Sleep Apnea & CPAP

Ordered one of the VirtuCLEAN units today. Found them on sale and a 10% off code that stacked onto the sale price.
Quick update. Realized I hadn’t seen a shipping notice on this, and so I logged in last night to check the order status. It shows canceled, and I was never notified. The item now has “For Reference Only” and no Add To Cart option. :mad:

Off to find one somewhere else...
 
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I had my test at home last week. Dr said 9 incidents per hour, not enough to need a machine. Sounds like a bunch to me , but what do I know.
 
Got a preorder email for a new mask. I’ve used the Wisp in the past, and this is the DreamWisp. Adds the magnetic clasps of the N20 and the feed-from-the-top design of the N30i. Definitely something I’d consider in the future. If anybody tries one out, please provide some feedback.

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The Gen 1 Wisp now has the magnetic clips.
 
Been using the VirtuCLEAN for about a month now. Very simple to use. I do it once a week at this point. Only problem I have is I’ve been in a rush and cleaned the machine without dumping the water...twice. :oops:

Got an email for another mask alternative. I think it’s new? The AirFit P30i...really the same as the N30i except it has nasal pillows. I don’t really like those, but figured some here might. The way I read it is everything is the same between the two designs and you can interchange the cushion piece depending on which style you prefer.

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ResMed pretty much copied the Respironics DreamWear with the P30i.
 
I imagine that I need to have a sleep study done because I am never rested. However multiple back surgeries and now PT for my hips means I cannot endure the pain of sleeping on my back.

Is there any benefit to looking into this further? I currently use a body pillow that props me in a 30-45 degree rolled position.
 
Neck size, being overweight, are signs as well. But, there are a lot of petite ladies that have sleep apnea, too.

I'm not a sports fan and I guess I should know his name but a few years ago a NFL player died in his sleep from sleep apnea. Some of you may know who it is.

I think that was Reggie White. I have been using cpap for about 12 years now. Can't sleep without it. Bought my generator mainly for the machine because when the power went out I could't sleep and just sat up and waited for the power to come back on. I had another sleep study done last year in order to replace my old machine and couldn't go to sleep because you can't use a cpap to begin with. Finally dozed off enough in the late morning for them to document I still needed one. I now use the Resmed Air Sense 10 with Air Fit N20 mask. I soak mine once a week in warm water with dawn. I also picked this up and use it everyday in a sealed container I bought from the dollar store:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clean-Trav...436276?hash=item3b1b42d934:g:NHsAAOSw-V1cOOWr
 
I imagine that I need to have a sleep study done because I am never rested. However multiple back surgeries and now PT for my hips means I cannot endure the pain of sleeping on my back.

Is there any benefit to looking into this further? I currently use a body pillow that props me in a 30-45 degree rolled position.

I sleep on my side with a nasal pillow mask. It's not a big deal.
 
I think that was Reggie White. I have been using cpap for about 12 years now. Can't sleep without it. Bought my generator mainly for the machine because when the power went out I could't sleep and just sat up and waited for the power to come back on. I had another sleep study done last year in order to replace my old machine and couldn't go to sleep because you can't use a cpap to begin with. Finally dozed off enough in the late morning for them to document I still needed one. I now use the Resmed Air Sense 10 with Air Fit N20 mask. I soak mine once a week in warm water with dawn. I also picked this up and use it everyday in a sealed container I bought from the dollar store:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Clean-Trav...436276?hash=item3b1b42d934:g:NHsAAOSw-V1cOOWr

Are you seeing an immediate difference? Generally those CPAP cleaners/ozone generators aren't inexpensive.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Are you seeing an immediate difference? Generally those CPAP cleaners/ozone generators aren't inexpensive.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Don't know if it's any cleaner or not but I do get that ozone smell I have read about with the $300 SoClean machines......so I guess it's working.
 
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Had a blowout with the N30i a couple nights ago. It was long due for a replacement, and the really soft/flexible portion of the nasal section blew apart from the rest of it.

I always keep my previous mask just in case of emergencies, so I got it back out. I forgot just how quiet the Wisp is compared to the N30i...since all the air isn’t flowing down the sides and the noise transferring into your jaw/skull/ears.

