spike7x65x

Thanks for all the replies ladies and gents

• I am definitely going to do the hospital study just to rule out central apnea and other sleep issues as well
• Had a brief look at the machine data yesterday in the supplier office but it wasn't too helpful. Machine is Japanese so can't use sleepyhead etc. If the hospital sleep test confirms I need one, I'll buy a Western machine with good software compatability
• The machine is though reporting 1-2 AHI a night now compared to the 15.4 showing on the home study.
• I was having a nightmare with the P10 mask to start with, loved the size but the sound of breathing in the nose piece was driving me nuts. Changed to a Swift FX rental last night and much less breath sounds. Slept for about 4 hours then woke up on and off the rest of the night which seems to be my pattern. My theory is to see if I can get used to a machine and see if it improves my sleep before seeing the doctor then can make a good decision on the spot once I have those results.
• Leak rate has been pretty bad with the P10 and with Swift last night it was around 35/min. Although I had my mouth taped I was getting disturbed by leaks from the corner of my mouth so think I will try horizontal taping to seal it. Maybe then I might get at least 6 hours with less leaks! Mask seemed to fit really good

So just wanted to update you, one question if anyone has some help...

I'm trying to perservere and get the right mask to see if I can actually sleep 6-8 hours with one and it helps, right now I'm feeling worse due to cpap for the last two weeks but I don't give up easy :-)

The main prob seems to have been the mask noise. The p10 I know is quiet in terms of machine and hose noise but what I found was that I could hear my in and out breath, especially in breath very loudly, I suspect due to the smaller nasal fitting and vents. The Swift FX seems to be better for this. Does anyone have any advice on the best minimal mask (Nasal pillow) for the quietest breathing noises? Anything better than the Swift?

Thanks as always, your help is invaluable.

I think 100% there is a motivation to use a simple home test to push a machine sale. Where I obtained my home based one from (In a developed Asian country) I did that because I knew I wouldn't sleep well in a hospital but when I got the results, although I think the O2 alone is concerning, I was told that they were good enough to prescribe a Cpap and wouldn't need to see a doctor. I'm not exactly criticising the shop as that is the way from what a newbie has read even US insurance companies are going with a home based test leading to an Auto CPAP machine, but when I followed up with a hospital doctor he said it's a good indication but a test in ahospital shows up so much more and should be done prior to deciding treatment. He wasn't against me trying a machine in the meantime as I was concerned.

So I suppose I am saying, that I put off testing for years because a) I thought I couldn't have it and b) it was too difficult to do, so there is a place for home based tests, but being in the middle of this now and about to pay more for a hospital test I would say that you need to follow up a home based one with a proper hospital test even if it costs you more.

Finally, it seems to me as well that you want to be as informed as possible when it comes to treatment, from what I've read even the effects of mild OSA on the cardiovascular system can be helped with CPAP but there are other treatments like mouth guards etc which you aren't going to be able to work out what is most suitable unless you have the full testing knowledge.

So from someone who is figuring all this out, spend the money on the tests, read and then make an informed decision and take advice from doctors but don't treat is as gospel.

OK Thanks!

Thanks for both replies. I discovered it's actually a Japanese home sensor (I'm out in Asia) so seems to be legit but I know a chest strap would obviously be better. The machine I have on loan now is also Japanese so I can't view the data on it until I take it back but to be honest I'm not a heavy sleeper anyway so am struggling with using it, seem to fall asleep after a while but then when the air kicks up a notch it wakes me up then I have unsettled sleep the rest of the night. Guess I'm in two minds now whether to rent the machine for another month til I get the sleep study done at obviously quite a cost, but the low o2 worries me or just to wait.

Hi, I did a home sleep study as I've been feeling pretty tired, wife reports snoring that was improving when I lost some weight but has got worse even when I went back up 3-4 kg. Home test was a nasal canula and O2 sensor only, no chest strap. Nothing fell off and it gave a result of : AHI 15.4 hour ODI 16.5 hour Lowest o2 was 73% I would say I only had deep sleep for maybe an hour or so which was probably when the o2 sat went down and heart rate went up on the report. Rest of the time was light sleep and disturbed sleep. How accurate do you think the AHI is on these studies (I am a mouth breather by the way)

I kinda panicked and rented an Auto CPAP from the same place who supplied the home test and have one more week of that. It's proving hard to cope with to be honest.

Got to wait about 1 month for a hospital sleep study, so I'm trying to work out whether to rent a machine for another month or just wait for the hospital sleep study. The o2 sat is bothering me if accurate especially.

Thanks everyone!