New Member

[TimmyB5286]

Hello everyone. I have been a cpap user for only a month now. I just found this forum wile looking to see if it would be alright to use a muscle relaxer with treatment.
It has been a terrible month. My advisor was proud, I got used to my machine after 3 days. It all seemed good and great, until I got sick. I had strep, ear infection, sinus infection and a cold at the same time. Couldn't breathe and the only mask I have currently is a nasal mask. So that took almost a week out of my cpap usage. I tried to use my mask, I just couldn't.
I spoke to my advisor today and I will be switching my nasal mask out for nasal pillows. Hopefully I listed the correct ones. If not, I will edit when I get them. I just can't take the nasal mask. The straps are uncomfortable, I fight nightly with fitting and it leaks quite often.
I look forward to meeting new people here and learning more about this machine and new lifestyle.
Have a great night!

[49er]

Hello everyone. I have been a cpap user for only a month now. I just found this forum wile looking to see if it would be alright to use a muscle relaxer with treatment.
It has been a terrible month. My advisor was proud, I got used to my machine after 3 days. It all seemed good and great, until I got sick. I had strep, ear infection, sinus infection and a cold at the same time. Couldn't breathe and the only mask I have currently is a nasal mask. So that took almost a week out of my cpap usage. I tried to use my mask, I just couldn't.
I spoke to my advisor today and I will be switching my nasal mask out for nasal pillows. Hopefully I listed the correct ones. If not, I will edit when I get them. I just can't take the nasal mask. The straps are uncomfortable, I fight nightly with fitting and it leaks quite often.
I look forward to meeting new people here and learning more about this machine and new lifestyle.
Have a great night!

Hi Timmy,

Welcome!

It might helpful also to list your machine in the equipment profile. The more information you provide, the better position members are in to help you in case you have questions. Do I assume correctly you have some type of S9 machine since your humidifier is a S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control?

Good luck with the Swift nasal pillows mask if that is the one you are switching to. If some reason you continue to struggle, you might look at full face masks to accommodate your nasal issues.

Again, welcome.

49er

[Mudrock63]

Timmy: I'm three months in and just went through a similar illness. I use a full face mask, so I was able to continue therapy, just not as effectively. Better now and my numbers are reduced again now that I can breathe through my nose.

I had a regular doctor visit last week and he suggested some meds for deeper sleep, one of which was typically used as an anti-depressent. That particular drug supposedly helped with sleep and was not addictive. I turned it down because my job does not allow medications like that.

Depending on your personal situation, I would be leery of going down the road of relying on meds for sleep unless you just absolutely have to. I'm not anti-medication, per se, but so much of that stuff is physically or psychologically addictive, or has a rebound effect when you come off of it that makes the original problem worse. I am also not a doctor, so do what you need to do.

Welcome to the forum.

[chunkyfrog]

I don't think you want a muscle relaxant. Read the counter-indications on the info sheet.
When you are asleep, the last things you want relaxed are the heart muscle and the diaphragm (also a muscle)

[TimmyB5286]

Hi Timmy,

Welcome!

It might helpful also to list your machine in the equipment profile. The more information you provide, the better position members are in to help you in case you have questions. Do I assume correctly you have some type of S9 machine since your humidifier is a S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control?

Good luck with the Swift nasal pillows mask if that is the one you are switching to. If some reason you continue to struggle, you might look at full face masks to accommodate your nasal issues.

Again, welcome.

49er

Odd, I have the machine listed, it just doesn't pop up. I put it in manually.
My nasal mask is just really uncomfortable. A few family members have suggested I switch to the pillows, hopefully that will fix my issues.

[LSAT]

Timmy...The machine you listed is what we call a "brick" because id does not report data...only compliance (hours used). If possible see if the machine can be exchanged for an Elite or Autoset model. With either of these you will be able to track your data and fine tune your therapy. Good Luck.

[urn357]

With all the helpful people here, you will be on track in no time. welcome

[TimmyB5286]

Timmy: I'm three months in and just went through a similar illness. I use a full face mask, so I was able to continue therapy, just not as effectively. Better now and my numbers are reduced again now that I can breathe through my nose.

I had a regular doctor visit last week and he suggested some meds for deeper sleep, one of which was typically used as an anti-depressent. That particular drug supposedly helped with sleep and was not addictive. I turned it down because my job does not allow medications like that.

Depending on your personal situation, I would be leery of going down the road of relying on meds for sleep unless you just absolutely have to. I'm not anti-medication, per se, but so much of that stuff is physically or psychologically addictive, or has a rebound effect when you come off of it that makes the original problem worse. I am also not a doctor, so do what you need to do.

Welcome to the forum.

I think the full face seems really intrusive...lol. I was thinking about getting a chin strap temporarily and multiple masks down the road. My insurance only allows one mask a year, so additional masks are out of pocket.
I decided not to use the muscle relaxant. I was in a car accident 10 years ago. I need to speak with my actual doctor about my back pain. I've only been to two chiropractors and a quack. It's not a constant pain, it only flares up every so often, but when it does I'm in serious pain.

[TimmyB5286]

Timmy...The machine you listed is what we call a "brick" because id does not report data...only compliance (hours used). If possible see if the machine can be exchanged for an Elite or Autoset model. With either of these you will be able to track your data and fine tune your therapy. Good Luck.

Unfortunately, I did not get a choice on machine. I probably have the worst insurance you could have, so this is what I got. To them, it's all about compliance. It's auto and ranges from 4 to 20, so I'm not entirely mad I can't fine tune. I feel more comfortable when it starts at 8 but usually when I wake up and check it I'm around 6.5. So I have to wait till it ramps up to 8 before I fall asleep. Hopefully I will be able to upgrade my machine in a few years.
Also, glad to meet a fellow Packers fan! Great game on Sunday!

[Pugsy]

The Escape Auto isn't a total brick...it does offer AHI and I think 95% pressure when in auto mode.
You may need to turn on the access to the data on the machine's LCD screen.
You can also turn off ramp (if you are using ramp).
If no ramp is being used and you find the 4 cm minimum setting too low for comfort you can change that setting if you wish. Most people will find that 4 cm setting too uncomfortable.

http://www.apneuvereniging.nl/forum/pdf ... manual.pdf

This manual explains how to get to the clinical setup menu where you can turn on access to the limited data the machine will give (SleepQuality needs to be set to "On") as well as where you can change that minimum pressure.

One word about the DME blaming the crappy machine on your insurance....it's a lie. Insurance companies pay by HCPCS code and not model name nor model features. They pay the same whether the machine is a full brick or a half assed brick like yours or a full efficacy data. The HCPCS billing codes don't distinguish between cpap/apap/data or no data...it's all the same billing code and only gets different when one needs a bilevel machine of some sort.

The reason they gave you the S9 Escape Auto (which by the way was discontinued in Aug of 2014) is because they had it laying around (and it may even have been used prior to your getting it) and it was cheaper so the DME makes more money. That is the only reason...your insurance had nothing to do with it. It was profit margin for the DME.