Guess I need to look around and see what new stuff came out. Might try the DreamWisp, or might stick with something that doesn’t have the air “input” at the top, so it’s quieter.
 
BigWaylon I was at my kids house in Atlanta and had the nasal pillows crack. Tried that night every type of tape they had and nothing worked. The next day had to drive bout 40 miles to get new head gear. Since then I always carry an extra tube and head gear. I bought a travel CPAP that I take on trips and was worried that the standard head gear would not fit but there was an adapter.
 
I have the P30i and love it. Super easy if you toss and turn a bit at night and don't want to mess with the hose. I also have a full beard, hence the nose pillows.
 
Been putting this off for a decade, gonna ask my Dr. to prescribe an at home test today. Wife says that I don’t stop breathing too often, but that an episode can run a timed minute. She’s kinda made a game of it; I have a lot of life insurance.
 
I did order the DreamWisp. I’ve used it the last couple nights. I think it’s quieter (at least to the user) than the N30i.
 
Dr. Ordered the at home test a couple weeks ago, still waiting...
 
REally good info here. Thanks Geezer for starting the thread and offering the information.
 
Dr. Ordered the at home test a couple weeks ago, still waiting...
A lot of sleep labs are closed and just opening back up. If it's coming from a DME company, it's probably because that company is sorry, or overwhelmed, or both.
Doctors are well known to not send enough or correct information or the order fell through the cracks and didn't actually get ordered. I worked with two different Home Sleep Test companies. If they had the correct information, things always progressed swiftly. The biggest hold up was failure for the HST provider to contact the patient. It was either a wrong or omitted phone number, patient didn't answer (thinking it was spam call), or voice mailbox full. The HST folks have to contact the patient prior to sending the HST equipment.
Contact your doctor, @JimB and ask him to follow up. You should have heard something within a couple of days after the test was ordered.
 
Forgive me if this has been mentioned already in this thread:

I am a fellow traveler in the OSA world. I was diagnosed 5 years ago, and my treatment for OSA—I was fortunate in that I have great results with just the “nose pillow” contraption—in my opinion has saved my life.

However, when going on trips I have to lug my beloved machine around, and it’s quite bulky. Question is: what is the best portable device on the market today?

Thanks for bringing this important topic to light. I believe that treatment for OSA prevents a number of heart-related issues, such as atrial fibrillation (which increases stroke risk), pulmonary hypertension, and even sudden cardiac death.
 
Doctors are well known to not send enough or correct information or the order fell through the cracks and didn't actually get ordered. I worked with two different Home Sleep Test companies. If they had the correct information, things always progressed swiftly. The biggest hold up was failure for the HST provider to contact the patient. It was either a wrong or omitted phone number, patient didn't answer (thinking it was spam call), or voice mailbox full. The HST folks have to contact the patient prior to sending the HST equipment.
Contact your doctor, @JimB and ask him to follow up. You should have heard something within a couple of days after the test was ordered.

I think any primary care doctor should ask about sleep at the annual visit for those of us who snore (and not everyone who snores is overweight). I personally order some type of sleep evaluation with anyone with a heart rhythm problem or snores. I don’t care how the test is ordered for the patient—the less expensive the better IMO. Do your homework with sleep tests. I’m noticing that patients with no insurance or those with high deductible plans can see a wide range of prices for sleep studies. This is unfortunate, because treating sleep problems due to OSA ultimately is cost effective for the patient and insurer alike. One of my many, many frustrating issues with health care is lack of attention to sleep issues by insurers.
 
Forgive me if this has been mentioned already in this thread:

I am a fellow traveler in the OSA world. I was diagnosed 5 years ago, and my treatment for OSA—I was fortunate in that I have great results with just the “nose pillow” contraption—in my opinion has saved my life.

However, when going on trips I have to lug my beloved machine around, and it’s quite bulky. Question is: what is the best portable device on the market today?

