I absolutely despised the American CPAP machine and all its paraphenalia. Having been diagnosed with OSA many years ago, the thing sat in the bedroom closet for years. Then, all of a sudden, without explanation, the Sleep Apnea disappeared! New diagnosis. My friend, a local NP whom I have often quoted here on this site, told me that it was because of my weight loss.
Another thing to be considered is the ease of use. Although my husband has been using a CPAP for years, as his vascular dementia gets worse, he get more confused with the machine and mask. He tangles his headgear, manages to get the hose disconnected from the base and has knocked the whole thing on the floor. And remembers nothing the next morning. Not sure what we are going to do since he has central sleep apnea, which is different from obstructive.
Avioding gluten cures both snoring and sleep apnea. Snoring stops within 3 days, sleep apnea takes a couple of weeks. Try it, and see if your joints don't annoy you a whole lot less too. X Gluten is found in all food items including wheat and wheat flour.
I've been using an APAP machine faithfully for more than two years. What annoys me about it is the noise. Especially as I am falling asleep (the problem time for my insomnia) the airflow and other machine noises are distracting.
This article is useful and interesting, but a bit surprising. You don't just go shopping for a CPAP in a retail store, and I would think the respiratory therapist you are working with would always walk you through these choices.
Medicare covers this, but requires a defined level of compliance.
I thought that my husband would question it when I first started wearing the mask to bed -- he had dementia. But he never seemed to notice!
I personally would not have recommended this for my husband or for my mother, both of whom had/have dementia. I'm not sure that starting it in one's 80s is appropriate either, even without dementia.
I am currently trying to lose weight, specifically so I can stop using the dang machine.
As an occupational therapist with obstructive sleep apnea I am very aware of the difficulties adjusting to CPAP use. Many people do not realize that one mask does fit all. There are many masks you can try and your durable medical supply vendor should work with a respiratory therapist who can help find the best mask for your needs. I think it is interesting that no one mentioned feeling more rested after using CPAP.
It took me more than a year to sleep with the mask on all night. Most nights I ripped it off while I slept. It is a huge adjustment and you have to believe in the health benefits of using CPAP. Non compliance with CPAP use can contribute to cardiac and other medical problems. If you are diagnosed with OSA take it seriously.
Has anyone had good luck with the Breathe Right strips ( Advanced)? I tried them, and I love them. They warn that it is not for the treatment of Obstructed Sleep Apnea however.
My 85 year old father has been trying to use CPAP in a nursing home for the past 3 months. It is not going well, so we called the respiratory therapist to come in and fit a new mask. He was very uncomfortable, and often awake all night or intermittently. He is also paralyzed in one hand and arm, making it very difficult for him to remove the mask if he gets up at night (which he does 2 or 3 times due to enlarged prostate). We will hope the the new mask works better!
It was ordered and fitted by our dentist. Our dentist made the impressions and sent the impressions to the company selling the Tap3 device.
Our dentist is the one who recommended the Tap3 for my husband. I think you can also do this online but I am not sure how it will effect your insurance eligibility.
The Tap3 was paid by our medical insurance company as a durable medical device. Also, in order to save money we went through the process of having our dentist listed as a Preferred Provider for the Tap3 (with her complete consent) so we wouldn’t have to pay “Out of Network” rates.
This won't be a speedy process but with patience we were successful in having our medical insurance pay their share for the appliance. I think our total cost was around $1,200 but since the dentist was in the network we only had to pay our percentage - the same as any other medical procedure.
I just found this blog that has lots of answers to your questions.
A gentleman I know recently was hospitalized ( with Vancamycin) for an upper respitory infection due to the tubing associated with the CPAP. Although he washed it out every morning, apparently it was not completely germ-free. He spent 31 days in the hospital. Scary.
My husband faithfully used his CPAP machine for about 5 years but after spending a month in the Dominican Republic without his machine, he had a very difficult time resuming the use of the CPAP when he returned home.
His dentist recommended a Tap 3 Mouth Guard (The Thornton Adjustable Positioner® – or TAP®-3) and he definitely breathes better at night without all the noise and cumbersomeness of the CPAP machine. The mouth guard is small enough to fit in his pocket, needs no electricity or water and helps also with the grinding of teeth in the night.
