Data for FAA

I am newly diagnosed and trying to select an appropriate machine. The substance of the reports from their various machines, and their availability to patients, is not readily available from sales literature. I need to report to the FAA (for pilots license) after first 30 days and annually thereafter evidence that I have used the device 75% of the nights for at least 6 hours per night. The ideal report would show the actual start and stop times. That information needs to be available to the doctor, but also to me so I can monitor progress.

I like the AirSense line, but ResScan requires a prescription. Transcend seems to be the reporting I need, but I'm concerned about the ruggedness of such a lightweight machine. DreamStations may be an answer, but their literature says you have to read the SD card daily. IntelliPAP can only report usage of five hours or more. --- What's a boy to do? :-)

How about you pilots out there. What is your advice?

Hi, captain -- I have a friend who is a pilot and he uses an old Respironics but is now getting a Dream Station; whatever you get, also download SleepyHead opensource software because if you really want to see what's going on, right now that's the way to do it. All the top machines will provide the insultingly-labelled "compliance" data to your doc. But unless you have a keeper, most docs just want to know your AHI is 5 or less. YOU want to know if your sleep is actually good sleep, and for that you need to do a wee bit of work. JediMark, who created SleepyHead, now has updated downloads available on his own website, including versions that support the new DreamStation. And as a long-time PAP user, let me tell you, your brain WANTS to be on that machine any time you sleep, not just the "compliance" time. Come back for more ....

Hey, so I am a private pilot, looking to continue and either be a controller, or a commercial pilot. I'm 26 years old. I was diagnosed with severe OSA about 3 years ago. I went 4 days ago to the flight doctor to get my FAA Class 1 medical so I can solo, and I may as well get a class 1 because I'm waiting to hear back from the FAA for ATC. I told the doc that i have severe OSA and did not know that this basically disqualifies me from a medical if i dont use a machine, dental thing, or surgery. So right after I decided that im going for the surgery, cause i just cant get used to the cpap. now, if i get the surgery, i need my tonsils and adenoids out, the UPPP, I should probably get a tongue base reduction, along with a septoplasty and a turbinate reduction. my tonsils are absolutely gigantic, and i gag on a tic tac. ive been to doctors and ive been putting this off for so long. I never knew this would disqualify me from my dreams. getting back, I started using the CPAP last night, its a resmed s9, and it does a pretty good job, I use the nasal pillows but im a stomach sleeper and a mouth breather. i bought a mouth mask about 2 years ago but it was horiffic. I just wanted to put my $.2 in on this since we're kind of in the same boat, except i think im going to go through with the surgery with hopefully the best known doctor in NYC for this. I think itll change everything for me.