CPAP machines

Yes, I was 38 when I started.

[quote]I've recently met so many people who use them.

Welcome to middle age. Joint health and who's now a grandparent are also popular topics.

Started about 4 years ago at age 58 after sleeping with someone who uses one and told me I needed one. Didn't believe him. Went to the sleep clinic at my hospital who sent me home with a breathing monitoring device. Turns out I have severe sleep apnea. That person became my husband and he won't sleep with me if I don't wear it. I hate it about 50% of the time. He gets out of bed before I do and when he leaves the room, I yank it off. Then he comes in with his phone and films me snoring and suffocating. We clearly lead exciting lives in our old age. Am a side sleeper. It's hard to find the right mask. We both look like elephants.

I do not.

I was told I was borderline for it - the number during a test where they tell you that you need it is 10 or higher and I had a 9.

However, the test was weird for me because I generally sleep on my side or stomach and as long as I do, with my head elevated, I am fine.

Aka "Michfest masks."

Ahhhh, Michfest. Where I was gently lullabied to sleep nightly upon the soft winds of The Land by the sound of purring CPAPs everywhere.

I haven't had a decent night's sleep ever since.

I've been using one for ten years; 48 when I started.

I would not be alive today without it.

R3, try the ResMed Airfit F20 full face mask with magnetic clips. I highly recommend it.

I can’t sleep with hard plastic attached to my face. I feel doomed.

It’s a bunch of fake shit

r7, yeah, that's similar or the same as what my partner has. It made me feel claustrophobic, but glad it works for some people.

I started about a year and half ago although I was first diagnosed maybe 10 years ago. I tried it twice and could NOT get used to it and when I tried the nasal pillows I felt like my nostrils would be blow to bits within seconds. I guess I have a moderately high pressure (around 10). I also need to wear a mouthguard for grinding. I am suprised but I was actually able to get used to wearing both at the same time and was really good about it for a year. Lately, it's annoying me. I still feel tired though so not sure it really is doing much for me or perhaps I just am depression tired.

At first glance, I read the subject as CRAP machines and I thought…”oh great, something else to look forward to in old age”.

Yes hi, fat whore here. I've just been diagnosed and I'm told that weight loss will greatly improve, if not eliminate, my condition. The doctor (and she's a good one) alluded to neck circumference as an aggravating factor so yeah, fat.

One of those things that the VA bought into. Nobody dies forgetting to breathe while sleeping.

A friend of mine had a 28 year old son; he died from sleep apnea. Didn't even know he had it.

You're fat aren't you?

My while family has cpaps now. Clearly there is a genetic component. My sister was on denial for years about it even though no one could share a room with her due to Amazon rainforest clearcutting. When she finally got tested they called her back then same day telling her she had severe sleep apnea.

Made a huge difference in how I feel in the mornings - started at 52. If I go a night without the machine I wake up groggy from the interrupted sleep and with a terribly sore throat from the snoring,

R14 I think people have strokes or heart attacks when they stop breathing rather than suffocating.

There's also splints and surgery (usually UPPP).

CPAP isn't the only solution for apnea, thankfully, and not everyone gets results with a machine.

But apnea is massively undiagnosed.

Since living outside the US for so long, this is one of those things of divergence you don’t see as widely used to treat apnoea in other higher developed countries. It seems over prescribed. Like the Rx commercials, people ask their doctor for it, and everyone makes $$$ along the chain.

What's used that you've seen, r21? Thanks

The beginning of the end.

[quote]R14: One of those things that the VA bought into. Nobody dies forgetting to breathe while sleeping.

One of my friend's boyfriends did, maybe fifteen years ago. He stopped breathing in an apnea event, and just never resumed breathing. He was maybe 24 years old. Freaky occurrence.

R14. It’s not just the risk of death. It’s not easy living your life constantly tired and it’s professionally limiting )falling asleep at work). Unfortunately, the machines don’t always help.

R13 The fat is calling from inside the house!!!

[quote]Nobody dies forgetting to breathe while sleeping.

Plenty of people die falling asleep when driving, though. And yes, it's the increased blood pressure and the risk of strokes that is the major concern.

