Biguglygremlin

Yes check everything to do with the mask and mouth because the time frame is too short for most other things but also check the wider environment. Are you sleeping close to a heater or other device that could dehumidify the air? Where is your machine sucking the air from?

Many medications can also cause dry mouth that might not be really pronounced until you start using the CPAP machine.

Also check if the humidifier chamber is warm after it has been on for a while and if it is using enough water.

I wound mine down to 4.0 a few weeks back and it simply stopped working. It took me a few days to realise that I hadn't added hardly any water and it just wasn't warming up. I still don't know why it failed but I wound it up half a point and it works fine again.

So can I presume that even severe apnea could be significantly reduced if the goal wasn't necessarily to get as low as 5? Or does it somehow escalate other risks with severe cases?

Oh come on now! I should be allowed some measure of poetic license, a little exaggeration and melodrama just for fun! :)

In this case the chain is compliance and you are right about the life support statement although some sufferers might feel otherwise and the authorities over here do consider it to be life support.

http://www.concessions.tas.gov.au/concessions/electricity_and_heating/life_support_machine_rebate

Hi SleepDent,

How far up the range does it work? Can it be combined with weight loss and surgery to treat more severe apnea?

Sorry. I tried to resist but it was just too hard.

It's a powerful story Bigmike52 and I'm sure your input is both helpful and appreciated.

Yes I am a loose cannon but I make no apologies.
I haven't involved myself to any degree in forums since the bad old days of download hubs, barefoot in the snow, so why now?

This forum is good at providing technical support for CPAP machines so what role could I play?

Apart from enjoying writing and the subtle interaction of hidden challenges I have an aptitude for the abstract and I enjoy twisted and obtuse reasoning so I tend to question pre-existing concepts and introduce new angles and aspects to a discussion.

I know that this is not always appreciated but in some cases it is essential.

This particular thread is a classic example.

Do you truly believe that a man in his prime with relatively normal readings, needs to be chained to a life support system for the rest of his life. Wouldn't it be better if he was able to go holidaying and camping and crash on his mate's couch or play with his wife on an impulse in the middle of the night without the added deterrent of a CPAP machine?

As you so rightly described there are other issues for you and I and anybody with severe apnea and it would be smart for EVERYBODY to do all they can BEFORE it got that bad but even then apnea is only part of a much bigger picture.

Yes you play a vital role Bigmike52 and it is necessary but it doesn't hurt to have other perspectives even if they are annoying. :P

Before you get deeper into the potential complexities try a new power gang or better yet bypass it altogether for a night or two.

The ones we use here are notorious for collapsing inside so that the plug isn't making proper contact and check any leads you may be using because it's not uncommon for the power to be low on delivery to the house and drop further before it gets to the power point so the further reduction by cheap power cords and poor connections could render the voltage too low or inconsistent for the machine to function properly.

For me it was new and interesting and I was a bit concerned about getting it all hooked up right and conscious of not dislodging the gear but I think I managed to ignore it for much of the night.

While you are waiting for the results you could look at other aspects of your life that might be contributing to your symptoms.

:)

If you check back later I'm sure Sierra will have some relevant information for you.

In Australia it is possible to hire the equipment overnight from a local chemist (pharmacy) and they send the data to a specialist who produces a report.

Not sure if I am allowed to past stuff here but this might help

Coverage A survey was conducted to assess which Canadian jurisdictions provide coverage for devices that are used in the diagnosis and treatment of OSA at home. Responses were received from all jurisdictions except Quebec, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Public funding of CPAP equipment is available in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, and the Yukon. The only jurisdiction that funds private testing at home using a portable monitoring device for oximetry is the Yukon. British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia do not provide coverage for devices that are used at home for the diagnosis or treatment of OSA. Several private medical insurance policies cover CPAP equipment, but the amount of aid varies between insurers, and there may be variations in benefits between individual and group policies at the same firm.