Thanks for bringing this important topic to light. I believe that treatment for OSA prevents a number of heart-related issues, such as atrial fibrillation (which increases stroke risk), pulmonary hypertension, and even sudden cardiac death.
The two big players in the CPAP game, ResMed and Philips Respironics, had recently gotten into the travel CPAP's before I left the business. Both units had a lot of problems. It seems that everyone lets the consumer to the R&D work anymore.
And, the travel machines were designed to be mask specific. If you have a ResMed machine, you had to use a ResMed mask, etc. I left the business in mid-March so things may have changed some.
Your CPAP should have come in a storage bag. Yes, it takes up a little more room than the travel machine but, you'll be using the same machine that you are using nightly now. Also, if you fly, your CPAP is not counted against you as carry on luggage. It is medical equipment and can be carried on in addition to your normal carry on bag. Whatever you do, don't put your machine into checked baggage. I have seen many machines that were damaged beyond repair from baggage handlers.
 
I think any primary care doctor should ask about sleep at the annual visit for those of us who snore (and not everyone who snores is overweight). I personally order some type of sleep evaluation with anyone with a heart rhythm problem or snores. I don’t care how the test is ordered for the patient—the less expensive the better IMO. Do your homework with sleep tests. I’m noticing that patients with no insurance or those with high deductible plans can see a wide range of prices for sleep studies. This is unfortunate, because treating sleep problems due to OSA ultimately is cost effective for the patient and insurer alike. One of my many, many frustrating issues with health care is lack of attention to sleep issues by insurers.
Sleep medicine is a big business with a lot of competition. Sleep apnea can affect almost anyone. The sterotype is the big, overweight guy with a big neck and breathing problems. Many of our patients were small 100 pound little old ladies.

If a patient states to their PCP any of the symptoms of sleep apnea, a test should be ordered. Most insurances will cover the HST now as it is much cheaper than going to a sleep lab. Once qualified, the patient will go to their DME provider for instructions on how to use the CPAP and be fitted with the mask of their choice. The main difference is that with the HST a proper pressure cannot be determined. So, the patient will be set up on an auto titrating machine or, auto CPAP. The pressures can be monitored for a few days and the optimum pressure can be defined and programmed into the machine. Or, the machine can be left in the auto mode. Monitoring and pressure changes can be done remotely.

Our office, like most others, had a cash price for those without insurance. The patient could choose from a new machine or a gently used machine for even less money and payment plans were available. In extreme hardship cases, equipment was provided without cost to the patient. An HST used to cost around $300 and a visit to a sleep lab was around $2500. Both used to offer cash prices and also help to the indigent.

All of the above info pertained to the office where I worked. Other DME's may do things differently.
 
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I have been using one for about a decade and love how it helps me sleep. I use a Dreamwear pillow these days that does a very good job keeping air from leaking. I have tried several other devices over the years. The masks generally leaked around my nose and dried out my eyes a bit. The nasal pillows that went up into my nose occasionally made my nose sore. All in all, I could use any of them without major problems.

I do have one thing that is a problem with all the masks. Air gets forced up my tear ducts, mainly my right one, and gets under the eyelid. It almost feels like something crawling around across my eyeball. The main problem is that it tends to dry out the eyeball. That is uncomfortable and makes for fuzzy vision until the eyeball gets back to normal. I am not sure that here is anything that can be done to remedy the situation but am open to suggestions.
 
Got two different emails this week about a new mask release. Makes me wish I’d held off in ordering the DreamWisp.

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OMG, got the worst sleep of my life last nite, and that includes one night in a tree during a storm.

At home test a couple weeks ago showed osa so they ordered me up a unit. The whole process is probably an insurance scam because nobody would talk about what things cost or who was paying, but that’s not what kept me up.

I got a ResMed Airsense 10. I found it to be very quiet. Tried on a few potential masks and picked the one in the middle, N30i. The small “nose pillow” mask bothered the inside of my nose and the larger one put pressure on the area between my nose and mouth. I didn’t think about the fact that the fitting was done while sitting up, for maybe 30 sec, so it kinda means little.

Get all set up last night and in short order the thing is hurting under my nose. I sleep on my side, so the contraption gets pushed around a bit on my head every time I try to settle, and sometimes a nostril gets blocked so the thing is reducing airflow, it hurts and I’m suffocating. Tried tightening it, that made the pain worse and didn’t stop it moving around. Screw with it, sleep 60-90 min, take it off, sleep 60-90 min try again, repeat repeat. End up sleeping on my back for a few hours, so now my lower back is killing me too.

For tonight’s attempt I think I’ll shave, perhaps the pressure against my stubble is causing the pain. But that’s unlikely to fix the headgear sliding around issue.

