[CPAP] Not Doing well

[justMongo]

...Nasal breathing is more efficient since it introduces nitric acid (your nose produces that) into the air stream...

Surferdude: I didn't know that. BTW -- is it nitric acid or nitric oxide? I know nitric oxide plays a role in vasodilation and the regulation of blood pressure.

Mongo

[Adoniscmj]

I have a ResMed Air Sense 10 Autoset. I don't believe I need anything like a Bipap or ASV machine. The machine itself is super quiet and gives me real detailed insight into my therapy when plugged into Sleepy Head. This has at least helped me to continue as I am a really analyitical person. I think perhaps the mask maybe part of the problem as far as coming off when I sleep on my side. However, I am not telling everything that causes me sleep disturbances. I should say that if Apnea was my only problem I would be sleeping well with this machine, However I have chronic pain due to severe spinal stenosis and also Crohn's disease. I also seem to have a problem with severe
muscle twitching as I fall asleep. I averaged 107 movements per hour and that was a good night. So there is more going on that complicates things, I would just like to sleep and it can be real frustrating.

[surferdude2]

What a dumb mistake on my part! Of course I meant to type nitric oxide. Nitric acid would likely clear out your nose and perhaps the rest of your head as well! Very funny...NOT.

[quiescence at last]

@Adonis - welcome. sorry you are so uncomfortable, by all rites you should be feeling better, and at least you are when you can sleep in excess of 2 hour chunks. both the water and the air leaks would be rather aggravating.

do you have your machine and humidifier container a foot or two below your head when sleeping? That is one rather decent advisory note you would get if the DME was up to snuff. This way, the water that might collect in the hose should drain back to the tank.

on cooling with something icy, do you fill with ice, ice water, or icy cold water? I would argue that crushed ice alone would give you the longest lasting benefit,

I wonder also if you breathed in air that was extremely fresh and lightly minty whether you would get a sensation of cool. maybe if you were used to those kinds of sensation during the day, you might be missing them at night.

lastly, on deviated septum, I would definitely see if they can fix you up. upper respiratory resistance would lead to shallower breathing. do you sleep better on one side than another? a friend slept better on one side until they got their deviated septum fixed, and now is comfortable on both sides. they also had sleep apnea, and still do after the operation. your mileage may vary.

I wish you success in conquering those pesky issues and once again getting deep enjoyable sleep.

QAL

[Adoniscmj]

Last night was horrible. I lasted one hour. I woke up to my tongue hurting and it was pasted to my teeth. I put the hose in a bucket of ice to cool it and I have ice water in my humidifier's tank. I did turn on the climate line tube and it prevented the rain out for the hour I used it. I need to figure this out because I feel worse than ever when I have broken sleep. I have not missed one night with the CPAP but I have noticed that my time on it is shrinking. I need to make compliance or they wont pay for it and I will be stuck with the bill. I should just give it back to the DME and buy one online out of pocket. That way I at least don't have to worry about compliance. Speaking of compliance, my doctor wants to check my compliance every six months after one year. At one year insurance will have paid for the thing so I don't understand why I should have to prove compliance after one year. This really made me angry. I am not a child and don't need a doctor meddling in my life. Has any one else had their doctor tell them the same?

[krelvin]

Last night was horrible. I lasted one hour. I woke up to my tongue hurting and it was pasted to my teeth. I put the hose in a bucket of ice to cool it and I have ice water in my humidifier's tank.

Hmmm, the colder the air the LESS moisture it can carry. You are using ice water in the tank and then saying your mouth is dry. Not a big surprise there.

The whole point of a "Heated Humidifier" is so that the warmer air carries more moisture.

As for a dry mouth, for most, this is due to air leakage from the mouth.

Speaking of compliance, my doctor wants to check my compliance every six months after one year. At one year insurance will have paid for the thing so I don't understand why I should have to prove compliance after one year. This really made me angry. I am not a child and don't need a doctor meddling in my life. Has any one else had their doctor tell them the same?

More likely your Insurance wants to see compliance to continue to pay for supplies.

[Adoniscmj]

Last night was horrible. I lasted one hour. I woke up to my tongue hurting and it was pasted to my teeth. I put the hose in a bucket of ice to cool it and I have ice water in my humidifier's tank.

Hmmm, the colder the air the LESS moisture it can carry. You are using ice water in the tank and then saying your mouth is dry. Not a big surprise there.

The whole point of a "Heated Humidifier" is so that the warmer air carries more moisture.

As for a dry mouth, for most, this is due to air leakage from the mouth.

Speaking of compliance, my doctor wants to check my compliance every six months after one year. At one year insurance will have paid for the thing so I don't understand why I should have to prove compliance after one year. This really made me angry. I am not a child and don't need a doctor meddling in my life. Has any one else had their doctor tell them the same?

More likely your Insurance wants to see compliance to continue to pay for supplies.

When I asked my doctor about this he seemed as if he was doing something wrong and he started back peddling. He said that he puts that in his instructions so if you want to or it's helpful you can choose to follow up every 6 months and some people find this helpful. I said by then my CPAP will be paid for and I don't see the need to keep coming in and spending 250 dollars out of pocket every 6 months for no good reason other than checking up on me and making sure that complying for the last year wasn't a fluke. Like I am going to toss the thing in my closet and not use it.

[player]

If you have apnea, you need to figure this out and make it work for you.

What are your ramp numbers when you start? If they are too low and too slow
it can feel like you are suffocating.

