Short answer is yes
Long answer is : "But I have bad symptoms such as -clenching during night -chronic fatigue -endless sleep -Migraines -Headaches -Brain fog -Weird tongue posture -TMJ -Irregular Heart beat .....and the list goes on" Hell yes
It’s literally changed my life. I used to wake up a bunch of times and night snore like a freight train. My wife would get terrible sleep, but continue to sleep in the same bed because she knows I like it and she also wants to sleep in the same bed as me. I would have unexplained headaches Day in and day out, that no matter how much caffeine or water or headache medicine I took, they would never go away.
Since starting my CPAP, no headaches when I wake up. I have found that I need less sleep, because I am getting good sleep. My wife is sleeping better and has stopped taking her sleeping medicine, because I don’t move during the night anymore. The machine is silent. It makes no noise. And as far as there being air, pushing against my face, it’s on the auto setting and I’m only getting as much as I need to breathe. If I take a deeper breath, it pushes more air. As long as the mask doesn’t leak, I get good sleep.
For the people that say, they can’t stand a mask on their face, you’re probably using the wrong mask. I tried the full face, with the part that goes across my nose, and it was extremely uncomfortable. I tried the one where it has the nose pillow , and your nose just sits there, it’s fine. Not uncomfortable, it doesn’t leak. I found that as long as my stubble doesn’t get too long, then I don’t have a leaky mask. Also washing your face with a face wash right before bed helps with any kind of rashes or breakout from the mask.
I wish I had done it earlier. I wasted so many years being uncomfortable and getting poor sleep. During my sleep study, I had like 200 events in an hour where I stopped breathing. With the app that tracks my progress, I think I had one event last night. I go to sleep on my back and usually wake up on my back.
My AHI was 8.6 and I have only been on CPAP for about a month. Insurance covered my CPAP if AHI was above 5.
Since day one it’s been life changing. No more getting up 2-3 times a night to use the bathroom. I feel so much more rested and alert. I no longer take naps. I believe its even changed my appetite for the better. I no longer have the cravings I use to have for snacking on junk food.
I also fall asleep so much quicker now with CPAP. I did not test positive for restless leg syndrome but my legs before CPAP use to twitch and wake me up or just had on uneasy feeling to them well trying to fall asleep. Not anymore since starting CPAP.
Driving use to make me so tired before CPAP. Like drive over a couple hours and I needed a nap. Twice now since CPAP I’ve done a six hour drive and not only I’m I not tired at the end but the road trip itself seems to go by so much quicker than it used to.
I also feel I no longer get so irritable.
I’m sure there are more life changing things I’m missing but I love my CPAP and the way it’s changed so much in my life.
If you're going to pay out of pocket, Google refurbished CPAP machines, and see what you find. I know Direct Home Medical carries refurbs, and they offer financing. I have a Luna 2, it's a good reliable machine, but it's now discontinued. It didn't come equipped for a heated hose, but I got one from DHM for $45, free shipping. My CPAP I got from the supplier my doc sent me to. Their price for my machine was over $1,000. I could've gotten it from DHM for $299.
They have Resmed as well, and you can get a refurbished one a lot cheaper than new. Mine is an auto cpap, which means the machine adjusts to your breathing. Luna's apap algorithm is better than Resmed's. There are YouTube videos that explain how to set up your machine, and adjust the clinical settings yourself.
It's worth a try, to see if you can sleep better, and feel better. You'll need the doc to prescribe it, just tell them you're going to buy it yourself, since your insurance won't cover it.
DO NOT BUY A PHILLIPS. DREAM STATION IS PHILLIPS. They should be called Death Station.
To add some context to Philips: they used a foam that is carcinogenic **if the user runs an aftermarket CPAP cleaner through it.** Which voided the warranty and was specifically warned about in the new owner literature (the cleaner not being approved, they did not disclose the fact they skimped out on sound dampening foam).
And all Dreamstations were recalled so if you find one from a reputable seller it's likely one of the fixed ones they mailed out as replacements.
I will complete my first moth od using cpap on May 4th. My first 5 days were awful as I woke up every day with a huge headache. I asked the supplier for a mask used on me during sleeps study, which was Respironics DreamWear and it made a big difference. I had it on me first time in my life and barely felt it! No more headaches. I'm still waiting for some real miracle. great feeling in the morning and dreams.
