British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

Very glad to hear that you are feeling better - by fair means or foul!!

I suggest that you look at the data. If you need to raise the pressure to get the AHIs down, do it very S L O W L Y ... such as 0.2 (yes that little) at a time and let it run for at least 3 nights comparing the data every day before you make a further change.

Keep on at the NHS to get you a machine of your own though!

Yep, me bad :twisted: Well, desperate!

I obviously cannot condone such behaviour.

I have set the machine at 9.5 because it seemed 'comfortable', it was set at 11.
I am going to attempt to decipher the data tonight.

So basically I have proved that CPAP works and has made a massive difference in only 3 days!!! I've only done this as a stop-gap until the NHS sorts me out. I don't believe I can actually harm myself with a CPAP machine.....

Next step is going to my Docs. to say, I've felt so bad and have been [i]forced to take this action[/i]. It works. I need the NHS to supply me with the equipment and want to be referred to a different sleep clinic.

I do feel a million times better at the minute though!

NAUGHTY NAUGHTY!!!! :lol:

You don't say what pressure the machine was set up at, and how you arrived at this figure!!!!!!!

Does this machine have the capacity to show you the data each morning? If so, what are your AHIs per hour? You need them to be under 5, way under if poss ... :D

Glad you feel better Mountain! 8)

So...OK this is probably slightly unethical but....

I obtained a CPAP machine & mask and tried it out last night.

Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I lowered the pressure a little, jiggled the mask & straps a lot to get comfortable and fell to sleep.

I woke up a couple of times in the night- probably due to not being used to having something stuck on my face.

I woke up this morning to my alarm at 6am (work this Saturday!) and I felt like really quite amazing :)

Even after one night and with the waking up, I feel like I had the best sleep in many many years. I've had loads of energy today and have been in a brilliant mood!!!!! No snoring at all too according to my wife.

Also, I didn't have a headache or a sore throat...

The only downside is the bridge of my nose is a bit sore and has had a red mark on it most of the day. I expect I overtightened the straps.

So, feeling this good after one night has made me realise how utterly crap I usually feel. I now have years of sleep to catch up on, probably decades!!!

I will ask for her thoughts on that when I get home from work LOL :lol:

:lol: :lol: You know it means she really loves you if she stands on the windward side!! :lol: :lol:

LOL Just wait until I tell my wife that in the future along with the snoring and a pipe and mask stuck to my face she's going to have to put up with (more!) wind :D :lol:

There are one-way valves in the mask so you don't rebreathe the CO2! That's why there's a small hiss at times and a feeling of air being blown out of the mask. HOWEVER, the air you breath in (O2) has to go somewhere besides the blood stream, heart and lungs, hence 'windy moments' especially on waking!!

Oh and it's NOT a daft question .... very sensible actually!! :D

Hi all,

This is probably a strange question but I've been thinking of it all day.....

When using cPAP on a basic level, air under positive pressure is pumped into the mask & hence into the airways to keep them open. So......where does the air when breathing out go? Are there holes, or valves in the mask or is all breathing done through the mask & tube but under positive pressure?

Told you it was a strange question :shock:

Exactly headthrob!!

I know what you mean. Getting some sleep first to have enough energy to exercise might have helped!! :?

[quote="Mountain"]
I was diagnosed with mild OSA yesterday.
I was basically told try to lose weight and come back in a year- this is what NICE guidelines state!
[/quote]

That sucks. I find personally, that my tiredness makes me eat foods that aren't particularly good for me and trying to eat healthily is a problem, let alone going on a diet. Trying to do exercise sounds like a marathon when you're tired all the time, walking the dogs around the park tires me out! :(

Yep, machine, filters & tube should be doable!

Well, I come under a different catchment area to the hospital that I work at, so I will try to get referred to my own hospital....will save on the outrageous parking charges if nothing else.

Alsacienne, yes I understand where you are coming from. I expect I can get some off the record advice at work, a chat with the sleep techs and ask occy health to book me in with the sleep doc.

I'm still thinking of a 'try out', but will need a mask for a mouth breather!!!

Right so you know the guys that service the cpap machines be cheeky ask them if you could errrr borrow /steal/lend one just to give you a taster im sure they could do it wink wink nudge nudge .Tell them your thinking of buying one yourself see if its possible.

If you were to buy a machine in the meantime go for a apap machine it will adjust the pressure accordingly to your needs throughout the night therefore no need to be set a constant pressure and no need for anybody to monitor the pressure . A mask would cost £80 -£120 roughly if you breathe through your mouth you would need a full face mask ,if not you could go for a nasal mask.

If you did buy a machine and later got one from the hospital you could always sell it on here you will easily get the money back you paid out .

Am i right to presume that the hospital where you work is the hospital that shafted you with the result?.
If it is i would ask for another hospital .

Im glad your getting the fighting spirit now -well done.

Regards,

I can understand your frustration ... and please let us know how your colleague's court case goes ... I suspect the hospital might not let it got that far and settle out of court.

I'd advise against buying a machine privately. You need to have it set correctly for your needs - the results of a titration study - and have it checked regularly. On top of the cost of the machine you'll need a mask, a tube, a filter and possibly a humidifier. All of these need checking and the filter replacing regularly.

Much better to be in the care of a clinic for this lot. I know it seems to be an ideal shortcut (even though a costly one) but you really DO need the interaction of technicians and a sleep doc to keep your treatment at the highest level ... and to have your equipment replaced as better machines come along.