His cardiologist called him a few days ago to get the name of his dentist for another patient. We have friends, one who won't use his machine and one who is very diligent about using her machine, who have changed to the Tap 3 mouth guard because of the simplicity.
Because my husband had the CPAP machine it took about a year and a half before I could get the Insurance Company to agree to pay for the Tap 3 but they finally did.
This is another option that should be considered when evaluating what you need to do for Sleep Apnea. Not everyone can adjust to CPAP machines or there may be times when they just won't work. When traveling with a friend with a CPAP machine, she panicked when she realized that there wasn't an American outlet near the bed and the hotel didn't have an extension cord to accommodate her CPAP machine. Fortunately I did have an extension that was long enough and she now travels with her own extension cord.
I was told by a very intelligent NP that the CPAP is a necessary treatment for obstructed sleep apnea. I cannot seem to adjust to this machine. It's either the mask, the "blowing air" ( you've heard of water boarding, now how 'bout air boarding? It may be the tightness of the mask strappings. I know that you are supposed to set it on "Ramp", then fall asleep,then the high pressure kicks in, CPAP, while you are sleeping. On the few occasions when I did fall asleep, I woke up in about four hours, ripping the thing off my face and gasping. Not nice. Sleep is supposed to be relaxing and something to look forward to every night. Not me.
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How to Pick the Right CPAP Machine for Sleep Apnea
My friend, a local NP whom I have often quoted here on this site, told me that it was because of my weight loss.
Snoring stops within 3 days, sleep apnea takes a
couple of weeks.
Try it, and see if your joints don't annoy you a whole
lot less too. X
Gluten is found in all food items including wheat and
wheat flour.
This article is useful and interesting, but a bit surprising. You don't just go shopping for a CPAP in a retail store, and I would think the respiratory therapist you are working with would always walk you through these choices.
Medicare covers this, but requires a defined level of compliance.
I thought that my husband would question it when I first started wearing the mask to bed -- he had dementia. But he never seemed to notice!
I personally would not have recommended this for my husband or for my mother, both of whom had/have dementia. I'm not sure that starting it in one's 80s is appropriate either, even without dementia.
I am currently trying to lose weight, specifically so I can stop using the dang machine.
It took me more than a year to sleep with the mask on all night. Most nights I ripped it off while I slept. It is a huge adjustment and you have to believe in the health benefits of using CPAP. Non compliance with CPAP use can contribute to cardiac and other medical problems. If you are diagnosed with OSA take it seriously.
Our dentist is the one who recommended the Tap3 for my husband. I think you can also do this online but I am not sure how it will effect your insurance eligibility.
The Tap3 was paid by our medical insurance company as a durable medical device. Also, in order to save money we went through the process of having our dentist listed as a Preferred Provider for the Tap3 (with her complete consent) so we wouldn’t have to pay “Out of Network” rates.
This won't be a speedy process but with patience we were successful in having our medical insurance pay their share for the appliance. I think our total cost was around $1,200 but since the dentist was in the network we only had to pay our percentage - the same as any other medical procedure.
I just found this blog that has lots of answers to your questions.
Good luck!
His dentist recommended a Tap 3 Mouth Guard (The Thornton Adjustable Positioner® – or TAP®-3) and he definitely breathes better at night without all the noise and cumbersomeness of the CPAP machine. The mouth guard is small enough to fit in his pocket, needs no electricity or water and helps also with the grinding of teeth in the night.
His cardiologist called him a few days ago to get the name of his dentist for another patient. We have friends, one who won't use his machine and one who is very diligent about using her machine, who have changed to the Tap 3 mouth guard because of the simplicity.
Because my husband had the CPAP machine it took about a year and a half before I could get the Insurance Company to agree to pay for the Tap 3 but they finally did.
This is another option that should be considered when evaluating what you need to do for Sleep Apnea. Not everyone can adjust to CPAP machines or there may be times when they just won't work. When traveling with a friend with a CPAP machine, she panicked when she realized that there wasn't an American outlet near the bed and the hotel didn't have an extension cord to accommodate her CPAP machine. Fortunately I did have an extension that was long enough and she now travels with her own extension cord.