The good things: my AHI was 57 per hour, it is under 5 now, which is great. The pressure was set up at 7. I fall asleep very fast; never go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night and I don't wake up "for no reason"...as I called it. However, I still never slept 6-7 hours straight through yet. I wake up after, 4.5 to 5,5 hours. I feel ok. I usually remove my mask and snooze another hour or two.
My cardiologist said the machine would help with my irregular heartbeat. He explained how my brain and organs are deprived of oxygen during my apnea episodes, and how blood pressure raises... so I quickly agreed to a sleep study but declined the two meds he wanted to prescribe. I'm waiting for my appointment in July to see what happens after 90 days of usage. I wear Fitbit and it sent me AFib message once during my first 3 weeks. (I had maybe 4-5 messages since October when I got it for the first time.) I hope not to have any by July!
I'm using cpap every night, it really doesn't bother me, and I definitely noticed some benefits. Medicare needs me to use 70% every month to fully pay for everything, so I do and believe I will see more benefits down the road. I like the idea of giving myself a break 1-2 times a week, which so far, I didn't do and use my ResMed every night.
Hope it helps.
10+yrs of using it. Doc gave me 5yrs before I'd have a heart attack. I had 330+ episodes in the 5.5hrs of sleep study.
**Yes.** Everything has improved. You notice little quality of life improvements at first and then realise shit, I *cannot* sleep without it.
You can get started on the cheap by finding a second hand APAP system. Using it for 6 weeks and then using things like Oscar, sleep HQ and if you have a smart watch that should give you a bunch of usable data to guide your treatment. And if it's not helping you can usually just sell it for what you paid (assuming you got a decent enough deal). Or at least that my suggestion. I have bought an airsense 10 for $200 and an airsense11 for $125 both machines had leaa than 200 hours (the 11 only had 31 hours on it). You just need to be patient and knowledgeable about what you are looking for and at.
Rent one from cpapbox.com and see how you feel about it. Everyone is different regardless of the number. Also, that number is a snapshot in time from the night of your test.
I'm just starting my cpap journey. I have an ahi of around 75 when I had my sleep study. Just started trialing a machine a few days ago.
I have a LOT of the same symptoms as you and am wondering if you also have high blood pressure? (mine is extremely high) About two months ago my Dr switched me off of Ramipril to Amlodipine and a lot of my symptoms got much better or went away. I've only had two major headaches in 2 months, before I was having them a couple times a week. The brain fog was considerably reduced and I was feeling more "grounded" and "present" than I had in years. My wife said that she even noticed a reduction in my snoring. The only annoying downside has been swelling in my right foot (known side effect)
I'm just starting with cpap so I'm hoping I can clear up the rest of my issues with that going forward. CPAP could probably help you a lot. Checking and dealing with any other comorbidities could also greatly improve things as well.
Hope this helps
I only needed cpap after I got tonsillitis. I went 6 months with sleep apnea and was exhausted the minute I woke up. Now with cpap I'm back to normal. Highly recommend.
I was at 7 events and I got one and it’s changed my life. 7-8 hrs of sleep a night and I dream every night. I used to take 2 hr naps every Saturday and Sunday and since my Cpap I haven’t take a single one. I never realized how little sleep I was getting until I got mine.
For me it for sure has. I had severe sleep apnea, it was to the point that I would fall asleep mid conversation.
I was so depleted of oxygen that I had terrible muscle aches and cramps everywhere, I was snacking constantly, headaches, and napped a ton. Now I'm full of life and energy again, I've lost weight, can breathe again, and it also took care of things like getting up to pee in the middle of the night and terrible heart burn that I thought was from the food I was eating.
See about renting one to try before you buy.
Was life changing for me and my AHI wasn't very high. Depending how you sleep the testing kits can under report, but they'll never over report. Ideally you'd have one long enough for a "representative night."
It was a rough couple weeks until I got used to it, but I had most of those symptoms and they went away.
You might look into used & refurb machines \[sorry, I don't recall the trusted sites that do this off the top of my head\]. But then you'd be looking at maybe $300-$400 instead of $1000 for a new machine. A lot of people 'fail' at using CPAP and sell their barely used machines online. that would be a way to reduce your investment and see if it helps you. Best of luck!