The new ResMed machines are small and practically silent. They also self-adjust the pressure they put through, starting off softer so it's easier to get to sleep, then if you start having "incidents" or you fall into deep sleep they put the air pressure up automatically. They also record information about your sleep on an SD card which your specialist can read. ResMed make a few different types of masks. I use one that covers my mouth but sits just under my nose (with holes under my nostrils), and you can get one which is a thicker version of the prongs they put up your nose when you're on oxygen in hospital, so the rest of your face is free.

Additional points in its favour: I have a hiatus hernia and I've found that since I've been on CPAP I've had minimal trouble with reflux at night and can sleep flat with no problems. It was also brilliant when I had Covid.

Sleep specialists and neurologists have told me that untreated apnea is a strong driver of depression, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and other conditions.

Here I go. Night one. 3 days after my 50th bday. Sigh. I got the Cadillac version, Philips nose pillow. Feels good so far. Looking forward to better sleep.

That's interesting r28. Thank you for sharing that. It's giving me motivation as a newbie

R29 - It took me several weeks to really get used to the machine. The first few nights I unconsciously ripped the mask off in the middle of the night. I’d never had an issue with claustrophobia but that was the best way to describe my discomfort.

I stuck with it and after about month I was acclimated. I noticed a small difference in how I felt at first - no sore throat from snoring - but after about 3 solid months of use I suddenly had a major shift in how rested and refreshed I felt in the morning. And I really felt like crap on the occasional nights I fell asleep without the machine.

It really becomes second nature but there is an adaptability curve - so tough it out.

Too bad michfest is no longer around they know all about cpaps. I would if there was anywhere to plug in a cpap in the brother sun camp.

Huh. Maybe it’s time. My phone told me this morning that it detected the sound of a barking dog in my bedroom three times last night. I think it’s more likely that it was me snoring. I woke up feeling like crap.

My dad had such loud, nightmarish snoring that he would stop breathing for about 15 seconds, then gulp a huge intake of air that would wake him up. He lived til age 85 though.

All the people I've known who use (5) them are fattys who drink too much and don't eat properly. It's easier to say "I have OSA" instead of "I'm a fat drunk"

I’ve used one for a decade+. I start with it on each night, but after getting up to pee after several hours, I don’t bother to place the mask back-on for the last couple hours of sleep.

You're an idiot, R14. Sleep apnea isn't forgetting to breathe.

Before the diagnosis of severe sleep apnea and therapy with a CPAP machine, I was constantly fatigued. Not just tired, but I fell asleep sitting at my desk at work, watching TV at home, even at stop lights while driving. The proverbial final straw was when I began wetting the bed. When you die, your body voids itself and that's what happened to me.

My life has improved 100% since I started using the CPAP. I wake feeling rested. No more intense sore throats from snoring all night. No more endless fatigue. I have lost about 80 lbs. My blood pressure is back to normal. Every measurable metric related to quality of sleep is better.

Getting used to a mask took some time. I started with the nose apparatus, but chronic sinusitis contraindicated it, so I now use a full face mask. I agree that the mask and tubing can be a pain in the ass, especially when I end up moving around until the tubing is around my neck and I end up pulling the machine into the bed. You eventually correct it unconsciously without really waking up.

Thankfully my insurance fully covers DME, so I do not spend out of pocket money on the machine and supplies.

Thanks for coming out and regaling us with your ignorance, r35. And sorry that you were once humiliated by a drunk fat man.

"Sleep apnea isn't forgetting to breathe."

Of course not. It's forgetting to stop eating.

[quote] I end up moving around until the tubing is around my neck and I end up pulling the machine into the bed.

Lordy, R38. Never have re-birthing therapy.

[quote] fattys

Oh, dear.

