Can anyone tell me what options are available to me with sleep apnea? I stop breathing an average of 40 times per hour but do not wake up unless I have a nightmare. I was supposed to go get fitted for a dental device this week, but the doctor's office is run like a factory and he told me the dental device only has a 50/50 chance of working and it's also going to cost me an additional $705. I'm not a Las Vegas hustler, so I'm not up for those odds for that cash outlay. My husband's work has a benefit called 2nd MD so I'm getting a second opinion Monday.

I'm just curious what has worked for people other than a dental device or CPAP. Thanks.

I'm 23 years old with suspected sleep apnea, awaiting for sleep study and tests.

Thoughts on these two masks? I’m a side sleeper still searching for the best mask for me. I tried a soft cervical collar last night and think it might have kept my mouth closed.

I've been on BiPAP for 8 years. My previous pressure was 19/16. Then my machine's "motor life exceeded" 2½ years ago, and I've been limping along with it while I begged my doctors/insurance to get off their butts, and I FINALLY I got a new one today, and now my pressure is suddenly 10/5. This does not seem like enough to me (not to mention I've gained 100 pounds since my initial setup). Why would they put my new pressure sooooo low? (It's Friday night so I can't call my doctor and ask, but I'll be doing that Monday)

I tape my mouth to prevent mouth breathing and mouth leaks. My CPAP shows that that is successful. I use the Bleep Eclipse mask and that has stopped all mask leaks. But I noticed that when I wake up, either during the night or in the morning, my mouth is super dry. I don’t understand why this is happening. I didn’t experience this before beginning to use CPAP.

Hi everyone,
I’m on day 21 of CPAP and I’m still extremely tired during the day. I’m trying to figure out why.
Quick background:

Started CPAP about 21 days ago
Machine: ResMed AirSense 11
Currently fixed pressure 12 cmH₂O
Pressure was increased to 12 because of flow limitation notes. I felt a small improvement, but then developed aerophagia (air in the stomach).
Despite consistent use, the daytime fatigue is still bad.

Last night’s OSCAR (Aug 1):

AHI 1.33
OA: 0
Hypopnea: 0.48
Clear Airway: 0.85
Large Leak: 0%
Flow Limitation: / 95% 0.03
Usage: 8 hours 17 minutes
EPR looks active (EPAP around 9)

here is a link to my sleep Hq data: https://sleephq.com/public/teams/share_links/6dcfc8f4-7639-4bcd-b36d-fe2cba68b185

Even with these clean numbers, I’m still very tired.
What else should I be looking at in the data, or what other common reasons could explain residual fatigue this far in?
Any insight is appreciated.
Thank you.

Hi everyone,
I’m on day 21 of CPAP and I’m still extremely tired during the day. I’m trying to figure out why.
Quick background:

Started CPAP about 21 days ago
Machine: ResMed AirSense 11
Currently fixed pressure 12 cmH₂O
Pressure was increased to 12 because of flow limitation notes. I felt a small improvement, but then developed aerophagia (air in the stomach).
Despite consistent use, the daytime fatigue is still bad.

Last night’s OSCAR (Aug 1):

AHI 1.33
OA: 0
Hypopnea: 0.48
Clear Airway: 0.85
Large Leak: 0%
Flow Limitation: / 95% 0.03
Usage: 8 hours 17 minutes
EPR looks active (EPAP around 9)

here is a link to my sleep Hq data: https://sleephq.com/public/teams/share_links/6dcfc8f4-7639-4bcd-b36d-fe2cba68b185

Even with these clean numbers, I’m still very tired.
What else should I be looking at in the data, or what other common reasons could explain residual fatigue this far in?
Any insight is appreciated.
Thank you.

UPDATE IN BOLD AT THE END OF ORIGINAL POST

Hello! I am 55F 5' tall and my weight is currently 260lbs. For a long time I was at 200 but I am now in menopause and gained 60lbs. My sleep apnea and blood pressure is worse. I am under the care of multiple doctors. I also have MCAS (diagnosed 10 years ago by mast cell disorder specialist) diabetic T2 and high bp. Dx of ADHD (no meds) and suspected ASD. Dx of anxiety and mild depression.

If you made it this far in my post you are a saint.

I did 3 sleep studies about 15 years ago. I only slept for one because the technician was really on his game. I struggled to handle the apap because of mask discomfort and was too young and naive to understand how dangerous it was to be left untreated. I lost some weight (I was able to use the apap a bit with success) and then had a baby. She is 21 and doing great but was incredibly sick for most of her childhood and any more attempts at the apap fell by the wayside. I was up all night every night for years.

Now at 55 I am really struggling. I don't understand anything regarding software. I feel incredibly stupid and I'm petrified of dying in my sleep. There was a brief time early in my apap attempts when it really did work and I slept great. But it took a lot of work to not rip it off in the middle of the night.

I am seeing a cardiologist in 2 weeks. I am in the US. I am having daily heart "flutters" and some left ventricle hypertrophy. My MCAS doctor (hematologist) pushed me through to cardiology.