Any of you guys sleep on your sides? The N30i connector is on top of my head, maybe something like that Evora with a front connection would work better.

Or do I just need to embrace the suck and get used to it first, then tweak things?

oh, and the device reported the same number of events per hour that my earlier test did, so on top of everything I’m not sure that it’s actually doing anything. Just the first night, so we’ll see how it goes.
 
@JimB the first couple nights with mine (maybe 15 years ago) I was ready to shoot the damn thing and they are nothing like they are today. Now, I can not take a nap (if that was possible) without the CPAP. Going to tell you to brave/stick it out and in a week or so you will not even think about going to sleep without it on. Once you get use to it, you will not have any more problems until you are on vacation and your nose piece breaks.
 
What KnotRight said. Took me a few weeks to get used to it but now I love it. Put that thing on and sweet dreams. It is worth spending some time and money trying different masks and headgear to find the one that’s best for you (I like the nasal pillows). And you want the lightest hose you can get, and make sure it’s long enough.
 
@JimB if you continue to have discomfort with the mask, contact your provider and get fitted with a different mask. The nasal pillows are the hardest to get used to but, the people that are able to use them love them.
Do you know what your AHI was from the sleep study? It takes a minimum of 5.0 to qualify and they will put someone on a machine if they can. Some money is made on the machine but the real money is in the supplies, mask, headgear, tubing, filters, etc.
 
Thanks guys, I’ll tough it out for a couple weeks.
I think AHI was 11.x, they said mild but worth treating. O2 sat dropped to about 80%.
 
Thanks guys, I’ll tough it out for a couple weeks.
I think AHI was 11.x, they said mild but worth treating. O2 sat dropped to about 80%.
You might actually be strapping it on too tightly. More torque doesn't always make a better seal.

Second... or third, the give it some time. I was the same way when I started with mine and then I didn't need it for a few years but recently had to start back with it. It took several days to get used to it again.
 
I really like the N30i. I like the fact it didn’t go into my nose at all.

Did you try something like the Wisp or DreamWisp? The ones that fit right over your whole nose? The difference is the Wisp attaches at the front:

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and the DreamWisp at the top:

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The Evora is the one I’d like to try.
 
It’s been a while. I tried a few masks and have settled on the Fischer&paykel opus 360. I’ve gotten used to the nose pillows and the thing is both light and quiet. Still not totally thrilled with it, would rather sleep without it, but it’s okay. The over the nose masks put pressure up on the bridge of my nose and cut off air. Have a full face mask that I haven’t tried, I’m thinking allergy season when I’m often a nightime mouth breather.

The supplies are a huge scam, the silicone parts are good for years and they want to ship new ones every few months same with the water tank. Cleaning supplies are another scam, haven’t found anything better than Johnson’s newborn wash.
 
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My new travel system... RESMED AirSense mini and battery pack. Supposed to run for 2-3 nights on a charge, airline approved for use in-flight, and can be charged from 12vDC, 120v, or USB...
To me, the problem with the Mini is you have to use a ResMed mask with it. This caused a problem with people that used a mask from a different manufacturer. If you use a ResMed mask, you're good to go.
 
It’s been a while. I tried a few masks and have settled on the Fischer&paykel opus 360. I’ve gotten used to the nose pillows and the thing is both light and quiet. Still not totally thrilled with it, would rather sleep without it, but it’s okay. The over the nose masks put pressure up on the bridge of my nose and cut off air. Have a full face mask that I haven’t tried, I’m thinking allergy season when I’m often a nightime mouth breather.

The supplies are a huge scam, the silicone parts are good for years and they want to ship new ones every few months same with the water tank. Cleaning supplies are another scam, haven’t found anything better than Johnson’s newborn wash.
Providers make very little money on CPAP machines, the money is in supplies. Properly cleaned and maintained, supplies will last a long time. Insurance reimburses good money for supplies so they push to resupply as often as they can.
 
This is a timely bump.

I've joined the CPAP community, with a ResMed unit and I'm using the P10 nasal pillow headgear.

So, here's some observations from a newbie:

1. CPAP sucks. Not because it doesn't help, but because it's life altering in an 'intrusional' sort of way. New machine, new tasks (cleaing), new routine(s), completely altered sleep habit.......etc, etc.

