CPAP

Hey Fellas, I am off the CPAP now for about 6 weeks after 15+ years on it.  Sleep without it isn't all it's cracked-up to be, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!  I just realized this morning that if someone was breaking into my house or it was on fire I would actually be able to hear it!  Of course, that insight came while I was awake at 4:30 listening to the bullfrogs outside my window! My question is what to do with the CPAP.  I have a relatively new model and I have the one that that model replaced.  Is there some way to recycle them? I travel a lot on my Harley.  It is a major amount of free space for packing to not have to lug that machine around anymore (even though I have to remember it was a life saver at one time). CB

First, Congrats that is great.  I have been on the cpap for about 5 years and understand about the noise. You should keep a fan on in your room, that is what my wife has to do when I am gone.   About your cpap, my wife just got the referral for her sleep study, if it comes back that she needs a CPAP, can I hit you up?  Either way I am sure you could find someones that could use them with craigslist.org. Once again, congrats.  I can't wait to get off mine.  If for no other reason the the freedom to hike and camp (not near a plug in, nor with a car battery)

I kept mine for now, just because it would be so damn expensive to have to replace it. The insurance paid for it the first time, I don't think they would be so understanding should I ever need it again. It is just packed away in a closet. I suppose some day it might find it's way to someone who needs it, but for now it's a just in case security blanket. Check with the Doctors office see if they have or can tell you about an assistance program for people who need them.  That might be a good donation. Scott

I would assume your doctor told you to stop using the CPAP machine.  It is never advisable to stop using it unless you have had a follow-up sleep study to determine if you still need it or not.  I am in the same boat now.  I have lost tons of weight (down 135 pounds from a high of 367 pounds) and don't feel like I need mine anymore, but my doctor wants me to have another sleep study first.  Like he said, there are skinny people who have sleep apnea and still need to use the machine.  The risk of not using it and having problems is a reality = heart palpitations, cardiac arrythmias, high blood pressure, heart attack, and even death. Taz 

Congratulations! Good job! I have been on my CPAP for 8 years. I had not seen my sleep apnea doctor for several years and noticed the pressure seemed too high lately. I wake up with my mouth sealed shut which is a major pain. I went for a check up today and I have a sleep study scheduled for September to see if I can reduce the pressure or eliminate it completely. I don't think I've lost enough weight yet where I can get rid of the machine, but I can only hope. It will be a major milestone if I can get rid of it.

CB, Great to hear you are 6 weeks- CPAP-Free! Over the years I’ve seen many on the Boards Looking for good ideas of how to unload their old ones. I haven’t seen a great solution yet. “Hang onto it” seems to be the standard line… And some have mentioned “Craig’sList” Best Wishes- Dx

Hi CB: Please do not give your machine away, not yet. I lost about 175 to 180 lb, down from 376. My wife cannot hear me stop breathing at all. I don't snore. I thought that the apnea was long gone. I went for sleep study and, from what the technologist said, I still have sleep apnea. The Sleep Dr. will send his report to my family Dr. and I'll take iot from there. Regards, George L.

I dream of the day to be CPAP free. Camping is my favorite and it is not fun to be limited to carryiong around and extra HUGE battery that has to be recharged everyother night or having electrical hookups. Now though I will be sure to have that follow up sleep study before eliminating! I just had an ECHO cardiogram done for pre WLS. And in it it already showed some of the signs of changes in my heart due to sleep apnea and I have been on the damn machine for 5+ years. Shiot I am only 44 with a BMI of 46. %^$*&^$*&$^ what have I done to this body and how am I going to fix it?! And at what risk!? Marc

I broke my mask about a month ago and didn't have a spare. So I call my respiratory thereapist, who is damned near useless and whose company is damned near worthless, and tell her I need a new mask asap. Eight days later she calls me up and tells me they got one in and I can either come pick it up or they'll mail it to me. I went and picked it up to avoid any further FUBARs. But those eight nights w/o my cpap were not good to me. I slept ok as far as I knew, but when I woke up in the mornings I was disoriented as if I'd been drinking heavily the night before. It would take me 10 to 15 minutes to kinda get my bearings. So I know for a fact that I still need the machine in order to keep enough oxygen in my system when I sleep. I'm gonna get a sleep study done at some point to see if I can turn the pressure down though. I'm supposed to be at 18 but I couldn't keep the mask from leaking loudly all night long so I turned it down to 16. 10 or 11 would be great. My dad is 6' and weighs about 215 and he's been on a CPAP for 15 years. It ain't just for fat people.