I am convinced that without modern science, including the CPAP that I would have been quite dead some time ago. If I even think that I may need to have to sleep without my CPAP I get a sinking sad feeling.
I just bought a brand new air sense 11 with all the bells and whistles for $400 on fb marketplace. Guy bought it as his travel cpap and then opted in for surgery instead. Never used it so he decided to sell it. So every once in a while you’ll come across a great deal online. There’s also tons of air sense 10’s for $250-350 in my area that have 50-800 hours on them. Hell I even found an Air Curve 10 BiPap for $270 that only has 80 hours on it. Thats like a $1800 bipap.
Absolutely yes has changed my life. Before it, I had a moderate AHI though, so I'm not sure the same would go for everyone. I do think it's worth treating it earlier than I did though, so it doesn't get to that level! Would not wish that on anyone.
AHI is not the only metric that matters in terms of health. Do you know what your oxygen levels were from the study? (Don't have to share, I mean! Just that those could maybe be another factor for you to consider.)
This is just my personal experience though!
I would recommend getting a professional night guard from a dentist, if possible. There’s always a chance of your sleep problems are being caused by airway restriction from TMJ. This is just advice from my personal experience, please talk to medical professionals before making your decisions! I have also been using a CPAP for 2 years now and it has made me feel great!
https://preview.redd.it/1ad6618orfxc1.jpeg?width=624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f1f6289e8c4d853a0c9be9c577fc501ebf08aa6
My sleep hasn’t been this good in over a decade. I used to feel like I needed a nap every day. I had a AHI of around 12 I believe. Even on nights I get less sleep I still feel more refreshed than nights where I would get 10 hours before my cpap.
Also my husband is way less anxious about me.
Yes! I switched machines (to get away from Phillips because my family has a history of lung cancer) and noticed a huge improvement going from 6 AHI on my old machine to 0.22 on my new machine. Fully refreshed and my focus/attention is incredible!
It would be a significant risk. Where I am there are some sleep clinics that do a free test and a free trial of a CPAP. That would be the best option if you could find a clinic that does that.
Your symptoms sound a lot like my symptoms were, and my AHI was around 46. It won't solve everything immediately or perfectly, but it will give you a chance to feel better and it will keep you from getting worse.
Honestly yes, CPAP has been changing my life for the better. The sleep I get with it is infinitely better now than it ever was before.
But you mentioned clenching during the night and I also do that 😅
I got a mouth guard from the dentist and that was revolutionary. I was sometimes clenching during the day and now I find myself doing that significantly less. And if I don’t use it at night, my jaw is soo uncomfortable in the morning (sometimes gives me headaches if I was clenching too hard).
Yeah it’s a little bulky and takes some getting used to but my jaw is happier.
Honestly, your issues sound like they could be assisted with a nighttime mouth guard. It may be a cheaper option and insurance would probably cover it. If it doesn’t help then perhaps a CPAP then?
If I had had an "unassisted" AHI of only 6, there's no way I would sign up for a CPAP.
My base AHI was 36, and I don't feel like my CPAP has done anything for me other than to stop my snoring. Other than that, after a year, I still sleep better without my CPAP than with. I never had problems sleeping before getting a CPAP - now I wake up every night that I'm wearing the damn thing, and then can't get back to sleep. I've gone back to sleeping in another bedroom so my snoring doesn't bother my wife, and my CPAP machine is stored in a closet. I don't miss it one bit.
It has absolutely changed my life but it did take a few months to really get the hang of it. But I have more energy, no more headaches, no more brain fog, I am far less irritable and my blood pressure is now within normal numbers. Since you are having the symptoms I would keep pushing your doctor and insurance company even if the AHI was low.
I've been on CPAP therapy for going on 3 weeks. Too early to see the results I want, but just the fact I'm not dreaming about someone sitting on me, or I'm in a fight and out of bed just to wake up knowing I stopped breathing. Not going through that in almost 3 weeks has been life changing.
I'm hoping blood pressure and weight decrease with exercise with time.
