Lets Talk About Sleep Apnea/CPAP Machines

[Minnie]

My husband went for the sleep study, it was done at the Foot in Calgary. He doesn't have sleep apnea, they call it Severe High Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome or something like that. The doc he saw said it's "the close cousin to sleep apnea but not sleep apnea" and the use of a CPAP is the standard treatment. They gave him one of the fancy machines to try for a few months. Then we found out his insurance doesn't cover it. So, bye bye $2500 machine. In the interim, he had been helping out the elderly widow of a friend, getting the guys multiple collector cars ready for sale. In conversation, it came up about the CPAP machines.

She gave him his friend's old one. Had it cleaned up, bought masks and he uses that. Like Pylon, we got jacked on the prices of the mask, until someone suggested some online place that I can't recall the name of. Why we didn't think of Amazon up until that point, I don't know, but I price checked against Amazon and it was the same price at Amazon and delivery in a couple of days, plus no S&H because we have Prime. So now we get the masks from Amazon.

The machine, the fancy one, will have to wait. I joke though, that I used to sleep next to a roaring bandsaw, now I sleep next to Darth Vader. The DV breathing is easier to ignore LOL.

[edslunch]

I'm using the nose mask and it's working, but there is a lot of leakage where the nose piece joins to the hose. Apparently this is a feature to avoid CO2 buildup., Problem is it jets cold air on my wife's back and neck when I lie facing her. Are there nose mack designs that avoid this?

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by 81MC

So my buddy strongly suggests I go for a sleep test. The more I look into it, this could be the real cause of the symptoms I presented that led to a ‘depression’ diagnosis - tired all the time, seriously irritable, constant headaches. But #### do I not want to need a machine to sleep.

Meh, it really isn't all that intrusive. I have had one for about 6 years now and never want to sleep without it anymore. On the random night that I didn't get to sleep with it for whatever reason I feel like crap the next day. Its a game changer for sure. I sleep with the nose pillows by the way.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by edslunch

I'm using the nose mask and it's working, but there is a lot of leakage where the nose piece joins to the hose. Apparently this is a feature to avoid CO2 buildup., Problem is it jets cold air on my wife's back and neck when I lie facing her. Are there nose mack designs that avoid this?

I find the nose pillows the best with the least amount of "leakage" from the vents. I cannot remember the model number of the masks I have but they are the mouth covering with the under nose portion and then another with just the under nose portion plus the nose pillows one, all Resmed. I find the first two just blow out to much air either onto me or my wife. Comfy to wear but that part is annoying. The air from the vents on the pillows it's barely noticable. Wish they made pillows with the hose at the top rather than in front though.


I hate these things and chronic sinuses don't help but can't sleep without. I was at 78 so fairly significant. I still don't sleep great but the majority of the issues I had are gone. Use to feel like I had been hit by a truck when i'd get up in the morning. I wasn't winning any awards for congeniality that's was for sure.

[Erick Estrada]

The air leakage does suck as it also bothers my wife if I end up turning in her direction but for the most part I sleep on my back now and if I do turn it's the other direction. I wish the nasal pillows worked for me but I just get too much leakage from them with any sort of movement.

[Ruttiger]

I'm 2 weeks into my three week test period and haven't come anywhere close to sleeping through the night yet. The pattern is I'll fall asleep for maybe 30 minutes, wake up around 11:15 - 11:30, lay awake for an hour and then ditch it around 12:30 or so. I started with the nose pillows but found it to difficult to get those to stay in place and maintain a seal. Switched to the mask that covers my nose. Stays in place better but still unable to sleep. Three weeks doesn't feel nearly long enough to make an informed decision on proceeding with one of these.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

I'm 2 weeks into my three week test period and haven't come anywhere close to sleeping through the night yet. The pattern is I'll fall asleep for maybe 30 minutes, wake up around 11:15 - 11:30, lay awake for an hour and then ditch it around 12:30 or so. I started with the nose pillows but found it to difficult to get those to stay in place and maintain a seal. Switched to the mask that covers my nose. Stays in place better but still unable to sleep. Three weeks doesn't feel nearly long enough to make an informed decision on proceeding with one of these.

