male only How long 'til you ditched your CPAP?

[Darkplaces 20]

I am down about 135 pounds. Around the 80 mark I blew the seal off of the mask it was so powerful. I just read how to lower my pressure and I am fine. I see my sleep doc in a few weeks so I am wondering what he will say.

[Rhodes 66]

This is my second reason for getting sleeved. (sex being #1)

I have advanced sleep apnea, but cannot tolerate any CPAP mask. I'm a 100% side sleeper and could never keep it on.

I tried for over 10 months and just got more and more tired from waking up 6, 8, 10, 15 times a night to fix the mask.

My other big problem was due to the pressure I was prescribed, I would end up with a stomach full of air. This hurts like hell by the time it wakes me up. Doctor reduced the pressure, and I went right back to my apnea state. *sigh..

Tried the mouth guards, nose tapes, jaw realignment appliances, none work. Hoping the sleeve solves the problem.

The Jaw realignment appliance work OK, but not 100%. I'm sticking with this until after my surgery.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Rhodes

[Croaker 26]

Just curious was anyone getting dry mouth before ditching cpap, is this a sign the pressure is too high? Thanks.

It's a sign that your mouth is opening during the night, allowing the flow to escape that way, thus drying out your mouth.

I bought a chin strap and wore that. Solved it right away. It's important to address, as the pressure escaping through your mouth isn't providing therapy for your OSA.

As for me, I have an auto-CPAP, that senses what I need. Before surgery, I was at 16 cm H2O nightly. Now I'm running about 9. I'm hoping that in a few more months I'll be free of it.

[Debbie Jean 406]

Just curious was anyone getting dry mouth before ditching cpap, is this a sign the pressure is too high? Thanks.

It's a sign that your mouth is opening during the night, allowing the flow to escape that way, thus drying out your mouth.

I bought a chin strap and wore that. Solved it right away. It's important to address, as the pressure escaping through your mouth isn't providing therapy for your OSA.

As for me, I have an auto-CPAP, that senses what I need. Before surgery, I was at 16 cm H2O nightly. Now I'm running about 9. I'm hoping that in a few more months I'll be free of it.

Not necessarily. That was what I thought but when my pulminologist read the SD card from my CPAP machine, he said it registered no leaks which it would if I was "mouth breathing". I started at 9 and lowered the pressure to 7 and the extreme dry mouth went away. I had lost about 45 lbs at that point. As I've continued to lose, I've had to lower the pressure again to 5. AHI's haven't changed.

I may be one of the only people here who actually love my CPAP ☺️ After years of interrupted and broken sleep I wake up feeling soooo rested. LOL

[VDB 800]

Just one months post-op, down 40+ # but my Dr. said I may never get off my CPAP but just will need less pressure. The reason is that almost every male in my family over 50 has sleep apnea, and few are overweight. My brother and late Dad, neither overweight, both had/have sleep apnea. My brother has severe apnea and uses the CPAP and my Dad refused to use a CPAP... it did effect his heart and he lived to 92 but had heart problems in his last 12 years that his Doc said were apnea related.

[Djmohr 6,965]

This is an interesting topic. I have been on cpap for almost 10 years.

About 2 years ago a really dump pulmonologist decided that it might be a good idea to up the pressure a little just to get rid of a couple of small blips that happened once in a while. Not even every night.

He upped the pressure just one level. My pressures were fairly low to begin with at 7. Anyway, when he did that I started coughing everyday all day to the point that it was embarrassing at work and I would have to leave the room. This went on for 6 months when finally I decided to go to the doctor to figure out what was causing that.

I was tested by an allergist, a pulmonologist for asthma, an ears nose and throat doctor all trying to figure out why I was coughing uncontrollably. I was put on inhalers, medications to stop post nasal drip, little yellow cough pills to help suppress it. Nothing worked. It was a year after it started and my husband who was frustrated with all these docs that could not figure it out decided to do some research on line.

We had finally traced back when the cough started to when that doctor changed my setting and increased my pressure.

My husband found a couple of studies where the cpap pressure if too high could cause Aeroflatia which would cause this uncontrollable coughing. It weakens the opening to the diaphragm which causes coughing.

We started lowering the pressure, when it finally was corrected I was at the lowest possible setting for cpap. It was almost 18 months of uncontrollable coughing before we figured it out.

In the last couple of months (I am 7.5 months post op and down 99lbs), my mouth is so dry regardless of how high my moisture is set. I use a chin strap and regardless the pressure is too high again and it can no longer be adjusted.

About 1 week ago I tried sleeping with out it for the first time. I have not used it since. It has taken some getting used to but I think I am good to go at this point.

Regardless, I am no longer using it.

[chubbsey1 126]

This is an interesting topic. I have been on cpap for almost 10 years.

About 2 years ago a really dump pulmonologist decided that it might be a good idea to up the pressure a little just to get rid of a couple of small blips that happened once in a while. Not even every night.

He upped the pressure just one level. My pressures were fairly low to begin with at 7. Anyway, when he did that I started coughing everyday all day to the point that it was embarrassing at work and I would have to leave the room. This went on for 6 months when finally I decided to go to the doctor to figure out what was causing that.

I was tested by an allergist, a pulmonologist for asthma, an ears nose and throat doctor all trying to figure out why I was coughing uncontrollably. I was put on inhalers, medications to stop post nasal drip, little yellow cough pills to help suppress it. Nothing worked. It was a year after it started and my husband who was frustrated with all these docs that could not figure it out decided to do some research on line.

We had finally traced back when the cough started to when that doctor changed my setting and increased my pressure.

My husband found a couple of studies where the cpap pressure if too high could cause Aeroflatia which would cause this uncontrollable coughing. It weakens the opening to the diaphragm which causes coughing.

We started lowering the pressure, when it finally was corrected I was at the lowest possible setting for cpap. It was almost 18 months of uncontrollable coughing before we figured it out.

In the last couple of months (I am 7.5 months post op and down 99lbs), my mouth is so dry regardless of how high my moisture is set. I use a chin strap and regardless the pressure is too high again and it can no longer be adjusted.

About 1 week ago I tried sleeping with out it for the first time. I have not used it since. It has taken some getting used to but I think I am good to go at this point.

Regardless, I am no longer using it.

I have done the same and my wife has said she hasn't heard me snore yet, she usually stays up later than I do.

[Darkplaces 20]

My sleep doc lowered my cpap to a range of 5 to 12. Has been working great. I don't get it up past 7...this coming from a person who used to run 12 to 20. I am so used to my cpap I am not sure about going off of it 100% but I am getting closer.

[Nikasio 59]

Gents, great advice. I am only four weeks out and am experiencing the same issue with my CPAP. My mouth gets dry and pops open at night too. Just had a sleep study done. Didn't have to spend two nights at a clinic either. My Principal Care Physician gave me a tiny portable monitoring device. I am waiting on the results to see if I can drop the pressure down from 16 to something more reasonable. Apparently there are cheat-code websites that tell you how to do the CPAP settings yourself without having to waste a day waiting for the CPAP provider to pay a visit and have it done.