Well ... the FIRST night was pretty much a success.

[Thumper]

I had an appointment at the VA yesterday to go in for the test results of my "sleep study". It was determined I have Obstructed Sleep Apnea. As I've said here before, I've NEVER slept well ... even as a kid I didn't sleep. Four to five hours is what I've always considered "normal". In the past few years my snoring (according to Lynn) has become almost unbearable (when I DO sleep) and she convinced me to ask my doctor about it. My doc set me up with the sleep lab.

Well, I got my test results yesterday and it was confirmed, I have a pretty severe problem and am on my way to a possible stroke if I don't do something about it. It seems my RDI (respiratory disturbance index) ... or the average number of times per hour my sleep is disrupted, is 71. (normal is 15 or below)

So, yesterday I received my CPAP machine and the respiratory doc gave me all sorts of instruction and demonstration as well as the proper mask and accessories, etc. I set it up last night, strapped it on and proceeded to sleep like a baby. Well, I went to bed about 10:00pm and woke up at 3:00am to pee. I admit I watched the news for about an hour, then strapped the mask back on and went back to sleep ... back up at 6:30am and I'm ready to face the day! I will say, the results may be a bit "skewed" because Tuesday night was a bad night for me and I probably only got about 3 hours sleep all night ... so last night I was probably pretty much exhausted anydamnway. I guess tonight will be the true test, but so far, so good.

I have to admit, it's a bit of a pain in the ass, but worth it I suppose. According to the doc, I'm supposed to drag this thing with me no matter where I go. It's good all over the world and the thing changes voltage automatically, so it'll work anywhere. I also found it counts as a medical device and will not count as a separate bag for carry-on if I fly. That's good to know in this day of restricted luggage (unless you pay through the nose). What surprised me a bit is the price of these dang things. I was told if I have any problems, just bring it in and pick up a new one ... but if it gets stolen, be sure to make a police report and the VA will replace it for me. "Police report", I asked? Yep ... I was told this is a "top of the line" unit and runs about 1000 buckaroos! Sheeesh! Oh well, I'm worth it I guess! :D

[Bwana]

Yet another piece of the puzzle Thumper, maybe the extra z's you get will aid in the healing process. After all, the body can do an amazing amount of repair work while a feller is sleeping.

Best of luck and glad to hear Lynn will be getting a good night's sleep too.

[Niner]

Trust me on this Thump, these things are amazing! I even use mine if I lay down for a "short" nap in the afternoon.

ONE thing I started doing a while back, is to use only distilled water in it. It's less than a buck a gallon at the grocers. I was using our well water, and it started leaving mineral deposits behind. When we go off someplace.....like Houston for example...I use bottled water in it.

You will find you get much better sleep using the thing. It took me a little while to get used to being "tethered". But now, especially with my sore back, I don't move at all when I'm asleep. I used to toss and turn the whole night long before the CPAP.

The TSA used to be a little "funny" about it. They'd run their bomb-sniffing cloth thingies all over it. But nowadays they just run it through like its no big deal. Sort of like laptop computers I guess, they see so many nowadays that they've found they aren't much of a threat.

[Thumper]

Yeah Bill, they told me yesterday to only use distilled water in the thing. We stopped at Wally World and picked up a couple gallons for 89 cents (each). It'll be interesting to see how tonight goes considering I got a good nights sleep last night. Hopefully I'll be nice and rested up to hit the estate sales tomorrow!

[BarryBobPosthole]

The people I know who use them say that the difference in how rested they feel after a night's sleep is amazing.

BKB

[Big Skyz]

I hope to be getting set up with a CPAP machine before summer is over. My snoring (according to my wife) is getting really bad. All this week I've felt like crap and haven't had a decent night's sleep in quite a while. I sure hope this machine does the trick, because I've certainly felt a heckuva lot better than I have the last while. I also hope it makes a world of difference for you as well Jim.

[Chicken Dinner]

Damn. You people are getting old...

[Thumper]

Hubby and I have been experimenting with 12 volt plugs and I can use it in the truck during over night runs. Also Hubby bought a small tire compressor that had 12 volt plug to run it in the Rv, during camping trips, without power. For some reason the Rv 12 volt doesn't have enough juice to keep it running.

