Pros and Cons of Using CPAP

[northpine]

Hello everyone. I am new to this Group and am seeking advice. Recently I was diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA and have been advised to purchase a CPAP machine.
I would like to explore the pros and cons through what I read here. I have always researched any drug prescribed and feel it prudent to do so with equipment like this.
Any advice both positive and negative will be very much appreciated.

[LSAT]

Pro....You will feel better and live longer

Con...People can die from untreated sleep apnea

[library lady]

Con: Apnea increases the incidence of strokes... from which you could die, or have some disability afterwards. Or, you could die in your sleep without ever having a stroke.

When I was researching at the beginning of my journey, I researched the alternatives to it that my sleep doc told me about and decided that I didn't want to do any of those things. I didn't want the UPPP surgery, I didn't want my jaw moved forward, and none of the dental appliances seemed like they wouldn't work very well. They all sounded pretty awful and I got the sense from my reading that I might regret the first two options if I went that route. I learned that the gold standard for apnea treatment is CPAP, and while I had some trouble adjusting to it, as everyone seems to do, I did adjust, and I'm happy that I made the decision I made.

[northpine]

Thank you for your responses and it's good to hear CPAP is working for you. I take it you are are sleeping soundly and awaken refreshed and alert. Hard stats seem difficult to come
by for those who have been diagnosed with OSA and who have died as a result from opting not to use or continue using CPAP. I understand CPAP is the new standard of treatment for OSA but that is why I am confused at how difficult it is to research hard stats. I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

[Julie]

Take a look at the Announcements at the top of the main page to get some idea of how people feel about things... and if you have a particular concern in mind put the word(s) in the search box to see what's been discussed in the past (you'll probably get waaay more info than you'll ever want ).

And if you just want to ask us about anything at all, big or small, go right ahead. And welcome!

[northpine]

Thanks Julie. I shall check that feature out.

[chunkyfrog]

. . . I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

Medicare?

[Heart Jumping]

I understand CPAP is the new standard of treatment for OSA but that is why I am confused at how difficult it is to research hard stats. I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

What "hard stats" are you looking for? I'm a "show me the evidence" kind of person myself, so I'm curious what you are looking for and can't find? While there is an abundance of scientific evidence out there, one of the unique things about sleep apnea is that most of us here are able to see hard stats in a very direct way, because we're able to see the results of our treatment with software such as sleephead. Obviously that's not the same as a scientific study across a wide group of people, but it's damn wonderful and convincing.

During my sleep study I was diagnosed with severe apnea and was experiencing 40 AHI events per hour. Here's what I'm experiencing after only one month of treatment. It's not some nebulous "is it really doing anything for me" type of thing, these are huge and measurable results.

[/quote]

[kteague]

Thank you for your responses and it's good to hear CPAP is working for you. I take it you are are sleeping soundly and awaken refreshed and alert. Hard stats seem difficult to come
by for those who have been diagnosed with OSA and who have died as a result from opting not to use or continue using CPAP. I understand CPAP is the new standard of treatment for OSA but that is why I am confused at how difficult it is to research hard stats. I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

It is not likely you'll find stats listing untreated OSA as the cause of death. They are more likely attributed to stroke or cardiac causes, or maybe one of the long term complications of diabetes or high blood pressure - get what I mean? Studies are out there indicating OSA plays a role in several adverse health conditions. My father had cancer that perforated his bowel and he was unable to fight off multiple post surgical infections. His death certificate listed multiple organ failure as the cause of death even though cancer caused the cascade of medical crises that caused his death.

Don't let the list prices of the machines scare you. Sometimes a quality used machine is cheaper than copays.

And since you asked:
PROS
Better sleep, less sensitivity to pain, reduced daytime sleepiness, improved cognition, fewer meds needed to control diabetes and blood pressure, and hopefully prevent further microvascular ischemic brain lesions.
CONS
Cost of equipment & supplies, inconvenience of use, frustration navigating health care provider obstacles

[northpine]

. . . I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

Medicare?

The health care system here covers 75% of the initial cost but not for the regular mask replacements. I need to way the options carefully.

[northpine]

I understand CPAP is the new standard of treatment for OSA but that is why I am confused at how difficult it is to research hard stats. I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

What "hard stats" are you looking for? I'm a "show me the evidence" kind of person myself, so I'm curious what you are looking for and can't find? While there is an abundance of scientific evidence out there, one of the unique things about sleep apnea is that most of us here are able to see hard stats in a very direct way, because we're able to see the results of our treatment with software such as sleephead. Obviously that's not the same as a scientific study across a wide group of people, but it's damn wonderful and convincing.