2. My guy, during my first visit with him, had me pull my shoes, and socks off to look at my feet. ?? First observation was my big toe is slightly smaller than my second toe. In many people, this is less pronounced (my case), but I've noticed in others (and, as he stated), it's very pronounced. This is often called 'Boss' foot', or 'Boss' Toe'. Whereby the large toe is actually underdeveloped, and thus shorter than the second toe. So he immediately surmised that I (probably) have a Vitamin B6 deficiency. What does this have to do with sleep apnea? People who have B6 deficiency, began this deficiency in the womb. Turns out, most women are B6 deficient, and thus gets passed on to their babies. Women in the baby boomer generation (my mom included, born 1944), were notoriously B6 deficient, thus developmentally, many baby boomer children (me, born 1964), grew up deficient, and so other developmental issues appear. The big issue is: Big Tongue, Small Mouth; thus, propensity for snoring and sleep apnea. This particular statement struck a huge chord with me as suddenly a number of things fell into place, such as me remembering my dentist complaining about my big tongue while trying to work on me as a kid, and one of my early girlfriends complaining about me snoring in my early twenties. Didn't think anything about it then, but now....... Vitamin B6 has a lot to do with metabolic processes as well, so I'm now taking 'activated' B6, also known as P5P. I'm supposed to have a B6 level drawn next month to actually see where I'm at, we'll see....... He also highly recommended something called 'Oolong Tea'.

3. First few nights truly sucked and I didn't know if I could continue, but over time, the tolerance level improved. As mentioned by several, I too, suffer from the occasional soreness in the nasal entry point.

4. Cleaning -- I bought a tub, approx 30x20x5 or so with a lid. I take all the expendables once a week, place them in the tub with some anti-bacterial dish soap (just a few drops), then fill the tub with hot water and let everything soak for a couple hours. I initially swirl everything around the tub as it fills, making sure the solution gets to into all the stuff. Afterwards, I rinse everything thoroughly then hang the tubing up to dry. I rinse the water chamber every morning then let it air dry during the day.

5. Mouth opening -- The first week after staring this CPAP journey, I started to notice a terrible (read: horrific) aftertaste in my mouth. I figured if the aftertaste is this bad, then my breath is probably exponentially worse. So, my self-diagnosis was my mouth was opening at night. Off to the Interwebs to investigate. People on CPAP, due to the pressure, often have their mouth come open at night, thus losing pressure (benefit), and also causing severe dry mouth. The dry mouth issue leads to a lot of other dental problem so that's the last thing I need is more problems. So, after reviewing the options, a chin-strap was a Big Fat Nope. So, mouth taping it is. To date, there does not seem to be any 'serious' medical studies about 'mouth taping'. So far, for me, that's been a good solution, and the aftertaste has gradually resolved, and I don't get up feeling like I have a sock in my mouth, so I think some residual gum issues I had before CPAP are also gradually resolving as well. I've tried medical Transpore tape, but I find the best so far has been the Somnifix product: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076CQ1NR...p_rep_k0_1_5&crid=196B3AIG77DOO&sprefix=somni BUT -- spendy for sure. I'm about to try this one and see how it does: https://www.amazon.com/STRIPS-strip...eywords=hush+mouth+tape&qid=1632054946&sr=8-5 The Transpore medical tape does OK, but if you have any stubble, it's problematic in staying on all night.

6. Results -- So the first few weeks, I couldn't tell a 'real' difference. I was still horribly fatigued, and desperate for a morning 'nap' after just a short time at work. So I was (and still am), pretty cynical about the CPAP. Now, these last couple of weeks, and possibly in conjunction with the B6 therapy (who knows.....supposed to have a blood level taking next month), I'm slowly finding the fatigue level not quite as pronounced. So, I'm willing to keep working with the system and give it more time. I have an N10 setup to try out, but I 'think' I like the minimalist setup of the P10.

Totally sexy stuff this CPAP........... :rolleyes:
 
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To qualify for CPAP therapy your AHI level (events) needs to 5.0 and greater. So, if you have a 5.5 or 6.0 AHI, you qualify for a CPAP but, your level is so low you may not notice a lot of difference. Many patients with a minimal AHI will stop the therapy as it's not worth the hassle.
 
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