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Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

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Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#11

Post by tyingq »

saint_fiasco wrote: post #9
Aloha wrote: post #3

I think the risk of death is probably overstated, as these people have often gone decades without a CPAP, and lived just fine.

Maybe a badly configured CPAP machine is worse than nothing at all? The article says the data they collect include something called "mask leak rates". That means the machine has an airtight mask and could in principle suffocate you if it malfunctions.

I'd be surprised. You can breathe fine even with the machine powered off. Power failures would be pretty exciting if not.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#12

Post by digikata »

saint_fiasco wrote: post #9
Aloha wrote: post #3

I think the risk of death is probably overstated, as these people have often gone decades without a CPAP, and lived just fine.

Maybe a badly configured CPAP machine is worse than nothing at all? The article says the data they collect include something called "mask leak rates". That means the machine has an airtight mask and could in principle suffocate you if it malfunctions.

That would be a terrible device design regardless of if the approved software is being used on it or not. I suspect it's not nearly that risky.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#13

Post by rootusrootus »

ars wrote: post #6
Aloha wrote: post #3

I think the risk of death is probably overstated, as these people have often gone decades without a CPAP, and lived just fine.

That's not entirely true. If you mess up you can end up rebreathing your own air in the tube. It has small holes that are supposed to allow fresh air to mix in even if the machine is not providing any. But they are small. If you are a normal sleeper you would normally wake up and remove the mask if you feel suffocated. (For example a power outage.) If you are with someone who uses such a machine you can test it - unp…

In my experience, if the power goes out you wake up immediately due to the change in respiratory effort, way, way before you'd suffocate. Even if you could, which would be hard given that you can breathe through the mask when the machine is off.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#14

Post by jpmattia »

ars wrote: post #6
Aloha wrote: post #3

I think the risk of death is probably overstated, as these people have often gone decades without a CPAP, and lived just fine.

That's not entirely true. If you mess up you can end up rebreathing your own air in the tube. It has small holes that are supposed to allow fresh air to mix in even if the machine is not providing any. But they are small. If you are a normal sleeper you would normally wake up and remove the mask if you feel suffocated. (For example a power outage.) If you are with someone who uses such a machine you can test it - unp…

> unplug the machine,

The only machine I've had experience with (a parent) had an alarm for power loss. Is that somehow not standard/a requirement?

Edit: As I think about it, there was an associated oxygen machine, and that was the device with an alarm for power loss. Nevertheless, it seems like an audible alarm on a CPAP would be a really good idea.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#15

Post by rrauenza »

rootusrootus wrote: post #13
ars wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not entirely true. If you mess up you can end up rebreathing your own air in the tube. It has small holes that are supposed to allow fresh air to mix in even if the machine is not providing any. But they are small. If you are a normal sleeper you would normally wake up and remove the mask if you feel suffocated. (For example a power outage.) If you are with someone who uses such a machine you can test it - unp…

In my experience, if the power goes out you wake up immediately due to the change in respiratory effort, way, way before you'd suffocate. Even if you could, which would be hard given that you can breathe through the mask when the machine is off.

Also, many masks are nose only for those who sleep with their mouth closed (or learn to.)

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#16

Post by dumbfounder »

jpmattia wrote: post #14
ars wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not entirely true. If you mess up you can end up rebreathing your own air in the tube. It has small holes that are supposed to allow fresh air to mix in even if the machine is not providing any. But they are small. If you are a normal sleeper you would normally wake up and remove the mask if you feel suffocated. (For example a power outage.) If you are with someone who uses such a machine you can test it - unp…

> unplug the machine, The only machine I've had experience with (a parent) had an alarm for power loss. Is that somehow not standard/a requirement? Edit: As I think about it, there was an associated oxygen machine, and that was the device with an alarm for power loss. Nevertheless, it seems like an audible alarm on a CPAP would be a really good idea.

Nope. My machine is plugged in where my bed hits the wall, every now and then the bed moves a little in the night and unplugs the machine and I wake up because I am having trouble breathing. But my guess is that this is only a serious hazard for people with very serious health problem, or the elderly. If you are one of those, don't F around.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#17

Post by Waterluvian »

ars wrote: post #6
Aloha wrote: post #3

I think the risk of death is probably overstated, as these people have often gone decades without a CPAP, and lived just fine.

That's not entirely true. If you mess up you can end up rebreathing your own air in the tube. It has small holes that are supposed to allow fresh air to mix in even if the machine is not providing any. But they are small. If you are a normal sleeper you would normally wake up and remove the mask if you feel suffocated. (For example a power outage.) If you are with someone who uses such a machine you can test it - unp…

I've slept long into a power outage and woken up with a headache and significant disorientation and my mask still on. Really upsetting.

And with an AHI off the charts, I may very well die without one.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#19

Post by wccrawford »

Why is it so hard for people to write posts like this without all the bias. Saying things like, “Everybody is trying to get you in and out the door, and take some profit from your pocket.” and "He agreed that most sleep apnea patients around the world are underserved: “Doctors don’t listen and don’t have time anywhere in the world.”" just makes the whole thing feel like a snake oil salesman at work.

Saying it without the snide remarks is a much more powerful message, to me.

Re: Why Sleep Apnea Patients Rely on a CPAP Machine Hacker

#20

Post by Apocryphon »

wccrawford wrote: post #19

Why is it so hard for people to write posts like this without all the bias. Saying things like, “Everybody is trying to get you in and out the door, and take some profit from your pocket.” and "He agreed that most sleep apnea patients around the world are underserved: “Doctors don’t listen and don’t have time anywhere in the world.”" just makes the whole thing feel like a snake oil salesman at work. Saying it without…

Would these efforts even exist if patients didn’t feel frustrated at the establishment professionals?
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