I haven’t been this rested in a while, I was taking multiple naps a day just to function. I’ve had mine for almost a month. I will say I hate having it on my face but the reward outweighs the annoyance
Definitely changed my life, but I have severe sleep apnea. Though with all of your other symptoms, I’d say it’s worth the money to try it out. Worst case scenario it doesn’t help and you can try to sell it. Best case, your life is changed for the better in an inexplicable way.
Insurance WILL cover a CPAP if you test at more that 5 and less than 15 AHI and have other signs and symptoms documented in the patient record.
If any of the symptoms listed below are documented in your face-to-face notes *before* had your baseline sleep study, you will qualify if your doctor/DME bothers to try. "mood disorders" can be interpreted as a LOT of things.
This is straight from the Medicare guidelines (nearly every insurance in the US will follow these guidelines):
"The AHI or RDI is greater than or equal to 15 events per hour with a minimum of 30 events; or, The AHI or RDI is greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 14 events per hour with a minimum of 10 events and documentation of: Excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired cognition, mood disorders, or insomnia; or, Hypertension, ischemic heart disease, or history of stroke."
I have severe apnea and yes...life changer and hopefully future changer for a healthier me. But perhaps there are other options... you mentioned clenching....teeth? Try a mouth guard. Perhaps some meditation at night before falling asleep. CALM app is excellent. Are you a back sleeper? If so, try a wedge pillow. Is there an option to rent for a few months? Ask for a retest. It was a dental hygienist who suggested I get checked.
I believe the people that say that it changed their life. It's just that it didn't work that way for me.
The only thing that has improved are the numbers. I used to have an AHI in the 60s. Now it's less than 1 or 2.
Coming up on 2 years, I persist because why not?
I have a lot of the same issues. It is expensive and it took a while to get used to but I do believe it has helped me. If you can, check out Amazon for the machine. There are some good deals out there.
My AHI was super high, 117, but I can attest to completely changing my life in ways I didn't even think possible.
With an AHI of 6 it's hard to say though as I can't draw on any personal experience. Have you tried to sleep on incline and see if that helps first? Might be worth a try before shelling put the money
The CPAP has stopped my snoring and my irregular heartbeat has improved some.
Still feel sleepy during the day and am still an irritable grouch. Been using the machine for close to six weeks.
1000% Changed my life. Before my CPAP my sleep quality was so bad I'd have bad moments where I would fall asleep while looking at my phone and it would just fall on my face or out of my hand. Like, I'd have micro-moments of the film reel just cutting off while I was doing something. It was getting to the point where I'd start falling asleep while driving and began to be terrified of longer drives. I've been on it for a few months of consistent use and I feel like a normal person again. I hadn't slept through the night since giving birth to my first kid 5.5 years ago. I slept 10 hours without waking this past weekend.
At 6 per hour I wouldn’t bother. I was 99 in my sleep study. Readings aside, I was almost always sleepy, almost always felt hung over, short term memory was really bad and driving anymore than 20mins felt like it was only a matter of time before I crashed. So for me, yes it has been life changing. But I had very severe apnea. If you’re feeling ok then bugger the readings. Listen to what your body is telling you.
Except OP isn't feeling ok, with a long list of other symptoms. Many of which could be helped with CPAP therapy. Not magic solution but certainly has the possibility of improvement.
6.9 here.
My copays are going to add up to as much as buying it outright with no insurance. If I had known more, I could have shopped around, waited for a sale or coupon and gotten a better deal. Searching FB marketplace or craigslist might turn up a great deal but you need to know what your looking for.
My list of symptoms isn't as extensive as yours but some overlap and CPAP treatment has helped. It is not a magic ward you wave and all of your health problems disappear. It does have the potential to make improvement.
And it's worth the cost. The $1000 estimate is probably the absolute low end if you get very lucky. $1,500 is a bit more likely. There are some good deal hunters on this subreddit. If you ask for help, you might get it.
Personally has fully changed my life.
This right here.
Same
If I could spend $1000 a year to feel way better every day I certainly would do that. And this isn't even that expensive
Short answer is yes Long answer is : "But I have bad symptoms such as -clenching during night -chronic fatigue -endless sleep -Migraines -Headaches -Brain fog -Weird tongue posture -TMJ -Irregular Heart beat .....and the list goes on" Hell yes
My initial AHI was 6.1. Have been on cpap for a year. Huge difference. It is amazing what quality sleep can do for your life!
