Update from the coconut oil guy

[Louis R.]

I wanted to get back to you folks of this forum with the latest results with regards to my sleep apnea issues. As I said in my "coconut oil remedy" thread, I was scheduled to have a sleep study in June. I know that some of you folks were anxious to know exactly what was going on with my sleep apnea... and many were very skeptical to my claim that coconut oil was helping me with this issue.

As the honest guy that I am I felt an obligation to come back to you folks and give you the latest details from the sleep study that I completed yesterday. (By the way these people were the best, this coming from someone who has had 5 studies) Let me summarize:
1) The mask that best fit and most comfortable- ResMed AirFit P10 Nasal Pillow
2) Slept 2 1/2 hours without CPAP and the technician said I had many episodes so I was hooked up to the machine.
3) Slept 3 1/2 hours with machine and the technician said it was successful. He varied the pressure from 4 to 8 and said that no episodes had occurred while hooked up.
The results/ Doctor's reading will not be available for 3 weeks but it looks like I will be a CPAP user. I'm anxious to see how a new machine with the Nasal Pillows will work for me with a full 7 to 7 1/2 hours of normal weekday sleep.

As for the virgin coconut oil, it was more effective for me with a pronounced positive effect the first month I took it. However, the sleepiness slowly came back after I posted my comments with you all over a month ago. What exactly was taking place in my brain/body I don't know but what I can say is that VCO seems to be helpful (for me) in keeping me asleep rather than waking up numerous times. It does not cure sleep apnea (I took my dose during the sleep study) but I feel that it can work like a sleeping pill for some people like myself. The decisions to use VCO is a personal one and I just want you all to listen to my story and decide for yourselves if it may be something you want to use, for sleeping or other things. I will also continue to take the VCO for the original reason why I began... Alzheimer's.

[Starrbelie]

Coconut oil is some awesome stuff!! I use it for lots of things!

Here's to a good night's sleep!!
Starr

[OpalRose]

Thank you Louis for reporting back. I'm glad you got tested and hopefully you will let us know the results.

As far as Coconut Oil, it can't hurt to try it.
Good luck.

[PaulaO2]

Thank you for reporting back! And thank you for being honest.

There are so many factors that go into our sleep. Far too many variables. Which is why we can't use one night's worth of data as "the way it is". Which is why when you do hear back from the doc, and before you get your machine, you want a data capable one. Nothing less than that will do. Chances are, the setting they reached on that one, single night of just 3.5hrs will not be the final setting.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices

And it is also why we'll never know why the oil worked or didn't work or stopped working. There's just too much going on. With a data capable machine, and better yet an autoPAP, if you continue to use the oil, you can see when/if it does or doesn't work in the future.

[Louis R.]

Thank you for reporting back! And thank you for being honest.

There are so many factors that go into our sleep. Far too many variables. Which is why we can't use one night's worth of data as "the way it is". Which is why when you do hear back from the doc, and before you get your machine, you want a data capable one. Nothing less than that will do. Chances are, the setting they reached on that one, single night of just 3.5hrs will not be the final setting.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices

And it is also why we'll never know why the oil worked or didn't work or stopped working. There's just too much going on. With a data capable machine, and better yet an autoPAP, if you continue to use the oil, you can see when/if it does or doesn't work in the future.

Yes... I finally had the sleep study that really was desarately needed. As I had mentioned in my initial posts, the last one that I had in 2007 was a disaster. I fell out of bed, I was very uncomfortable and I aborted the study about an hour into the machine/full mask portion because I just couldn't breath. Then after that the machine that I got for home plus the nose/mouth mask was a pain, and after a month of no real improvement I decided to drop it.
However, this time the nasal pillow did not bother me at all and I slept great for 3 1/2 hours (could have been the VCO )

Let's see what the doctor prescribes and then as you mentioned comes the fine tuning.

Will keep you all posted... Louis

[Louis R.]

