(Part 2) Best products from r/CPAP

>I am concerned that I may get in trouble for buying/using this without a prescription. Am I being paranoid?

This is absolutely not a concern. No one is going to hunt you down for buying a used CPAP machine.

>is it safe to retrieve the data on the resmed website after registering my device? Or since I don't have a prescription, should I just get an SD card and transfer the data to my computer?

Yes, it's fine to register. It's even better to start using Sleepyhead as this will give far greater detail. As you're treating yourself, Sleepyhead is even more important. If you want the ultimate in convenience, try using Sleepyhead with a wifi card.

Use this card:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UOYPZP2/

And this software:

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-FlashPAP-FlashAir-WiFi-SD-card-utility

>what is a good first mask choice that most people are happy with?

This is entirely dependent on your own personal fit. Getting the right mask is critical. For full face, I like the ResMed F20. For nasal pillows, I like the Philips Dreamwear. Look for "mask insurance" that will let you return the mask for any reason, without cost. Also, many masks will have a sizing guide (example) or a "fit pack" with various sized cushions/pillows (example).

>Recommended settings to start?

4-20 to start. Read up and get Sleepyhead going. If you're going to treat this on your own, without a doctor, then you should expect to invest a lot of time into learning about sleep apnea.

ninjaedit:

Also, sleep apnea often has other "comorbid" conditions like hypertension and diabetes, so it's a good idea to get checked out by a primary care doc if nothing else.

wahooo!!! it’s super plush! you’ll love it.
you’ll want to get these wipes to clean the interface with - like once a week is good , just run over the foam , don’t soak it. these will last you forever. to clean the foam you need non alcohol based wipes to keep it intact. thats is you decide you love it and want to continue with the airtouch :)

A battery does not have to be special built just for a CPAP, any battery that provides 12-volts DC will work (which is the same type of power your car battery provides). CPAP specific batteries are a scam. You just need to get the right DC power cord for your machine and hook it up to any 12-volt battery.

Now how many days will you need, and does your battery need to power anything else? Do you need it small enough to be legal to fly with (limit is 100wh (watt-hours) or 160wh depending on your airline).

The smallest and cheapest solution is the Easyacc Portable Power Bank 38000mah rated 144wh and costs $81. It is the size of medium paperback book and about 2lb. It has a built in cigarette outlet, usb ports, and a built in white light plus flashing red emergency light. Using my Dreamstation (without humidifier) it has enough power to give me approx 4.5 8-hour nights. Best of all, it's still under the 160wh limit the FAA has so it's legal to fly. It is also about 50% more capacity of a CPAP specific battery which are typically only 99wh.

Going larger you have the Renogy 222WH Laptop Power Bank or it's bigger brother the 266wh

If you need a built in inverter so you can get normal 120-v AC power (which will drain your battery quickly) something like the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, or Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 500

There is also countless other chinese knockoff style power banks available. Most of them will be perfectly The only thing I would stay away from is anything that looks like this because they do not actually have a cigarette outlet (you have to get a barrel to cigarette adapter) and they tend to be actual garbage systems.

The gold standard for battery systems is the Goal Zero Yeti 400 Lithium Portable Power. I happen to also own this and it provides me with enough power for over 11 nights of power on my CPAP and still wasn't completely drained. It also comes in larger sizes. It is the most expensive option but the best designed. Weighs about 11lb, and can be charged pretty much from any solar panel big or small.

Other people will say the best thing to do is buy a lithium mobility scooter battery and build it yourself. Which I feel is only a good answer if you are handy wiring electronics. Some people just want a prebuilt answer.

Well I just read right over the noise issue you spoke of in your original post. I’ll brush up on my reading comprehension. Lol.

If it helps any, both the dreamwear nasal and full mask both slightly separate from my face also when I roll to either side, causing the noisy air leak. The only time I’ve been able to prohibit separation is by (over)tightening the straps which, of course, wakes me up due to discomfort on my face.

I’ve seen the pillows that have “cutouts” (one of many examples that might help but I feel like the tube compression is the origin of the problem and these pillows wouldn’t help.

I do like your idea of wrapping the tube(s) with something to strengthen it. Find it funny that I’ll go to a hardware store to find a fix my CPAP.

Sorry for the ramble. Don’t get to discuss CPAP with many of my friends as they’ve chosen other more popular ailments to deal with.

Cheers

A few things:

​

• You have one of the best machines (Airsense 10 Autoset) on the market. You should hear almost no noise from it.
  
• Your mask (Dreamwear full face) is a great mask and also shouldn't be making much noise. There are two "exhalation ports" on that mask - near your mouth, and at the top of your head where the hose connects. Make sure neither of them are blowing air at your pillow, headboard, etc as that will cause noise.
  
• Check your machine settings. Is auto-ramp on? CPAP will be louder at higher pressures, so lower pressure during ramp as you fall asleep will help keep noise down. Also, you may want to increase the minimum pressure (even during ramp) to 6 or 7 - many of us find we feel like we aren't getting enough air to breathe at a pressure of 4.
  
• Try running a fan or noise generator for background noise if you're still bothered
  
• Mask fit is very personal - even the "best" mask on the market may be terrible for you. Try a few out. You can find masks online pretty easily, often without a prescription and for much less than a DME would charge. Here's a Nuance Pro nasal pillow mask on Amazon for $40.
  
• Note that you can use most of your existing mask with a nasal cushion or pillows - the Dreamwear system is very interchangeable. You will need the different headgear and the cushion or pillow (note both come in Small, Medium, or Large - try Medium if you're unsure). Maybe this will work better for you, and the cost is minimal compared to another mask.
  
