The most recent 20 comments posted to Making Light by Daniel Dern:

> Basically, a CPAP is a loathsome device that pushes air down your nose. Wearing one feels like you?re being continuously molested by an octopus vacuum cleaner
salesman.

Speaking as someone who's been using a CPAP for 6 or 8 years, every night, including toting it to WorldCons in Australia and Canada, YMMV. (Your Mileage May Vary)

I know of lots of fellow SF fans with sleep apnea; I could list four or five easily. (I won't name names without their permission.) And I know at least that many again from the computer developer/press side of things.

Most of us have been using CPAP machines; the biggest complain some have is the bulk and weight of the machine, travel wise... and (for those whose needs can be served by the smaller, simpler machines) the newer ones are in the 2-pound range. (My travel CPAP is a Puritan Bennett GoodKnight 420 CPAP.)

At Arisia 2005, back in January (fortunately, before the Way Big Snow fell), we had an interesting Sleep Apnea & CPAPs panel, by the way.

I'm confused by some things you say in your posting... unless things have changed (and they may have), sleep apnea tests are done in two stages.

First, to assess whether you have s.a., and if so, to what degree. This is done by wiring you up like Frank L. Stein, yes, with electrodes in sundry places (fortunately, you can detach the umbilical through a group connector, e.g., to go use the bathroom).

The first test measures things like blood oxygen level (e.g. using a clothes-pin-like thingie shining light through your fingertip), and also number of "breathing stops" per hour.

If you're assessed as having sleep apnea, and of a level that merits dealing with, the options include, depending on how the relevant parts of your body are shaped or whatever:

o Surgery. Includes pallete-hardening, or scraping your throat to make it wider. Yucka.

o Dental surgery, or night-time biteplates, to re-adjust how your jaw is closing, or something like that.

o Lose weight. Depends on why you're apneac; losing weight may resolve it. Or not.

o CPAP machine, which pushes Continuous Positive Air Presssure down your throat (through nose and/or mouth).
Variations include BiPAP -- Bi-Level, if you need a higher level while inhaling, or a high enough level that a lower other level makes it easier to exhale. Other accessories can include humidifying water tray, and/or oxygen.

The second test -- possibly done as the second half of a one night study, tho mine was a two-nighter -- determines what CPAP/BiPAP levels let you keep breathing, resulting in "good sleep."

I know some people who did the surgeries. For some, it worked; for others, it made it worse. Also not good if you're a professional singer.

All CPAP/BiPAP users I know swear by, not at, our machines. (Except those still lugging around the too-big ones.)

Yes, the mask makes you look dorkey. Especially if you've got the older "bathing-cap" straps, rather than the newer, less unstylish "head suspenders" type. Even so, you still end up looking like Darth Vader's namby nephew Bart Vader. If you're single/dating, this could pose a tactical challenge. (Deciding whether to bring it along, even ignoring what it looks like when on...)

But yes, using a CPAP is making an immense difference for those I know who have them, in quality of sleep, in being more awake during the day, etc.

It can take a few days to get used to. Based on what you wrote, I'm wondering if:

o Your level is set too high
o They gave you one that's unnecessarily noisey
o You've got a CPAP, but would be better off with a BiPAP, so they could crank down the exhale level
o It should be set to "ramp" ... crank up to full pressure slowly (over a minute or so), rather than
slam into high at the start.
o Your mask isn't the right one, or not adjusted right.
o You haven't gotten used to it.
o Sleep apnea isn't the problem, or this isn't solving
whatever the problem is well enough.
o Other.

As for the "unable to breathe" there should be holes/valves so that even should the power go out or whatever, you have enough ventilation that you can keep on breathing.

Yes, it can be weird, discomfitting, et c. until one gets used to it.

Feel free to contact me out-of-band, of course. And I'd be happy to let you chat with fellow fan apneacs (I know you know at least one of them) some of who know more than I do about some of this.

Meanwhile, try reciting the Green Lantern oath (Hal Jordan's, not Alan Scott's) as you put the mask on;
this might help. :-)

Daniel

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