Well after several months since my original VCO posts, and a new sleep study to verify my OSA, I am the owner of a CPAP machine that was delivered yesterday. I finally spoke with the doctor last Saturday and went over the results of the sleep study, and he prescribed a machine which was the same as I used in the study (ResMed Elite), however, my insurance company's service contract company gave me a substitute machine and I'm not sure if they helped me or they zinged me. I got a Respironics System One REMstar Auto A-Flex with heated humidifier.
The tech said that as directed it was programmed to 4 and auto ranges to 8... this since I had responded well to a 4 in the study. I used the machine 7 hours last night accompanied with the ResMed P10 Nasal Pillow mask and had no adverse issues... I slept quite comfortably with only one bathroom break. Now let's see how I hold up throughout the day. Any improvement should easily be noticeable since I had severe apnea. Oh and yes I took my dose of VCO before going to sleep.
I welcome any suggestions or recommendations from you CPAP pros. I have a follow-up visit with the sleep study doctor in a month... I would guess that I should take the memory card with me for his evaluation??
Louis

[Gru.]

The resmed elite is a good machine and is Data capable but lacks the auto ability. Its a Win Win for you! Data capable and auto if you need it in the future if your sleep study numbers are off. A sleep study is just a snapshot of one night in your life. Maybe you were sleeping on your side, 8cm mite be the magic #. Next time you sleep on your back that number mite be 14 cm. Respironics 560 is a top of the line machine. Be happy ya done Good!

[Louis R.]

The resmed elite is a good machine and is Data capable but lacks the auto ability. Its a Win Win for you! Data capable and auto if you need it in the future if your sleep study numbers are off. A sleep study is just a snapshot of one night in your life. Maybe you were sleeping on your side, 8cm mite be the magic #. Next time you sleep on your back that number mite be 14 cm. Respironics 560 is a top of the line machine. Be happy ya done Good!

No I didn't get a ResMed Elite, I got a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex. And I was wrong with what I had said that the doctor prescribed to the service provider... He wanted me to get a ResMed S9 Auto.
And my setting is definitely 4CM to 8CM (auto ranging)
LOUIS

[wordjoy]

The resmed elite is a good machine and is Data capable but lacks the auto ability. Its a Win Win for you! Data capable and auto if you need it in the future if your sleep study numbers are off. A sleep study is just a snapshot of one night in your life. Maybe you were sleeping on your side, 8cm mite be the magic #. Next time you sleep on your back that number mite be 14 cm. Respironics 560 is a top of the line machine. Be happy ya done Good!

No I didn't get a ResMed Elite, I got a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex. And I was wrong with what I had said that the doctor prescribed to the service provider... He wanted me to get a ResMed S9 Auto.
And my setting is definitely 4CM to 8CM (auto ranging)
LOUIS

I ran the CPAP only version of the model before that for 5 years and it worked well. The newest machines costs a lot and if you get them from a DME the added costs is a lot. My last REsperonics machine was billed out at almost $1900. With Insurance allowing $1200.

This time I just paid for one upfront and will haggle with insurance.. if not I can afford it.

While that is a previous model.. ITs a good machine. I think the new ones are a bit quieter, smaller and can send data over a celluar connection. but no deal breakers.

CPAP changed my life in many ways.. I had no idea why I was so tired, and I can drive for hours on a normal day and never get drowsy. and with my weight its probably keeping my from other complications.. so Good luck.. hope you adapt quickly..

[Gru.]

No I didn't get a ResMed Elite, I got a Respironics REMstar Auto A-Flex. And I was wrong with what I had said that the doctor prescribed to the service provider... He wanted me to get a ResMed S9 Auto.
And my setting is definitely 4CM to 8CM (auto ranging)
LOUIS

Ok! (You said they wanted to give you a resmed elite. ) ... My comment was its not a bad machine. (Then you said they gave you a substitute ) the respironics auto. (You asked if you got Zigged ) as to comparing a resmed elite to to a respironics auto, if you would have excepted the elite you would have gotten zigged ! But you said you excepted the respironics auto which is a far better machine because its a auto machine compared to the elite with data capable but no auto. I then explaned one advantage of a auto machine, cause most sleep studys don't capture our real life sleep patterns . Your asked for comments on your post on the two machines Elite vs PR auto! Just to clarify I Never said you had a resmed Elite.