Who wears a CPAP? Love it? Hate it?

[Augie]

I snore. It doesn’t bother me at all. Apparently, I am the ONLY one not bothered by this fact. 

 

Several years ago I gave in and did the sleep study. I love my wife, so I made a point of “winning” the sleep study by enjoying multiple adult beverages the evening before. Insurance bought mine. In retrospect, it may have been a strategic error as she can now point out what a mess I am. I stopped breathing almost every minute of every hour. I’d start snorting and choking for air, only to do it again the next minute. It’s actually quite bad for you, as by not getting enough oxygen in, your heart has to work harder to supply your body. That’s bad. 

 

The thing is....I HATE IT! I have nasal buds shooting a leaf blower up my nose all night long. To complete this suave look, I have rugby style headgear that keeps my jaw closed to avoid mouth breathing. The wife says it is enormously helpful, but I still hate wearing the gear and getting tangled in this life support hose tied to my head. 

 

I have friends who LOVE it! They can’t sleep (or even nap) without it, never travel without it. When my wife is traveling, I don’t wear it at home. When I travel with her it’s a MUST! At home if I kick it off at 3:00am, she just goes to another room. On the road, that’s a sore point. Traveling with the boys once, we had two rooms at a Ritz Carlton (NO, not our usual stay, but that’s where the event was). A room for the boys, another for us. At 3:00am she went down in her bathrobe and paid for a third room at a Ritz to get a few hours sleep. 

 

I’ll be going to the Nashville game with my son. Rather than take my CPAP, we got two rooms to ease his trepidation. There was a game in Buffalo when he turned 16 (rite of passage stuff) where I kept him up all night. A second room eases his fear, and gets me off the CPAP. We are heading to Europe soon for a couple weeks, most of it on a cruise. I’m taking the CPAP, but a friend of ours is ALSO bringing his bulky So-Clean (the cleaning contraption). He loves his so much he’s willing to do anything possible to have the whole experience!

 

So, who wears one? Who likes it? Who hates it? Who needs one but is too stubborn to give in? 

[Cripple Creek]

Anyone else read the title quickly as who wears CRAP?

 

 

I do not wear one but probably should. Sleep study wasn’t as bad as yours but bad enough.

Edited August 15, 2019 by Cripple Creek

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

39 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

Anyone else read the title quickly as who wears CRAP?

The thousands of Spencer Gifts employees nationwide take umbrage at your remark.  ?

[Augie]

53 minutes ago, Cripple Creek said:

Anyone else read the title quickly as who wears CRAP?

 

 

I do not wear one but probably should. Sleep study wasn’t as bad as yours but bad enough.

 

So you had the study, but didn’t do it? Why not? (NOT that I blame you!) I did it mostly due to pressure from my wife, and my wish to join her for her work travels and take vacations in peace. Home is no biggie, on the road it is a MUST! There was some subtle pressure concerning health, so that was in my mind, as well. 

 

It came up in the mattress thread, and I wondered how common it was here. Maybe almost half the guys I know use one now. 

[US Egg]

You wouldn't believe how many times an hour I stop breathing. Three sleep studies and a no longer in shape 6'1" 240 lb. blob I am.  

 

I recently got a B-PAP machine with an under the nose only mask, it's so much better than anything else they recommended.  

 

Every night I put it on, but still, somehow it often ends up on the floor. But the nights I keep it on all night I feel better.

Edited August 16, 2019 by I am the egg man

[Augie]

32 minutes ago, I am the egg man said:

You wouldn't believe how many times an hour I stop breathing. Three sleep studies and a no longer in shape 6'1" 240 lb. blob I am.  

 

I recently got a B-PAP machine with an under the nose only mask, it's so much better than anything else they recommended.  

 

Every night I put it on, but still, somehow it often ends up on the floor. But the nights I keep it on all night I feel better.

 

I think that’s basically what I have, under the nose only. Cover my nose and my nose instantly starts to itch! Lift the mask to scratch and you hear the leaf blower sound. THAT didn't work for me.....OR my wife. 

 

And yes, I go to bed with good intentions, but I often wake up and it’s on the floor. Sometimes I’ll wake up at 4:00am to pee, and just leave it in the bathroom. She’s up around 5:00 anyway, right? I know I should suck it up until she’s out of bed, which I usually do. 

 

I find I actually stay up later, because I have no early commitments and if I’m up past midnight, and she’s up around 5:00am it’s only 4-5 hours I have to wear it, and that seems like my natural limit. 

