Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here

[DH575]

The beginning of this year had badly deviated septum repaired and sinus declogged.
No more post nasal drip. Now I use Aircurve vauto at epap 10 ps 5. AHI always less than 1. 
I am very happy with my results. Thanks for the help.

[AirheadDi]

I am so happy to have found this forum.
I was diagnosed with OSA twenty eight years ago, and have been using CPAP since then.  I have to -- if I don't, I just keep nodding off and jerking awake.  Before I was diagnosed, I was falling asleep every time I sat down at work, and got scarey sleepy any time I had to drive more than twenty minutes on the freeway.  Fortunately a few years before that I had been working in a hospital with a sleep center and learned enough about sleep disorders to understand that I was having a problem and so asked for a referral for evaluation.  I had the overnight sleep study, the median sleep latency study, and then an overnight titration study.  After that night with CPAP in the lab I felt so much better that I was pretty much instantly hooked.  They sent me home from the lab with my own machine and nasal pillows because I am rather clautrophobic, and I have had no more daytime sleepiness or sleepy driving. I think I must have been sort of unusual, because it really was very easy for me to adapt.
Over the years I have sometimes had a sore nose from the nasal pillows -- I think I used to use Neosporin or something similar when that happened -- and for a while I used a primitive chin strap to keep my mouth shut and my headgear on my head. Eventually I learned to sleep with my mouth closed and stop pulling off my headgear in my sleep.
I have been using my current machine for sixteen years, and a couple of weeks ago I started thinking it would be a good idea to find out what kinds of CPAP equipment are currently available. I haven't been in contact with anyone in the CPAP world since I got this machine, and all I can say is that things sure have changed. My machine has got a card in it, but I think the only data it collects is about the hours it has been used. Sometimes when I read about new machines I think I would just like to find another antique like mine somewhere and forget about the data, but at my age I have some health concerns that suggest paying more attention to the quality of my sleep might be a good idea.
I think for anyone just getting started in all of this what will be most helpful is that positive mental attitude along with patience. Of course, it's also helpful if you can get some good nights of sleep, so you at least have an idea how good it can feel.

[stevew77]

I had three cpaps before I got before my ASV, and I had my ASV three times, I now have my ASV forever. To make it short, I love my ASV!!!

[mmccobb]

Update 10/23
[As it turns out some years later, I've realized that my jaw pain was more likely caused by job stress.  As I reduced that stress and focused on not tensing my jaw muscles the pain is mostly gone now.  Just wanted to recant some of what I had originally thought were the causes below in case anyone reads this looking for similar help.]

I'm new to this board and I hope this is the right place and way to post this, so please let me know if it's not.  I've struggled with Bruxism (teeth grinding) for over 10 years now.  My jaw would hurt during the day so badly that it was a huge effort to try to speak clearly and when I did it was painful.  I had no idea what was going on at that time or why this was happening.  I went to several TMJ and other Dr.'s, but they seemed to have no idea and said my jaw bones, muscles and everything looked fine.  Most of them blamed it on my bite from have orthodontry work over the years or ridiculous things like the way I’m holding my chin at my work desk.  I didn't think this was accurate, but accepted it and just lived with the pain.  My dentist finally realized after a few years that I was grinding my teeth at night, from the wear that was now so apparent, and he fitted me with an bruxism appliance.  This made the condition slightly more bearable, but not a whole lot and at least I wasn't damaging my teeth as much anymore.  I lived with the pain for another 8 years.  Then recently, the jaw pain seemed to be worsening.  I decided to find another Dr. and give it another try.  I found a dentist who also had degrees in TMJ/Bruxism and specialized in that area.  She made me a new bruxism appliance, which reduced my jaw pain much more than the one from the non-specialized dentist.  This was reducing the pain somewhat, but I had still not gotten to the root cause.  So I said to the Dr. at one of my fitting sessions, this appliance is much better, thank you, but the open question is why am I doing this at night?  She said, oh yes, you’ll also need to go for a sleep study, here's a prescription.  I said, what?  She said you probably have sleep apnea, do you snore?  I said yes, like a train, I've been told.  She said, yes that’s another symptom and what might be happening is your airway is closing at night because your palate relaxes.  Your brain then triggers your teeth to grind in an effort to reopen the airway.  Its instinctual and subconscious and you'll have no recollection of doing this every night.  Needless to say, I was amazed with her answer.  Finally, a logical reason for what was happening to me all these years.  I quickly scheduled the sleep study and of course I did have sleep apnea.  I've just started cpap in the last two weeks and my teeth grinding is not gone yet, but it’s much improved and so is my alertness during the day.  I'm getting use to the cpap and fine-tuning it, so I hope it gets even better the next few months.  It’s interesting looking back now on all the signs that I had sleep apnea, such as waking up feeling unrested and also having to use eye drops every day before work because I had no idea why they were so red.  I wanted to share my story so that it may help others with the same condition and hopefully they do not have to wait so long for a solution as I did.