What masks have you tried? The nasal pillows are super comfortable. The P10 and the
Pilairo Q are my favorites.

I also use Lanolin around my nasal openings to keep the tissue from getting raw and help make
a better seal.

[Sleeprider]

I really appreciate the response, I have been cooling the hose by putting it into a cooler full of ice. The air from the machine even at room temp. is just to warm for me. I have anxiety attacks from it because it doesn't seem like I am breathing if the air is warm and humid. I didn't want to use the air conditioner yet as it isn't that hot here yet. As far as the mask, I was given the machine and the mask. Then released to go and try it. The DME didn't take any time to show me any options but they did stress to me the importance of compliance. Ok, if they are so worried about compliance you would think they would take the time to show me some options. I will call my doctor monday and see what he wants me to do but He is about as useless as the DME.

The moisture in your hose is the result of immersing the hose in an ice chest. This cools the hose liner causing moisture to condense and accumulate in the breathing line. If we can change the configuration slightly, I think we can solve your problem, while still delivering cold air. You need to somehow deliver cold air to the CPAP air intake, not cool the air after the CPAP, essentially creating a condenser.

One option was previously suggested, to actually duct from your HVAC, air conditioned air. That has the disadvantage that your air conditioning system will cycle through the night.

If you could create two holes in your cooler, one for intake air, and one to duct air to your CPAP, you could use it as a pre-chiller. The air would be delivered cooler to you, and would not be chilled to the condensation point in the hose. You need to make the holes above the melted water line, and you need to duct the chilled air to the intake of your CPAP using as short a section of hose or duct as possible. You will need to fashion an intake adapter for the CPAP so that you can attach the chilled air line.

Alternatively, you could put your CPAP into a mini refrigerator as long as you also cut a hole for your hose and power. If those holes are not sealed, they will also serve as the intake vent. Think of a Kegerator. These are very easy to modify because they have a hole for the beer faucet tower on the top. Place your CPAP on the bottom and bringing the hose through the tower fitting without the tower. Enough air will enter the refrigerator past your CPAP hose, and will pass through the entire refrigerator area to the CPAP intake, where the chilled air will be delivered up the hose to you. The refrigeration coils are very easily seen, and you can cut holes everywhere but through the coolant panel in the back.

Let me know if you need pictures. Home Depot sells a Kegerator for under $300 that would work, or any mini-fridge for slightly over $100 where you can see the coolant panel and not cut it would work. Hey, if you fail at CPAP, at least you could have cold beer, and it will double as a night stand. Water will not condense in your hose since it will be slightly warmer going towards the mask, rather than being chilled.

[Adoniscmj]

I really appreciate the response, I have been cooling the hose by putting it into a cooler full of ice. The air from the machine even at room temp. is just to warm for me. I have anxiety attacks from it because it doesn't seem like I am breathing if the air is warm and humid. I didn't want to use the air conditioner yet as it isn't that hot here yet. As far as the mask, I was given the machine and the mask. Then released to go and try it. The DME didn't take any time to show me any options but they did stress to me the importance of compliance. Ok, if they are so worried about compliance you would think they would take the time to show me some options. I will call my doctor monday and see what he wants me to do but He is about as useless as the DME.

The moisture in your hose is the result of immersing the hose in an ice chest. This cools the hose liner causing moisture to condense and accumulate in the breathing line. If we can change the configuration slightly, I think we can solve your problem, while still delivering cold air. You need to somehow deliver cold air to the CPAP air intake, not cool the air after the CPAP, essentially creating a condenser.

One option was previously suggested, to actually duct from your HVAC, air conditioned air. That has the disadvantage that your air conditioning system will cycle through the night.

If you could create two holes in your cooler, one for intake air, and one to duct air to your CPAP, you could use it as a pre-chiller. The air would be delivered cooler to you, and would not be chilled to the condensation point in the hose. You need to make the holes above the melted water line, and you need to duct the chilled air to the intake of your CPAP using as short a section of hose or duct as possible. You will need to fashion an intake adapter for the CPAP so that you can attach the chilled air line.

Alternatively, you could put your CPAP into a mini refrigerator as long as you also cut a hole for your hose and power. If those holes are not sealed, they will also serve as the intake vent. Think of a Kegerator. These are very easy to modify because they have a hole for the beer faucet tower on the top. Place your CPAP on the bottom and bringing the hose through the tower fitting without the tower. Enough air will enter the refrigerator past your CPAP hose, and will pass through the entire refrigerator area to the CPAP intake, where the chilled air will be delivered up the hose to you. The refrigeration coils are very easily seen, and you can cut holes everywhere but through the coolant panel in the back.

Let me know if you need pictures. Home Depot sells a Kegerator for under $300 that would work, or any mini-fridge for slightly over $100 where you can see the coolant panel and not cut it would work. Hey, if you fail at CPAP, at least you could have cold beer, and it will double as a night stand. Water will not condense in your hose since it will be slightly warmer going towards the mask, rather than being chilled.

Well, as far as the ramp it is set to 5 minutes at a starting pressure of 5.8. That is really not an issue for me as I have changed it from what it was originally. I have found also that I can chill the hose as long as I keep the climate tube on at 60 degrees. I guess my issue now is the mask. It is a ResMed P10 and it keeps getting off center at night so I wake up and end up removing it. I always have the intention to put it back on but I fall asleep so quikly without it that is what ends up happening. I understand that I need to use it but so far it has been a real struggle. I hope that in the future they come up with a better option for all of us.