[RaoulDuke79]

I've never met anyone who did a sleep study who wasn't recommended a CPAP. I'm a terrible snorer, but I'm never overly tired and I dont have headaches. I'm a light sleeper by nature,  so I think my body has adjusted over the years to not getting great sleep. I move around a lot at night and I can't imagine being strapped to a breathing apparatus.  I'd probably end up strangling myself. 

[Augie]

1 minute ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

I've never met anyone who did a sleep study who wasn't recommended a CPAP. I'm a terrible snorer, but I'm never overly tired and I dont have headaches. I'm a light sleeper by nature,  so I think my body has adjusted over the years to not getting great sleep. I move around a lot at night and I can't imagine being strapped to a breathing apparatus.  I'd probably end up strangling myself. 

 

You actually learn to adjust your sleep movement out of necessity! It’s a serious pain! 

 

My wife’s sister has been dating a guy from Argentina for maybe a decade. Jorge was the only person I’ve EVER known who took the sleep study and was told “nope, you just snore, you don’t have sleep apnea.”  WHAT? They are in the sleep machine business. That is even CRAZIER than a pain clinic saying you can’t have the RX. A CPAP may be annoying, but it ain’t gonna KILL you! I told him to go to another joint and check it out. 

[Gray Beard]

I have used one for several years. I hate the hose and all the straps, but it works for me. In the winter I use the humidifier feature, which is also helpful.  I take it on trips.  I once decided to leave it home for a one night business trip, and I didn’t sleep at all. I think I’m so used to it, I can’t sleep without it. 

[Augie]

13 minutes ago, mead107 said:

 

 

Eat carp and you will not need a CPAP. 

 

 

EAT MORE CARP

Do the carp eat crap? 

[row_33]

I tape my mouth shut with 3M micropore to sleep, breathe only through my nose. 

 

Cut down on snoring and waking up at night, much better for dental care as my mouth isn't totally dried out on waking.

[Augie]

7 minutes ago, Gray Beard said:

I have used one for several years. I hate the hose and all the straps, but it works for me. In the winter I use the humidifier feature, which is also helpful.  I take it on trips.  I once decided to leave it home for a one night business trip, and I didn’t sleep at all. I think I’m so used to it, I can’t sleep without it. 

 

I use the humidifier/reservoir even in the summer. Our HVAC controls our humidity to around 40% and the air gets dry. The reservoir has 3 lines for low, medium and max water. If you go much past low it will gurgle up into the hose, but that’s not enough to get through the night. I can survive in summer, but it kills me in the winter! One of the reasons I rip the thing off.....and my wife goes to another room. 

[row_33]

Buteyko breathing system, over last four years have reduced asthmatic attacks and increased lung capacity in return.

 

by breathing only through the nose I haven’t had a snotty clogging in years, eventually move it to sleeping with great improvements.

 

 

 

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, row_33 said:

I tape my mouth shut with 3M micropore to sleep, breathe only through my nose. 

 

Cut down on snoring and waking up at night, much better for dental care as my mouth isn't totally dried out on waking.

 

Never heard of 3M micropore! Another name for duct tape? 

[HereComesTheReignAgain]

By the time I gave in and went for a sleep study, I was fighting to stay awake driving home from work and had some serious issues from lack of sleep. I was told I had extremely severe sleep apnea and  stopped breathing an average of 82 times an hour. I was very surprised since I’m not that overweight (6 foot and 220).  I wear my cpap every night and take it with me wherever I spend the night. I even have a battery pack for camping and the annual fishing trip. If I fall asleep without it, I wake up felling like someone kicked my ass. I actually have dreams where I can’t breath sometimes if I don’t wear it. It’s creepy. I hate being tethered to the nightstand, but the alternative is worse. I do have back pain some mornings from sleeping flat on my back. Just ordered a new mattress that will hopefully help with this. 

[row_33]

9 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Never heard of 3M micropore! Another name for duct tape? 

 

Medical tape that lets air in to heal wounds, light and effective.

 

Crimp up the comer in case you have to remove it fast due to vomiting or reflux or asthma. 

 

The brown is better than the white tape.

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by row_33

[Buffalo_Gal]

My father hated his and used to take it off sometime during the middle of the night. My MIL refused to use hers.

 

Hubby wears his faithfully. I'd rather hear him snore. That machine bugs the crud out of me, as I find it loud. This newest one is a tad quieter but some of those old ones, yesh. Who cars if I get a good night sleep due to the noise? Or even worse when he faces me and (I swear) there is a breeze from that thing. The important thing is he sleeps well. 

 

The old British aristocracy may have been on to something with separate bedrooms. 

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by Buffalo_Gal

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo_Gal said:

My father hated his and used to take it off sometime during the middle of the night. My MIL refused to use hers.

