sleep test?

[wakychapmans]

From adverts etc. the mouthguard/dental appliances are almost as expensive as the CPAP machines.
But if it works for you its gotta be an improvement.
Doesn't need any power to work, easy to store/clean.
Also solves the problem of keeping your mouth shut while you sleep.

from personal experience...

the mouthguards cause your mouth to generate a hell of a lot of saliva.

And because your mouth isn't closed completely...

you take drooling to a whole new level. (well at least... I did)

[DrewXT]

I've got what the dentist calls a grinding plate, as I grind my teeth in my sleep...  Like a mouthguard that only covers the very tips of my teeth

My wife tells me it stops my snoring, but I don't know what she's talking about, because I've never heard myself snore...

Health insurance covered the price of it completely, do not sure what it cost

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[duggie]

I too am a sufferer of sleep apnea .

My problem goes way back when in my early 20's - now 57 .

I have had the test , results actually had the doctor quite worried as to how many times I actually stop breathing per hour and the length of time not breathing .

I got fitted out as to what pressure and design/size of mask .

But the cost of paying up front put me off buying one. My private would have reimbursed me $1000.00 at that time ( a little over 3 1/2 years ago )

I am now waiting for another appointment to see the sleep specialist - on 01/03/2017 - and this time I am going to get the machine regardless of the cost even though I have down graded my private and will get a lesser amount back , I am sick and tired of waking up each and every day  fatigued .


I have witness the results of people before and after on cpat machines and I am satisfied that they do work .

I put the dollars in front of my health , family and work last time . But  even though I am earning less now I will not be making that mistake again.

Bring on the good life , I reckon.

[chester ver2.0]

Does position have a lot to do with it

Missus recons i only snore when im on my back once on the side all is good. Would it be the same for the breathing obstructions???

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

Position can influence the problem.
You have to do a sleep test to find out.
If you do the one where your filmed as well as monitored by wires stuck on you you'll find out.
Not cheap though.

[duggie]

Does position have a lot to do with it

Missus recons i only snore when im on my back once on the side all is good. Would it be the same for the breathing obstructions???

Don't know , I am asleep .


Snoring on its own may not be associated with sleep apnea , the only true way to find out if you are affected by sleep apnea is to get the test done .

I was amassed at the test results when I had mine done , my first wife always was worried about me not breathing while asleep but until the test was done I did not realize how often and for how long. 

[Bird]

I was amassed at the test results when I had mine done , my first wife always was worried about me not breathing while asleep but until the test was done I did not realize how often and for how long.

Dr showed me some 'general' results before I went in... Its eye opening aint it!

[Brisbane Puff]

I've had a Resmed 10 for about 9 months. Before that used to wake up tired and low in energy. I've always had a problem with breathing in the humid summer months in Brisbane. Winter was okay, and going out west during the summer months without the humidity wasn't too bad.

Got a very bad lung infection last March and being a smoker landed me in hospital for a couple of weeks and was on oxygen assistance. In there the lung specialist arranged for a sleep test in the clinic and another one in my room wearing a sort of suit with wire hanging off it plus a sort of skull cap. End result was every time I went into a deep sleep and dreamed, I would stop breathing.

End result of all that was the CPAP machine. Now 98% of the time I wake without any aches and pains, energy levels are pretty damn good and I'm not feeling sleepy by mid afternoon.

When I was getting the machine, I mentioned that we travel outback and there may not always power available. So included was a battery pack containing two Lion batteries, 12 volt adapters, including one lead with alligator clips for direct connection to a car battery. So we can run it off the solar, the invertor, as well as 240v. Couldn't be happier.

Not sure what the machine cost, but the Resmed people have come out and serviced the machine twice., bringing new filters and removing/replacing the SD card and sending it off to where ever. I could never complain about the backup service. One phone call and my inquiries are solved. I don't have the full face mouth mask, but rather a fitting (for want of a better term) so air is inserted in my nostrils.

So at the last service call  service call, it was decided to replace the nose piece which includes and short 500mm silicone hose. Plus a new humidifier tank. So when the service tech returns with the replacement parts, I noticed that the replacement nose piece had a cost of $239.00 on his delivery sheet. Don't know what the humidifier tank cost was..

So, my question is, what does all this outfit actually cost?? And with replacement parts and service calls, exactly what is a average yearly cost??

[Foo]

I've not paid for any of my sleep studies, as it's covered by Medicare.

Foo



Your worst nightmare is behind you. 😈

[Bird]

Got some great info from cruiser105 so far..

but I wanna know how your supposed to get a good night sleep looking like this..

