Sleep Apnoea and CPAP

forzacalcio · 26-01-2021 12:28am

Been with Resimed now for 3 years. Recently I had issues with my Airsense 10 and I couldnt figure it out. I changed mask, tube, strap etc and no luck. Eventually the last few days its just eased a bit. Maybe it is just the weather or air quality as suggested earlier. Its a strange one. I find myself needing to tighten the mask more and more, its like the tube is getting heavier etc but the tube was replaced 6 months ago.

Edit: another rubbish night sleep last night. My wife said I was snoring a little this morning. I used to be very bad snorer pre cpap machine but nothing since. I woke.up a few times with the machine on full blown 14 (Only 2 apnoeas per hour though I had severe Sleep apnea previous) so I guess I'll just have to see what happens over next few days.

Davexirl · 29-01-2021 10:44am

Davexirl wrote: »

I got my sleep analysis results today, I have significant sleep apnoea and I will be going in to Vincents again overnight for a CPAP trial. I am delighted that I finally know what the problem is and I can begin to treat it.

I am waiting since September to go back in to St Vincents to start my CPAP trial. Doesn't look like I'll be going in anytime soon with the current Covid situation.

Would I be mad to go buy a machine without having the trials in St Vincents?

nibtrix · 29-01-2021 1:42pm

I think that in Ireland a CPAP can only be purchased or rented with a prescription, same as in the US. I don't know if you can purchase one from outside the country without a prescription.

You should contact the consultant or doctor who sent you for the sleep study and discuss it with them, ask if they would be willing to give you the prescription and give a temporary level to set the machine to until you can do the full trial. It might be better to rent for a few months anyway so you can see if the machine/mask is right for you.

Samuel T. Cogley · 29-01-2021 2:58pm

Davexirl wrote: »

I am waiting since September to go back in to St Vincents to start my CPAP trial. Doesn't look like I'll be going in anytime soon with the current Covid siutation.

Would I be mad to go buy a machine without having the trials in St Vincents?

You wouldn't know what pressure to use. I went through the same issues and wanted to do the same.

Dtoffee · 29-01-2021 7:01pm

Davexirl wrote: »

I am waiting since September to go back in to St Vincents to start my CPAP trial. Doesn't look like I'll be going in anytime soon with the current Covid siutation.

Would I be mad to go buy a machine without having the trials in St Vincents?

I bought my Resmed Airsense 10 on the net without any prescription, it was to replace my previous broken unit. The airsense 10 is basically a plug and play unit as it adjusts to your sleep apnea needs. When I contacted St Vincents SA clinic with the first few days results, the nurse said all was good and carry on as usual.

As others have said, talk to your GP but I doubt if the machine will do any harm to you as it only really kicks in when you need it. I cannot advise you what to do as the machine cost me around €850 and its a big gamble if it turns out you don't have SA.

Fathom · 29-01-2021 11:30pm

nibtrix wrote: »

You should contact the consultant or doctor who sent you for the sleep study and discuss it with them ...

Dtoffee wrote: »

As others have said, talk to your GP...

Good idea.

forzacalcio · 30-01-2021 2:03am

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

You wouldn't know what pressure to use. I went through the same issues and wanted to do the same.

Is it not automatic ? Mine always starts at 4 and during the night it goes full whack if needed and comes down then when not needed. It does wake me on full whack mind.

Dublinandy3 · 30-01-2021 8:32am

forzacalcio wrote: »

Is it not automatic ? Mine always starts at 4 and during the night it goes full whack if needed and comes down then when not needed. It does wake me on full whack mind.

It is automatic, yeah

Cushtie · 30-01-2021 9:13am

Dublinandy3 wrote: »

It is automatic, yeah

It's automatic, but I think you set a range for it. Minimum is 4. I think mine is set in a range of 4 to 16, would need to check it again.

Dublinandy3 · 30-01-2021 10:05am

Cushtie wrote: »

It's automatic, but I think you set a range for it. Minimum is 4. I think mine is set in a range of 4 to 16, would need to check it again.

Quite possibly, you're probably right. I had quite severe apnea so it does start of at 4 but soon goes up to the maximum. I wouldn't recommend buying one anyway regardless without seeing a professional first.

Up Donegal · 30-01-2021 8:34pm

When the machine pressure increases during the night, what does that mean?

nibtrix · 01-02-2021 10:39am

Up Donegal wrote: »

When the machine pressure increases during the night, what does that mean?

