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CPAP Trial - Early Days But Looking Good!
Hi, just an update on my experience so far,
To summarise, diagnosed severs obstructive sleep apnea after home oximetry showed 68 breathing interuptions per hour in early April, put on CPAP trial waiting list for mid May, instructed to stop driving by DVLA while okayed by CPAP doctor, got cancellation appointment for yesterday and had my first night using CPAP last night!
I went to the sleep clinic and was issued with Resmed S8 for the trial and fitted up with a Resmed Mirage FX nasal mask.I was a little sceptical about this as I class myself as a mouth breather and all the info I have read pointed to me needing a full face mask. However, after trying it on, I could see no reason for not giving it a whirl. I all so mentioned about a humidifier and was told probably wouldnt need one. The nurse was very helpful and informative and did imply that there was a possiblility if things went okay during the week I might get nod to drive again.
Now I was obviously concerned as to when it came to the crunch could I nod off with CPAP gear on, so got home rigged it up and laid down on the bed to have a tester! I was concerned that when I started the machine was not supplying quite enough air for me to breathe comfortably but when I woke up an hour later to my mobile ringing I realised this is not much of an issue!
My concerns about the nasal mask seemed to be unfounded and mouth/throat did appear not to be dried out when I woke up as is usually the case!
As a gadget geek I had all ready purchased a wrist oximeter and fitted this up as I settled down for my first nights sleep on CPAP. I did again experience the feeling the machine was not supplying me quite enough air before I nodded off but next time I woke up it was 5am and after a short trip to loo I was straight back to sleep and eight hours in all I now have 9hours 20 min usage logged after the first day!
I was interested to see my oximetry results as I would'nt say I felt that much more refreshed but from having anything from an index of 15 to 30 it has dropped to 6 with only 6 desaturation events falling below 90% and only 2 below 88%. Seems very impressive for one night and assume the machine will improve this more over the week. I think from the reading the machine has settled on a setting of 12 at the moment and will be keeping a daily check on this.
I am now looking forward to completing the rest of the trial and reaping the obvious benefits associated with undisturbed sleep!
Regards
Colin
Views: 165
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on
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This is a great start Colin and if you can manage to stick with a nasal mask that's even better - the nose is meant for breathing and the mouth for eating. Unfortunately, nasal obstruction prevents this in some people. Some people wake up the following morning and feel instantly refreshed, however, for most of us it's a gradual process as we have years of sleep debt that's built up which needs paying back. The good news is that it doesn't take years of pay-back time though, and most people find the greatest improvement 3-6 months down the line. That's assuming people are on the correct pressure and receiving good therapy of course.
Onwards and upwards
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Permalink Reply by Colin on
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Hi Terry,I have posted back on to here because I don't want to "highjack" Karen's discussion.
with respect to accessing data my trial machine is a Resmed Autoset Spirit and I am using a Mirage FX nasal mask. I have examined the machine and found no sign of a data card slot but have being looking on the menu each day where I seem to be told the usage for that night and the pressure along with the mask fit which keeps saying excellent. The first 5 days have shown usage hours ranging from 9 to 7hrs and pressure ranging from 12 to 11 last night. I understand I will be given a small machine on Tuesday when I go back if we decide it has been of benefit which seems a foregone conclusion based on usage and oximetry results alone! If it possible to access any more info of the machine please do advise.
Kind Regards
Colin
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There should be a data card in the slot at the back of the machine Colin, and the hospital will have put you on this machine for your trial so they can check what pressures they need to set for you when they give you your own machine. They'll be using the information collected on the data card for this. Without the software you won't be able to view this info, but when you get your own machine you might be able to - depending on which machine they give out at your hospital.
Sounds like you're doing really well though on the trial.
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Thanks for your comments Kathy - I am pleased so far with the way things are going and hope I can get the all clear to start driving again soon! As for the data card slot at back of the machine I have examined it closely and think it must an old machine as can only find what looks like a serial port like found on older computers - possibly is an old machine!
Regards
Colin
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Ah right - they'll no doubt link it to their computer via the data cable then. Let us know how you get on, and am sure you'll be driving again very soon.
Colin said:Thanks for your comments Kathy - I am pleased so far with the way things are going and hope I can get the all clear to start driving again soon! As for the data card slot at back of the machine I have examined it closely and think it must an old machine as can only find what looks like a serial port like found on older computers - possibly is an old machine!
Regards
Colin
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Hi, I've now finished my weeks CPAP trial and been back to sleep clinic. They were very pleased with my results and I have been fitted out with an S9 Escape and told I am now being successfully treated and can resume driving( forms also completed and sent off to DVLA)! Told didn't need to go back for year unless I had issues!
I can now say I am definitely not tired during the day and I can look back to say so many symptoms of my apnea have been eliminated that I didn't really associate with it at first! No more waking up coughing, no more waking up sweating , no more snoring , no more getting up umpteen times yi ho to loo, no more dried out mouth and throat, no more jumpy leg when sat about during the day , no more cramps to name but a few! ( Kathy's link to dentists comments seem to make so much sense to me).
Now hoping to get to use sleepyheads software to monitor my condition!
7.5hrs sleep, great morning and 2013 seems so much more inviting ! To think I had barely heard of sleep apnea and didn't have a clue what CPAP stood for before January this year!
Regards to everyone
Colin
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After checking looks like all I can only get off the S9 Escape is the number of hours used and will have to carry on using my wrist pulse oximeter once a month to check my treatments working okay!
Regards
Colin
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This is great news Colin, and as time goes on I bet you find other benefits you didn't know sleep apnoea was responsible for.
Shame you have the Escape as you're right, there's no useful info on them for us, but at least you can do random checks with the pulse ox from time to time.
Onwards and upwards.....
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Permalink Reply by Terry Vella on
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Colin, well done, you and Kath are right with the Escape, unfotunately it is the base model in the Resmed range and Sleepyhead won't work on it. You can still see the data on your screen as you said and if need be you can take the data card back to have the data read for you. I think Rescan software may work on it but you have to buy that software, I'm not 100% sure will try to find out for you.
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Terry, it's not that Sleepyhead won't work on it, it's because the Escape gives no data (except hours of usage + pressure) so even the clinicians can't see anything from it with the Rescan. A lot of the clinicians aren't interested in anything other than compliancy and how the patient feels.
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Thanks Kath saves me looking.
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Yep Kathy's right sleepyheads does read what data is available but it's only usage and pressure set! Thanks for offering to check though Terry!
Seems rather laid back to me to say come back in a year unless you have a problem! And then they can only tell if you are using it and not if your treatment is actually working for you ! My piece of mind will force me to keep using the oximetry!
Regards
Colin
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