Not so Newbie

[I'm not a Robot]

I used a CPAP approximately 12 years ago and eventually stopped using it at my sleep specialist’s recommendation. I worked really hard to get the right mask, get the leaks stopped etc., and got help from people in the forum. Back then I did not have active symptoms of sleep apnea that would show up on an Epworth Sleepiness Scale. I never ever woke up refreshed and suffered from sleep inertia for hours in the morning. I did not even snore (as evidenced on 5 separate level one sleep studies). The apnea showed up on some of the sleep studies but not all…I think those times might have been masked by my PLMD. I also had/have primary insomnia and pesky spontaneous arousals that the reason could not be accounted for. The CPAP wasn’t helping me despite all my efforts, so my doctor advised me to stop. All that is ancient history...

...Forward to the present: I do have Epworth measureable symptoms now. I also have nocturia (sometimes getting up every 15-30 minutes to pee). It is torturous some nights. The urologist suggested this could be apnea induced nocturia. So I did a home study through a local DME in order to get it done quickly. The waiting list for a level one study is long. Well, the test results were not a surprize.

As if by magic, the nocturia disappeared the first night I went back on cpap and has not come back!!! What a relief. The urologist was correct. Other symptoms have not been resolved due to not getting a proper titration yet, but Hooray for not constantly getting up to pee. It is a truly great start.

There are hoops to jump through for me to get funding for the autocpap I was prescribed. I am now doing a titration trial with a loaner AirSense 10 Autoset For Her from a local DME. At the end of it, I have to take a home Remmers sleep test and then give the machine, mask and all equipment back while the powers that be decide whether it is effective enough for funding approval. I don’t know how long it will take but the DME said it could take 6 to 8 weeks. My sleep doctor is not happy about this but since the DME has started the process already, he can’t interfere and he could not make it happen faster anyway. He said it used to be that the DME let patients continue with the loaner until funding approval. Not now.

I have one more week of titration before I have to return all of the loaner equipment and wait for approval or not. So that means I have one week to get things in place for the possible long wait for funding decision for the autoset that was prescribed to me.

My plan A is to dig out my S9 Elite which has been carefully packed away all these years. I don’t even know if it still works but I will find out... If not, I will have to work out a plan B or suffer. I just can’t bear the thought of getting up to pee all night long again.

All of my old masks have yellowed silicone, so I ordered two new masks out of pocket, a full face and a nasal pillow. I paid 1/3 less for both masks and delivery than the DME charges for one mask.

The S9 Elite is a straight CPAP machine. I intend to set it at the median pressure overall that I get from the autoset data and go from there. Oh and I guess I have to dig out where to find the clinical manual again to change the settings...

My longwinded question is: Does starting off the straight CPAP at the median pressure from the autoset data sound like a reasonable plan A?

[Pugsy]

My longwinded question is: Does starting off the straight CPAP at the median pressure from the autoset data sound like a reasonable plan A?

Yes. Very reasonable plan A.

[I'm not a Robot]

Thank you Pugsy,

You have not aged a bit since about 2011 when I was last here lol! Some members that were really helpful are still around and some seem to have sadly disappeared.

[Sheriff Buford]

If you can't find a manual, use youtube or google. I can't ever find my manuals.

Sheriff

[I'm not a Robot]

If you can't find a manual, use youtube or google. I can't ever find my manuals.

Sheriff

Thank you Sheriff! I did manage to get my hands on a virtual manual. My masks arrive on Tuesday, so I am ready for plan A.

I can't wait to be in charge of my own auto. I am completely trashed with the DME adjusting the dials from afar. AHI of 16+ after almost a month of use. If this trend continues, I cannot see how a new sleep study will convey effective treatment for funding. If I lived in the US, I would have ordered from that $399 cpap.com sale. The brick and mortar prices are fixed at ~$2200 here.