Cruising and CPAP

[Paul L]

Mark,
Your point of 'knowing' if it works requiring a sleep study is valid. The whole OSA treatment world is pretty shaky. The non-compliance rate of CPAP machines is something like 40%. Surgery has about 50-50 chance of success after multiple surgeries. The mouth appliances might have 50% likelihood of success. With all of these the measurement of success is not very strict or consistant. At least with the mouth applinace you have little to loose except the out of pocket costs.

Do you know anyone who has gone in for a sleep study who has not been told they have sleep apnea?

Paul L

[Mark424]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The non-compliance rate of CPAP machines is something like 40%.

I'm surprised, but then again, I'm not surprised. I'm surprised since cpap makes such a big difference for me, I can't imagine not using it. I think I have not used it 2-3 times in 12-13 years and only because luggage was delayed, etc.

I'm not surprised since both sleep studies I've had did an absolutely abysmal job of fitting a mask - and these were supposedly two of the better hospitals here in Los Angeles. The first couple they gave me felt fine at first, but were really uncomfortable when actually used for overnight. I had a plunk down a couple hundred $ for each of 2 or 3 types before I found one that worked. I just can't handle the over the nose type, so use the under the nose (nasal pillow style), and of course the head gear is always slipping...ah well. So I can imagine if you don't have the inclination or money you might give up. Of course every 5 years or so they discontinue a line, so it's another $300-500 experimenting to find a new one. That's crazyness for a $10 piece of plastic and silicone. Enough rant about that.

Originally Posted by Paul L

Do you know anyone who has gone in for a sleep study who has not been told they have sleep apnea?

Actually much to my surprise my mother did a study and was not found to have OSA. I bugged her for 10 years to get a study, snoring, tiredness, etc. Finally she did and they passed her as fine. Don't know how good the study was, but have to go with the report.

[S/V Antares]

I went to a sleep clinic (several thousand in insurance$ for 2 nights in a crappy bed and a Motel 6 envrionment. and (suprise suprise) was found to have Sleep Apnea, Got a CPAP machine and used it for several years. Did not like it as I had issues breathing through my nose. Screw it! we are going cruising.

As soon as we crossed the gulfstream my breathing improved. Now no machine. I believe the Caribbean and especially the Bahamas has much less "Flora" in the air due to the lack of water = less grasses, trees etc. A daily swim in clean salt water might be the best therapy for any illness/condition.

Therefore go cruising as soon as possible! It might really improve your health.

when we return to the east coast i get stuffed up and notice breathing issues within a day or so. Coincidence? Perhaps but others have related the same experience.

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Therefore go cruising as soon as possible! It might really improve your health.

Same experience here! Allergies non-existent in the Keys and Bahamas, Swam every day, walked everywhere, lost weight, ate better (very little junk food), never felt better!

[Ruby V]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Mark,

Do you know anyone who has gone in for a sleep study who has not been told they have sleep apnea?

Paul L

I asked at the sleep lab if they had people come in for sleep studies who have NOT been told they have sleep apnea. They said it rarely happens because most people resist sleep studies as long as possible until someone INSISTS that they go in. But I HAVE wondered if it wasn't sort of a racket -- you sell a lot of CPAP machines that way.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Ruby V

I asked at the sleep lab if they had people come in for sleep studies who have NOT been told they have sleep apnea. They said it rarely happens because most people resist sleep studies as long as possible until someone INSISTS that they go in. But I HAVE wondered if it wasn't sort of a racket -- you sell a lot of CPAP machines that way.

sleep apnea is a serious disease process which will affect your heart and shorten your life--if you breathe better with less weight on board, lose the weight. works. so will your heart...sorry--my dad was diagnosed with sleep apnea and i am a cardiac nurse--i know about sleep apnea as i worked in a cardiac arrhythmia center for a while in my career...just lose the weight and get on with a new life with better strength and vigor. goood luck.

[Microship]

GoodKnight 420G in my case, chosen specifically for low-power operation (about 500 mA from 12V at my 7 in pressure). I just made a simple cable from the coax power jack to a 12 utility receptacle mounted in the cabin.

Every case is different, but if I sleep without it, I start throwing apneas at the rate of about 1/minute. Not acceptable. The mild hassle of the machine is well worth it.

A good interface is critical... personally, I hate the masks and found the super-light Mirage Swyft to be superb.

The key is avoiding the rip-off Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers and buying from a source like cpapplus.com (no connection, just a happy customer; there are others in the same biz but they have been easy to deal with). The DME people charge insane prices and drive up insurance rates; my 420 was $300-350 or so. I have a review of my machine here: GoodKnight 420G CPAP - Product Review

Sleep well,
Steve

[Ruby V]

Originally Posted by zeehag

sleep apnea is a serious disease process which will affect your heart and shorten your life--if you breathe better with less weight on board, lose the weight. works. so will your heart...sorry--my dad was diagnosed with sleep apnea and i am a cardiac nurse--i know about sleep apnea as i worked in a cardiac arrhythmia center for a while in my career...just lose the weight and get on with a new life with better strength and vigor. goood luck.