It means you're having more apneas and you need a greater air pressure to prevent them. Could be that you are deeper asleep, or moved into a different position, or a combination of reasons

The Mighty Quinn · 01-02-2021 11:02am

I have a pilairo q nasal mask. It's quite comfortable and works well. Except.... I'm a mouth breather. Second I fall asleep my mouth hangs open and there's loud whoosing as the air blows up my nose and out my mouth. So, I use a headstrap to keep the mouth closed. Honestly I feel ridiculous and find it all very embarrassing, even after several years. I'll only put it on in the dark, I hate my wife seeing me with it on. I'm in my mid 30s.

Does anybody else need a chin strap, and can you recommend one? Mine often comes lose or moves during the night.

nibtrix · 01-02-2021 11:18am

Have you tried a full face mask? One of the main reasons for choosing them is if you are a mouth breather

The Mighty Quinn · 01-02-2021 11:21am

I have tried on previously but found it didnt suit well, can't remember the type even. Unfortunately at over 100eur a pop I can't try a few either

looksee · 01-02-2021 12:27pm

I have an Airsense 10 and use a memoryfoam mask (its just taken me over a minute to recall the word 'memoryfoam', this is pretty typical). Pressure is 17 and provided I stay on my side I have events of often less than 1, generally under 3. If I turn onto my back in the night it can go up to double figures, 18 is the highest recently though my original diagnosis was 48. This only happens rarely though.

I think the pressure is too high at 17 and want the consultant to change the prescription to lower, I have been negotiating down from 24 over the past 12 months but the response is reluctant. My drop in events happened the same night I started sleeping on my side, very dramatically. Without CPAP (on the sleep test) 48. With BiPap and Cpap, in the high 20s and 30s. Overnight a drop to less than single figures. So I am pretty confident it has more to do with the position I sleep than the pressure (there are good reasons relating to my physiology for this).

So far, so good. However after 12 months I am not really feeling any better. I know I need the cpap as I have occasionally checked my blood oxygen levels overnight and without the cpap they are alarming, dips below 70 and consistently down in the 80s. I have the arrhythmia condition that relates to sleep apnoea so I know it is important.

But I am consistently tired, especially in the mornings. And foggy headed. I do not sleep during the day and do not get sleepy driving. If I did feel sleepy I just would not drive, but it is not an issue. I would love to surface from this fog though. While I have very good event readings I am often not getting enough time asleep. I take a long time to go to sleep - if it gets to more than an hour I get up and have a cup of hot milk or similar - but most nights I only get 3 to 4 hours. I have slept a bit better the last three nights but still I feel low and not getting going. Does anyone else understand this difference between tired/foggy and sleepy?

I feel that if the pressure were lower my sleep would not be as disturbed, I generally wake after about 2 hours then have to get back to sleep without taking off the mask. It is affecting my sinuses so I am even deafer than usual, I wear two hearing aids. The odd occasion I sleep over 5 or 6 hours I am full of wind.

To get to the point of my post, I have an appointment coming up with the consultant. I want to discuss the tiredness but when I went on the cpap there was a fair bit of fuss about being fit to drive and getting results that would allow me to drive (with my license endorsed). I am driving 50 years+ accident free, and, it turns out, a good few of those with SA. I don't get sleepy driving, if I was in any doubt at all I would just not drive. The letter to the Licensing Authority said that I was safe to drive provided my readings stayed good (I just managed to get the required week of consistent 6 hours using the machine, no-one stipulated I had to be asleep during those 6 hours). I am afraid if I discuss the issues my license will be revoked. With the Covid situation I am not driving very much anyway but I live very rural and could not be without the car. Has anyone any thoughts on this?

tldr, I have excellent event readings. I have often poor hours usage readings. I am consistently tired. I am afraid of losing my driving license if I discuss the tiredness. Any experiences, thoughts? Thankyou.

The Mighty Quinn · 01-02-2021 12:43pm

looksee wrote: »

Does anyone else understand this difference between tired/foggy and sleepy?

I don't get sleepy, my mind fogs. I completely get it. There's - in my opinion - no more a danger of me falling asleep at the wheel than anybody else without sleep apnoea.

But, my recall can take a while. I can't remember basic things sometimes, like a short shopping list of only a few items that I haven't written down.... and I'm 34.

Combining sleep apnoea with a newborn in the house the last year has been mind numbing. There's another baby arriving in May, and I don't know how I'm going to cope with it again, on top of a year of baby tiredness.

nibtrix · 01-02-2021 2:08pm

looksee wrote: »

I have an Airsense 10...

