04-28-2021, 02:23 PM
New(ish) user. Need general help!
Hey Everyone! I am back again from my first post about 8 months ago...I think, in my mind that feels right..lol! I was having major issues with central apneas. You advised me to puchase a new style of machine that is a step up from a bipap machine. unfortunately, I am on a fixed budget and I couldn't afford to do that. instead, I scheduled another drs. appointment for 4 months later. The waiting time in my area is insane, and I feel that is a huge part of the struggles in my story. When I did finally get to the dr. I told him what you guys said and he immediately took a stand-offish tone as if I was calling him not good at his job or something like that. He said there was no way he could do that without scheduling another sleep study. I am still paying on the $2800 dollars of my own money for a sleep study that the insurance company didnt cover. the sleep study was only two years ago and I cant keep putting myself into debt for less than ideal results. I will start saving for the machine like you told me too. I asked him to at least write me a prescription for a new bipap machine which he did.
This year I was gifted an apple watch for christmas. In a couple of weeks of wearing it, I quickly saw that my oxygen levels were getting down to 85% pretty regurly while I was sleeping. I began to take iron supplements which didn't seem to have much of an effect on the levels. I bought an oximeter off of amazon and compared the two readings to make sure my iwatch wasn't just off. I further checked it at a counselors office. it seems to be correct. i scheduled an appointment for a different sleep doctor but its still 6 months out.
Through a sad event of a close friend passing, I came into ownership of a oxygen producing machine. I bought the tee piece and started running about 2l of oxygen into my mask at night. The effect was noticable the first night. I had much more enrgey during the day, and I thought a lot clearer. My ahi reading which had been in the teens, went much lower. I was able to get it down to below five each night when I got it tuned in with the machine.
It seems the lower I go with my machine pressures, the lower my ahi reading goes. The only problem is that it seems that I sometimes feel starved for air pressure and rip off the mask in the middle of the night.
My counselor says this is a bad idea becasuse a doctor should be doing it. Can I get some advice on whether this is safe. Could it be possible i dont need bipap at night just the oxygen, thats why the lower my pressures are, the lower my ahi? I will still save up for the fancier machine if this doesn't work and i thnk you in advance!
Also, can someone point me to the directions on how to upload my sleep files so that maybe somebody can finetune my machine for me?
This year I was gifted an apple watch for christmas. In a couple of weeks of wearing it, I quickly saw that my oxygen levels were getting down to 85% pretty regurly while I was sleeping. I began to take iron supplements which didn't seem to have much of an effect on the levels. I bought an oximeter off of amazon and compared the two readings to make sure my iwatch wasn't just off. I further checked it at a counselors office. it seems to be correct. i scheduled an appointment for a different sleep doctor but its still 6 months out.
Through a sad event of a close friend passing, I came into ownership of a oxygen producing machine. I bought the tee piece and started running about 2l of oxygen into my mask at night. The effect was noticable the first night. I had much more enrgey during the day, and I thought a lot clearer. My ahi reading which had been in the teens, went much lower. I was able to get it down to below five each night when I got it tuned in with the machine.
It seems the lower I go with my machine pressures, the lower my ahi reading goes. The only problem is that it seems that I sometimes feel starved for air pressure and rip off the mask in the middle of the night.
My counselor says this is a bad idea becasuse a doctor should be doing it. Can I get some advice on whether this is safe. Could it be possible i dont need bipap at night just the oxygen, thats why the lower my pressures are, the lower my ahi? I will still save up for the fancier machine if this doesn't work and i thnk you in advance!
Also, can someone point me to the directions on how to upload my sleep files so that maybe somebody can finetune my machine for me?
