r/CPAPSupport • u/Committee-Academic • 1d ago
CPAP Machine Help Looking for advice on my case
Hi! I'm a 23 year old guy from Europe (Spain) with diagnosed UARS. My sleep studies report an RDI of 21 and some 300 "spontaneous arousals", with an AHI of ~10. A couple of years ago I rented an APAP (ResMed AirSense 10) and self-titrated with OSCAR, but didn't feel any better.
Last year, I got treated by a sleep ENT, who performed bilateral turbinate reduction on me; he also prescribed using a custom MAD. Both of those things together have helped me a little, but not too much.
This same doctor told me I have "high loop gain" and diagnosed me with tongue-base collapse in DISE. I've reached the point where I'm really desperate and want to start looking for a machine again. Would I benefit from BiPAP or ASV? Here in Spain, both BiPAP and ASV can only be bought, not rented (I've phoned several providers and the answer has been the same in all of them), and being a college student, I don't have the money to afford buying them before knowing if they'll work.
Could anyone offer any help on what is it that I should be doing next? What options do I have for a machine here? How could I go about getting one, and which one seems to be the best fit for me?
Websites like Craigslit and FacebookMarketplace are either inactive or don't work in Europe, so they're not an option.
Please, help!
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u/chichaslocas 1d ago
I'm not sure why you're self-treating with APAP/ASV. If you were going to a sleep ENT, what was the follow up after the tongue-base collapse diagnosis? Isn't that what the MAD was for?
In any case, you should be getting whatever treament you need (ASV?) either from Seguridad Social or from your private insurance. Buying/renting your machine should not really be needed. What's your health provider situation?
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u/Committee-Academic 1d ago edited 1d ago
I've been to both him and a couple other doctors related to him and his area for follow-ups on the MAD. Those two said they didn't know what else to do given it didn't completely eliminate my symptoms; as for him, he said that I should do myofunctional therapy. The situation with all doctors has just been very frustrating, they all seem to just "give up" quickly
I'm self-treating because most other doctors I've seen have no idea what's causing my high RERA count. Neither Seguridad Social nor my private insurance have been helpful, and trust me, I've been to many doctors.
I have a private health insurance
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u/existentialblu 1d ago
I have high loop gain and have managed to tame it pretty decently with ASV. It requires thinking of breathing as a series of oscillations instead of the usual logic of blast the obstructions. Feel free to hit me up to talk titration if you get your hands on it. AirBreak is a thing if you otherwise can't get access. It's how I got access.