Sunny, I asked about that yesterday and mine has a 12v adapter. It sounds like what you need is an inverter, but I wouldn't run it all night in the rv without a power hook-up or the generator running (or the engine running). It's a pretty good drain on batteries. BUT ... if you have a power hook-up or generator, you wouldn't need the inverter anyway 'cause I'm sure your camper has a built-in inverter and 110v outlets doesn't it?

Oh ... and BITE ME CD! ;)

[Big Muddy]

I'm glad all you old folks can strap on those things and sleep good and not snore.

One day, I may have to "strap on" something to help out other parts of my anatomy, but I sure hope it's not one of those snoring machines. ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

My wife has threatened me with a ball gag.

BKB

[Big Muddy]

My wife has threatened me with a ball gag.

BKB


Man, it's just the opposite, at my house....I'M the one who has to listen to all the snoring!!!....she has knocked sheetrock off the ceiling!!! ;)

[Thumper]

My wife has threatened me with a ball gag.

BKB

I gots yer ball-gag hangin' right here! ;)

[Thumper]

Hmmm, this may be a new earning opportunity. I see these machines are bringing $500-$700 on e-Bay! Dang, at all these estate sales I go to, I may have passed on some of these because I didn't know what they were. Heck, 99.9% of the sales I go to have wheelchairs, walkers, canes, potty-chairs, shower-chairs, bazillions of those weekly pill-box thingies .. stuff like that. I'm sure I'll run across some of these CPAP machines. I'm sure gonna keep an eye out for 'em from here on out! :D

[Bwana]

Though I have never done the sleep test I'm beginning to think one of them might do me some good too. A good nights sleep seems to be few and far in-between these days but only OLD people have them, right?

[Thumper]

Nope. I made a comment to my doc that I guess this means I'm officially OLD now. She told me ANYONE can have sleep apnea and she's even seen young kids diagnosed with it. I suppose it's more common for older folks to complain to a doctor than a younger person. 'Course. I'm with you ... I'd "think" it's more common with older folks ... especially if they are overweight. But ... this is all new to me really, so I have no clue.

For one thing, unless they have good insurance coverage, younger folks may not check into it. I understand the test alone runs a couple grand and the equipment can add another grand. Plus you have the follow-ups and equipment that has to be replaced periodically ... masks, tubes, water reservoir, filters, etc.

[Captain]

I've had one for 5 or 6 years now and it is amazing. In fact I have two. One at the SC farm that I also use for travel and one at home in NC.
Like Sunny my problem was I would stop breathing 60 to 70 times an hour. I literally told my doctor I was more tired when I woke up in the morning than when I went to bed.
A good doctor friend of mine is making a mouth piece that does the same job as the CPAP. I have talked to him and he has agreed to test me to see if I'm a candidate for the device.
This is NOT like the thing you can buy off TV you make yourself. It would be really nice if this would work for me!
Jim glad you got texted, it is actually a pretty serious problem. I hope you have the same success I've had!

Take care, Captain

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Thumper]

I guess we're right in the same ballpark Cappy. According to the test, I stopped breathing, on AVERAGE, 71 times/hour during the 8-hour study. I had no clue. Lynn said I'd wake up at night gasping for air or choking, but I very seldom remembered it. Last night was the first FULL nights sleep I've had in ages. Well, I take that back ... I slept like a LOG for a couple weeks while I was in the hospital ... but I was in a coma! ;)

I have a couple of estate sales to hit in the morning and I want to get there early to be first in line, so I'm getting ready to hit the sack right now. I got a good nights sleep last night, so tonight should be the ultimate test. I'll check in tomorrow afternoon and let youse guys know how it went.

[Buckrub]

When folks get up at our deer camp to pee in the middle of the night, it sounds like a Darth Vader Convention.

[Buckrub]

They don't sound like anything, till they remove the mask and before they turn it off. Then it sounds like Darth Vader, in spades.

