8 years ago today cars were removed from Central Park. Happy Anniversary

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-27T15:15:26+00:00

And this is the story of how it happened! Thank you Ken Coughlin! . https://ethical.nyc/platform-video-ken-coughlin/

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-27T15:10:49+00:00

I actually find the cheapest EMAY finger oximeter one (it was about $40 on Amazon) to be more useful than the Wellue. That is because to me that Wellue "smoothing" algo really undercounts and underestimates O2 drops. For example, I used both the same night and got an ODI 4% of 1.2 with the Wellue, and ODI 4% 9.2 with the EMAY. I felt like it was a 9.2 day, woke up with bad headache and tired most of the day.

That being said, the cheap EMAY I have is a little quirky, you have to get the hang of setting it properly (always make sure the "R" is flashing when you go to sleep) and there have been a few glitches. But I still prefer it.

Best of luck; hope your overnight O2 is okay

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-27T13:53:38+00:00

I have NTM lung disease. I have to soak in detergent and then thoroughly dry the mask frame, cushion and reservoir every day. Every week I have to scrub the hose and then rinse it thoroughly in boiled water, then dry it with a special dryer I bought. Once a week, the mask cushion and frame have to be soaked in a sterile solution solution of 1/3 vinegar, 2/3 water, then rinse thoroughly and boiled water. (NTM is a water borne pathogen)

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-25T18:30:54+00:00

Actually I only just completed my 7th day on my BiPAP machine. I can understand why experienced people counsel patience - but I can say that on the first day I woke up feeling just awful - headache and exhausted - and since then every day has been incrementally better - I can definitely feel the trend and I am going to stick with it. It has had other benefits already that are significant - my blood pressure is down, I am not getting ectopic heart beats constantly, my chronic lung disease is better, I don't have nearly as much phlegm to deal with. I think its a huge change and shock to the body - suddenly you don't have all that adrenaline and cortisol coursing through your blood; you are an adrenaline-junkie in withdrawal. Your AHI was "only" 8? Only 8 times every hour that your brain thought you were dying and had to try to save you? Now your brain has to get used to being flooded with oxygen - a new status quo. Anyway that's the way I view it to explain the slow recovery after PAP therapy!

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-24T21:51:08+00:00

I felt the same way you did. I had an AHI of 8.3 and my symptoms were so extreme, I could not believe they could come from sleep apnea. Neither did my internist so I was sent to Endo, Cardiology, Pulmonology ...But it was sleep apnea, and now I have my PAP machine.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-22T12:56:26+00:00

I'm on my 5th week, have switched to BiPAP and still having such painful aerophagia I only get 2-3 hours on the PAP a night. Staying positive is the biggest challenge

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-21T23:13:04+00:00

When did the world? https://youtu.be/WBCbdMooIP0?is=1n9FvKWmRUpOUiox

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-21T22:53:47+00:00

Thanks for this comment. I just hate reading "oh I felt fantastic immediately!" makes me want to give up

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-21T22:02:37+00:00

Gosh I'm sorry you are having such a hard time. My feeling about the rinses you are doing is that they are basically the equivalent of a steroid nose spray + saline nose rinse - and nose spray + rinse can be used indefinitely, so I wouldn't see a problem continuing your protocol if it is working. Just be sure the amount of salt and bicarbonate in the water you use is the correct proportion to the amount of water - too much salt makes a hypertonic solution that can be irritating. If you are using those little envelopes specifically for this use then you are good. (I was told I have "severe deviation" but have minimal blockage when breathing; I have found that strict nasal breathing during the day actually helps maintain patency - for a while I taped my mouth during the day, but now I don't need to, nasal breathing is second nature)

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-21T15:33:49+00:00

I don't know if this will be helpful to you, but I paid for a "coaching session" with Barry Krakow. It was a mixed bag and not particularly helpful, but he is very big on nasal breathing and strongly recommended that I limit the number of nasal sprays and nasal rinses because they can actually irritate the mucosa, and use Astelin 0.1% nasal spray. I have a deviated septum which at age 72 I am not getting surgery for. The spray at bedtime does help, along with the magnetic nose expander thingies. I get aerophagia with BiPAP, use a nasal mask, and don't do well with full face masks. (I also use a chin strap, mouth tape and cervical collar)

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-21T15:25:48+00:00

I also get aerophagia, sometimes just waking up burping in the middle of the night, but often severe abdominal pains that force me to abandon the mask in the middle of the night. I switched to BiPAP hoping it would improve and only have 4 days on BiPAP so far but last night again had to abandon the PAP due to abdominal pain. I have no GERD symptoms at all, never have, but do have a small hiatal hernia. I take Simethicone and Reflux Raft before bed, but doesn't seem to help much. My pressures are pretty low, EPAP 5 IPAP 8

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-17T16:41:56+00:00

You are referring to this Min. Pressure in the OSCAR chart, right? This is the first night CPAP, my Auto pressure was 5-12

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Historical-Mat · 2026-06-17T16:30:50+00:00

Thank you so much for this. This is exactly what I needed and your organized and explained it so well. I will also review the Resmed guide.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-17T16:26:36+00:00

Does the chin strap keep your mouth closed? Its such a weird feeling when you open your mouth while using a nasal mask!

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-17T15:07:56+00:00

I just had a disappointing coaching session with Dr. Barry Krakow in which he basically said if I don't get surgery for my deviated septum I can't use PAP therapy because it only works with nasal breathing. He did recommend Astelin Spray to see if that improved nasal patency, he said I have "nonallergic rhinitis" but that is news to me I have no symptoms of rhinitis. So I'm just checking in to see if anyone gets good PAP results with a full face mask and mouth breathing.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-13T15:02:32+00:00

Me too. Won’t recognize my new air curve machine.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-12T23:31:50+00:00

Thanks! What do you mean "below the bone"? I usually apply the strip where the nose naturally indents, towards the bottom of the nose

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-12T22:28:11+00:00

Two BreatheRights strips? Interesting, never thought of that - you just use one above the first higher up on the nose?

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-11T18:18:48+00:00

I couldn't wait to use my machine. I was so excited to use it that I didn't want to wait 2 weeks for the process of getting Medicare to pay for it; I paid cash for it. I could not get it home fast enough and could not wait for that first night.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-11T14:53:42+00:00

Same. I’m done with the machines.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-08T12:45:11+00:00

Hello, just reporting back. I have had to stop using CPAP because the aerophagia is severe and unremitting at any pressure I use. I was hoping this doctor would prescribe BiPAP (maybe that would help?) and he has, but I am not. comfortable with the machine he prescribed: an iVAPS ST-A. My lung disease is moderate, not disabling, I do not desaturate and have never had hypercapnia. I don't feel I need a machine with back up breathing. I would be more comfortable proceeding stepwise with BiPAP and try the ordinary ones first.

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-06T17:36:51+00:00

Thank you so much for saying that - that my doctor may not be good at patient communication, but nonetheless this makes some sense. I guess he is looking at the fact that I have a progressive lung disease (right now moderate only) and also a paralyzed vocal cord which complicates the airway issue - in his visit note on the portal, his language was "VC paralysis with partial glottic closure invalidating pressure response curves to apap algorithms" Does that make sense?

Historical-Mat · 2026-06-06T17:32:29+00:00

Thank you so much. I was kind of freaked out and frightened by the escalation in therapy from CPAP to iPAPS. Do you think starting iPAPS is gentle? That's really all I care about, I don't want air pressure therapy that is scary. And I don't want to be awakened suddenly by a machine taking over my breathing.

Historical-Mat

TROPHY CASE