Been lots of good responses already but for me, I haven't experienced that "whole new me" feeling yet. I've had mine for about a month and a half but my apple watch has alerted me on two different occasions that my respiratory rate and resting heart rate have both significantly reduced from the average.

Can anyone recommend a place in BCS that does the at home tests?

I'm in SA and my doctor referred me to a company based in the Woodlands. They just called me and then emailed me some forms to fill out. I paid cash and it was like $240 for a single night study. They send you a package with a device you wear on your wrist and attach a lead to your sternum and put a sensor on your finger. Then you send it all back in the next day. Super easy.

Thanks

One thing I recommend based on my experience. If you think you need a full face mask, don't. Learn to use the nasal mask. My sleep has dramatically improved moving from my full face to my nasal mask.

What about if you have a deviated septum?

I have one. For me, the pressure is more than enough to overcome it.

The full face just causes so many issues for me. When drool isn't puddling in my mask, I'll suffer with extremely dry mouth in the middle of the night. That forces you into using the humidifier, but I can't stand breathing warm air. The full face mask required me to turn the pressure way up, which meant tightening the straps so I would wake up looking like Biden. It may have even caused some of my teeth to shift.

All of this because I never really gave the nasal thing a real chance.

Most patients do, in fact, prefer to use a nasal mask, specifically nasal pillows which go under the nostrils and fit into the nose a bit. Of course, if you have a significantly deviated septum, or any other nasal obstruction, a full face mask might be your only option.
Interesting tidbit - the most common surgery for sleep apnea (at least it was the case before Inspire implants) was a nasal septoplasty - done not to cure sleep apnea but in order to better tolerate CPAP, reduce pressures needed, etc.

My turn for this annoying problem!

I've had worsening snoring per my wife for at least a year. Also had some really annoying whistling in my nose at night so saw ENT and had some calcified junk sucked out of my frontal sinuses and septal deviation and polyp removed. Continued to have snoring with no chronic sleep depravation symptoms so tried oral devices, fancy pillows with no benefit and the oral devices sucked to wear.

Got scheduled for a home sleep study and have borderline OSA 7.42 events/hr. More importantly my mean SpO2 was 87% with a low of 81%.

I have been using a shirt where you put a tennis ball in a pocket in midback to force you to not sleep on your back. It works pretty well but it is also annoying as there are times I really want to lay on my back especially if my arms/shoulders are sore from lifting.

Now I'm having a sleep titration study at the sleep center tomorrow night to get the settings and fit right. Kind of glad my wife complained so much as I would not have thought about OSA based on my energy, mood, and productivity. Chronic hypoxia is not great for the aging body though.

The mean sat of 87% is not really consistent with an AHI of 7.62%. The minimal sat of 81% may be spurious, especially if it was just an isolated incident. Are you sure you do not have any cardiac or pulmonary issues that might be keeping your sats down? What was the baseline O2?

Kool said:

---

The mean sat of 87% is not really consistent with an AHI of 7.62%. The minimal sat of 81% may be spurious, especially if it was just an isolated incident. Are you sure you do not have any cardiac or pulmonary issues that might be keeping your sats down? What was the baseline O2?

---

Basline O2 is 98-99%, had stone cold normal PFT's before SCUBA diving 1/2024. Had some RAD type stuff when my sinuses were all messed up and was on LABA+ ICS for a while but now just on Montelukast and have no issues with pushing my baseline HR of 55 up to 170 without SOB.

No known cardiac issues. Cholesterol is incredibly good with HDL 100ish LDL 70ish. Normal BP.

My FP wanted to titration study specifically due to the low O2 vs AHI.

Don't disagree with an in lab titration as there's somewhat of a mismatch. If you're very dark skinned perhaps the oximeter was off.

Kool said:

---

Don't disagree with an in lab titration as there's somewhat of a mismatch. If you're very dark skinned perhaps the oximeter was off.

---

I'm Cajun and tan well but not dark skinned as far as pulse ox readings go.

Philip J Fry said:

---

I have one. For me, the pressure is more than enough to overcome it.

The full face just causes so many issues for me. When drool isn't puddling in my mask, I'll suffer with extremely dry mouth in the middle of the night. That forces you into using the humidifier, but I can't stand breathing warm air. The full face mask required me to turn the pressure way up, which meant tightening the straps so I would wake up looking like Biden. It may have even caused some of my teeth to shift.

All of this because I never really gave the nasal thing a real chance.

---

Ok, I just ordered the nasal pillow. I have the drool problem too. I have the dry mouth and I hate that I have to take the mask off to get a sip of water.

Curious to know how that worked for you.

Still waiting to it to arrive. I'm ready, though. The full face mask is getting worse. I can only wear it a few hours a night.