Are you taking sleeping pills? That's how I got started on CPAP.

My doctor was like, yeah, you'll probably get a little addicted to the pills, but we'll just ween you off. That's what we did and it worked like a charm.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Are you taking sleeping pills? That's how I got started on CPAP.

My doctor was like, yeah, you'll probably get a little addicted to the pills, but we'll just ween you off. That's what we did and it worked like a charm.

Yeah I've tried melatonin and magnesium, sleeping pills, chamomile tea, etc. maybe I need to start doubling up or combining them. That should be healthy!

[Erick Estrada]

Everyone is different but for me changes were immediate. Are you under any stress? CPAP machines aren't a fix for stress related insomnia.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Everyone is different but for me changes were immediate. Are you under any stress? CPAP machines aren't a fix for stress related insomnia.

I've had periodic episodes of stress-induced insomnia but few and far between. And I wouldn't say right now is one of those periods. I just think it's in my head now.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

Yeah I've tried melatonin and magnesium, sleeping pills, chamomile tea, etc. maybe I need to start doubling up or combining them. That should be healthy!

Maybe some prescription-strength sleeping pills? That's what he put me on. The kind that knock you the fata out. If I recall, it was something like full dose for a week, half dose for a week, half dose every other day for a week, cold turkey. I do credit the approach with helping me get used to the machine very quickly. I think you need something beyond melatonin or tea (keep in mind I have an English degree; very far from being a doctor over here).

[MoneyGuy]

I’ve used Gabapentin for years. It works. It doesn’t put you to sleep but keeps you sleeping.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

I've had periodic episodes of stress-induced insomnia but few and far between. And I wouldn't say right now is one of those periods. I just think it's in my head now.

When you wake up are you having a lot of thoughts run around in your brain? Not necessarily stressful thoughts but just lots of thinking?

[Blaster86]

Waking myself up because I'm having a dream with loud constant noise around me that causes me to wake up only to find out it was my nose pillows shifting a bit as I slept and air was escaping. I feel like a dog farting itself awake.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

I feel like a dog farting itself awake.

I may borrow that.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by D as in David

When you wake up are you having a lot of thoughts run around in your brain? Not necessarily stressful thoughts but just lots of thinking?

I don't think so really. I'm in a new job this year with a much higher pace and level of responsibility so there's likely some of that in the background but hard to say how big a role that plays. In any event, I'm having a much harder time staying asleep with this thing on my face than I have previously.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

I don't think so really. I'm in a new job this year with a much higher pace and level of responsibility so there's likely some of that in the background but hard to say how big a role that plays. In any event, I'm having a much harder time staying asleep with this thing on my face than I have previously.

I wasn't sure if you were maybe also suffering from insomnia. If so, I've got some advice that has worked for me.

I've never had sleep apnea; do those of you that suffer from it know if you have or had insomnia as well?

[Sliver]

Hey if the cpap is too loud try wearing earplugs at night. My favourite part of the day is going into earplug land right before going to sleep.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Hey if the cpap is too loud try wearing earplugs at night. My favourite part of the day is going into earplug land right before going to sleep.

My wife uses earplugs, and loves them. I’ve tried using them, but I have this weird feeling that I won’t be able to hear someone breaking into the house or a fire breaking out or some other thing going on. It’s the same way with putting my hoodie hood on and it blocks my peripheral vision.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by 8 Ball

My wife uses earplugs, and loves them. I’ve tried using them, but I have this weird feeling that I won’t be able to hear someone breaking into the house or a fire breaking out or some other thing going on. It’s the same way with putting my hoodie hood on and it blocks my peripheral vision.

Yeah, the thought that I'm completely abandoning the only sense I have available to protect myself all night has crossed my mind. The thing is, earplug land is such an intoxicating place that the risk is worth it.