[RobM]

I'm another one  who stopped snoring after losing weight.
About 15 years ago I would wake up panting like a dog because I had stopped breathing for so long. I was pretty good at snoring, the neighbour TWO DOORS DOWN (so about 40 meters from our bedroom) told me he knew when I was sleeping in, and the milk man ( who should hear a few ) said I was one of the best.
One night our neighbours had visitors and when they were leaving, sitting in the car with the engine running they thought there was something wrong with the engine until our neighbour told them not to worry it was only me snoring.
I went for the sleep study, and was told I wake up about 60 times an hour, yep once a minute, no wonder I was always tired. Doctor said come back for a fitting, I said yeah right, when you have somewhere I can get some sleep.
I put up with it for about 13 years and was about to give in and have another study, now that the machines were smaller and I could take them camping, but I lost weight for other reasons and when I dropped below 70kg my wife said you don't snore anymore, or nothing much.
I was about 74 kg when I had the first study done and I asked the doctor if he saw many my weight and he said no. ( although I did get a broken nose in a fight when I was a teenager).
In the last couple of years I've gone over the 70 kg once and woken myself up snoring again.
Those of you who know me know I'm not too over weight now, I reckon my ideal weight would be about 67kg so a few kilos seems to make a lot of difference.
PS. just under 70 now so snoring might kick in again

[duggie]

After 30 years suffering with sleep apnea I have finally bitten the bullet and got myself a CPAT machine .( Had the tests and was given a prescription )


Only 4 night use so far , last night been the first full night that I was able to have the machine attached all night, ( Took me a little while adjusting the humidifier so that I was not getting a stuffy nose ) but I can already start feeling the effects of what this machine can do to my health .

Over the past few days I have felt more better ( not as fatigued as normal ) and no where near as cranky as normal .

If this is what life is like after only 3 to 4 days into using the CPAT machine , all I can say is , Bring on the good life . 

cheers duggie

[gronk]

.

Got a very bad lung infection last March and being a smoker landed me in hospital

Did you give up the fags ??

No use looking after one part of your health if you are slowly killing the other part !!   

[trevc]

, Bring on the good life . 

cheers duggie

Duggie, you'll never look back 

[duggie]

Did you give up the fags ??

No use looking after one part of your health if you are slowly killing the other part !!   

Not yet , but it is on my list , along with a knee replacement and some repair work on my steel hip. 

[gronk]

Not yet , but it is on my list , along with a knee replacement and some repair work on my steel hip.

 

[FNQBunyip]

Interesting thread,
Misses thumps me some nights to kick start the breathing, always tired and need a arvo nap, some day by about 11:00,lol
Got a couple of mates with machines.
Had a good Dr about 18 months ago and was thinking about asking , then he left town and  I have not been to see one since.
Hate the whole fill them in on all the past stuff , then 2 months later its a different one again.


Cheers

[Hairs]

Does position have a lot to do with it

Yep.
Misses reckons I snore only while I'm on my back.
Theory,
My Balls fall over my Ass Hole and stop the back flow. 
Kinda like a one way valve.

This also explains why most women don't snore.   

[gronk]

Yep.
Misses reckons I snore only while I'm on my back.
Theory,
My Balls fall over my Ass Hole and stop the back flow. 
Kinda like a one way valve.

This also explains why most women don't snore.   

Might have to have a bit better look down there as my missus snores like a trooper !!   

[Hairs]

Might have to have a bit better look down there as my missus snores like a trooper !!   

Might not be the only reason, I'm not a doctor 
But don't let that stop you investigating it 


 

[Alien]

I was only talking to a work colleague about this the other day.
I've fitted a new inventor to the van for the wife's CPAP and he was saying he has to have the test.
Short term the Dr said sew a tennis ball into his pajama top to stop him laying on his back to reduce snoring.

The wife had the test done after a referral from her GP.
She suffered from lack of proper sleep, by mid afternoon she was close to having narcolepsy.
Sitting on the couch she would fall asleep mid conversation but was ok if busy.
This was worrying as micro sleeps where starting to be more regular.
I told her driving was to be done early in the day for her(and others) safety.
Snoring was minor but often she woke up gasping for air.
Sleeping for 12-14 hours didn't help so resorted to afternoon naps of 4-5 hours just to function.
So all wired up and she came home for the night sleeping in familiar surroundings.

She is on the low end of the scale and stoped breathing a number of times.
As expected a CPAP was purchased after hiring a unit.
The hire unit was brand new so we got a deal on it including spare hoses and a carry bag.
It's a Philips Responics REMstar Auto unit running off a 240volt 50w adaptor normally or a 60W with dehumidifier fitted.
The face mask didn't work as dribble started to cause a rash and dried the skin out.
The nose piece works well for her and we use an extra length of hose in the van due to where the machine sits.
At home the dehumidifier is always used and our next long trip we'll trial using it in the van.

While she can go a night without the machine by end of day 2 she's getting grouchy.
It is worth the $2000 we spent for the better quality of life, for both of us.
2 years on the only extra costs have been $20/year for filters and demineralised water(no oddurs).
She washes the 1st hose and nose piece daily and the main hose every 2nd day.
On camps it's done in the shower or sink with good water.

[Jkblmm]

A great thread.. Topic is quite interesting as it has a personal impact, thought I  would share my experience.

