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RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
I've started incrementally moving up towards 8 for min. pressure. Last night I was at 7.8 and more restless, so I'll give it a few more nights before the next upward shift. Thanks for all your advice. I'm taking a break from all the medical forums for a bit. Between the tinnitus and CPAP research of the last few months, I'm so burnt out on myself! Will continue working towards more solid stints of sleeping. Donated to the forum since it and OSCAR are invaluable. I walked out of the DME provider with a CPAP machine and little support, so I absolutely understand why so many people struggle with it. This forum and your assistance is greatly appreciated!
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
We will be here for you. Thank you for the donation, It is a very good cause.
I do hope we exceeded your minimal expectations for improvement in sleep quality.
Do check in with us for a follow up when you get a chance,
I expect it will take a while for the improvements to stabilize.
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
Update: Things are starting to become more consistent. While I still have a few positional apneas happening, the amount and quality of sleep makes up for it. Will be trying suggestion for travel pillow soon since collar seems unworkable for me. 8 min pressure seems to be working for me.
The assurance that once I put on my mask, I'll get decent sleep is miles from where I started just a month and a half ago. My energy levels are up and I've gradually stretched my actual sleeping time from under 5 hours to 6. 5 with hope that I'll get to 7 (which seems to be my sweet spot).
Preparing for some traveling, so we'll see how it goes in multiple hotels and environments, but will be bringing all the gear. Decided against travel machine since the ResMed 10 is not particularly big and travel machines are ridiculously expensive.
In this process, I've had no followup from either the DME or the sleep doctor. Fortunately between this forum and an online DME, I was able to try different masks, make pressure adjustments, and psychologically come to terms with the whole CPAP routine.
Thought I'd do a check-in before bringing this whole show on the road and again say thank you for all the assistance and advice.
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
Do let us know how your sleep on the road goes, that can introduce additional factors that may affect sleep quality and quantity. Changes in Altitude and Latitude are obvious factors to consider. If travelling by aircraft, longitudinal changes, often referred to as Jet Lag can be a factor. Not to mention all of the other sleep environment changes you will encounter.
I was wondering, although I never mention it, your snoring as indicated on your sleep report, was nearly at the same db as a lawn mower, has it become less audible?
Did we at least meat if not exceed your expectation of "more better than a sweaty zombie meat sack"?
From the Statistics area of the left hand panel, your scores for Flow Limits, Leak Rate and Snore are very respectable. The Flow Rate Graph in the main body of OSCAR looks good.
How are you doing with synchronizing your Pulse/Oximeter time to your OSCAR Report time?
Big Wing has shared a unique way of synchronizing the time of his CPAP with Pulse/Oximeter. It is worth a review.
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
My snoring hardly happens anymore and my family said it seems weird how quiet I am when I sleep! Also, for a bonus round - the acid reflux I'd had frequently at night for 20 years since having my kid is gone - untreated and just absolutely gone. I'm trying not to hold onto regrets that I didn't get tested sooner and just focus on how much better my sleep is getting and how much better I feel.
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
THREE MONTH UPDATE: Managed a 10-day road trip with CPAP. First time traveling with it and it went really well! Had to rig hotel ironing boards for hose hanger, since there was often not a good place to clamp it, but for the most part, it worked out well. My stats were great for the whole trip. Flying in the fall with it and feeling more confident. Overall, as I am about to hit the 3-month mark, I'm sleeping better and better and feeling more optimistic.
I'm grateful for this forum and for being able to dig in on how to make this work. 4 masks later, and I'm doing well with nasal pillows and mouth tape. The assumptions that being a mouth breather means you can't use a nasal mask really led me astray at the beginning. I'm even having a night or two now without the tape and keeping my mouth closed without getting leaks. I'm noticing better muscle retention from workouts and sharper cognitive skills. CPAP absolutely ended acid reflux for me and I'm not getting up repeatedly to hit the can. The only odd thing is I seem to have an unending appetite - hungry ALL THE TIME. I hope this adjusts itself!