...I think the pressure is too high at 17 and want the consultant to change the prescription to lower....

...I feel that if the pressure were lower my sleep would not be as disturbed...It is affecting my sinuses so I am even deafer than usual, I wear two hearing aids. The odd occasion I sleep over 5 or 6 hours I am full of wind.

looksee, just picking out a few things from your post. I also have the Airsense 10 with a fixed air pressure set by my consultant (luckily I only need a setting of 10). However, that machine is designed to automatically raise and lower the pressure setting as needed. Would it be worth asking if you can have it changed to the automatic setting for a trial period, rather than trying to reduce the fixed pressure?

I would focus on the sleep disturbance, sinus issues and wind issues caused by the high pressure, rather than the tiredness if it was me.

If your consultant still doesn't think it's a good idea to change the settings, well, they are the expert and I assume they have years of experience dealing with patients with these issues.

However, it's your body and your machine, and while you need a prescription to get a CPAP there is no law or regulation which says you have to keep it at the original setting. The machines aren't locked, and for the Resmed Airsense 10 all you need to do is press the dial and the home button simultaneously and hold for 3 seconds to get into the settings.

Please note I am not a medical professional and I am not recommending to anyone that they change their CPAP settings without the advice of their consultant.

looksee · 01-02-2021 4:05pm

Ah, yes, I knew there was a way of doing that, I was instructed by the clinic over the phone (covid) how to change it the last time I spoke to the consultant about 8 months ago, but I don't retain anything for five minutes so I couldn't figure how to do it.

Yes, I will do the consultation and as you suggest concentrate on the physical issues - that was what i did the last time. I don't understand the huge reluctance to bring it down, after all if it produces more events then it can go back up again. I do agree as a last resort I may control it/experiment myself. There was a reason why it should not be on automatic, but I can't remember why.

Fathom · 04-02-2021 10:22pm

The Mighty Quinn wrote: »

I don't get sleepy, my mind fogs... But, my recall can take a while. I can't remember basic things sometimes, like a short shopping list of only a few items that I haven't written down.... and I'm 34.

Identify. I've got COVID brain fog.

The Mighty Quinn · 04-02-2021 11:34pm

Fathom wrote: »

Identify. I've got COVID brain fog.

Weirdly you're the third person to say that to me today. Covid life seems to be shutting people's brains down, or their ability to focus.

Fathom · 05-02-2021 11:39pm

Yo Quinn. Lots of folks classified as long term patients.

Bailey43 · 07-02-2021 4:21pm

Anyone have a increase in weight gain from using the cpap machine

beerguts · 07-02-2021 4:48pm

Bailey43 wrote: »

Anyone have a increase in weight gain from using the cpap machine

No I think that would be highly unusual. With cpap therapy you generally have better sleep patterns. You can lose weight from making better life choices from not being tired all the time

jesus_thats_gre · 07-02-2021 10:00pm

Bailey43 wrote: »

Anyone have a increase in weight gain from using the cpap machine

It was flagged with me as being common - few pounds anyway. Sweaty legs are seemingly down to how much you move in your sleep with each apnea event. The CPAP solves this. And it seemingly isn't uncommon that this can result in moderate weight gain.

Fathom · 08-02-2021 10:05pm

Bailey43 wrote: »

Anyone have a increase in weight gain from using the cpap machine

You might want to bring this up next time you see your GP?

Cushtie · 08-02-2021 10:14pm

Bailey43 wrote: »

Anyone have a increase in weight gain from using the cpap machine

I put on a shot alright. My CPAP therapy coincided with the start of Covid so I'm putting it down to that. Diet went to ****e. Have copped on a bit since Christmas and the weight is coming off again thankfully.

Fathom · 08-02-2021 10:20pm

Cushtie wrote: »

My CPAP therapy coincided with the start of Covid so I'm putting it down to that.

COVID has confounded a lot of therapies. It will be good when it has been controlled.

Bailey43 · 09-02-2021 8:29pm

Fathom wrote: »

You might want to bring this up next time you see your GP?

I have a appointment with my consultant the end of the month and I will mention it to him thanks

Fathom · 09-02-2021 8:58pm

Bailey43 wrote: »

I have a appointment with my consultant the end of the month and I will mention it to him thanks

Good show.

Sleep Apnoea and CPAP

Comments