CPAP Machines

A new study about Obstructive Sleep Apnea shows that sleep apnea patients sleep no differently in a hospital than a hotel.  The study shows that there was no difference in sleep parameters between two groups of patients, one housed in a hotel, one in a hospital.

The study measured “sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, REM sleep latency, total amount of slow wave sleep, and total stage 1 sleep“.

There is a growing trend of hotel-based sleep laboratories, but this study proves that there is no benefit to the patient of being housed in a hotel for a sleep apnea study.  Patients with obstructed sleep apnea are so familiar with hospital settings, due to the chronic nature of the disease, that they do not feel any less comfortable sleeping in a hospital.

Of course, things are different for those of us with CPAP Machines.  A CPAP machine user needs his machine in order to sleep properly at night, and not having that trusty Resmed equipment with a CPAP mask on your face does make a big difference.  I don’t care how comfortable a hotel is, without a Respironics or other CPAP machine, I won’t be staying there!

MSNBC has an article talking about the social implications of CPAP machines.  The writer talked with many couples in which one partner uses a CPAP mask to treat a sleep disorder, and some couples found it a libido killer, while others said the CPAP machine improved the lives, and consequently, their sex lives.

It’s a tough call, obviously.  On the one hand, you’ve got this thing strapped to your face and a CPAP machine whirring all night (at one point, the article describes it like sleeping with Darth Vader).  On the other hand, without a proper CPAP machine, the sleep apnea sufferer could die, and certainly won’t get a good night’s sleep.  With your sleep disrupted, how good could your libido be anyways?

That’s what a lot of people in the article say, that regardless of the annoyance of the actual CPAP machine and the treatment, it has made their lives much better (and possibly saved their lives), and that’s the most important thing.

Most CPAP users say they’re as matter-of-fact about the device as anyone who needs crutches, prosthetics or other aid for a serious medical condition — and that they expect romantic partners to be the same.

“I’ve never been self-conscious about it,” said Vicki Thon, a 50-year-old single mom who has balanced CPAP use and an active social life for 11 years. “I say, ‘This is what I need to be healthy.’”

I see what happens to my wife when she doesn’t get a good night’s sleep, and it isn’t pretty.  She uses a humidifier to avoid terrible sinus infections, and the noise is a pleasure, because it means less days of her being sick.  Regardless of the bulk of a CPAP machine, the benefits of having one are too important to ignore.

I was looking at our stats, and people are arriving here looking for CPAPMart.com.  I don’t get it.  Why don’t they just type CPAPMart.com into their web browsers to get there?  If you already know the name of the website, and you spelled it just fine, and you know to put dotcom at the end of it and not one of those other things, then how did you still wind up over here?

Weird.

Anyway, a quick reminder: If you’re looking for CPAPMart.com, go to CPAPMart.com!  Don’t waste your time with other sites.   I know that CPAP Mart has a great selection of CPAP Machines, CPAP Masks and other CPAP equipment, including products from Resmed, InnoMed, Probasics and others, but this site doesn’t, so just go to the source to get what you’re looking for.

Dan White says EMS providers are starting to use CPAP machines to assist patients suffering from congestive heart failure.  These CPAP machines, normally used to assist those suffering from sleep disorders, are proving effective for patients with compromised alveoli.  Here’s what the paramedics do with it:

During the inspiratory phase of respiration, oxygen-rich gas is supplied at flow rates high enough to increase airway pressure. During the expiratory phase, the patient exhales against a resistance called Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP). The combination of positive inspiratory and positive expiratory pressure can help reduce the work of breathing and improve alveolar gas exchange.

Patients who receive CPAP machine treatment can show remarkable improvement.  Often they have to be intubated less and thus have shorter and safer hospital stays.  We’re used to seeing CPAP machines in the bedroom, but in the ambulance?  Who would have thought!

For more info on CPAP machines, CPAP masks, and CPAP manufacturers like EVOMedical and ProBasics, check out CPAP Mart.

Sleep Apnea Info has a quick, easy five question quiz that can help you determine if you have sleep apnea.  I took it, and it said:

Based on your answers to the Self-Assessment Quiz questions, you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.

Oy!  Perhaps I need a CPAP Machine!

But seriously, take the quiz and see if you may be suffering.  If you get similarly disheartening results to my own, consult your doctor.  If your doctor diagnoses you with sleep apnea, inquire about whether a CPAP machine is right for you.

Just because you have sleep problems, doesn’t mean you have to suffer.  CPAP can often be the answer, with a machine from a company like ProBasics or Resmed taking care of all your problems.  Check out CPAP Mart for more details.

CPAPtalk.com is going to be running its third product challenge, pitting the Hans Rudolph V2 Full Face Mask against the ResMed Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask.  50 participants will evaluate the Hans Rudolph CPAP Masks and fill out surveys, which will be compared against the ResMed CPAP mask to determine the latest winner.

The last Product Challenge, between the Zzz-Mask full face and the Respironics ComfortFull 2 masks, was a close race with the ComfortFull 2 winning by a vote of 29 to 21. The Zzz-Mask stayed competitive in all areas of the trial. This Challenge provides manufacturers, durable medical equipment providers and doctors an insight to CPAP user preferences. The trial results could change drastically if PMI ProBasics requests a rematch after addressing the participants’ comments in regards to adding a quick-release hose adapter or new headgear clips.

Which CPAP Mask is your favorite?  Feel free to talk about your experiences in the comments.

CPAP Masks like these can be found at CPAP Mart.com, which also has a selection of CPAP Machines and other products.