 

After many years of worrying my partner (now wife) with my snoring and intermittent breathing patterns. About 4 years ago I bit the bullet and did went to the GP and asked for a referral for a sleep study. Simple as that… He filled out a pre-printed form and later that day I rang the sleep test people ( www.snoreaustralia.com.au) and was booked in for the next week. I chose to do the in hospital study. I was stunned when they said that if you enjoy a couple of beers before bed , then bring them in. WooHoo… Challenge accepted hahaha.

 

Packed a bag , including a couple of Wild Turkey cans and off I went. Arrived at the hospital (Greenslopes,in Brisbane) and after the mandatory waiting and paperwork I was put into a room and wired up with 100’s of data collection wires, and told to relax…Yeah right, how the hell are you supposed to relax when you have more wires on you than a space shuttle launch… BINGO that’s where the Turkeys come in handy. Kicked back , watched the standard issue hospital 2” TV for a while and smashed back the Turkeys. Just before being ready for sleep you call them in and they put a CPAP machine on you, this enables them to alter the pressure and test which is the best solution. Don’t think I slept that well, all things considered but they said it went perfectly and that they had all the data they needed to make a report to the GP.

 

A couple of days later , back at the GP for the results and it was certainly an eye opener when you see the graph of when and how often you stop breathing. No wonder I was feeling like CRAP for so long. I needed a CPAP machine.

 

Armed with the diagnosis I started ringing around for pricing and boy was I shocked at how expensive the machines are. Something didn’t feel right so I talked to my uncle that had the same diagnosis and asked him where he got his from. He is a super tight a$$ and I knew he would have sniffed out a bargain. To my surprise he said check out this shop online ( www.respshop.com ) they are in the US and are really good to deal with.

 

I must say when I heard that I was a little “yeah sure, like I’m going to drop $2000 on a purchase from the US” to say the least. Then I looked at the pricing and immediately it sparked my interest. It is just so frustrating that we are always getting ripped off here.

 

I had health insurance and out of memory I think they would cover $1000 for the machine (limited per person per year or so) Good deal hey… NOPE!

 

At the time I was pricing CPAP machines they were like $1800 - $2400 locally. No way I was paying that  , especially when the prices from the US were better than ½ price !!

 

So I plucked up the courage and placed the order. The order placement process was easy as. Just a regular online store, as long as you know what machine and mask setup you want/need.

 

The order was placed on:

Date Ordered: Monday 08 July, 2013

Date Shipped: Monday 08 July, 2013

Date Arrived: Monday 15 July, 2013

 

So within a week and for about ½ price from the local suppliers I was setup. Now I am all for supporting buy local, I am NOT a supporter of buy local for the pleasure of being screwed.

 

This is what I ordered : (in 2013)

1 x Fisher Paykel Eson TM Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear (400449, 400450, 400451) = $99.00
Size Medium - 400450
1 x ICON Auto CPAP Machine with Built In Heated Humidifier and SensAwake (ICONAAN, ICONAAN-HT) = $672.00
Tubing Heated Tubing - ICONAAN-HT
1 x The CPAP Tube Brush (5 Foot) (TB-5) = $14.95
1 x Universal World Wide Travel Charger Adapter Plug (GTM-10-512) = $6.99
------------------------------------------------------
Sub-Total: $792.94
FedEx (Total items: 1 pcs. Total weight: 10.20 lbs.) (International Priority): $78.64
Total: $871.58 USD

 

Since then I cannot begin to tell you what a difference it has made to my/our lives. I now wake more refreshed and most days less grumpy… J

 

In the last 9 months or so I have started leaking air out my mouth , so the effectiveness dropped off. I had been using chin straps to keep my mouth closed and they are effective , but you feel like your head is being taped down. You have your normal mask then your chinstrap – just too many things on your head. 2 months ago I purchased a full face mask (covers mouth and nose) and WOW what a difference. Purchase from the same company and for about ½ of the local price (including shipping)

 

I recommend these guys as they have never let me down on the 3-4 orders I have placed. Always shipped on time , always received in perfect condition. I am sure there would be the odd issue , but I guess you get that with everything in life.

 

If you are sitting on the fence regarding getting the sleep test done , seriously do the test it will be the start of a “new” life for you and those around you.

 

Thanks for looking …..

 

Disclaimer :

I am not associated with Snore Australia , nor RESPShop. Just a satisfied customer.

[wakychapmans]

Armed with the diagnosis I started ringing around for pricing and boy was I shocked at how expensive the machines are. Something didn’t feel right so I talked to my uncle that had the same diagnosis and asked him where he got his from. He is a super tight a$$ and I knew he would have sniffed out a bargain. To my surprise he said check out this shop online ( www.respshop.com ) they are in the US and are really good to deal with.

Just wondering how you knew what to buy?

I have a sleep report but its mainly graphs and some charts.

[Jkblmm]

@murucycles - out of memory either the report or the GP will give the settings and then that is all you need. Failing that , take the info to you local CPAP shop and they will guide you. Then use that info to try and source a better price etc.