What to do when all methods of sleep apnea treatment are exhausted?

[raisedfist]

You need more baseline pressure. If you don't like a pressure range just try a fixed one of 12 and see what happens. As far as full face masks, I've also tried a ton and the only one that works for me is the F&P Simplus.

[reader2580]

I changed the minimum setting to 12.0 for last night per suggestions here. I had to tighten my mask to stop it leaking. My mask is the Dreamwear full face. I had a sleep study last month and they included a new mask as part of the study. The mask I got is an Amara View which I don't really like as it seems to push up on my nose.

OSCAR last night:

[raisedfist]

Your snoring and flow limitations responded nicely. I'd try 13 or 14 min next. And maybe disable flex unless you need it for comfort reasons.

Was sleep any different?

[reader2580]

I saw the ENT surgeon again today for a follow-up who said my sleep apnea is caused by the sides of my throat collapsing. It happens from my nostrils way down my throat. She confirmed the only treatment that will help is CPAP.

I think I am just going to give up on treating my sleep apnea and accept whatever happens from not treating it. I have used my CPAP from five to seven hours each night the past three nights and I don't feel any better than not using it. I felt like I barely slept Sunday night. I was so tired Monday evening I ended up falling asleep for the evening shortly after I got home. I don't know how much sense it makes to take a half day or full day off work to drive four or five hours round trip to see my sleep doctor.

[peelunkins]

I saw the ENT surgeon again today for a follow-up who said my sleep apnea is caused by the sides of my throat collapsing. It happens from my nostrils way down my throat. She confirmed the only treatment that will help is CPAP.

I think I am just going to give up on treating my sleep apnea and accept whatever happens from not treating it. I have used my CPAP from five to seven hours each night the past three nights and I don't feel any better than not using it. I felt like I barely slept Sunday night. I was so tired Monday evening I ended up falling asleep for the evening shortly after I got home. I don't know how much sense it makes to take a half day or full day off work to drive four or five hours round trip to see my sleep doctor.

Maybe try hypnosis? Sleeping with a CPAP Mask about $15
https://www.hypnosisdownloads.com/sleep ... /cpap-mask

[katestyles]

I saw the ENT surgeon again today for a follow-up who said my sleep apnea is caused by the sides of my throat collapsing. It happens from my nostrils way down my throat. She confirmed the only treatment that will help is CPAP.

I think I am just going to give up on treating my sleep apnea and accept whatever happens from not treating it. I have used my CPAP from five to seven hours each night the past three nights and I don't feel any better than not using it. I felt like I barely slept Sunday night. I was so tired Monday evening I ended up falling asleep for the evening shortly after I got home. I don't know how much sense it makes to take a half day or full day off work to drive four or five hours round trip to see my sleep doctor.

Don’t give up - you are just beginning to win!
It will take more than a couple of nights to make up for the years of sleep deprivation.

Persevere and you will see improvements.

[Miss Emerita]

I hope you will persevere. It sounds as though you used machine for a while in the past, then stopped for a while, then started again fairly recently. Do I have the right picture?

If so, it wouldn’t be very surprising if there were a period of adjustment you needed to ride out. In addition, while improvement come quickly for some people, it comes at a more gradual pace for others.

I may have missed it, but it seems you haven’t yet tried a nice minimalist mask like the P10 pillow mask, combined with mouth taping, as several people have suggested. Worth a try?

I also suspect a neck collar might help you keep your mouth closed. Some people like a soft cervical collar; others like the firmer half-collar made by the Dr. Dakota company. The former is cheaper and so maybe the one to try first.

I hear you loud and clear when you describe how difficult and discouraging your experiences are. At the same time, continuing to try is the right thing to do for your long-term health, and if you will keep at it and experiment with ideas that people have suggested, there’s an excellent chance your experiences will significantly improve.

We’re rooting for you and stand ready to help if we can.

[zoocrewphoto]

I saw the ENT surgeon again today for a follow-up who said my sleep apnea is caused by the sides of my throat collapsing. It happens from my nostrils way down my throat. She confirmed the only treatment that will help is CPAP.

I think I am just going to give up on treating my sleep apnea and accept whatever happens from not treating it. I have used my CPAP from five to seven hours each night the past three nights and I don't feel any better than not using it. I felt like I barely slept Sunday night. I was so tired Monday evening I ended up falling asleep for the evening shortly after I got home. I don't know how much sense it makes to take a half day or full day off work to drive four or five hours round trip to see my sleep doctor.

Most people don't feel like it is improving until the ahi is below 2. It looks like you are getting closer. Give it some more time.

Going without treatment means that over time, you will have higher blood pressure which leads to strokes and heart attacks. Frequent headaches, tired every day, more difficult to stay fit. Basically, I wish I had started cpap a good 10-15 years earlier than I did. I wouldn't be on blood pressure medication. I would have saved a lot of money on doctor appointments, medication, etc. I would be fit and having fun hiking and biking rather than struggling to get some exercise in. All those headaches that I didn't realize were apnea related. Those could have been good days instead of wasted days in bed (making it worse).

[ChicagoGranny]

Some people like a soft cervical collar

Technically, it's a foam cervical collar. The brand I use (DMI) comes in soft and firm. The firm works better for me and lasts longer. They are also in different widths. The 4-inch works best for me.

[reader2580]

I hope you will persevere. It sounds as though you used machine for a while in the past, then stopped for a while, then started again fairly recently. Do I have the right picture?

I switched to mandibular advancement for two plus years after the doctor clearly saw I had made a good effort to make CPAP work for two to three years and it failed. I started to have problems with my dental appliance last June or July so I went back to CPAP. I started down the road to Inspire, but I failed the sleep endoscopy. The ENT surgeon stated that neither Inspire nor mandibular advancement will help me. She said my options are CPAP or a very painful surgery that only helps 50% of patients.

[chunkyfrog]

Or you can persevere.
Give it a chance.
Give YOURSELF a chance.
Nothing worth doing is easy.

[reader2580]

I am going to order a couple of foam cervical collars to try. If I keep using CPAP I am probably going to need a new machine as this one seems noisy even though only 3000 hours on it. I need to have a follow up with my sleep doctor, but he is booked two months out.

[ajack]

I would try 13cm, The dream station is slow to respond. CPAP isn't a magic wand for most people. It took 3 minths for me to adjust and my first effect was that I wasn't as sleepy in the afternoon.

[reader2580]

I would try 13cm, The dream station is slow to respond. CPAP isn't a magic wand for most people. It took 3 minths for me to adjust and my first effect was that I wasn't as sleepy in the afternoon.

I have the older System One 60 Series. I am thinking about the Resmed machine if I replace mine.

[palerider]

I would try 13cm, The dream station is slow to respond. CPAP isn't a magic wand for most people. It took 3 minths for me to adjust and my first effect was that I wasn't as sleepy in the afternoon.

I have the older System One 60 Series. I am thinking about the Resmed machine if I replace mine.

Almost everybody that moves over to Resmed likes them better than Respironics... not everybody, of course, but most.