Biguglygremlin

Do my own research? :O

You're joking right!

I came to this forum so that they could do the research for me. :P

You can blame Sierra for this link:

The Provent® trial was a three-arm RCT studying the efficacy of a nasal expiratory positive airway pressure device to prevent the recurrence of OSA following the CPAP withdrawal. Sixty-seven patients with OSA, previously on CPAP, were randomised to either continue CPAP or to use the nasal EPAP-device or a sham-nasal EPAP-device (28). The trial found no therapeutic effect of Provent® on OSA compared to sham-Provent, and thus concluded that the nasal EPAP device is ineffective and cannot be recommended as an alternative treatment for OSA.

Regardless of those outcomes they must work for some people or you wouldn't still be using them.

How effective is the Provent device Sherry?

I thought I read someplace that it was a bit ineffective with some levels of apnea.

What makes it costly beyond the initial purchase?

It's not my thread Sherry.

The poster may have wanted to remove it.

Even starting this topic might have been the wrong thing to do.

Hi plantdude,

Once upon a time I bought some ozone generators out of China and they worked brilliantly for what I needed them to do.

We had a kitchen fire that left all our clothing and linen and carpets and curtains and books and EVERYTHING reeking of smoke! :O

It was simply unlivable but those ozone generators sorted it in a matter of hours.

I had to turn the air blue but it got the job done!

We have used them since to clear the air in storage areas or in midwinter when the place has gotten stuffy.

Apparently they use them here in child care centers and surgeries to sanitize the air and all of the contact surfaces.

Yes there are risks but ozone really does have an important role in the right circumstances.

If I had the above device I would probably be using it to fumigate my shoes or some of the kid's toys but I agree with you Sierra that the CPAP machine is too valuable to risk and there would normally be no need to clean the machine.

The humidifier chamber needs attention from time to time but it usually contains metal.

The hose and headgear might be worth a try I suppose especially as constant washing tends to accelerate their demise.

The actual pillows or cushions or face piece needs water and friction and solvents or disinfectants so it's a bit superfluous to be using ozone as well.

That's just my opinion but the sanitizing machines wouldn't exist unless a lot of people believed otherwise.

I'd probably be dumb enough to take that as a compliment Ruby. :)

You are right of course.

We cannot go through life trusting that others know best and that they are applying logic and initiative on our behalf or even that they have the necessary knowledge and experience to help us.

This applies equally to everybody and everything that has the potential to impact on our lives.

I wish someone would tell me that I am smarter than I look. :)

A topic was deleted.

It was titled: (My dad, who is extremely stubborn, finally said he would try a CPAP machine, but doesn't have diagnosis/sleep study.)

Did the original poster delete it? (TheBulgarian)

Could I have deleted it by mistake?

I posted an answer. (Still available through mine or bonjour's profile pages)

Could that have caused it's deletion?

Are there moderators for this forum?

Is there a list of rules somewhere?

Could it have been a bug?

I'm just trying to understand how things work around here.

Hi TheBulgarian

It really isn't that complicated. I don't understand half of the stuff these guys go on about and I live in a perpetual fog with only a few worn out neurons to work with but I manage to get my machine working. (without reading all of the instructions of course)

I figure you can do it easy! :)

Park the machine on the kitchen table, just add water, and turn it on. It's not that scary.

Tinker with a few settings check out how it operates and how it feels.

Manual

If your dad wants to try the machine I would suggest that you set it up with a maximum pressure of 10 and then adjust it over a number of nights based on feedback from the machine and your father. Others in this forum can advise you better than I could if you can understand all the technical jargon. :P

If you are concerned or have serious doubts try it yourself for a night or even just for half an hour with a good book. If it becomes uncomfortable take it off.

I think an auto machine should be safe for just about anybody larger than a child but reducing the maximum pressure is probably a sensible precaution initially.

If it's any consolation you would probably end up having to figure out the basics and adjust the machine at some stage anyway even if your dad went down the 'normal' path first.

My first CPAP machine introduced me to this forum and taught me a whole new bunch of acronyms! :)

Thank you CPAP. May you rest in peace.

My second CPAP machine works brilliantly every time I push the big round button.

It's 4:00 in the morning here. (not sure what that's got to do with anything but I'm positive there's a connection)

Eventually I will continue my search for the Happily Ever After Forum where the totally boring CPAP people hang out to talk about politics and religion because they don't have any exciting CPAP problems to discuss.

When I get there I'm going to miss all this technical stuff. :(

I came across a couple of articles that paint an interesting picture when you put them together.

Apparently there are 22 million Americans with apnea

And 80% of apnea sufferers with moderate and severe apnea remain undiagnosed

So only 20% are diagnosed (not sure if this includes very severe)

Sleep Apnea Information

According to the following study of those actually diagnosed with Apnea

31% never commenced therapy

15% abandoned after 10-15months

54% remained compliant after 5 years (closer to 50% see article)

Long Term Compliance

That leaves us with 50% of 20% which is 10%

This would indicate that of the millions of sufferers in the more advanced countries less than 10% (Few countries would match the numbers achieved in America) follow through with seeking treatment, being diagnosed, getting a CPAP machine and making it work for them beyond the first 15 months.

It's worth noting that the original 20% were probably made up of two groups, those that chose to do sleep studies and be diagnosed because their symptoms had become debilitating and they believed they could handle CPAP therapy and those who were under external pressure through work or licensing controls and felt they had no choice.

Despite these motivators 50% of them failed and that is without counting the vast numbers who refused to seek treatment or subject themselves to sleep studies believing it was not necessary or knowing they wouldn't or couldn't deal with CPAP therapy.

I could go into all kinds of justifications for the above generalisations but I believe that the overall picture is clear.

I would normally end with a purpose or a twist but I'm not sure why I posted this other than that the persistent quotes and vagaries of articles to do with compliance seem to always miss the big picture in their convoluted efforts to outdo one another in trivial technicalities.

I read an article this morning that proudly concluded that the compliance rate was between 20% and 80% which I liked because the non-compliance rate would then be between 80% and 20%.

I may be perverse but it appealed to me because I have a real thing for symmetry even though the numbers might have been a tad on the vague side. :)

I guess the bottom line should be:

It ain't easy but you're a rare breed! Hang in there!

Hi Jeanette.

I was so looking forward to creating chaos in that topic that you didn't start. :O

On the subject of partners my wife is starting to sound like a cross cut saw, which I find rather cute, but I wonder if I will ever be game to broach the subject with her of doing a sleep study.

We see people getting married and then trying to marry off their friends and then they have babies and encourage their friends to do likewise which, for a cynic like me, seems a bit suspect and I worry that I might be doing the same thing, by dragging my wife into the world of CPAP.

There are times when it's not nice to share. :(