 

Hubby wears his faithfully. I'd rather hear him snore. That machine bugs the crud out of me, as I find it loud. This newest one is a tad quieter but some of those old ones, yesh. Who cars if I get a good night sleep due to the noise? Or even worse when he faces me and (I swear) there is a breeze from that thing. The important thing is he sleeps well. 

 

The old British aristocracy may have been on to something with separate rooms. 

 

 

More like a Cat 5 hurricane force wind! UP MY NOSE!!!  

 

We have a white noise machine which helps to drown out the sound of my personal leaf blower. It’s not TOO loud, as long as I have a good seal/connection. If it gets loose, it’s crazy loud. 

[Cripple Creek]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

 

So you had the study, but didn’t do it? Why not? (NOT that I blame you!) I did it mostly due to pressure from my wife, and my wish to join her for her work travels and take vacations in peace. Home is no biggie, on the road it is a MUST! There was some subtle pressure concerning health, so that was in my mind, as well. 

 

It came up in the mattress thread, and I wondered how common it was here. Maybe almost half the guys I know use one now. 

The study had me below the limit where my insurance would have picked up the tab for the CPAP.  I was able to weasel out of it on financial grounds.

[Augie]

Just now, Cripple Creek said:

The study had me below the limit where my insurance would have picked up the tab for the CPAP.  I was able to weasel out of it on financial grounds.

 

In some ways I’m jealous! 

 

However, I do like to be able to travel with my wife. Not only do I get to tag along on some cool work trips, but we are at the point in our lives where we want to see and do. It would be miserable if I constantly kept her sleep deprived. Our marriage is better than ever after almost 35 years - you don’t mess with that! 

 

But I can’t believe you failed with such a low bar! That’s what they do!!!   ?

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

1 hour ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

I've never met anyone who did a sleep study who wasn't recommended a CPAP. I'm a terrible snorer, but I'm never overly tired and I dont have headaches. I'm a light sleeper by nature,  so I think my body has adjusted over the years to not getting great sleep. I move around a lot at night and I can't imagine being strapped to a breathing apparatus.  I'd probably end up strangling myself. 

I have never heard of one until this thread. I know I snore as my grandson reminds me after a little cat nap. I too am a light sleeper and bet 30 minutes doesn't pass and I'm rolling over. if I get 5 hours of sleep a night, I'm lucky. it doesn't seem to affect my day any. I know if ever declared I would need one of those contraptions it would never work because as mentioned it tends to be noisy and I would never get a wink listening to that thing all night.

[Augie]

28 minutes ago, chknwing334 said:

By the time I gave in and went for a sleep study, I was fighting to stay awake driving home from work and had some serious issues from lack of sleep. I was told I had extremely severe sleep apnea and  stopped breathing an average of 82 times an hour. I was very surprised since I’m not that overweight (6 foot and 220).  I wear my cpap every night and take it with me wherever I spend the night. I even have a battery pack for camping and the annual fishing trip. If I fall asleep without it, I wake up felling like someone kicked my ass. I actually have dreams where I can’t breath sometimes if I don’t wear it. It’s creepy. I hate being tethered to the nightstand, but the alternative is worse. I do have back pain some mornings from sleeping flat on my back. Just ordered a new mattress that will hopefully help with this. 

 

WOW! They told me I was very severe, but I was just under 60 times an hour. If you were 82 times an hour that’s crazy land! I’m not surprised you had nasty effects form that.

 

I go up early every night, right after dinner, and get my CPAP ready with water in reservoir, mask and headgear near my sink, etc. The wife goes to bed a couple hours ahead of me, lessening my time on the contraption....for better or worse. Lately, I’ve found myself having more tolerance for longer stays. Maybe that’s a good thing for me long term. 

[Augie]

26 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

I have never heard of one until this thread. I know I snore as my grandson reminds me after a little cat nap. I too am a light sleeper and bet 30 minutes doesn't pass and I'm rolling over. if I get 5 hours of sleep a night, I'm lucky. it doesn't seem to affect my day any. I know if ever declared I would need one of those contraptions it would never work because as mentioned it tends to be noisy and I would never get a wink listening to that thing all night.

 

Actually, if you have the right mask for you and it keeps a good seal, current machines make hardly any noise at all. It’s having a hose blowing up your head wrapped to a hose that blows up your nose that is hard to get used to. If you lose a good “seal” you’ll hear it immediately. I can’t remember having that happen in months. 

 

It’s actually very important to heart health. Think about it....you don’t get enough oxygen into your blood because you repeatedly stop breathing, like every minute gasping for air!  Your brain knows you need more oxygen so your heart has to work extra hard to push low oxygen blood while you are supposed to be resting and revitalizing. 

