06-02-2024, 11:57 AM
(This post was last modified: 06-02-2024, 12:01 PM by TheBinarySon.
Edit Reason: Spelling error
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TheBinarySon's Treatment Thread
Hello everyone!
At the suggestion of PeaceLoveAndPizza, I am starting a thread to chart the beginning of my CPAP journey. Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc., are very much appreciated, as is all the work you guys have done on this forum and the corresponding wiki to provide such amazing support and information for folks!
So to begin at the beginning: I have depression and anxiety disorders, as well as ADHD. I mention this because these have symptoms including extreme fatigue, no motivation or energy, inability to start or finish tasks, etc. So this year, after 10 years of therapy, (and while being on 6 mental health meds), and after hitting over 400 lbs due to lack of energy and movement, I was advised by my therapist to also consider other possibilities that might be contributing to my issues, including getting tested for sleep apnea.
My doctor agreed, (as well as putting me on a statin and Mounjaro) and he referred me to Comprehensive Sleep Center here in Northern Virginia. After an initial consult, I had my sleep study, after which I was informed that my AHI and my average brain arousal per hour were both in the 30s, meaning I had severe sleep apnea. I then did a sleep titration study, but while I did not fall asleep for more than maybe a few minutes in total, the doctor said at my follow-up that it appeared that the obstructions could be taken care of with a relatively low pressure level of 8.
So, on May 24th, I went in and was given my Luna G3 from the newly rebranded React Health, chose my Philips Dreamwear Full Face Mask, and I've been using them every night since, and even during the day sometimes to get used to everything.
Now I only happened upon this forum last night, so I'm doing a lot of catching up with knowledge, but thus far I really like the mask and I even like the machine. I have included below what data the React Health phone app reports, and I was given a SD card even though it's set up for transfer of information to my doc via the cell modem. So, as long as when I put the card in it will save all previous data, I will work on setting that up this week.
But to be frank, I'm not sure what good any of the data will be thus far because I'm having trouble falling asleep just like at my titration study, so most of the data is from me being awake. I'm taking a little extra of my nightly medication to try and help fall asleep, but improvement is happening gradually. Thankfully, last night I came across a video that showed me how to access the clinical menu on the machine, and I was able to increase the ramp from 30 mins to the maximum of 60, which I think is going to help.
So there's the story thus far, and below is the data, but right now my focus is on actually sleeping and getting into a good cleaning routine for the equipment.
Anyway, thanks to anyone for stopping by, and while I'll report back when I have a week or two of actual sleep with the machine, if anyone has anything to share in the meantime, I'm all ears!
At the suggestion of PeaceLoveAndPizza, I am starting a thread to chart the beginning of my CPAP journey. Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations, etc., are very much appreciated, as is all the work you guys have done on this forum and the corresponding wiki to provide such amazing support and information for folks!
So to begin at the beginning: I have depression and anxiety disorders, as well as ADHD. I mention this because these have symptoms including extreme fatigue, no motivation or energy, inability to start or finish tasks, etc. So this year, after 10 years of therapy, (and while being on 6 mental health meds), and after hitting over 400 lbs due to lack of energy and movement, I was advised by my therapist to also consider other possibilities that might be contributing to my issues, including getting tested for sleep apnea.
My doctor agreed, (as well as putting me on a statin and Mounjaro) and he referred me to Comprehensive Sleep Center here in Northern Virginia. After an initial consult, I had my sleep study, after which I was informed that my AHI and my average brain arousal per hour were both in the 30s, meaning I had severe sleep apnea. I then did a sleep titration study, but while I did not fall asleep for more than maybe a few minutes in total, the doctor said at my follow-up that it appeared that the obstructions could be taken care of with a relatively low pressure level of 8.
So, on May 24th, I went in and was given my Luna G3 from the newly rebranded React Health, chose my Philips Dreamwear Full Face Mask, and I've been using them every night since, and even during the day sometimes to get used to everything.
Now I only happened upon this forum last night, so I'm doing a lot of catching up with knowledge, but thus far I really like the mask and I even like the machine. I have included below what data the React Health phone app reports, and I was given a SD card even though it's set up for transfer of information to my doc via the cell modem. So, as long as when I put the card in it will save all previous data, I will work on setting that up this week.
But to be frank, I'm not sure what good any of the data will be thus far because I'm having trouble falling asleep just like at my titration study, so most of the data is from me being awake. I'm taking a little extra of my nightly medication to try and help fall asleep, but improvement is happening gradually. Thankfully, last night I came across a video that showed me how to access the clinical menu on the machine, and I was able to increase the ramp from 30 mins to the maximum of 60, which I think is going to help.
So there's the story thus far, and below is the data, but right now my focus is on actually sleeping and getting into a good cleaning routine for the equipment.
Anyway, thanks to anyone for stopping by, and while I'll report back when I have a week or two of actual sleep with the machine, if anyone has anything to share in the meantime, I'm all ears!