• You mentioned you're worried about paying for the machine if you don't meet compliance criteria. You mentioned the DME would charge $8000. That's nuts. You can have your doctor give you your prescription (they are legally required if you ask) and buy it from one of the online vendors for about $850. Just return the machine and buy your own if that becomes a problem.
  
• You mentioned your sinuses are messed up - definitely speak to an ENT specialist if you feel this is hurting your ability to use CPAP.
  
• Blood ox at 70% is very dangerous. Keep it up, it gets easier. Good luck!

From one of my posts in /r/vandwellers
https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/6flmy4/going_solar/dijcji9/?context=3

I'm going to try to make this easy for you. Here is a setup that will provide you with some basic solar power. Don't expect to run your laptop 24/7 , but this will give you plenty of juice to get a few creature comforts in place and you'd probably be able to keep a business class laptop going all day with it.

• 100w Solar panel, charge controller $167: https://www.amazon.com/HQST-Polycrystalline-Display-Charge-Controller/dp/B01GVVE2WI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496765420&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=solar+panel+kit&psc=1
  
• small battery box $13: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000B12YQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• 35AH sealed battery to fit in box $64: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K8E0WAG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
• Power inverter with USB ports $37: https://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-Power-Inverter-Adapter-Charging/dp/B00UFERZKO/ref=pd_sim_86_2?
  
• solar cable connectors $8: https://www.amazon.com/Sun-YOBA-Pairs-Female-Connectors/dp/B00A8TRKJW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496763777&sr=8-3&keywords=mc4+connector
  
• 100ft of cable to use as needed $30: https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-GL22132-landscape-lighting-protected/dp/B00378K8XG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1496763822&sr=8-6&keywords=low%2Bvoltage%2Bcable&th=1
  
  Total cost is under $400
  
  
• Find a conveniently hidden and inconspicuous place to hide the battery and charge controller. Mount them both securely. Make sure you still have access to this space as needed to monitor power.
  
• Run a line from the battery terminals to the battery ports on the charge controller.
  
• Mount the solar panel to the roof using the provided brackets. Make sure you seal that shit up to avoid springing leaks. Run the power from the solar panel to your inverter and hook up the cable to the solar ports on the charge controller. Seal that shit too.
  
• Mount the power inverter wherever you find it convenient. Run a line to the charge controller and mount it to the load ports.
  
  Try to avoid leaving exposed metal wiring at your connections and make sure you have all the positives and negatives matched up and you now have solar power.
  
  When putting this together, I opted for decent starter solar panel, charge controller, and battery. I skipped details such as multiple outlets, custom lighting, and vent fans because that will add more complication as you're wiring multiple things. You could always upgrade to those later.
  
  Down the road, depending on your needs you may want to upgrade to a 100AH battery (it's much larger and heavier so keep that in mind), add a 2-3 more of the 100W solar panels, and add a vent fan and LED lighting.
  
  Keep in mind that heating, cooling, and refrigeration will not be viable with this setup. To run a good fridge/freezer setup like this one, you'd need probably 200AH of storage and 300W of solar panels to be safe.
  
  

I've been at it since 2001, and I rarely clean anything.

I keep my humidifier tank rinsed out and replace it when it looks like it needs to be replaced. Every couple of years.

I put an intake filter on the back of the machine. I buy sheets of fine filter foam and cut to size, replace when they get dusty and a quick rinse doesn't seem to do anything.

I put an inline filter between the hose and mask. I change it when it gets gray. Usually about a month, but it depends on whether it's dusty in the room, or windows are open, or its pollen season.

The hose I'll rinse out occasionally, replace every few years, or if it gets cracks or holes in it (cats!).

I use wipes to wipe off the oil around the nasal prongs. I replace the prongs when they stop sealing even after washing with a little soap and water.

edit: added links

Unless you're living in a really bad environment, it takes a lot less cleaning and replacement is a lot less strict than the medical supply companies want you to think--they want to put you on a set-it-and-forget-it replacement schedule, particularly if your insurance company picks up all the costs.

Mine doesn't, I have a high deductible which I haven't met in years, so I just take care of my supplies myself. The best thing I did for my sleep apnea was to lose weight. I still need the machine but it's not nearly as dire as when I first started out.

Good luck to you!

After using this product who bore use this product you can buy from Amazon. Hope you get a better solution from sleep apnea

Each airline has their own guidelines, so you'll have to check to be sure. But in general, it's considered a medical device, which is indeed exempt. It does not count as a carry on or a personal item. I fly with mine quite a bit. When I first got it, I was stowing my bags on a Southwest flight when an attendant questioned me about having 3 bags. I explained it was a CPAP and she backed off right away. So just like CainerWolf suggested, I ordered a medical equipment tag that night. Haven't had a problem since.

ninja edit: that being said, I try to only have one carry on with me, and if for some reason I have two, I'll always put one of them under the seat in front of me just so I'm not taking up half the damn overhead all by myself. ;-)

>Price: $18.00 + $8.04 Shipping & Import Fees Deposit to Canada Details

Water Tank on amazon.com

​

still cheaper :)

If you don't roll around a lot in your sleep, these stands can help. They hold the hose up above your head.

https://www.amazon.com/Hose-Buddy-CPAP-Management-System/dp/B00866NTJY/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1542361621&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=cpap+hose+holder+hanger&dpPl=1&dpID=31QqqAWlnbL&ref=plSrch

FWIW, this is the pillow I got — made all the difference in the world. I like it because it’s got two different firmnesses; you flip the pillow 180 degrees for each.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IJ87MZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Q990Bb0J5JZGM

I got mine from amazon.

Shacke Medical Equipment Luggage Tag for Respiratory Devices (White / Vertical) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010OFVBLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YZ2OAb23253FE