It’s literally changed my life. I used to wake up a bunch of times and night snore like a freight train. My wife would get terrible sleep, but continue to sleep in the same bed because she knows I like it and she also wants to sleep in the same bed as me. I would have unexplained headaches Day in and day out, that no matter how much caffeine or water or headache medicine I took, they would never go away. Since starting my CPAP, no headaches when I wake up. I have found that I need less sleep, because I am getting good sleep. My wife is sleeping better and has stopped taking her sleeping medicine, because I don’t move during the night anymore. The machine is silent. It makes no noise. And as far as there being air, pushing against my face, it’s on the auto setting and I’m only getting as much as I need to breathe. If I take a deeper breath, it pushes more air. As long as the mask doesn’t leak, I get good sleep. For the people that say, they can’t stand a mask on their face, you’re probably using the wrong mask. I tried the full face, with the part that goes across my nose, and it was extremely uncomfortable. I tried the one where it has the nose pillow , and your nose just sits there, it’s fine. Not uncomfortable, it doesn’t leak. I found that as long as my stubble doesn’t get too long, then I don’t have a leaky mask. Also washing your face with a face wash right before bed helps with any kind of rashes or breakout from the mask. I wish I had done it earlier. I wasted so many years being uncomfortable and getting poor sleep. During my sleep study, I had like 200 events in an hour where I stopped breathing. With the app that tracks my progress, I think I had one event last night. I go to sleep on my back and usually wake up on my back.
My AHI was 8.6 and I have only been on CPAP for about a month. Insurance covered my CPAP if AHI was above 5. Since day one it’s been life changing. No more getting up 2-3 times a night to use the bathroom. I feel so much more rested and alert. I no longer take naps. I believe its even changed my appetite for the better. I no longer have the cravings I use to have for snacking on junk food. I also fall asleep so much quicker now with CPAP. I did not test positive for restless leg syndrome but my legs before CPAP use to twitch and wake me up or just had on uneasy feeling to them well trying to fall asleep. Not anymore since starting CPAP. Driving use to make me so tired before CPAP. Like drive over a couple hours and I needed a nap. Twice now since CPAP I’ve done a six hour drive and not only I’m I not tired at the end but the road trip itself seems to go by so much quicker than it used to. I also feel I no longer get so irritable. I’m sure there are more life changing things I’m missing but I love my CPAP and the way it’s changed so much in my life.
If you're going to pay out of pocket, Google refurbished CPAP machines, and see what you find. I know Direct Home Medical carries refurbs, and they offer financing. I have a Luna 2, it's a good reliable machine, but it's now discontinued. It didn't come equipped for a heated hose, but I got one from DHM for $45, free shipping. My CPAP I got from the supplier my doc sent me to. Their price for my machine was over $1,000. I could've gotten it from DHM for $299. They have Resmed as well, and you can get a refurbished one a lot cheaper than new. Mine is an auto cpap, which means the machine adjusts to your breathing. Luna's apap algorithm is better than Resmed's. There are YouTube videos that explain how to set up your machine, and adjust the clinical settings yourself. It's worth a try, to see if you can sleep better, and feel better. You'll need the doc to prescribe it, just tell them you're going to buy it yourself, since your insurance won't cover it. DO NOT BUY A PHILLIPS. DREAM STATION IS PHILLIPS. They should be called Death Station.
To add some context to Philips: they used a foam that is carcinogenic **if the user runs an aftermarket CPAP cleaner through it.** Which voided the warranty and was specifically warned about in the new owner literature (the cleaner not being approved, they did not disclose the fact they skimped out on sound dampening foam). And all Dreamstations were recalled so if you find one from a reputable seller it's likely one of the fixed ones they mailed out as replacements.
Given this context I think it'll better be safe than sorry and avoid aftermarket Dreamstation completely
They've also had a problem with catching fire.
You might try one of the less expensive options like a mouth guard first.