[Thumper]

Waves? I can't hear mine at all. Yep, take the mask off and it gets a little noisy, but you're supposed to turn it off when you do that. At least with mine you are. Otherwise it records data that may be misleading. It has a computer chip (actually a memory card) and every few months they'll have me send the card in so they can download the data and study it. That way they can make any adjustments needed. The machine records all activity internally without the card and when they send the card back, it'll automatically download the data and continue recording on the card. It's a pretty sophisticated device and they can fine tune it to best meet my needs.

[Buckrub]

I'd give a lot of money for someone to send me one and figure out how to make my wife wear it.

A LOT.

[Thumper]

Well, it's been a week now and this thing is amazing. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I don't sleep any LONGER ... I just sleep better. It's all QUALITY sleep.

I seem to sleep 5-6 hours and I'm ready to go. The HUGE difference is .. once I crash, I'm out like a light. Before, I'd toss and turn, snore my head off (according to Lynn) and wake up a bazillion times during the night. Now, I put the mask on, close my eyes and I don't move a muscle until I wake up (usually to pee). The first few nights, Lynn was so concerned, she started turning the light on to make sure I was still alive. She said I'm totally motionless all night and she can't even tell if I'm still breathing unless she turns on the lamp and watches my chest. It always surprises me when I go to sleep and wake up in the same exact position I started out in. Wow! These things do exactly what they're supposed to do. I don't think I've ever slept so well in my life.

[Niner]

Told ya so! :headbang

[BarryBobPosthole]

She should just smother you with a pillow if she was smart.

BKB

[Thumper]

I wouldn't blame her if she did!

I get a kick out of Bucky complaining about his wife and the guys at his hunting camp. I spent the night with him in TW's basement and I thought he was going to bring down the ceiling tiles with his snoring! :sleeping

[Buckrub]

You're a lot of things, Thump, but I never knew you were a liar.

Dang.

Now I know.

[Thumper]

I've learned over the years ... put two people in a room and the only one who snores, is the one who fell asleep first! ;)

[Captain]

As I've said for years they are amazing!
Wish I had gotten one years ago!

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Thumper]

Yeppers. Last night I woke up for my usual pee break around 3:00 am. I then watched the weather on tv, put my mask back on and was out like a light! Heck, I slept another 3 hrs. and didn't get up 'til close to 6:30! That's a LOT of sleep for me. Lynn tells me once I put that mask on, it's like some sort of drug being administered ... I'm sound asleep in minutes. I have to agree ... normally I'd go to bed and lie there staring at the ceiling for hours trying to sleep ... now when I wake up in the morning, the last thing I remember is putting on the mask. I can't believe what a difference it makes simply pumping a little air up your nose. The odd part is, my mouth never once opens during the night ... it's like it's wired shut! Which leads to a question for a scenario I've not yet experienced and never thought to ask about at the class. What happens when you have a bad cold or allergy problem and your nasal passages are stuffed up? Do you not use the CPAP until you can breath again? I suppose I could read the manual that came with it, but REAL men don't read instructions! ;)

[Niner]

Does your mask just cover your nose?

1452

Mine covers my nose & mouth. Sortof like a respirator or painter's mask.
So, if I open my mouth during the night it's no biggie.
1453
I tried one of the nose-only units when I first started, and it just didn't work for me.

[BarryBobPosthole]

None of the in stock units would fit Thumps big melon, so after consulting with Lynn, they got thumper this one.
BKB

1454

[Niner]

*Like*
1455

[Thumper]

Bofe'a youse can bite me. Niner, they had a zillion different options, but my prescription is the nose only type. That can be changed at any time if it doesn't work out. Actually they gave me two different types. My Rx is for the one in your first pic above. I haven't even bothered to try it yet. What I've been using is the one I used during the sleep study as they gave it to me to bring home while I was awaiting the results and my machine. It's like this one and works fine for me:

http://www.respshoppe.com/images/CPAP-Nasal-Pillow-Mask.jpg

[Buckrub]

Posthole's responses to this thread depict, even with all the negativity, why he is King of Comebacks and a worthy member of this place.

Sure glad I don't snore, is all I can say. However, if any of you guys have one of these and then upgrade to a new model, I will pay top dollar for your old one.