Has anyone heard or used this device instead of CPAP

[Peyt]

Hi
Just wanted to give a report back,
It's been about 1 week since I started using Aveo TSD.
The first 2 nights were hell as I did not sleep at all.... 3rd night I slept a few hours but woke up several times, and starting the 4th night I got used to it.... at this point I sleep with it with very minimal problems. The only issue is that my tong gets dry after a few hours and also before falling sleep i salivate alot.

Improvements: I used to yawn after waking up in the morning and pretty much all day, and that has all stopped. I seem to have more energy too.

I think this device works much better than CPAP for people like myself who are light sleepers and can't handle a CPAP, but it's not for everybody. And it definitely works better than TMJ brace that I spent $2000 on and never wore!

I am happy so far.

[Adrianf]

I tried one of the in mouth contraptions and found it on the floor more times than in the mouth. Hated every minute of using it, it made my jaw ache even though it had been adjusted "properly"

Adrian

[Blaifarm]

Everyone says to "get used to it (the machine and mask)" and then says to use whatever you need to in order to use cpap therapy. I read on this board, and others, of people who have used this for some time and still do not benefit. What is any benefit from using cpap? Have there been any studies of people getting better (hypertension, diabetes, fatigue, just to name a few)? I am also not adapting to cpap at all. Would probably give it more of a shot if my wife would talk about it. You can probably tell I have a very bad attitude about cpap, so try to help me with more than the usual. Please don't anyone attack me as I have seen on some boards. If you can really give me some good suggestions for trying and/or continuing treatment. please do so.

[Tez62]

Blaifarm, in the end it is your decision whether you use it or not, if you don't, you will get worse, if you do, you should get better. If you have looked on other sites you will see the story of people that have lost their loved ones to sleep apnea and wish that they had either been diagnosed or if they had been diagnosed wished they had insisted that they use it. For myself, nearly 3 years ago, I was just waiting to die, I had clinical depression, aches and pains through my whole body, had 1-2 hours of non quality sleep per night, if I was lucky. I was hospitialised for not sleeping for a full week. Now 3 years on, after a lot of hard work, I walk 5 kilometers every night, I go to the gym everyday, I have none of those symptoms and I love life and love my CPAP. I now are going to have a good quality life and hopefully a long life. Like I said it's up to you.

[DeepBreathing]

G'day Blaifarm.

Apologies to the OP for hijacking this thread but I think Blaifarm has raised a really serious question. I read somewhere that less than 50% of people who start on CPAP are still going a year later.

OK, first the sermon, then some hopefully helpful hints...

I was very much an apnea denier. I had a GP recommend a sleep test, "just in case" but I refused to do it. She Who Must be Obeyed was always complaining about my snoring - even moving out of our bedroom on occasions, but she didn't think I stopped breathing. I used to get really tired, falling asleep in front of the TV or computer. Even nodding off at the wheel - on one occasion I actually pulled off the road on the way to work and had a half hour sleep in my car. I used to miss at least one day of work a week because I couldn't get going in the morning. I put all this down to overwork, stress and other health issues.

I've had heart arrhythmia for a while but it started getting painful, so I saw a cardiologist who also recommended a sleep study and showed me statistics linking apnea and heart problems. I went to the sleep test and when they told me I had very severe apnea (AHI >60) I didn't believe it. I made them show me the charts and graphs, and only then did I believe I had a problem.

What is any benefit from using cpap? Have there been any studies of people getting better (hypertension, diabetes, fatigue, just to name a few)?

I can't point you to any studies, but I'm sure some of the other members can. With a data point of one (me) I can tell you:

1. I no longer nod off at the wheel or while working at my computer
2. I no longer wake up with a splitting headache and overall aches and pains
3. I no longer miss work because I'm so tired
4. My heart arrhythmia is very much improved and most of the pain has gone
5. My beloved has moved back into our bedroom

I don't know if apnea treatment will reverse things like diabetes, but I'm pretty sure it will help the control these conditions and stop them getting worse.

It's taken while to see these improvements. For the first few weeks I couldn't sleep with the machine on, kept taking the mask off in my sleep, woke up feeling worse than before. With help from the people on this forum and a really great therapist, things gradually got better. But it did take a change of machine (to an ASV type) and about four or five different masks before things really improved. I had my sleep test on 28 August, and it's only in the past few weeks that I feel I've turned the corner.

So, some practical things you can do to help get over the hump.