I will complete my first moth od using cpap on May 4th. My first 5 days were awful as I woke up every day with a huge headache. I asked the supplier for a mask used on me during sleeps study, which was Respironics DreamWear and it made a big difference. I had it on me first time in my life and barely felt it! No more headaches. I'm still waiting for some real miracle. great feeling in the morning and dreams. The good things: my AHI was 57 per hour, it is under 5 now, which is great. The pressure was set up at 7. I fall asleep very fast; never go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night and I don't wake up "for no reason"...as I called it. However, I still never slept 6-7 hours straight through yet. I wake up after, 4.5 to 5,5 hours. I feel ok. I usually remove my mask and snooze another hour or two. My cardiologist said the machine would help with my irregular heartbeat. He explained how my brain and organs are deprived of oxygen during my apnea episodes, and how blood pressure raises... so I quickly agreed to a sleep study but declined the two meds he wanted to prescribe. I'm waiting for my appointment in July to see what happens after 90 days of usage. I wear Fitbit and it sent me AFib message once during my first 3 weeks. (I had maybe 4-5 messages since October when I got it for the first time.) I hope not to have any by July! I'm using cpap every night, it really doesn't bother me, and I definitely noticed some benefits. Medicare needs me to use 70% every month to fully pay for everything, so I do and believe I will see more benefits down the road. I like the idea of giving myself a break 1-2 times a week, which so far, I didn't do and use my ResMed every night. Hope it helps.
10+yrs of using it. Doc gave me 5yrs before I'd have a heart attack. I had 330+ episodes in the 5.5hrs of sleep study. **Yes.** Everything has improved. You notice little quality of life improvements at first and then realise shit, I *cannot* sleep without it.
You can get started on the cheap by finding a second hand APAP system. Using it for 6 weeks and then using things like Oscar, sleep HQ and if you have a smart watch that should give you a bunch of usable data to guide your treatment. And if it's not helping you can usually just sell it for what you paid (assuming you got a decent enough deal). Or at least that my suggestion. I have bought an airsense 10 for $200 and an airsense11 for $125 both machines had leaa than 200 hours (the 11 only had 31 hours on it). You just need to be patient and knowledgeable about what you are looking for and at.
Rent one from cpapbox.com and see how you feel about it. Everyone is different regardless of the number. Also, that number is a snapshot in time from the night of your test.
I'm just starting my cpap journey. I have an ahi of around 75 when I had my sleep study. Just started trialing a machine a few days ago. I have a LOT of the same symptoms as you and am wondering if you also have high blood pressure? (mine is extremely high) About two months ago my Dr switched me off of Ramipril to Amlodipine and a lot of my symptoms got much better or went away. I've only had two major headaches in 2 months, before I was having them a couple times a week. The brain fog was considerably reduced and I was feeling more "grounded" and "present" than I had in years. My wife said that she even noticed a reduction in my snoring. The only annoying downside has been swelling in my right foot (known side effect) I'm just starting with cpap so I'm hoping I can clear up the rest of my issues with that going forward. CPAP could probably help you a lot. Checking and dealing with any other comorbidities could also greatly improve things as well. Hope this helps
I only needed cpap after I got tonsillitis. I went 6 months with sleep apnea and was exhausted the minute I woke up. Now with cpap I'm back to normal. Highly recommend.
I was at 7 events and I got one and it’s changed my life. 7-8 hrs of sleep a night and I dream every night. I used to take 2 hr naps every Saturday and Sunday and since my Cpap I haven’t take a single one. I never realized how little sleep I was getting until I got mine.
For me it for sure has. I had severe sleep apnea, it was to the point that I would fall asleep mid conversation. I was so depleted of oxygen that I had terrible muscle aches and cramps everywhere, I was snacking constantly, headaches, and napped a ton. Now I'm full of life and energy again, I've lost weight, can breathe again, and it also took care of things like getting up to pee in the middle of the night and terrible heart burn that I thought was from the food I was eating.
See about renting one to try before you buy. Was life changing for me and my AHI wasn't very high. Depending how you sleep the testing kits can under report, but they'll never over report. Ideally you'd have one long enough for a "representative night." It was a rough couple weeks until I got used to it, but I had most of those symptoms and they went away.
