Courtesy of the VA. The VA I currently go to is significantly better than the one I was going to. This VA managed to get me in to see a PCM, sleep specialist and delivery of a CPAP in less time than the El Paso, TX VA had just to see a PCM. I was diagnosed with blockage severe sleep apnea. The sleep study person asked me if I would fall asleep at random places and I replied yes. She asked if I would fall asleep when riding in a car and I said no because I have been a passenger in a rollover and I’m extremely paranoid when other people drive.

The VA sent a ResMed Airsense 11 with a Airfit F20 mask. Little uncomfortable at first and I know I was moving around quite a bit trying to find the most comfortable sleeping position but I’m sure I will get used to it. They also sent a couple spare masks, air lines and water reservoirs. I was told to use distilled water only.

Woke up at 5:30am with only 4.5 hours of sleep and I have never felt so energized. The quality of sleep I got last night was better than 7-8 hours of sleep without a CPAP. And to think I’d been suffering for ~8 years.

The sense of relief I have this morning is amazing.

The Airsense 11 is a great machine. See if you can get yourself an F30i if you’re having mask trouble. I like it better.

Welcome to the club, BTW!

-Rob

Congratulations on finally getting the care you needed.

It will take some time to acclimate, sounds like you got benefit right away, that's excellent

I have that mask too. Give it a week or two and you’ll get used to it and your sleep will be completely changed.

I can’t sleep without it now. Sometimes I fall asleep in my living room later at night watching TV and I’ll wake up with a sore throat and gasping/choking because I started doing the whole apnea thing again without it.

ETA: you don’t have to go crazy cleaning like the manual says. They make it seem like you’ll die of some horrible disease if you don’t completely disassemble, the damn thing every day and scrub with soap and allow to dry.

Clean your mask cushion regularly, clean the headgear occasionally, keep your water chamber clean and rinse out your hose every so often. That’s all you need to really worry about.

If the daytime sleepiness continues there is always Provigil. Wait three months or so.

It helped me with the snoring, but I've never felt that same about of energy upon waking up that you describe. I'm not overweight, but apparently I stop breathing more than 40 times per hour anyway.

Never felt "runner's high" either, so maybe I'm cursed.

Welcome to the club hose-head! I’ve been on it for 18 years. Love my AirSense 10.

If you travel a lot, you might want to take a look at the AirSense Mini. A lot easier to tote around and pack than a full size machine.


I’m not a fan of full face masks as they tend to get pushed around by my pillow while sleeping. Unless you are congested a lot, you might want to try a nasal pillow mask, I think most people find them more comfortable. I do keep one for the occasional cold or allergy flare ups, but rarely have use it.

I used the AirFit P10 for years, just recently changed to Phillips Dreamweaver which is very comfortable and puts the hose connection at the top of your head instead of in front of your face.



I agree with PASig, frenetic cleaning is not necessary so long as you are using distilled water. My pillows last nine months or longer, hoses are easily good for a year or more. Like so much in the medical world, insurance payments are a cash cow so they want you replacing everything every 3-6 months.

I will wash my mask every couple of months and run a brush through the hose twice a year more on principle than need. I just use liquid hand soap, nothing special.

Filters on the other hand do need to be replaced more often. Depending on your house (dust, pets, smoking, etc) every month or two. They go in white, time to change when it goes gray.

I called the supplier since insurance deductibles were met and upgraded both mine and my wife's CPAP to the Airsense 11... I love mine.

And since we are double covered with health insurance it was zero dollars out of pocket.

The VA here denied my sleep apnea even after their sleep department gave me a new mask when I broke the head harness on mine that was from private sector.

Edmond,

Glad both the VA and the CPAP are serving you well. Our local VA medical facilities have a very good reputation.

I'm using an ResMed Airsense 10 with a Respironics Dreamwear nasal mask (similar design to the Philips Dreamweaver). And yup, long time CPAP user (since 1997). Filters get replaced every other week. And I clean my mask, etc. weekly. Always have. Always will. Can not understand those who do not given the normal nighttime sweaty grime that can built up which I can not abide.

I'm retired military but have never used the VA because I am not on any disability which means, unlike Tricare-for-Life + Medicare B which pays 100% of my in town care provider visits, I'd have to pay 3 figures minimum for each VA visit. And I understand I can't choose doctors at the VA either.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
If the daytime sleepiness continues there is always Provigil. Wait three months or so.

Not a lot of folks know about Provigil ..... Are there any downsides??

Yeah, it makes a difference. If, for whatever reason, I go a night without, I really feel it the next day. Takes a bit to get used to. I used to be a side sleeper, now I sleep on my back. Took me a few months to really get used to it. Enjoy the good sleep, man.

On my third machine - Air Sense 11 - Love it
Stick with it - It took me several months to get "used to it"
It will save your life !!!!

quote:

Are there any downsides??

^^^^^^^^^^^^
Run it by your cardiologist if you have one. It is NOT speed and has been around a while.Start with half a dose on an empty stomach first thing. It may cut your appetite a little but increases alertness and prevents your falling asleep. It is primarily used for narcolepsy but works very well for daytime sleepiness.

Good for you. I couldn't tolerate it when I tried, and am envious of the people it works for.

I'm now trying a dental appliance and have stopped snoring. I'll be doing a sleep study soon to see how it has impacted my apnea.

Great! Glad to see you’ve adjusted so. I just got updated to a new Resmed Aircurve 10. My has wife has just begun using the same machine, her adaptation curve hasn’t been as easy as yours, but it’s getting better.