How many self medicate....

[Christy223]

How many self medicate and reset your pressures higher or lower on your machines than they were originally set?

Just wondering?

[RiverDave]

I bumped mine minimum setting from 6 to 7 (not that big of a deal, but it made the world of difference to me). I wouldn't hesitate doing it again if I thought it was necessary.

[sleepyred]

Ditto - bumped my pressure and then I went to an apap from a cpap - doc does not know it yet - but I will tell him, when I see him again.

I bumped mine minimum setting from 6 to 7 (not that big of a deal, but it made the world of difference to me). I wouldn't hesitate doing it again if I thought it was necessary.

[Goofproof]

How many self medicate and reset your pressures higher or lower on your machines than they were originally set?

Just wondering?

That's the whole idea, someone has got to take charge, but I use the software, just so I can make informed decisions. That's something the Doctors and DME's can't do. Jim

[Bamalady]

I have a Pro2, straight CPAP, that I started on. I increased the pressure on it. I now on a loaner APAP for 3 weeks. After one week of data, It would seem I was correct to change the pressure on the Pro2.

[robbieh]

I keep asking about getting an APAP in exchange for my CPAP because my AHIs go up and down between 7 and 2. I don't feel like my therapy is as good as it should be. Some mornings I wake up very angry and am on the verge of tears all day. My eyes burn and I catch myself staring a lot. I'm not sleepy like I used to be.

I don't know enough about this to feel comfortable changing my pressures. I also think my pressure needs vary during the night and from night to night. My routine never varies. I finally got a mask that I can wear all night but my AHIs are just as bad as before. My sleep doc is on vacation until next month anyway. I made an appointment and will tell him that if I can't get an APAP, I will try changing my pressure until I can get better results and I don't care if he likes it or not.

[track]

I am totally self medicated...no sleep test. I bought a machine, a mask and tested myself. Since day one I have been fine tuning to get the AHI down lower and lower.
I have almost 7 months under my belt with only two missed days during that period when I had the stomach flu.
_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): AHI

[goose]

I can and will after consulting with the doc.
I have an excellent doctor, so calling her up, explaining what's up -- I can show her reports if she wants them, but generally after the first time I printed and provided reports she takes my word for it. She is thrilled that I've taken control of my own treatment.
If she prescribes a change, I'll do the change. I have no ill conscience about not providing the DME with $100 bill to the insurance for a 60 second pressure change visit.....

cheers
gg

[wcurtin1962]

[quote="track"] I am totally self medicated...no sleep test. I bought a machine, a mask and tested myself. Since day one I have been fine tuning to get the AHI down lower and lower.
I have almost 7 months under my belt with only two missed days during that period when I had the stomach flu.

[track]

My heath insurance ran out the night I was tested, I bought my machine off eBay (This was in 11/04). When the guy dropped it off he told me the machine was set to 14 a high setting. I cleaned out the hoses and mask and use it that night. The first night I stayed awake till 3:00 am then drifted off. I woke at 10:00. I usually got up three times a night. The next night I slept as soon as I hit the bed. I then ordered a mask that better suited me. I have broken masks before and now I order them in pairs!

I pick up the cost of the first 2,000 dollars in my insurance so I would have had to pay for the sleep test. There was little doubt in my mind or my families that I had sleep apnea to some degree based on my symptoms. I figured the 400 dollars for a like new resmed apap machine and a UMFF mask was a lot cheaper than a sleep test and it would tell me if I had it...and if I didn't I could have resold the machine at no loss so it was a no brainer. I wasn't too pumped up about spending a night in a sleep lab anyway. Buying the machine myself was probably the only way I was going to get started.
Since december it's been trial and error with some help from the forum here along with some extra reading on the subject. I feel pretty confident that I have pinpointed the numbers that work best for me....but I need to stay off my back and I have found a way to do that successfully.

[rested gal]

I do (self-treat.) Kind'a had to...no insurance.

After reading, reading, reading apnea message boards for several months (cpaptalk didn't exist back when I started almost 4 years ago) I made the choice to spend my money on an autopap and software, or spend it on a sleep study and then still have to buy my own equipment anyway. I went the autopap route. Worked for me...with the help of a particular message board poster nicknamed -SWS who gave me invaluable suggestions about my data and the settings on the 420E autopap I bought.

So, yes, I've been tweaking since day 1. Successfully.

Two years into it I had the opportunity to get a full PSG sleep study. The study uncovered a second sleep disorder I never knew I had, and that no autopap or autopap software would ever have revealed...PLMD (Periodic Limb Movement Disorder.) Fortunately, the number of arousals I have from the PLMs don't seem to affect how good I feel each morning.

But that goes to show that going the self-diagnosis route could have backfired. If I'd not felt better (due to the PLMD I was unaware of) I might have mistakenly thought "Well, CPAP doesn't work for me...no point in continuing it."

A full PSG sleep study can uncover sooo much more about what's going on during sleep than just OSA. I was lucky going the self treatment route, but I'd still recommend to anyone to get a PSG study if you possibly can. Get ALL the info you can. If you can.

[track]

But that goes to show that going the self-diagnosis route could have backfired. If I'd not felt better (due to the PLMD I was unaware of) I might have mistakenly thought "Well, CPAP doesn't work for me...no point in continuing it."

I think there is enough evidence out there that even if you don't feel signficantly better from the treatment there are still plenty of health reasons to stay on Cpap if you have sleep apnea. I don't find that I feel remarkably better with the treatment. I still am tired in the mornings when I crawl out of bed....isn't that natural? I still like to take a nap in the afternoon if I have the opportunity as it refreshess me for the rest of the day. I wish I felt like a million dollars every day...but that isn't going to happen unless I start taking drugs......or I hit the lottery.

As far as I am concerned drinking tea or eating veggies doesn't make me feel better but I know they are good for me so I drink the tea and eat the veggies. A coke and a pizza makes me feel better but I try to limit them because I know they are not particularly good for a body.

[andyomega]

I did because the equipment provider had no idea what she was doing.
I can thank this site for learning alot more about APAP and how to properly use one.

[luneman]

I self titrate because I don't have insurance that covers sleep lab visits. Thankfully, with the initial titration results, an auto machine, the software and a very open minded PCP; I get by with good results!

[DaveMunson]

Absolutely yes I do. Got myself dialed in a few thousand sleep hours ago and really have not changed it since.