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Transition from cpap to apap

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KindPinkGuanaco9781 +0 points · over 6 years ago Original Poster

Hello--I have been struggling on a number of issues since I was diagnosed 2 years ago. I sought out a consultation with a new physician who is board certified and all he does is sleep medicine, unlike some of the others who do a host of other lanes of medicine. I am about to begin a trial on an apap machine. Does anyone have experience they can share? Thank you--

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jnk +1 point · over 6 years ago

APAP is simply a CPAP that can adjust its pressures to meet your needs moment to moment and night to night. All APAPs can operate in CPAP mode but can also operate in a way that adjusts automatically. My use of APAP helps me as a seasonal allergy sufferer, since my pressure needs change according to the status of my sinuses. And according to my sleep study, my pressure needs change according to my sleep position and which stage of sleep I am in. APAP helps to address all of those things.

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KindPinkGuanaco9781 +0 points · over 6 years ago Original Poster

Thank you; I understand what apap is. My question is specifically about transition from cpap to app. Glad to hear that your experience helped with allergies--an issue for me also.

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jnk +0 points · over 6 years ago

What exactly do you mean by "transition," if you don't mind my asking?

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KindPinkGuanaco9781 +0 points · over 6 years ago Original Poster

I think I have already answered my own question. I sought a consultation with a board certified sleep medicine physician who ONLY does sleep medicine. What a difference. He immediately changed my machine to a pap and I am sleeping much better and able to keep the mask on longer. I was just wondering if people experienced difficulties shifting from one machine to the other. My experience has shown me that I now have a better machine for me and also a much more experienced sleep physician. Thanks for responding.

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jnk +0 points · over 6 years ago

Ah. OK. Glad to hear that success story! Not all sleep specialists are comfortable as doctors getting too involved in machine and treatment choices. Some seem to leave it mostly to the RRTs at DME locations to spearhead the treatment aspect of it all, once the diagnosis and Rx is out the door of the lab/center. Different places handle it differently. Good to hear about cooperation and the benefits to us as patients when that happens!

Hopefully you can get to the point of using the mask at ALL times when asleep. That isn't necessary to meet compliance requirements for payers, but it can make a huge difference in how well we feel once our brain forgets what sleep without PAP was like. In my opinion as a fellow patient, that is.

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KindPinkGuanaco9781 +1 point · over 6 years ago Original Poster

Thank you so much and your comments are right on target. What I have learned about sleep apnea is you have to have the right physician on board and the first one or two may not work. I am so thrilled to have a fully boarded sleep medicine specialist that focuses just on this to take over my care now. I can't believe how much better I am doing on the a pap. Thank you for your response.

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