During my sleep study I was diagnosed with severe apnea and was experiencing 40 AHI events per hour. Here's what I'm experiencing after only one month of treatment. It's not some nebulous "is it really doing anything for me" type of thing, these are huge and measurable results.

[/quote]

Specifically I am looking for hard stats on survival rates for untreated OSA. In many of the clinical studies I am find words like, "less than foolproof", "may" and "confounding variables". Anecdotally if a procedure or program works for an individual then it is certainly the way to go for that particular individual. In my case I am unclear as to the benefits. The results of my sleep tests do not square with the symptoms I present. I was given the sleep test by the neurology department because they are having trouble diagnosing my loss of balance and episodes of slurred speech. I normally sleep soundly, awake refreshed and am alert during the day yet my test results indicate moderate to severe OSA.

In searching for stats on compliance I am finding a tread referring to a "significant" number of those purchasing CPAP machines do not use them long term but the numbers appear to be vague.

Please know that I am not here to be demean the benefits so many here are deriving from using CPAP. I really appreciate the input I am receiving.

[northpine]

Thank you for your responses and it's good to hear CPAP is working for you. I take it you are are sleeping soundly and awaken refreshed and alert. Hard stats seem difficult to come
by for those who have been diagnosed with OSA and who have died as a result from opting not to use or continue using CPAP. I understand CPAP is the new standard of treatment for OSA but that is why I am confused at how difficult it is to research hard stats. I am a senior living on a fixed income and the costs of this system will be formidable for me.

It is not likely you'll find stats listing untreated OSA as the cause of death. They are more likely attributed to stroke or cardiac causes, or maybe one of the long term complications of diabetes or high blood pressure - get what I mean? Studies are out there indicating OSA plays a role in several adverse health conditions. My father had cancer that perforated his bowel and he was unable to fight off multiple post surgical infections. His death certificate listed multiple organ failure as the cause of death even though cancer caused the cascade of medical crises that caused his death.

Don't let the list prices of the machines scare you. Sometimes a quality used machine is cheaper than copays.

And since you asked:
PROS
Better sleep, less sensitivity to pain, reduced daytime sleepiness, improved cognition, fewer meds needed to control diabetes and blood pressure, and hopefully prevent further microvascular ischemic brain lesions.
CONS
Cost of equipment & supplies, inconvenience of use, frustration navigating health care provider obstacles

Good point thanks kteague.

[WindCpap]

Judging by the 75% comment, you are from Ontario or another province with an ADP. You will not get a quality used machine for cheaper than 25% of the ADP prescribed price. The ADP also covers your first mask, but only a really cheap one (basic mask). If you have any kind of supplemental insurance at all, it will cover mask replacements etc. In Canada, there is a web based CPAP shop that is quite a bit cheaper than local providers. I can PM you the address of the web site of you like.

Don't let money stand in the way of your health. I know more than one person who didn't know they had sleep apnea and ended up having a heart attack. You are going to miss a lot of work if this happens to you, so think of it more as an investment.

CPAP is 99% effective in compliant patients (people who actually use the machine). Technically, these patients are labeled as treated because they will continue having sleep apnea otherwise, but as long as they keep using the machine, they are effectively cured.

[Julie]

So many patients who make up the negative statistics (those going off Cpap) have had no help in using Cpap properly and doctors being just way too ignorant about that are half the problem. It's not that they don't get the science behind apnea, but that they depend on untrained, but greedy DMEs and techs to deal with the mechanics of setting patients up on Cpap. They keep repeating old myths about weight and 'patients can't understand software' (so therefore should not take control of their therapy) instead of becoming informed. A whole generation (if not more) of patients are losing out because of ignorance, laziness and greed!

[Cardsfan]

Amen- Julie. You just nailed it. My PCP was insistent on me getting a sleep study after I told him I snored. He even had the At-home sleep test kits in his office. After I tested that I had moderate sleep apnea, he wrote a prescritption for a cpap, with 5 as the pressure. That was the end of his involvement. When I had my regular 6 month check up, he asked "are you using the cpap?" I said ,, yes. That was the end of it.
Then I found this forum, and realized I was being abandoned in my treatment progress. I learned how to read Sleephead,
Learned to improve my pressure number, Went from 5 to 8 pressure. (What an improvement in comfort and results).

But, too the original poster, my AHI went from 30 events an hour to an average of less than 1 per night.
So it worked for me. The cpap machine prevents the apneas from happening.

And there are ways to get masks for less money. Heck, I see masks for sale on here quite ofter for $20 for gently used.
And if you look at http://www.secondwindcpap.com you will find gently used machines , with a warranty, for less.

Without treatment, you are suffocating in your sleep.