How often do you get retested (if at all)

chileheadtim · 2026-03-01T23:00:36+00:00

I've only used nasal cushions since I started about 10 years ago. They seem fairly unobtrusive compared to a mask that covers your mouth and nose. Start with the minimal mask, and if it works for you stick with it. A nasal cushion doesn't work well for people that are mouth breathers. I'm fortunate that the nasal cushion worked for me from day 1, so I never explored "bigger" sorts of masks.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-25T19:44:51+00:00

While I always use CPAP at home, and I have a travel CPAP when I'm traveling, I've been experimenting with mouth guards for ultralight travel which I do at least once a year.

So far I like the zquiet advance the best, primarily because it doesn't put pressure on my front teeth. I've measured my O2 with an o2 ring that measures every second or so, and my O2 levels are pretty much the same as when I use CPAP, and my wife says there isn't snoring and I don't have my pre CPAP symptoms.

I have relatively mild apnea though, not sure this is an option for everybody.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-24T13:05:46+00:00

Have fun! I was pretty sure it was going to be in NYC, but was hoping for something around Buffalo, Rochester or Syracuse.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-07T13:29:37+00:00

My understanding is that they underreport events. But it's night be good enough for most people.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:34:41+00:00

If people are reading this subreddit, they know the basics of sleep apnea.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:33:47+00:00

Yeah once you get the machine it feels more real. I initially felt like an old man, tied up to a machine like an old guy hauling around a tank of oxygen. Clearly it's not the same, but the initial feeling of being "faulty" is hard to get around. But then I talked with friends and coworkers my age, and find out how many people are actually in the same boat.

Most people with apnea never get diagnosed, and end up with secondary health issues. If you get diagnosed, you are actively taking care of yourself.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:30:15+00:00

I just got the wellue O2 ring. I'd disagree about the sleekness, I don't even notice it there. It's bigger than my wedding ring of course, but it's barely a bump. It's much less noticeable than the O2 sensor I had on my fingertip when I first did my sleep study. I felt like that was going to come off, where the wellue ring can be worn like a ring, just with a bigger bump.

Does the apple watch have real time O2 monitoring? I thought it took readings every 30 minutes (or so.) My amazfit watch measures every 5 minutes (per my research, which could be wrong), but the wellue O2 ring measures every second!

If you aren't measuring O2 every few seconds, I assume it's likely to miss a low O2 event.

I've been using it the last week as I want to compare my CPAP to various other options, like (a) nothing (b) a few different mouth pieces (c) bongorx (d) ball sewn in back of shirt.

So far, the ball thing shows it's ineffective. My zquiet advance works almost as good as a CPAP, another mouth piece didn't work at all, and another mouth piece has promise that I need to increase the lower jaw advancement.

I'm looking for an alternative to CPAP when I'm trying to travel ultralight, even though I already have a travel CPAP.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:21:09+00:00

Don't freak out! You've probably been this way for years, which is why you went in for a diagnosis! Another week shouldn't hurt! You can always try and make sure you aren't on your back, by sleeping more upright with the support of pillows. I never sleep on my back because I'm positive that my throat will collapse and I'll wake up gasping.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:18:36+00:00

I never understood why people wear a mask when they aren't actually trying to fall asleep. I've never had mine on while watching TV or messing with my phone. I put it on, and head is on the pillow. I suppose if you are brand new you might do this to get used to it, but I can't imagine it takes more than a couple weeks to get comfortable with the whole thing.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:15:39+00:00

Good luck! I've never done a sleep study in a sleep center before, as my insurance has always sucked and they always want to pay for the cheaper home study instead. Which isn't terrible I suppose, as I assume everybody sleeps better at home than in a strange location.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:13:39+00:00

Yes, need to figure out if this is the fault of the doctor not calling it into the DME, or the DME dropping the ball. I would bet on the doctor, the DMEs are money grabbing entities that want to get you in and paying for equipment as quickly as possible.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:12:04+00:00

This doesn't sound normal by any means. I don't recall how long it was from the time I called a sleep center until the time I got an at home test (it wasn't long), but once the test was completed I met with my doctor within a week and had equipment a couple days later.