 

You don’t have to lie on your back to wear one. You just can’t “tumble roll”. I can be on either side or my back. The hose is long enough to allow that easily. 

 

P.S. - If you’ve never heard of it before, CPAP stands for continuous positive air pressure. It blows down your nose/throat constantly and doesn’t allow your throat to close up, allowing you to snore or airflow to be obstructed.

 

 

.  

 

 

.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Augie

[Warcodered]

2 hours ago, chknwing334 said:

By the time I gave in and went for a sleep study, I was fighting to stay awake driving home from work and had some serious issues from lack of sleep. I was told I had extremely severe sleep apnea and  stopped breathing an average of 82 times an hour. I was very surprised since I’m not that overweight (6 foot and 220).  I wear my cpap every night and take it with me wherever I spend the night. I even have a battery pack for camping and the annual fishing trip. If I fall asleep without it, I wake up felling like someone kicked my ass. I actually have dreams where I can’t breath sometimes if I don’t wear it. It’s creepy. I hate being tethered to the nightstand, but the alternative is worse. I do have back pain some mornings from sleeping flat on my back. Just ordered a new mattress that will hopefully help with this. 

Pretty much the same here don't use it and I wake up when I try to sleep because I'm not breathing.

 

If you're not comfortable with your mask you should be able to get a different version and insurance I think typically covers a replacement one eventually.

[Augie]

6 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

Pretty much the same here don't use it and I wake up when I try to sleep because I'm not breathing.

 

If you're not comfortable with your mask you should be able to get a different version and insurance I think typically covers a replacement one eventually.

 

I went through at least three different masks before I found the one that worked for me. The “nasal buds” were the best fit, by far. The wrong mask is just a NO GO! Insurance eventually covered it. 

[Augie]

Off I go....I both look forward to strapping into this contraption....and horribly dread it at the same time.....it’s so confusing! 

[Warcodered]

13 minutes ago, Augie said:

Off I go....I both look forward to strapping into this contraption....and horribly dread it at the same time.....it’s so confusing! 

Yeah I mean you get used to it but at the same time it's annoying being tied down to the machine. I mean if I have to be strapped to a machine I should at least get to enter the Matrix.

[Sig1Hunter]

It’s better than dying in your sleep though, no? 

[BuffaloBud]

My neighbor did a sleep study and the tech was amazed at how little "sleep" he did get.  Snoring, leg movement, the works.  He's been wearing a CPAP for about a year and loves it.  Cleaning the mask is important / required.

[apuszczalowski]

If you have never heard of them you probably haven't listened to Satellite radio before. I think it's the only place they constantly advertise for them and the cleaning of them.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

13 hours ago, Augie said:

 

So you had the study, but didn’t do it? Why not? (NOT that I blame you!) I did it mostly due to pressure from my wife, and my wish to join her for her work travels and take vacations in peace. Home is no biggie, on the road it is a MUST! There was some subtle pressure concerning health, so that was in my mind, as well. 

 

It came up in the mattress thread, and I wondered how common it was here. Maybe almost half the guys I know use one now. 

 

......got used to it right away (13 years now).....really had no choice...sleep study revealed 91 incidents per hour, so breathing was interrupted every 45 seconds...pretty bad............just bought the SoClean sanitizer to keep CPAP machine (AirSep 10) clean....

[Augie]

1 hour ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

......got used to it right away (13 years now).....really had no choice...sleep study revealed 91 incidents per hour, so breathing was interrupted every 45 seconds...pretty bad............just bought the SoClean sanitizer to keep CPAP machine (AirSep 10) clean....

That’s about 50% worse than I was, and they thought I was bad! I’ve had the SoClean for about a year. I don’t use it every day, but I probably should....it’s not like it’s difficult. I got it after a buddy got his SoClean. Another friend is joining us on a cruise in Europe soon, and he’s not only taking his CPAP (as I will), but he’s also taking his SoClean. I’m not traveling with THAT much gear! I’ll rough it for a couple weeks. I bet I survive. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

20 minutes ago, Augie said:

That’s about 50% worse than I was, and they thought I was bad! I’ve had the SoClean for about a year. I don’t use it every day, but I probably should....it’s not like it’s difficult. I got it after a buddy got his SoClean. Another friend is joining us on a cruise in Europe soon, and he’s not only taking his CPAP (as I will), but he’s also taking his SoClean. I’m not traveling with THAT much gear! I’ll rough it for a couple weeks. I bet I survive. 

