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Sleep Apnea


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What kind of machine, and mask, do people prefer? Is there a preferred brand? At my sleep study I slept one hour and was told I have severe sleep apnea. No wonder my heart, and mind, are stressed to the max. If i can get some sleep maybe I'll be less irritable. Can't wait for the equipment prescription. If you don't get help from your CPAP tell me which machine and maybe there will be a pattern here.

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I have a lot of trouble with CPAP compliance. I need a full face mask and have trouble tolerating the CPAP, so I just did a biPAP titration. I may be one of those people who can't tolerate PAP treatment at all.

ETA: My full face with nasal pillows is a lot betters than a traditional full face mask.

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I've owned Resmed and Respironics and I prefer Respironics. I have a Remstar Pro M series with humidifier. I use a ComfortFull 2 mask. Full mask because I'm a mouth breather, which defeats the positive pressure when you're using a nasal mask. If I was to buy again I would get another Respironics current generation of the same series. Definitely get a humidifier. PM me and I'll tell you who I buy from.

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I have a CPAP machine, but I can't use it because my mask wore out, and I need a prescription from a sleep doctor to get a new one. It's been a long time since I last saw a sleep doctor, and I don't have insurance anymore.

How stupid is it to require a prescription to get a mask - it is just a piece of plastic.

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I'm waking up more tired for sure !!

I'm very excited, but I know once the plastic is on my face I will be distraught. I'm allergic and forgot to tell the doctor that. Hope the supply store staff are knowledgeable.

I get a trial run, but having two different masks sounds like a good idea.

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They should have at least a few masks for you to try out-- full face, chin strap, nasal, nostril pillows, etc. Remember that it's okay to tell the tech that you can't tolerate a mask and you'd like to try another one.

If you can get enough sleep that they can titrate you on a machine, that's great. Once you get a CPAP at home, there are all sorts of tricks you can use to get used to it.

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My hubby had terrible sleep apnea. I used to sleep with ear plugs and when possible, in a different room. He was a major ronkadora. My SIL, thank god, told us about sleep apnea. After the sleep studies, like Muriel said, he had to try different masks before he got one that was comfortable and he could sleep with. A local company brought the equipment and they were the same ones who switched out the masks, nozzles, etc. There are many different sizes and types to try.

This changed my life as well as his. I'll never forget Mexico City, freaking out that we left the damn machine on the plane. The sound of a cpap machine whooshing still makes me drowsy.

He and the cpap played well together for a few years. However eventually after seeing a throat specialist, hubby did some minor surgery. He had his uvula removed and some of the tissues around that area. He lost weight and the sleep apnea turned into minor sleep hypopnea.

Good luck with your mask selection and don't forget, if it doesn't work or feels uncomfortable, switch it out!

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Hi All. Got the machine and mask today. Yep.

Thanks for telling your story Water. I hope I can have surgery or something, because my skin is a mess already. Allergic to the extreme.

It6's silicone which ought to be fine, but the tubing is something else and the head gear is neoprene.

Don't know what I'm gonna do. I keep hoping if I let stuff off-gas then all might be good. Hopeful wishing probably..

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I hope I can have surgery or something, because my skin is a mess already. Allergic to the extreme.

This is the word for the surgery my hubby had:

uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

Took me a bit to find the spelling. :-}

It worked totally for him.

It is basically surgery for severe sleep apnea.

Hope the mask treats you well tonight!

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  • 2 months later...

Several years ago, my doc told me I needed a sleep study but that the sleep lab was temporarily out of commission. Small rural hospital. Can someone tell me what all goes on with these sleep studies? I want to know what to expect. I wake up gasping for breath, like i have died and come back. It is frightening and horrible and some days I feel so sleep deprived that I am then afraid I will have seizures. Thanks for any info.

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Mine also included the tech watching me all night on a video camera.

ETA: part way through the night they woke me up to have me use the toilet and then they put a cpap mask on me (continuous positive airway pressure), and they made adjustments on that while I was asleep. This was because they determined I have obstructive sleep apnea. This was efficient because it allowed the sleep study and cpap setting to be done all in one night, whereas for some people the cpap monitoring is done on a second night with a cpap that they send home with you overnight that you have to return the next day.

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