sinus issues?  The machine may reduce allergy problems but you have to get past the current set of symptoms, such as by using a decongestant.

 

Well, my doctor said that the auto CPAPs were good for up through moderate apnea.  Severe apnea supposedly required a proper sleep study for correct calibration.

 

I definitely have allergies and sinus issues.  It's also possible that my "apnea" was the result of sinus issues.  This is why I wish I opted for the full sleep study.  Presuming I could make it work with a time-release decongestant, I'd need a Rx so I don't go through the BS of being limited to one box every few weeks, but then I wonder what the impact is of using a drug every night indefinitely compared to other solutions.

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5 minutes ago, Zero Knievel said:

Well, my doctor said that the auto CPAPs were good for up through moderate apnea.  Severe apnea supposedly required a proper sleep study for correct calibration.

 

Yes, both of those things are correct.  You use self calibrating without a real study for light issues, and self calibrating with a sleep study for severe ones.  Still self calibrating based on the data from the study.  One of my friends has the most severe form possible, and once they moved him to a self calibrating machine a few years ago he says it's been fantastic.  He would dip into low 70s SPO2, which is all kinds of fucked.

 

You can simply use Afrin short term to remove congestion all night and see how the machine works.  Afrin should not be used long term.  Also ignore the dosage, start with a super light single spray and wait 20 minutes before judging the effect.  I've been using it as-needed for allergies most of my life, no sinus damage, and a very minimal amount works just not instantly.

 

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3 hours ago, SwampNut said:

You can simply use Afrin short term to remove congestion all night and see how the machine works.  Afrin should not be used long term.  Also ignore the dosage, start with a super light single spray and wait 20 minutes before judging the effect.  I've been using it as-needed for allergies most of my life, no sinus damage, and a very minimal amount works just not instantly.

 

I can only use Afrin sparingly...was hooked on it as a teen.  Burns when I use it now, but good for when I'm desperate to open a passage.  I see the doctor next month and will run ideas past him to see what to do next.  I have no obvious health issues from this, so I have time to figure out how to proceed.

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30 minutes ago, Zero Knievel said:

 

I can only use Afrin sparingly...was hooked on it as a teen.  Burns when I use it now, but good for when I'm desperate to open a passage.  I see the doctor next month and will run ideas past him to see what to do next.  I have no obvious health issues from this, so I have time to figure out how to proceed.

 

Pre Afrin there was another spray, don't remember the name.  Maybe that?  Downside is 4-6 hour effectiveness.

 

If you need a CPAP this will change your life.  Worth the effort.

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4 hours ago, SwampNut said:

A few of my friends have auto-calibrating, self-reporting machines.  If you didn't get that, you're being ripped off.  They will all tell you that breathing properly during sleep definitely changed their lives.  

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34 minutes ago, SwampNut said:

If you need a CPAP this will change your life.  Worth the effort.

 

 

Absolutely Mike  and I agree with your disapproval of the home test. I have done a "real" sleep study and they have control of the study 

and change the settings while you sleep. Capture the data and file a report. This works. Has your Dr. recommend a pulmonologist?

Get a real sleep study. 

 

Hope you don't shine this on like you usually do with,  "that won't work" and a hundred reasons why.

Edited by CALCXX
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4 hours ago, SwampNut said:

 

 He would dip into low 70s SPO2, which is all kinds of fucked.

Yeah, no shit. I know what that's like. Organs are being starved of O2 with damage in progress.

If you need to take meds to breath better, you best do it or don't then you will never need them for long.

Hope that doesn't make sense to you.

Edited by CALCXX
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21 minutes ago, CALCXX said:

Absolutely Mike  and I agree with your disapproval of the home test. I have done a "real" sleep study and they have control of the study 

and change the settings while you sleep. Capture the data and file a report. This works. Has your Dr. recommend a pulmonologist?

Get a real sleep study. 

 

Hope you don't shine this on like you usually do with,  "that won't work" and a hundred reasons why.

 

For me, the issue is that if I can't breathe freely when testing the unit, I'm not going to trust it will sort itself out at home.  Granted, I didn't think to ask if they had a couch or bed I could try it with...in case being upright was part of the problem.  I could go back while on meds and see if there's a different result, but again, I'm concerned about long-term drug use.  These are things I want to discuss with my doctor before acting.  It's the whole "90 day" commitment that kicks in once I accept the hardware.  I don't need BS about insurance not paying because I had nights I couldn't use it due to these issues.

 

Maybe RXX can weigh in...what's the risks of taking pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (120 mg 12-hour time release) on an indefinite basis (every night)?

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So you're fighting the expert advice because you are too smart and already know how it will all fail.  Shocker.  Your knowledge of CPAP machines is rivaled only by your understanding of RO systems.

 

Seriously man, for once just stop it.

 

 

 

 

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Mike, my C-pap machine is linked and a report is available to me 24/7/365.

The Respiratory Therapist has the capability to change the settings remotely and I have seen the improvements.

As been mentioned before, quit fighting the experts.

Edited by CALCXX
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1 hour ago, SwampNut said:

So you're fighting the expert advice because you are too smart and already know how it will all fail.  Shocker.  Your knowledge of CPAP machines is rivaled only by your understanding of RO systems.

 

Seriously man, for once just stop it.

 

1 hour ago, CALCXX said:

Mike, my C-pap machine is linked and a report is available to me 24/7/365.

The Respiratory Therapist has the capability to change the settings remotely and I have seen the improvements.

As been mentioned before, quit fighting the experts.