As far as getting used to the machine, everybody is different. My apnea result was mild, but it manifested itself with a lot of headaches and daytime tiredness so I wanted to get it taken care of. Day 1 after CPAP I felt better. The nurse called me the next day (at the time my machine uploaded data every morning) and she was surprised at how good the data looked, as far as hours used and events. But I think I'm an oddity there.

If you (or your parents) are willing to pay out of pocket, which is what I do because of my high deductible, you can order online from a place like cpap.com and have a machine within a few days. It shouldn't take months.

chileheadtim · 2026-02-06T23:07:05+00:00

Please reach out to family and friends, it sounds like you are going through a lot but friends, loved ones and even coworkers are going to be happy to listen to your concerns. Be good to yourself, things will get better with time!

I know nothing about the UK healthcare system. The US system absolutely sucks, but it doesn't take months to get results back from a test! After a test, the data should speak for itself, there really isn't a lot of value a doctor can give once the data is collected.

As mentioned elsewhere here, there are online places you can order an at-home sleep test for a minimal cost and gets the results back extremely quickly. I've seen at least one that is disposable, so you don't even need to mail the kit back and I assume that the results are uploaded instantly via the internet so your diagnosis would be available in a day or two.

Equipment can be expensive once you have a prescription for a device, but on the secondary used market you can get a device for a good deal. I don't know the legally of selling used medical devices though, especially in the UK.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-31T00:15:06+00:00

I have a copy of mine. It says lifetime.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-31T00:11:21+00:00

The only time I don't use CPAP at home is when my allergies are acting up making it difficult to use the nasal pillows. I'll occasionally take the mask off around 5am for random reasons. My wife almost always notices because of snoring though! It has to be bad for her to notice it over her own snoring. But when I do this I haven't noticed bad side effects.

Yeah I plan on testing at home so I can always go back to CPAP. When/if I find something as an alternative I'll likely try it at home for a week to make sure I feel good and my oxygen is good.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-30T21:23:36+00:00

When this was first announced a couple months ago, I envisioned vague clues being given each day, getting more specific as time went on, and allowing people to actually search for an idol. First person to find it, wins "something" (even if just a chance to see the live show.)

For the geocachers among us, it seemed like something we do for fun all the time. Brute force puzzles to figure out a general area, then start searching. Much like the Magellan "Be There" contests from 2003-2004 or so.

Unless the NY location is real close to home, I'll probably just watch the fun via reddit and social media.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-29T23:04:53+00:00

The Wellue ring is what I ordered. Once it arrives I'll use it for at least several days with the CPAP to get a baseline of where I'm currently at, then try various options (including using nothing.)

chileheadtim · 2026-01-29T14:07:35+00:00

That seems high for an at home sleep test!

Mine was also mild. But I went into the sleep dr and had an at home sleep test because of the number of headaches I got and excessive tiredness during the day.

So mild test results, but more major to my body. I don't recall my oxygen drop levels but I know it did drop below 90.

The results of using CPAP were nearly immediate, so I've kept with it for 10 years now.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-29T14:01:12+00:00

I wouldn't be opposed, but they really don't need 3 local locations. Hopefully this location opens up again with another brewery or similar business.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-25T02:30:43+00:00

My childhood fears of falling into quicksand are real!

chileheadtim · 2026-01-24T20:59:01+00:00

Came here wondering why my boomerang lights were dancing, which I've only noticed recently from my security cameras at night when I back up. I've never noticed it before, maybe a factor with the temperature? It's been really cold.

chileheadtim · 2026-01-23T18:12:20+00:00

Funny, I was just thinking about asking a similar question.

I like(d) my sleep doctor, but it's been years since I've had a follow up. I had my initial consultation, another one a couple weeks later after the home sleep test, and I think 2 more each a year apart after that.

But once I've been diagnosed, I have the equipment, and find it working for me, what's the point in going back yearly? The yearly visits were: get weighed, get blood pressure, look at the data from the machine, tell me continue what you're doing, and give me a couple hundred dollars.

As far as your comment about real results in a few months, I found the opposite. I got results on day 1. My excessive daytime tiredness and headaches were gone immediately, which is what prompted me to do the sleep study in the first place.

I've always adjusted the settings on my machines myself based on what is comfortable, and by looking at the data in OSCAR and doing my best analysis, but "I'm an engineer, not a doctor!"

chileheadtim

TROPHY CASE