CPAP is a racket. My doctor pushed me for at home sleep study which I did with this ring device. It was run through a third party. The device worked with an app on my phone and sent them the data, but I could not look at it. Then they called me to tell me I qualified for a cpap machine without hearing from my doctor. I said "shouldn't I discuss this with my doctor?" they said "no you have sleep apnea." I went back and fourth asking where was the data and finally just flat out refused the device (which was being sold by the same company running the test - funny that). I got auto sleep from the app store (iphone) and used my apple watch to track my sleep, sp02 levels, etc as well as my sleep. I have been doing that ever since. Guess what? My sp02 levels are normal, my sleep numbers are in the 90th percentile since the day I started monitoring it.

There ARE people who legitimately have sleep apnea, and need a CPAP. I have been around guys of varying sizes who required a CPAP. One had apnea SO bad, his body would shake trying to gasp for air several times an hour.

BUT it's way overdiagnosed, and anyone who's overweight or has a thick neck is automatically assumed to need one. I think I'm r4 in this thread and as I said way back there, as long as I sleep in a slightly elevated position - something I've always done anyway, due to allergies as a kid - I'm fine.

Various doctors over the years have insisted I needed a CPAP and also pushed various drugs on me. If I was heavier they'd probably be pushing bariatric surgery, too. I had GI issues last year and my doc was really aggressive about wanting me to go on Ozempic, which fucks with GI function.....not going to that doc any more.

“My phone told me this morning that it detected the sound of a barking dog three times last night in my bedroom…”. Are you sure you’re not a snoring werewolf?

Yeah, it's not a racket lol.

When a doctor tells me I stop breathing 20x / hour I'm inclined to believe him. I did my sleep clinic in hospital.

I used mine for the first time last night and have had the best sleep since I can remember. And that was only day one. I use the latest nasal mask by Philips (called "Dreamwear") and it's incredibly comfortable. In the first night the app told me I had reduced my incidents from 20/hr to 2.3.

Not a racket at all. I love it when people think they know more than their doctor. And if you doubt a doctor's intelligence or integrity, how did you choose them in the first place? I research my doctors and know most of them socially. They all came highly recommended by family or friends. And I trust them. Actually I trust them with my life.

My neighbor tells me out of the blue that she hasn’t played with her pussy in over 20 yrs. I said “why are you telling me this”? She looked at me like I should know. I’m so damned mad right now.

I can't breath!

[quote] My neighbor tells me out of the blue that she hasn’t played with her pussy in over 20 yrs

Wrong thread. We’re talking about CPAPS not PAP smears.

R46 - I use the triangular full nose / mouth scuba-type mask because I know my mouth will open during the night with just nose pillows. Do you use the chin strap to keep your mouth closed?

Mine doesn’t work when I’m on my back, according to the sleep study I did.

I also have the Dreamweaver, and I can barely sleep two hours a night with it because it’s so loud and uncomfortable to me.

Not at all, r51, and I thought I might need it as I wear a dental night guard.

The woman at the clinic told me it's their most popular mask by far.

Wasn’t the Dreamweaver in a major Philips recall?

Dreamwear masks are counterindicated if you have any metal in your body, or have an implanted device with batteries. This is due to the magnets these masks use. It goes for anybody with these things who sleeps with you while you use it.

It’s a different recall from the one for machines that contained certain types of rubberized styrofoam that degraded over time.

R43, that does sound like a racket, but because your doctor got left out of the equation and they wouldn't share the results with you. I wouldn't be dealing with that CPAP supplier, and maybe not with your doctor either if he hasn't followed up with you.

The correct procedure is that you do a sleep test, your doctor takes you through the results and explains why you need a CPAP machine, and then ideally you see him/her every 3-6 months for a while to check how the machine is working for you. The doctors will often want you to repeat the sleep test using the machine, after you're used to it, because a formal sleep test gives him more data than the machine itself records. Of course, the machine's data is important because it's recording EVERY night, not just a one-off like a sleep test.

r39,

Among the risk factors for OSA, obesity is probably the most important. Several cross-sectional studies have consistently found an association between increased body weight and the risk of OSA.16 Significant sleep apnea is present in ≈40% of obese individuals, and ≈70% of OSA patients are obese.

According to this report, individuals who consume higher amounts of alcohol are 25% more likely to develop sleep apnea compared to those who do not drink at all or only drink occasionally.

R57 & 58, are you also r35?