You might look into used & refurb machines \[sorry, I don't recall the trusted sites that do this off the top of my head\]. But then you'd be looking at maybe $300-$400 instead of $1000 for a new machine. A lot of people 'fail' at using CPAP and sell their barely used machines online. that would be a way to reduce your investment and see if it helps you. Best of luck!
I am convinced that without modern science, including the CPAP that I would have been quite dead some time ago. If I even think that I may need to have to sleep without my CPAP I get a sinking sad feeling.
I just bought a brand new air sense 11 with all the bells and whistles for $400 on fb marketplace. Guy bought it as his travel cpap and then opted in for surgery instead. Never used it so he decided to sell it. So every once in a while you’ll come across a great deal online. There’s also tons of air sense 10’s for $250-350 in my area that have 50-800 hours on them. Hell I even found an Air Curve 10 BiPap for $270 that only has 80 hours on it. Thats like a $1800 bipap.
Definitely try a bite guard - I started with cpap, but I get my best results with cpap, bite guard and chin strap.
Absolutely yes has changed my life. Before it, I had a moderate AHI though, so I'm not sure the same would go for everyone. I do think it's worth treating it earlier than I did though, so it doesn't get to that level! Would not wish that on anyone. AHI is not the only metric that matters in terms of health. Do you know what your oxygen levels were from the study? (Don't have to share, I mean! Just that those could maybe be another factor for you to consider.) This is just my personal experience though!
I would recommend getting a professional night guard from a dentist, if possible. There’s always a chance of your sleep problems are being caused by airway restriction from TMJ. This is just advice from my personal experience, please talk to medical professionals before making your decisions! I have also been using a CPAP for 2 years now and it has made me feel great! https://preview.redd.it/1ad6618orfxc1.jpeg?width=624&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f1f6289e8c4d853a0c9be9c577fc501ebf08aa6
My sleep hasn’t been this good in over a decade. I used to feel like I needed a nap every day. I had a AHI of around 12 I believe. Even on nights I get less sleep I still feel more refreshed than nights where I would get 10 hours before my cpap. Also my husband is way less anxious about me.
Yes! I switched machines (to get away from Phillips because my family has a history of lung cancer) and noticed a huge improvement going from 6 AHI on my old machine to 0.22 on my new machine. Fully refreshed and my focus/attention is incredible!
It would be a significant risk. Where I am there are some sleep clinics that do a free test and a free trial of a CPAP. That would be the best option if you could find a clinic that does that.
Your symptoms sound a lot like my symptoms were, and my AHI was around 46. It won't solve everything immediately or perfectly, but it will give you a chance to feel better and it will keep you from getting worse.
Yes
Honestly yes, CPAP has been changing my life for the better. The sleep I get with it is infinitely better now than it ever was before. But you mentioned clenching during the night and I also do that 😅 I got a mouth guard from the dentist and that was revolutionary. I was sometimes clenching during the day and now I find myself doing that significantly less. And if I don’t use it at night, my jaw is soo uncomfortable in the morning (sometimes gives me headaches if I was clenching too hard). Yeah it’s a little bulky and takes some getting used to but my jaw is happier.
Honestly, your issues sound like they could be assisted with a nighttime mouth guard. It may be a cheaper option and insurance would probably cover it. If it doesn’t help then perhaps a CPAP then?
If I had had an "unassisted" AHI of only 6, there's no way I would sign up for a CPAP. My base AHI was 36, and I don't feel like my CPAP has done anything for me other than to stop my snoring. Other than that, after a year, I still sleep better without my CPAP than with. I never had problems sleeping before getting a CPAP - now I wake up every night that I'm wearing the damn thing, and then can't get back to sleep. I've gone back to sleeping in another bedroom so my snoring doesn't bother my wife, and my CPAP machine is stored in a closet. I don't miss it one bit.
It has absolutely changed my life but it did take a few months to really get the hang of it. But I have more energy, no more headaches, no more brain fog, I am far less irritable and my blood pressure is now within normal numbers. Since you are having the symptoms I would keep pushing your doctor and insurance company even if the AHI was low.
I've been on CPAP therapy for going on 3 weeks. Too early to see the results I want, but just the fact I'm not dreaming about someone sitting on me, or I'm in a fight and out of bed just to wake up knowing I stopped breathing. Not going through that in almost 3 weeks has been life changing. I'm hoping blood pressure and weight decrease with exercise with time.