Got through my titration study with just nasal pillows. Overall it wasn't a bad experience at the St Jo sleep lab near Blinn. My only complaint was dry lips. They apparently cannot use in-line humidifiers since COVID so you are blasted with very dry air all night. If I had brought some lip balm I would have been fine but man that was annoying.

Waiting to have my follow-up with PCP to officially order my device. Ended up around 10 mmHg pressure to prop open my airway when in REM sleep prone.

Curious if the nasal mask works if you are a "mouth breather" (I know…insert joke here)…

88Warrior said:

---

Curious if the nasal mask works if you are a "mouth breather" (I know…insert joke here)…

---

No it does not. That is the reason for my titration study to see if I could keep my mouth closed while sleeping. Otherwise the pressured air just shoots right out of your mouth and not down your throat.

KidDoc said:

---

88Warrior said:

---

Curious if the nasal mask works if you are a "mouth breather" (I know…insert joke here)…

---

No it does not. That is the reason for my titration study to see if I could keep my mouth closed while sleeping. Otherwise the pressured air just shoots right out of your mouth and not down your throat.

---

Ok..That's what I thought I was told when I got my machine. The full face mask isn't terrible but the nasal one looked a lot more comfortable…Thanks Doc for info…

88Warrior said:

---

KidDoc said:

---

88Warrior said:

---

Curious if the nasal mask works if you are a "mouth breather" (I know…insert joke here)…

---

No it does not. That is the reason for my titration study to see if I could keep my mouth closed while sleeping. Otherwise the pressured air just shoots right out of your mouth and not down your throat.

---

Ok..That's what I thought I was told when I got my machine. The full face mask isn't terrible but the nasal one looked a lot more comfortable…Thanks Doc for info…

---

The RT that was doing my study explained that they do have a little strap that goes under the chin that can often keep the mouth closed and help a nasal system work. Just an option that I didn't need.

I breathe through my mouth because I'm usually congested with the deviated septum.

Anyone of you fellow mouth breathers use the nasal mask with mouth tape instead of a full face mask?

I tried the tape once. Wasn't a huge fan. If I had to try something, I would try the chin strap first

nose only didn't work for me. I had a eye socket fracture years ago and it makes my nose hurt. Plus I couldn't keep it on all night.

I may try it again later when I get more used to wearing a mask.

With my titration study my AHI dropped from 7.4% to 2.2% and average SaO2 was 92% with a derth of 88% so a big improvement. Now to wait on the insurance and medical supply store to get the supplies in.

What nasal mask were you trying, btw? The one I've have a lot of success with is the Philips Dreamwear nasal mask.

I've had multiple friends cure apnea & snoring through low carb / whole food diet.

Practicing nose breathing helps in it's own way. A Dr on rogan was stating that your nasal passages can expand a significant amount with regular nose only breathing.

I applied for life insurance recently and got rated. The main point all carriers said was because of sleep apnea which pissed me off a little as I wore my mask EVERYNIGHT for the past 10 years or so (i figured it was "controlled"). Anyways, I have lost a bunch of weight in the last year and wanted to check if I have sleep apnea anymore. I did a sleep test last week and it came back negative for sleep apnea. Great news for life insurance purposes down the road when i re apply but is it weird that I want to keep using it because I sleep like an absolute rock with it?

STL_aTm said:

---

I applied for life insurance recently and got rated. The main point all carriers said was because of sleep apnea which pissed me off a little as I wore my mask EVERYNIGHT for the past 10 years or so (i figured it was "controlled"). Anyways, I have lost a bunch of weight in the last year and wanted to check if I have sleep apnea anymore. I did a sleep test last week and it came back negative for sleep apnea. Great news for life insurance purposes down the road when i re apply but is it weird that I want to keep using it because I sleep like an absolute rock with it?

---

Nice job on the weight loss!

I mean there is no harm in sleeping with a mask on but maybe try some white noise or something instead?

Wow, great info. Never crossed my mind I could become dependent on it even without sleep apnea. I appreciate the feedback!

STL_aTm said:

---

Wow, great info. Never crossed my mind I could become dependent on it even without sleep apnea. I appreciate the feedback!

---

I don't want you to think you have become "dependent on it". That's not really what I mean. I would say stay on it IF you are on autoPAP (never went into a sleep lab for a titration study when you were heavier). Also, if your more recent sleep test was a home sleep test, you might still have mild sleep apnea, in which there really isn't harm in staying on it anyway. IF, however, you are on a fixed pressure CPAP, it might now be giving you central sleep apnea and I would try ditching it. IF you find yourself sleeping more poorly, or having excessive daytime sleepiness, it might make sense to repeat a home sleep test, even if you have to self pay for it.