CPAP and the NHS

[Maggi18]

Hi,
I was diagnosed with OSA last week at The Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital in Middlesex.

The whole thing has really scared me a bit. I am collecting a CPAP machine from the hospital on Wednesday this week and my question is, with it being supplied on the NHS does this mean they will supply me with an old fashioned basic machine. Is it advisable to buy my own yet still have appointments at Harefield.

Thank you in advance for any advice anyone can give me.

Kind regards
Maggi

[martin]

Hi Maggi, welcome to the society of hoseheads. The machine isn't as scary as it looks and hopefully will soon become your best friend. It will , alas take a bit of getting used to with lots of tweaks and trials along the way. I'm still using my NHS issued machine (nickname Gail - for gale force wind) with a travel one for convenience (baby Gail). It sometimes takes a couple of goes with masks to find a good combination and you will have some nights when the blighter is out to kill you but it's a great therapy. There is good technical advice as most problems have been met by someone and a good sense of humour is a great assett. Cpap wont turn you into Superman but it has given me the day to day energy of an overweight, balding 50 year old out of shape man, which is a heck of a lot better than I was in my pre Cpap days.
All the best and hope aall goes well.

[Maggi18]

Thank you Martinn

Many thanks for your advice Martin and I am really pleased to have found this site. I have collected a brand new Res Med S9 machine from the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital this morning. They were extremely helpful so tonight I shall be experiencing the machine for the first time. I am not so scared now and have read a lot of very helpful advice on this site. It has been confirmed that I have OSA level 4. Their levels rate at 1 for minimum and 4 for high. I am just tired throughout the day but don't suddenly fall asleep.

I shall be returning to this site a lot in the coming weeks so a big thank you for all the advice.

Kind regards Maggi

[martin]

hugs, hope it works but never/dont give up !!!!!!!!!!!!!! If its a bad first time there is better in front !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Maggi18]

Tosca Study ???

Hi, I have used the Res Med CPAP machine for three nights now and it has been great. One night my nose felt blocked so I cleared it with a Vick inhaler for a few moments then put the mask back on and all went well. My husband says I have slept soundly through the night. No snoring or anything. The machine by my bed makes no sound at all and I am quickly getting used to the mask which is a mirage fx.
One thing though, the hospital have written to me and asked me to come in for an over night stay for a Tosca Study. Does anyone know what this is.
Many thanks in advance
Maggi

[Fredxx]

Tosca monitoring is a form of Pulse Oximetry. Essentially Pulse Oximetry monitors your blood oxygen and pulse rate over a period (overnight usually in this case) to check for events of blood oxygen dipping and pulse rate rising, as evidence of sleep apnoea events.

Tosca takes this to a slightly higher level of monitoring, testing the Carbon Dioxide levels in the blood, which means that it is able to indicate not only events, but the effectiveness / efficiency of your breathing overnight.

The study is nothing at all to be worried about - all they will do (probably) is clip a monitor to your ear overnight and leave you to sleep.

[Maggi18]

Tosca Study

Hi FredXX,

Many thanks for explaining that and I apologise if I continued my question in the wrong thread. Just to finish off, I am staying overnight at the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospital tomorrow night, Wednesday, for my Tosca study
and feel much better thanks to your explanation.
I'm getting on really well with the Res Med S9 CPAP machine and life is good.
Thanks as well to this great forum and to the experienced CPAP users who give up their time to answer questions from us newbies, it really is appreciated.
Maggi

[Maggi18]

Can't stop sneezing !!!!

Hi All,
I have been using a Resmed CPAP machine for about a month. I can sleep fine with it but from the moment I wake up in the morning I don't stop sneezing all day. My nose is running all day and I look like I have an enormous cold or suffer from acute hay fever neither of which apply. Is this normal as it has become so difficult.
Many thanks in advance for any views.
Maggi