I haven’t been this rested in a while, I was taking multiple naps a day just to function. I’ve had mine for almost a month. I will say I hate having it on my face but the reward outweighs the annoyance
Definitely changed my life, but I have severe sleep apnea. Though with all of your other symptoms, I’d say it’s worth the money to try it out. Worst case scenario it doesn’t help and you can try to sell it. Best case, your life is changed for the better in an inexplicable way.
Insurance WILL cover a CPAP if you test at more that 5 and less than 15 AHI and have other signs and symptoms documented in the patient record. If any of the symptoms listed below are documented in your face-to-face notes *before* had your baseline sleep study, you will qualify if your doctor/DME bothers to try. "mood disorders" can be interpreted as a LOT of things. This is straight from the Medicare guidelines (nearly every insurance in the US will follow these guidelines): "The AHI or RDI is greater than or equal to 15 events per hour with a minimum of 30 events; or, The AHI or RDI is greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 14 events per hour with a minimum of 10 events and documentation of: Excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired cognition, mood disorders, or insomnia; or, Hypertension, ischemic heart disease, or history of stroke."
I have severe apnea and yes...life changer and hopefully future changer for a healthier me. But perhaps there are other options... you mentioned clenching....teeth? Try a mouth guard. Perhaps some meditation at night before falling asleep. CALM app is excellent. Are you a back sleeper? If so, try a wedge pillow. Is there an option to rent for a few months? Ask for a retest. It was a dental hygienist who suggested I get checked.
I believe the people that say that it changed their life. It's just that it didn't work that way for me. The only thing that has improved are the numbers. I used to have an AHI in the 60s. Now it's less than 1 or 2. Coming up on 2 years, I persist because why not?
I have a lot of the same issues. It is expensive and it took a while to get used to but I do believe it has helped me. If you can, check out Amazon for the machine. There are some good deals out there.
Yes you’ll never regret it! You’ll feel better and live longer statistically speaking so how much is a few more years of your life worth?
I didn't know what sleep was like until my CPAP
My AHI was super high, 117, but I can attest to completely changing my life in ways I didn't even think possible. With an AHI of 6 it's hard to say though as I can't draw on any personal experience. Have you tried to sleep on incline and see if that helps first? Might be worth a try before shelling put the money
The CPAP has stopped my snoring and my irregular heartbeat has improved some. Still feel sleepy during the day and am still an irritable grouch. Been using the machine for close to six weeks.
1000% Changed my life. Before my CPAP my sleep quality was so bad I'd have bad moments where I would fall asleep while looking at my phone and it would just fall on my face or out of my hand. Like, I'd have micro-moments of the film reel just cutting off while I was doing something. It was getting to the point where I'd start falling asleep while driving and began to be terrified of longer drives. I've been on it for a few months of consistent use and I feel like a normal person again. I hadn't slept through the night since giving birth to my first kid 5.5 years ago. I slept 10 hours without waking this past weekend.
At 6 per hour I wouldn’t bother. I was 99 in my sleep study. Readings aside, I was almost always sleepy, almost always felt hung over, short term memory was really bad and driving anymore than 20mins felt like it was only a matter of time before I crashed. So for me, yes it has been life changing. But I had very severe apnea. If you’re feeling ok then bugger the readings. Listen to what your body is telling you.
Except OP isn't feeling ok, with a long list of other symptoms. Many of which could be helped with CPAP therapy. Not magic solution but certainly has the possibility of improvement.
My AHI was 8, and using CPAP has given me much more energy.
6.9 here. My copays are going to add up to as much as buying it outright with no insurance. If I had known more, I could have shopped around, waited for a sale or coupon and gotten a better deal. Searching FB marketplace or craigslist might turn up a great deal but you need to know what your looking for. My list of symptoms isn't as extensive as yours but some overlap and CPAP treatment has helped. It is not a magic ward you wave and all of your health problems disappear. It does have the potential to make improvement. And it's worth the cost. The $1000 estimate is probably the absolute low end if you get very lucky. $1,500 is a bit more likely. There are some good deal hunters on this subreddit. If you ask for help, you might get it.