1. You need a support network. You mention your wife is unable to talk about the situation - that is sad, but also understandable. It's not really an easy condition to understand. She really has no idea of what you're going through. However, you have people of this forum, and you have your medical team. Ask as many questions as you want here, no matter how silly or trivial they might seem. The only stupid question is the one that wasn't asked. Talk to your doctors and therapists. If necessary, bully them into working with you to get this thing on track.

2. Get your mask right. If the mask leaks or is uncomfortable, everything else is wasted. Again, if necessary, bully your supplier into trying different types. Some people are best with a full face mask, other prefer the nasal type. Try them out and see what is best for you. Remember, if the mask ain't right, nothing else will work either.

3. Get hold of software that will let you monitor your own progress. Sleepyhead is a free download and is easy to use. Once you can see the flow rate and pressure graphs, and how these relate to your apneas and hypopneas, you'll be able to start controlling your own treatment. And you can always ask questions here to help interpret what the software is telling you. It also gives you a solid base to discuss things with your doctor or therapist.

4. If you experience dry mouth or stuffy nose, try adjusting the humidity on your machine. I like to have it way up high. I also put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a tissue and place it near the machine, so I get some "aromatherapy" which helps keep my pipes open.

5. If the hose is a problem, you can get a device which will hold it up higher, so that it doesn't drag on you if you move around in your sleep. You can also try a slimline hose which is lighter and more flexible.

6. Pillow - if you sleep on your side or stomach, the mask is likely to get dislodged or pushed off your face. You can get specially shaped pillows that help reduce this problem. In my case I use a duck feather pillow and when I roll over I just sort of punch it into shape. It works for me.

OK, that's enough for now. I was a denier, and now I'm a believer. I really believe that CPAP has done me a power of good. I hope you'll get some benefit from it as well.

[Chuck73]

I can relate well to the difficulty you experienced with the cpap. I had some of those also. For me, the solution to opening mouth and loosing therapy and gaining an extremely dry mouth, was the use of a (ffm) Full Face Mask. And if necessary one can also use a chin strap even with a full face mask.

I do not recall just how long it took me to acclimate to the mask and therapy, but I do remember that with the cpap ,even when getting used to it. I slept better, (yes I woke up to reset the mask, adjust the hose position, etc. but after only a few nights It Was Very apparent that my energy levels were up and I felt better.

Now that I have used a cpap for several years, I am used to waking up refreshed and able to feel OK now, rather than tired all the time. So I do not notice a great difference, the time has erased my memory of the symptoms I had before cpap.

PS> Oh yeh, no more heart attacks either.

May you find a way to breath properly while sleeping...Best to you in your quest for good sleep.

regards, chuck

[elliott2]

I was having problems with my mouth opening up during the night and waking me up. When I talked to my DME he told me that chin straps generally don't work unless you have muscle issues and can't hold your mouth closed or are very old and have the same issue. I saw a suggestion to get an Ace bandage to try out the chin strap without spending a bunch of money. I picked up an Ace bandage and tried it for a few days and it made a major improvement in the leak rate, the noise and the wake up call in the middle of the night. I've since purchased a ResMed chin strap from ebay and it works very well and is WAY more comfortable then the Ace bandage. The only draw back, when I was using the Ace bandage I had a major mummy look in the morning and that's gone with the chin strap.:-)

[bobzzz]

I tried this and I felt it could work, but my nighttime brain was just too creative in getting it to release my tongue. All you have to is bite the device ever so gently, curl the tongue a little bit and the air pressure is gone and tongue is Free! I learned to keep it in my mouth, but my tongue would not stay in. Maybe it is because I am one of those that can curl the tongue. If you are not genetically disposed to tongue curling, it might stay on.

[KIlroy]

I first heard about this from my dental hygienist. My dentist was fitting and selling them for $250. My dental hygienist had been using the CPAP for years. But she was going to be going on a trip to Peru to do missionary dental work where there would be no electricity. She started out using the device while using the CPAP. She said she felt better than just using the CPAP. She has a friend who is a sleep technician who did a sleep study for her using the device. The study that night show the device was working very well. A year later this is all she is using and she's very happy with it. I purchased one online and began to try it. It is difficult to get used to for me. I gave it up but about two weeks ago I started to try it again. I am starting with a few hours at a time while using the CPAP. I assume if you use it while using a data recording CPAP. You would be able to tell the difference between using it and not using it and tell if it is working. If your apnea problem is not your tongue falling back then of course it won't work.