Believe me, I know how serious sleep apnea can be. My husband and I both have it. My husband works in CCU, I work in a cardiac surgery ICU. We're both registered nurses. However, when you're going in to the sleep lab for your initial consultation and see Respironics equipment in the waiting room, in all the exam rooms, etc., it kind of makes you wonder. Is this sleep lab just a conduit to Respironics?

I've been fortunate in my DME, however I've heard the stories. I like cpaptalk.com and I've purchased equipment from cpap.com.

[Cowboy Sailer]

I have used my Puritan Bennett GoodKnight 420 for 6 years. We often lost power in Africa. When that happened I ran it off of my car battery. It draws only 1.5 amps at 12 V. I could run two nights without starting my car and have plenty of reserve battery power to start my car. 1.5 amp for 10 hours is only 15 amp-hours. That is so little current that I could use a 75 foot extention cord and leave my battery in the car and string the cord to the bedroom.
The little power supply will work off of 100 to 250 Vac so with different male plugs I could use it in South Africa, Europe and the USA from the power mains.

[Badsanta]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Did not like it as I had issues breathing through my nose..

They do make a mouth piece and a full mouth and nose piece. Sleep apnea puts a huge strain on the body and greatly increases chance of a heart attack. I'll use my machine thank you.

[blubaju]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

They do make a mouth piece and a full mouth and nose piece. Sleep apnea puts a huge strain on the body and greatly increases chance of a heart attack. I'll use my machine thank you.

You say it.

My father, normal weight died with 49, stroke, heavy snorer, only sleap apnoa was an unknwon sickness then. But I remember him with all the symptoms of sleep apnoa.

My grandfather, more underweight than normal weight, snorer too, died very early too, heart attack.

I had severe symptoms, diagnosed 16+ years ago, feeling like new born after the first night with this machine, having mixed feelings underwent surgery, unsuccessful. Bought privatly my own Goodnight APAP after 10 years CPAP and must say, it is far far better.

CPAP caused Reflux and I was mistreated for a decade with Nexium and other medications. Out of some unknown reason I am not allowed to change my doctor or my SSS will not cover, a private doctor, not even charging for the tip, told me to change to APAP and raise the head end of my bed by 6 inch. Never had reflux any more. My SSS doctor whom I conducted only isued a paper stating my CPAP machine is sufficiently treating my sleeping apnoa, the Reflux problem he totally ignored. SSS.

Goodknights are made in France, but in US the price is less than half. For a blower with a little electronic inside the price is horrible ( I am engr.). Even worse what they dare to charge for the air filter. But if your life depends on it, you will swallow this bitter pill too.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Ruby V

Believe me, I know how serious sleep apnea can be. My husband and I both have it. My husband works in CCU, I work in a cardiac surgery ICU. We're both registered nurses. However, when you're going in to the sleep lab for your initial consultation and see Respironics equipment in the waiting room, in all the exam rooms, etc., it kind of makes you wonder. Is this sleep lab just a conduit to Respironics?

I've been fortunate in my DME, however I've heard the stories. I like cpaptalk.com and I've purchased equipment from cpap.com.

the cpap should work fine with an invertor in your boat--just make sure you have enough solar panels to keep batteries charged--and your battery bank is large enough to contain enough energy to use the machines--or make a separate bank for cpap and keep it separate from house and starting banks, with an invertor specificly for the machines.....gooood luck--at least you know what you are into---may even improve while you are on water....my asthma did----gooood luck....fair winds....~~~~/)~~~

[blubaju]

Originally Posted by zeehag

the cpap should work fine with an invertor in your boat--just make sure you have enough solar panels to keep batteries charged--and your battery bank is large enough to contain enough energy to use the machines--or make a separate bank for cpap and keep it separate from house and starting banks, with an invertor specificly for the machines.....gooood luck--at least you know what you are into---may even improve while you are on water....my asthma did----gooood luck....fair winds....~~~~/)~~~

From energy saving, AVOID inverters unless used for short term running appliances. Efficiency rates are multiplied, somehow you produce eletricity, store it then invert it and believe me, all CPAPs run on low voltage inside because of their electronics, hence they convert it to most likely 12V for the turbine and 5V for the electronics.

Efficiency of say 80% for the inverter, 80% or less for the addapter in the CPAP leaves you with only 64% of your initial power. Almost 40% loss at least.

Select a model with external adaptor and 12V. Go direct. If you can afford, buy an APAp and you are down to average 15W or less, when full blast it consumes still only 25W. This is a navigation light, no need for bigger batteries, separate banks etc.

Even Respironics now has such a small model, several others something similar. I was travelling with a Respironics monster for >10 years, believe me, it is no fun. One last: On sea you do not need the humidifier and I never had a problem with cold air.