 

...hope so!!....I was not diligent enough in cleaning my old machine and ended up on antibiotics for 30 days with infection....with the new machine and SoClean, I put mask and headgear in it every morning.....it is automatically cycled to start at 10AM daily.....I've used the pillow mask versus face mask from day one.....could never use the face mask...schnozz is too damn big...........

Edited August 16, 2019 by OldTimeAFLGuy

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

 

...hope so!!....I was not diligent enough in cleaning my old machine and ended up on antibiotics for 30 days with infection....with the new machine and SoClean, I put mask and headgear in it every morning.....it is automatically cycled to start at 10AM daily.....I've used the pillow mask versus face mask from day one.....could never use the face mask...schnozz is too damn big...........

The first couple years I just hand cleaned....and only a few times a month. I survived then, so I can travel for a couple weeks without taking the SoClean I hope. Antibiotics for 30 is scary, though! I’ll be sure to hand clean more while traveling. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Pretty sure I’m on my way to a CPAP in the near future.  First home sleep study came back inconclusive.  Have to spend the night in the hospital for another study next month.  Not looking forward to it, but I guess better than destroying my heart.

[Augie]

8 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Pretty sure I’m on my way to a CPAP in the near future.  First home sleep study came back inconclusive.  Have to spend the night in the hospital for another study next month.  Not looking forward to it, but I guess better than destroying my heart.

 

Interesting, my insurance would not pay for the “sleep-over study”. It felt like they knew they’d end up paying for the machine, so why pay for the expensive study too. The sleep doctors wanted the sleep over for the extra ca$h, I think. I did it at home which was much more comfortable for me. 

[GottaRun]

I tried one for a few nights.  Ended up returning it, there was no way I could ever get used to it and I was choking in my sleep when wearing it.  I've gone low tech, switched to the extra strong breathe strips from CVS + taking vitamin D every day (supposed to help with sinuses) +  I'm also trying to lose some weight.  If I can't manage it low tech I'm going to try out a dental retainer for night breathing.

[Marv's Neighbor]

18 hours ago, Augie said:

I snore. It doesn’t bother me at all. Apparently, I am the ONLY one not bothered by this fact. 

 

Several years ago I gave in and did the sleep study. I love my wife, so I made a point of “winning” the sleep study by enjoying multiple adult beverages the evening before. Insurance bought mine. In retrospect, it may have been a strategic error as she can now point out what a mess I am. I stopped breathing almost every minute of every hour. I’d start snorting and choking for air, only to do it again the next minute. It’s actually quite bad for you, as by not getting enough oxygen in, your heart has to work harder to supply your body. That’s bad. 

 

The thing is....I HATE IT! I have nasal buds shooting a leaf blower up my nose all night long. To complete this suave look, I have rugby style headgear that keeps my jaw closed to avoid mouth breathing. The wife says it is enormously helpful, but I still hate wearing the gear and getting tangled in this life support hose tied to my head. 

 

I have friends who LOVE it! They can’t sleep (or even nap) without it, never travel without it. When my wife is traveling, I don’t wear it at home. When I travel with her it’s a MUST! At home if I kick it off at 3:00am, she just goes to another room. On the road, that’s a sore point. Traveling with the boys once, we had two rooms at a Ritz Carlton (NO, not our usual stay, but that’s where the event was). A room for the boys, another for us. At 3:00am she went down in her bathrobe and paid for a third room at a Ritz to get a few hours sleep. 

 

I’ll be going to the Nashville game with my son. Rather than take my CPAP, we got two rooms to ease his trepidation. There was a game in Buffalo when he turned 16 (rite of passage stuff) where I kept him up all night. A second room eases his fear, and gets me off the CPAP. We are heading to Europe soon for a couple weeks, most of it on a cruise. I’m taking the CPAP, but a friend of ours is ALSO bringing his bulky So-Clean (the cleaning contraption). He loves his so much he’s willing to do anything possible to have the whole experience!

 

So, who wears one? Who likes it? Who hates it? Who needs one but is too stubborn to give in? 

Maybe you have a future with the BILLS.  You could stay in the visiting team's hotel, WITHOUT your CPAP.  A Win-Win!  Might even be better than pulling the Fire Alarm?

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

49 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

Pretty sure I’m on my way to a CPAP in the near future.  First home sleep study came back inconclusive.  Have to spend the night in the hospital for another study next month.  Not looking forward to it, but I guess better than destroying my heart.

 

...a friend of my son's had apnea and never bothered to do anything about it....died of a heart attack in his sleep at age 29...........

[muppy]

hubby has severe sleep apnea to the tune of he would be dead without his c-pap it is life saving no joke if you need it get it and Use it. Period.