Biguglygremlin

If wishes were thrushes, or fishes, or horses ........

Unfortunately it takes more that wishing to make it so.

What would it take for such a simple and seemingly sensible suggestion to become a reality?

1) Acknowledgement that auto machines are not omniscient. That they can and sometimes do deliver less than optimal results.

2) Acceptance that handing over a CPAP machine requires more than just confirming that it is, in fact, in the box.

3) Allocating the time and effort required to choose and implement responsible, safe settings.

Personally I don't trust machines any more that I trust anything or anybody so I have been advising CPAP users to reduce the maximum limit on their machine for some time now.

I see no justification for enabling a machine to increase the pressure beyond what would be safe and comfortable for the user and I doubt that many people could endure pressures as high as 20 without potentially dangerous consequences but I don't see things changing anytime soon.

On a less dire note but still relevant to the points above, how many users have a machine that did not know the correct time when it was supposedly 'set up' for them?

This is Sierra's forte but I would have presumed that clear = central

It might be a good idea to check the numbers again and post them below Pamela.

Also if you have the opportunity to check on him while he is sleeping you might note if he has dislodged his mask or if the straps are sliding out of place or if he is in the habit of turning his face into the pillow or cushions etc.

Essentially checking for significant leaks and, of course, you also might note actual apnea events.

Most of this information is available through the machine, at least in theory, but it's not always easy to access or dependable to translate into practical solutions.

Hi Pamela

If those are the numbers with the machine on then I wonder who set it up and how do you get someone to help him get better results.

If one of the issues is with the mask it may still be possible to use nasal pillows in conjunction with a chin strap.

I get the feeling that you should be hassling his CPAP provider, with some urgency, to set everything up more effectively or to explain to you, step by step, what might be going wrong and what you might try to facilitate better results.

I didn't mean to be discouraging or unsympathetic ScubaSam

Chronic tiredness, sleepiness, confusion and the resulting chaos and depression are terrible things to be dealing with and warrant serious attention and real solutions.

It's just that I feel that the effort and disruption of adapting to a CPAP machine is most likely greater than any potential benefit if you only have an AHI of 6 to start with. Perhaps I got that wrong?

Hi ScubaSam

In some cases time can make things better but not always and I'm not sure why you would bother.

If I had an AHI of 6 I'd be out in the driveway sweeping up the shattered remains of my CPAP machine and dumping them into the deepest rubbish bin I could find. (I'm not recommending that you do anything this rash or destructive)

Then I'd go back to my doctor and tell him what he can do with his Sleep Apnea diagnosis and the CPAP prescription.

Not the most tactful statements for an Apnea forum but there are way too many people getting saddled with these cursed machines who would be better off on a different pathway.

It seems to me that there is something seriously wrong with the current system when it comes to Sleep Apnea diagnosis and treatment.

Hi BirdLady

I've had PLMD for most of my life but so far I've avoided any specific medications.

I also have RBD which is more of a concern for me but I don't believe there are any real solutions for these kinds of movement disorders.

As to your query regarding what I call the sleep industry I've already caused too many ripples on that subject within this Apnea forum.

It will be interesting to see if there are any helpful responses to your queries.

Hi KennyAZ

I haven't used one but I get the impression from browsing this forum that they are almost irrelevant, however, if you can afford one and it makes you feel good then it has served some purpose already!

Irreverent approach to cleaning

Hi cindyg

Others will offer more specific advice regarding machine settings but, as you have only just started, you probably should go back to the provider and ask them for advice and perhaps some adjustments to the machine and headgear.

Also because you have been surviving till now without the CPAP it might be worth considering only using the machine for part of the night till you get the problem sorted.

Hi geode1

It seems to me that if you did a search for references to people being concerned because of these machines increasing pressure in various circumstances you would find that it is way more common than anybody is acknowledging.

This is one of those times when it would be good to copy the SD card data to your computer and see what it has to say about the events. Previous Example.

Hi Hypat1a,

There is no simple answer to your first question because there are too many unknowns and a simple answer would probably be irresponsible.

There have been a number of discussions in this forum on the subject in the past that it might be helpful for you to skim through.

These are just a few of them:

Threat to License

Truck Driver

Try a CPAP

The second question could be answered more easily but much of it comes down to trial and error and once again more information would be helpful.