If so, you're still a judgmental asshole.

>> ≈70% of OSA patients are obese

I'm in the 30% of the "not obese" sufferers, but it has been made very clear to me that if my apnea were untreated, I'd likely become obese, my apnea worsening and gain even more weight.

Society rags on overweight people all the time, but there haven't been major public awareness campaigns linking obesity to apnea that I'm aware of. If someone like Oprah were to be diagnosed with apnea and speak out about it, it would be a game-changer, but probably cause people to overlook the fact that almost a third of sufferers aren't obese.

R60 I dated a thin guy for about a year – he was 5’8” 125 lbs. soaking wet. While we were together he was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, mainly because his roommate and I did a sort of intervention. The roommate said that the snoring kept him awake despite their bedrooms being on opposite sides of their apartment. One night I recorded his snoring and snorting after he stopped breathing for, sometimes, longer than sixty seconds and played it for him. He ended up doing an overnight, clinical sleep study and shortly after got a CPAP machine.

Many years later he wrote to me in a card thanking me for “forcing” him to get screened. All I could think was, dude, I did it as much for me as for you!

I had the DreamWear mask, but am sometimes a side sleeper - it's not effective because it leaks when I sleep on my side. So now I'm wearing this thing that goes over my nose that my partner gave me that he uses. Feels like I'm suffocating. BTW, we are both old, fat, heavy drinkers, who are also very happy and have wonderful sex, not that you needed that visual. We used to be young and gorgeous, just like everyone who posts here.

What about the implant that is advertised as a replacement for CPAP? Anyone know anything about that?

I did an ant home study earlier this year and it clearly showed I would benefit from a machine. Then the sleep study company insisted I need to return for another study but only at their facility - which 1) is totally inconveniently located and I would not be able to get to, and 2) I have also made it clear that I’m unable to sleep in an outside study setting.

I’ve already done the in home study once this year, and I have also done them previously. Not sure why they’re being hard-assed. Any advice on how I can get this resolved?

^^ I did an in-home study.. (Damn I wish we could edit)

I have done 4 studies in facilities R64 - they glue all sorts of sensors to you and monitor just about everything - the data the collect is much more comprehensive than anything you you’d get from an at home study, and once they establish your apnea level and physiology they then figure out the settings you will need on the Cpap - because you are also wearing the mask. It is odd, but they are usually set up like basic hotel rooms.

It’s your health and future well being on the line - deal with one night of discomfort. You will fall asleep eventually. You can also sleep very little the night before to make sure you’re really exhausted and do fall asleep pretty quickly.

I failed my first sleep test. I couldn’t fall asleep with all the leads attached to me. At about 4:30 AM, I sat up in bed, turned on the light, and started noshing on some food I had conveniently left next to the bed. A tech came in and asked what was the matter. I said, “I can’t sleep and I’m hungry, so I’m eating.” They unwired me and sent me home.

A few years later, I had another test at a different facility. I brought some pharmaceutical assistance. Even then, I didn’t sleep much, but they got enough data to diagnose mild-to-moderate apnea, and I got a CPAP machine.

I recently started a month ago with a big mask. Today the oxygen guy came and gave me a strap with just 2 little nose pieces on it, going to try it tonight. I didn't like how the large mask squeezed my head and would sometimes leave marks on my face.

Lack of oxygen to the brain is thought to be the cause of future dementia and Alzheimer’s.

I tried the mask with just the nose and felt like I couldn’t breathe

I would just like to throw into the conversation that if you put all the alcohol I have drunk in my lifetime in my bloodstream at once, I would probably still pass a breathalyser test.

My doctor took me through the results of my pre-CPAP sleep test, which showed 11 apnoeic events in a night. That's on the border between mild and moderate, and the machine does help. It gives me a readout every day of how many hours I slept and how many events I had, and almost always the event score is between 0.5 and 2.5. If you can do 5 or less without a machine, you don't need one because it's considered normal. So it's demonstrably fixing the problem.

We’re all pawns of Big CPAP.

even if sleep apnea doesn't kill you suddenly, it causes significant brain damage. it's shown to be reversible with cpap.