[MrIvanDrago]

1. CPAP therapy has truly been a game-changer in my life. Before starting CPAP, I often struggled with constant fatigue, daytime drowsiness, and even moments of nodding off during the day, which not only affected my productivity but also my safety while driving. My snoring was keeping my partner awake, leading to strained relationships and sleepless nights.


Since I began CPAP therapy, the positive impact on my health and happiness has been remarkable. I wake up feeling refreshed and energized, ready to take on the day. My daytime drowsiness has disappeared, and I no longer have those dangerous moments of falling asleep unexpectedly. My partner and I are both sleeping soundly through the night, which has strengthened our bond and improved our overall quality of life. CPAP therapy has given me back the vitality and joy that I was missing before, and for that, I'm incredibly grateful.

2. Yes, I encountered a few problems with my CPAP therapy initially, but I was fortunate to find solutions that led to positive outcomes. One major issue was mask discomfort and leaks, which made it challenging to sleep through the night comfortably. To address this, I sought advice from a CPAP specialist who helped me find the right mask size and type for my facial structure, ensuring a snug fit and minimal leaks. This simple adjustment made a world of difference in my therapy experience.

Another challenge was adapting to the sensation of airflow and pressure from the CPAP machine. To overcome this, I gradually increased the pressure settings as recommended by my healthcare provider, allowing my body to acclimate to the therapy more comfortably over time. I also practiced relaxation techniques before bedtime, which helped me relax and adjust to the therapy, ultimately leading to better sleep.

In summary, addressing CPAP challenges required a combination of seeking expert advice, making adjustments to equipment, and allowing my body time to adapt. These solutions turned potential roadblocks into positive outcomes, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of my CPAP therapy.

[insomeapnea]

[attachment=55140][attachment=55140][attachment=55138]I started CPAP therapy on September 2015 did not fill that much better until recently, Sample of a terrible night is attached. Recently I incorporated an Oximeter $70 Viatom WearO2 which gently vibrates when Oxygen % drops bellow 88. I discover that when I was having most of those episodes I was sleeping in supina, I am moving to mi side or to the belly. My AHI has dramatically improve since, se sample of one of the last nights difference, I dream a lot now mostly pleasant dreams although I have some nightmares too I now remember my dreams, feel a lot better and my wife says a lot less cranky now.

[Sleeprider]

Aldiorg, we can improve on that if you'd like to start your own therapy thread. Meanwhile, read the Optimizing Therapy article on "positional apnea" and chnage EPR from 2 to 3. https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...onal_Apnea

[insomeapnea]

Thank you for your prompt response. Following your suggestion, I have created a new thread at this link along with some screenshots.

https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread...a-Clusters

I would greatly appreciate any assistance you could provide before my upcoming doctor's appointment.

[robbob2112]

I've had trouble sleeping for decades.  Never feeling fully rested.  I had a badly deviated septum corrected about 10 years ago and it helped eliminate issues with breathing, but not with sleeping.

I started in August on an ASV after being diagnosed with complex apnea but mostly central with just enough obstructive for seasoning the mix.  My AHI from the overnight study was 56.

N20 airtouch (foam version), chin strap, and tape at the corners of my mouth to keep the lips from fluttering on exhale but leave a hole in the middle to sip water through.

Lat night's sleep AHI was 0.11 .... simply amazing.... And today I woke up without pain from the sciatica and I actual feel good for the first time in memory.

[Ddobson85]

I genuinely hope I can be a success story! I am new to CPAP