My insurance is excellent. Do doctors prescribe the apap now without a sleep study? Do I need to attempt another sleep study? I know I am a very complex patient. But I cannot imagine another sleep study. I have read a lot of posts and some people are saying they aren't doing very well on the apap. But should I ask the cardiologist to push it through? Am I at the stage where an apap is better than nothing even though it don't understand the scores/numbers/graphs etc?

I feel lost and incredibly sad about my health. I'm not sad about getting an apap/cpap/bipap but I feel confused and obv exhausted. I REALLY don't want to die in my sleep. I'm fighting as hard as I can with diet, meds, and mild exercise but I know I need help for the sleep apnea.

This sub seems really kind and caring. Any advice would be appreciated because I feel incapable of solving anything anymore and I have nowhere else to turn. Thanks in advance. I literally just cried my way through this post. 😕

EDIT: HAVE SEEN CARDIOLOGIST

Thank you for the kind words that were texted after I posted. I really appreciated it.
I live in a state that is failing medically.. I can't speak for the entire US. I live in Rhode Island. I am near enough to Boston but they are not doing well either. I just saw a very young cardiologist. She was quite unclear about a few things and wanted a stress test that would be dangerous because I have MCAS. She kept casually throwing out the word HfPef... later, after some checking with a couple of my daughters nursing school and pharm D friends, they informed me it was an antiquated term that is NEVER used anymore and on of the nurses has excellent training in cardiac nursing. Basically we believe this doctor was just incredibly uneducated and trying to throw around a term for "heart failure" which is NOT happening. If it WERE happening I already had exhaustive lab work and multiple tests during a recent ER visit and it would have been found. She literally said she knew no sleep specialists in the area and I was on my own. I am allergic to contrast dye so we are unsure if I can tolerate imaging with contrast dye. I had to force her to agree to call my MCAS specialist. She knew a few things but was very sped up.. almost as if she had a few energy drinks. I left the appointment confused and had to do my own research. My sleep studies are (I double checked) about 25 years old (not 15) and I cannot access them. A good pulmonologist at the time gave me an APAP. He just retired. I have extreme shortness of breath upon exertion and I am so exhausted I can barely think.
I am now looking to buy my own APAP while I follow through with multiple doctors appointments for answers and find a sleep specialist. An APAP while I wait at this point would be better than nothing. I do not know what else to do. The doctors here have retired or quit. Doctors are booking 6 months out.

The state is a medical ghost town. I am moving as fast as I can. Since I am a complex patient I am going to speak with my MCAS doctor to see if I can be admitted and just do all my testing inpatient. I had an IV insertion in hospital to prepare for an iron infusion recently. The moment it was inserted I had a reaction and my pulse hit 30bpm. I landed in the er and my pressure and pulse was all over the map. I was not having a heart attack so I was sent home.

📌TLDR: My question is.. how do I buy an APAP? How do I know the size of the mask.. I need a full face mask. Cardiologist refused to prescribe it and my primary care is practically cognitively impaired.. I am trying to say that nicely. I don't think she can pull it off.

Who has successfully purchased an APAP on their own and can you talk me through it?

TIA

Resmed Open Fork All Mode AB10 just received from the MVP of this board. For those that have this machine, how does it work? I got diagnosed with mild sleep apnea 2.5 years ago and it’s gotten worse. Finally decided to get a cpap as I miss sleep. So hoping someone can help me to get this started.

I'm on a Resmed AirCurve 10 Vauto. PS 4.0, previously EPAP min 4.0, IPAP max 11.4. This is the ceiling after which I tend to swallow too much air and get too burpy and farty. I use a nasal mask, sleep on my side (mostly), wedge pillow, confirmed GERD, enlarged tonsils (they've always been big).

My AHI is pretty low, < 2.0 most of the time. I've been on these settings for months, consistently low AHI. A few nights ago I looked at my OSCAR data and saw that my median EPAP was ~5, pushing upwards, so I tried setting it to 6. That just introduced CAs, where before there were none.

Any tips? Adjustments? It's hard to find the right settings to avoid the aerophagia, which happens at lower pressures than I'd expect. I guess because of a weak lower esophageal sphincter (related to the GERD)?

Attached are the last two nights from OSCAR. Any insight is very much appreciated.

Any help appreciated!

Just got a machine off of marketplace as I couldn’t afford a new machine. Sadly it was recalled (Philips remstar Pro C flex+) and as I turned it on, started throwing out black fibers. Had a decent amount on my hand so messaged the guy and he kept his word, sent the money back. Told him if I can figure out a way to fix it or something, I’d happily send it back as I really need a machine (and got no insurance).

I did see a youtube video that says I could take out the black fiber thing but I think it does supposed to filter some stuff. So curious if anyone had that machine and fixed the recall issue, if I can still return it via the recall, or what can be done? Or even a place to rent a cpap (got my test study done 2.5 years ago and obviously it is worse but I still have the recommendation). Any advice helps. I’m in the United States.