What the heck am I supposedly fighting?  The CPAP they wanted to give me made it impossible to breathe when it was running.  This has nothing to do with settings but rather with why my sinuses reacted as they did and what my options are.  I’m already going to bring this up with my doctor when I see them at the next appointment.

 

There’s no sense in accepting expensive equipment you can’t get to work at the shop.  What I wanted to know is if others ran into this issue when going to a CPAP machine and if they managed to resolve it.

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Yeah, you need to demand a real study. This is going to be a piece of equipment your are going to have to bond with, much like your leather dildo. You will no longer be able to go to sleep without it (psychological  dependence, a real thing). It will be perched next to you at night, injecting air and water vapor straight into your nares, with only a thin layer of tissue protecting your brain. You will have to clean it, replace parts regularly, etc. You will have to figure out how to lug it around on your trips (I bought a portable one).

They will give you a mild sedative to reduce your anxiety and help you sleep. The data gleaned at this session will guide your therapy for the rest of your life. Make sure your doc is a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist can prescribe you a newer generation antihistamine with less incidence of rebound. With the heated air going in your nose congestion shouldn't be a problem. 

 

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4 hours ago, CALCXX said:

Mike, was it nasal or a mask? Did you get to sample both?

I chose the mask and yes it does take some time to forget it's there.


They offered both, but the question was if I was a mouth breather.  I don’t know for sure, so we went with the mask.  I wear a bite block to prevent clenching my teeth, so I suspect I’m not doing mouth breathing that much.  I didn’t have an issue with the presence of the mask…it was the sensation of needing to drain my sinuses that made it unworkable.

 

Not to criticize the DME supplier, but the tech wasn’t offering any help to figure out how to make it work.  He seemed more annoyed that I wasn’t just going to take it home and bring it back if I wasn’t happy with it…with his company being able to charge for fitment, rental and supplies.

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8 hours ago, RXX said:

Yeah, you need to demand a real study. This is going to be a piece of equipment your are going to have to bond with, much like your leather dildo. You will no longer be able to go to sleep without it (psychological  dependence, a real thing). It will be perched next to you at night, injecting air and water vapor straight into your nares, with only a thin layer of tissue protecting your brain. You will have to clean it, replace parts regularly, etc. You will have to figure out how to lug it around on your trips (I bought a portable one).

They will give you a mild sedative to reduce your anxiety and help you sleep. The data gleaned at this session will guide your therapy for the rest of your life. Make sure your doc is a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist can prescribe you a newer generation antihistamine with less incidence of rebound. With the heated air going in your nose congestion shouldn't be a problem. 


I’m going to shoot an email to the doctor who looked over my sleep study and see what my insurance company has for local clinics.

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Try getting an Rx for Nasonex, it takes a few days to work. My pre cpap O2 levels were in the mid 60's the doctor was amazed I hadn't had a heart attack. When I went in for my first sleep test the tech said "go here get this machine, today, before you go home" Because of this my whole study was ass backwards, as I'd bought the machine before getting the Rx for it which came 2 days later as they rushed my second study "titration?" 

CPAP has been life changing for me ,I'm pretty sure I've got some brain damage from my O2 sats being so low, or maybe I'm just an idiot? 

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41 minutes ago, JoWhee said:

Try getting an Rx for Nasonex, it takes a few days to work. My pre cpap O2 levels were in the mid 60's the doctor was amazed I hadn't had a heart attack. When I went in for my first sleep test the tech said "go here get this machine, today, before you go home" Because of this my whole study was ass backwards, as I'd bought the machine before getting the Rx for it which came 2 days later as they rushed my second study "titration?" 

CPAP has been life changing for me ,I'm pretty sure I've got some brain damage from my O2 sats being so low, or maybe I'm just an idiot? 

 

Maybe.....

 

 

But seriously, Mike, you hear the testimonials. I truly is a life-changing device. 

 

UT has a great sleep center. My pulmonologist was Dr

 Miisczxeliiaianski or something. Pretty ladies worked there. 

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1 hour ago, Zero Knievel said:


I’m going to shoot an email to the doctor who looked over my sleep study and see what my insurance company has for local clinics.

 

Or you could contact your insurance company directly. They have trained staff who want to help you and would LOVE to hear from you. It is their job.

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1 hour ago, JoWhee said:

Try getting an Rx for Nasonex, it takes a few days to work...

 

I'll look into that, but so far every steroid based nasal spray ended up giving me migraines.

 

1 hour ago, RXX said:

UT has a great sleep center. My pulmonologist was Dr

 Miisczxeliiaianski or something. Pretty ladies worked there. 

 

Well, UT is in my network and my cost is on par with local clinics.

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1 minute ago, Zero Knievel said:

I'll look into that, but so far every steroid based nasal spray ended up giving me migraines.

 

Very weird something so simple doesn't work for you.   You are the easiest person to please.

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1 hour ago, JoWhee said:

Try getting an Rx for Nasonex

 

To build on this, I've gone through a few of these nasal steroids, and they are helpful for me in the long term, but don't solve acute symptoms.  I'm using Fluticasone spray, Montelukast, and generic Levocetirizne (thanks Phillip) to pretty good effect for most of the year.  Right now I'm having to supplement about once a day with a tiny squirt of decongestant on the right side.  I lean to far that way apparently and need to be treated for it.  Solving for this may best be done by an allergist.

 

As far as the addiction to CPAP and emotional relationship with it, I've seen it.  My friends who've had their lives changed by it treat it as if it's a heart-lung machine in level of importance.  I've rigged inverters and buck converters to support my friends' needs while camping.  They are panicked at the thought of not having the machine.  That's how much it improved life.

 

I wonder how your political views will change once your brain has oxygen.

 

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