Sleep Apnea/CPAP Question

[jfulcer]

I just ran up and took a picture of my CPAP next to a gallon of water. My CPAP has a little chamber that allows me to add water - so I get humidified air. It also can heat it if I want. A good thing in the winter!

 

[DonnaS]

That looks like my machine.

 

[fklhou]

I have been using a CPAP machine for five or so years. I do not like the machine but it does help. You get use to the machine after a while.

There are different headsets that can help. I like the goldseal masks because they fit better.

If you want to learn more about cpap machines check out www.cpapman.com

 

[GeorgeG]

I've been using CPAP for eight years and got used to it the first night. All it takes is that first night of real sleep and you'll never regret having one.

I have to agree with those who mentioned the travel precautions. This is definitely a carry-on item and try to carry it yourself when checking in and out of hotels. When checking out of the Caribbean Beach at WDW, the baggage handler set mine atop our other bags and it slid off and hit the ground before we could catch it. Even with the padded travel case, the housing for the unit broke. The WDW liability coverage didn't come close to replacing it, but I was able to get a temporary repair until it could be replaced.

 

[arminnie]

There are two kinds of machines CPAP and BI-PAP. The Bi-Pap does not have the air pressure when you are exhaling - only on the inhale. It's a little easier on the airway passages if they are drying out.

I was diagnosed a decade ago. I wore a CPAP or a BI-PAP for over a year. I found it very easy to get adjusted to - of course when you are very sleep deprived nothing stops you from going to sleep - it's the waking back up that is a problem.

Unfortunately CPAP does not have a 100% success rate - although it is close to it. I was one of the unfortunate ones that it did not work for. I had surgery at Stanford University where most of the important sleep research has taken place and was cured.

Beware if you ever do consider surgery - do a lot of research on who would be doing it. The overall success rate is very low because unfortunately there are a lot of doctors out there who really do not have the qualifications to do this kind of very complex surgery. It can involve moving the jaw, tongue etc. My surgical team has a 90%+ success rate but they did invent the surgical procedures and have more experience than most doctors.