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
Your last two post really do help encourage other new users to continue the therapy and work through the difficult parts to achieve the status of: Feeling More Better than A Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack, Now Unending appetite-Hungry ALL THE TIME!
It is not unheard of where people feel more energized with all of the other health benefits you mentioned. If you are more active than you were before, your body will be able to handle the additional nutrient uptake. I tried to balance a healthy diet with exercise, even if it is only gardening, I eat the results of my exercise. You can eat a lot of vegetables and not gain too much weight.
I just reread your entire thread, their is a lot of good information archived for you to review in the future. As your body heals and adapts to the new life, your needs are going to change. Mask that once fit leak free will suddenly no longer fill the need, body changes will dictate therapy pressure changes. So the journey is unfolding in front of you and you now have the knowledge of where to seek help for things beyond your capabilities.
It is very enjoyable reading the last couple of posts. They read text book what Dr. Krakow and Dr. Parks have said about PAP therapy correcting for other symptoms from acid reflux to nocturia, if you get a chance their books add a lot of good information.
It took years for all of this to build up, I suspect it will take some more time for the body to totally heal. The good news is if you have seen this much improvement, what can come next? Enjoy your journey, post back often. Do not be afraid to post an OSCAR Report.
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
Thank you for the follow up response. I've attached last night's report which isn't one of my better ones, because we had wicked thunderstorms last night and I was woken up a lot, but still an improvement over initial reports. After adjusting my minimum pressure upward, I found 7.8 to be best for me, due to ear pressure that made my tinnitus worse at 8 or above. I assume that I will need to adjust in the future depending on any health changes. While I have a voracious appetite these days and gained a few pounds, that has stabilized over the last month and my muscle gains likely have more to do with that than anything else. I forgot to mention the biggest benefit while I was on the road with CPAP - I didn't keep anyone awake with freight train snoring, because that is essentially gone as well! My sleep has extended to a solid 6.5 hours and I fall asleep within 15 minutes of putting the mask on. I now have REM and deep sleep regularly, which I wasn't getting most nights. If I sound like I'm gushing, I am a bit. The first two months were very difficult, but now I see and feel concrete results.
Thanks for the book references - I'll check them out. The last thing I wanted to mention is that I've completely disconnected from my DME provider, since I purchased my machine outright and they tried to bill my insurance company regardless. I've had great luck with supplies using online vendors (more choices, better prices, good mask return policies). I was also able to follow up with my sleep doctor by sending an OSCAR report, which fully satisfied the information they wanted about my therapy. I don't have to been seen for 2-3 years again unless I have issues. All in all, it feels like a success story when there is so much to learn and a lot of struggle initially.
RE: MaggieL, Better than a Sweaty Zombie Meat Sack Therapy Thread
For seasonal illness & allergies or travel to higher altitude you may have to adjust your settings for optimal performance. It would be best adjusting 0.2 cmH2O at a time. You have this balanced out so well, that only minor adjustments should be required for most occasions.
I was going to ask about the snoring. Your sleep report put it at the same Db as standing next to an older gas powered lawn mower with the muffler blown out. *PAP therapy is not just for the health of the individual, but also for the health of the family and relationships we share with others. I can imagine family members are amazed with the change.
I often think of my father, who became a crotchety old man that rubbed everyone the wrong direction, I would have liked to seen him get PAP therapy so people could remember him as I knew he could be.
If this is Gushing, you can gush all over the forum. We share in your emotional rejoicing and gain much from knowing we have change lives for the better.
Machine: Remediated Dreamstation APAP-CPAP Mode Mask Type: Full face mask Mask Make & Model: Airfit F20 Humidifier: Built In CPAP Pressure: CPAP 15cmH2O CPAP Software: OSCAR
if not exceed your expectation of "more better than 
Your last two post really do help encourage other new users to continue the therapy and work through the difficult parts to achieve the status of: 
