My Loud snoring/Sleep apnea problem - What to do? Do I need a CPAP machine?

[Contrarian Expatriate]

Yes I do notice my weight going down. I've lost about 3 kilos the past two months.

That is great news and will have numerous positive effects for the rest of your health if you can continue down this path. It will likely extend the duration of your life.

Btw, why does good sleep help you lose weight? Is it because good sleep allows your metabolism to work better so that it burns fat at night while you're asleep?

This is question that I could never explain medically, but as I understand it, sound sleep is the bodies opportunity to repair itself, heal itself, and resume normal functioning during the waking hours. Sleep apnea prevents REM sleep so the body is deprived of these reparative processes. Metabolic function can be hampered, but also many other important functions including cognitive function in the brain. So now that you are sleeping appropriately, you may find that you have more physical and mental energy (and clarity), and many longer-term ailments may begin to subside. Losing as much midsection fat as possible has HUGE benefits because gut fat causes many health problems due to its toxicity. You might find that you no longer have to take blood pressure medication also because your circulatory system is no longer being strained at night when your breathing stoppages. That is HUGE for health because HBP puts undue strain on many other body organs which leads to a shortened and lower quality of life.

As far as I know, all neighboring countries in Asia also sell CPAP for 2000 dollars. The markup seems very high.

That is slightly more than in the US, but I think the price is way worth it. Better to pay a little now and live an ideal live, than suffer a life of degraded health and pay heaps more later.

Yes but the experts in the videos above don't recommend the Resmed AirMini as a machine you should use everyday. They prefer using the Philips Dreamstation Go for everyday use instead, which is also a travel CPAP but a little bigger. See the video I posted above about it.

I have used it for almost a year and it has worked wonderfully. Since I just changed my health insurance plan, I might order a Dreamstation as a backup, but since it is larger, I prefer not to travel around the world with it.

[Winston]

Yes I do notice my weight going down. I've lost about 3 kilos the past two months.

That is great news and will have numerous positive effects for the rest of your health if you can continue down this path. It will likely extend the duration of your life.

Btw, why does good sleep help you lose weight? Is it because good sleep allows your metabolism to work better so that it burns fat at night while you're asleep?

This is question that I could never explain medically, but as I understand it, sound sleep is the bodies opportunity to repair itself, heal itself, and resume normal functioning during the waking hours. Sleep apnea prevents REM sleep so the body is deprived of these reparative processes. Metabolic function can be hampered, but also many other important functions including cognitive function in the brain. So now that you are sleeping appropriately, you may find that you have more physical and mental energy (and clarity), and many longer-term ailments may begin to subside. Losing as much midsection fat as possible has HUGE benefits because gut fat causes many health problems due to its toxicity. You might find that you no longer have to take blood pressure medication also because your circulatory system is no longer being strained at night when your breathing stoppages. That is HUGE for health because HBP puts undue strain on many other body organs which leads to a shortened and lower quality of life.

As far as I know, all neighboring countries in Asia also sell CPAP for 2000 dollars. The markup seems very high.

That is slightly more than in the US, but I think the price is way worth it. Better to pay a little now and live an ideal live, than suffer a life of degraded health and pay heaps more later.

Yes but the experts in the videos above don't recommend the Resmed AirMini as a machine you should use everyday. They prefer using the Philips Dreamstation Go for everyday use instead, which is also a travel CPAP but a little bigger. See the video I posted above about it.

I have used it for almost a year and it has worked wonderfully. Since I just changed my health insurance plan, I might order a Dreamstation as a backup, but since it is larger, I prefer not to travel around the world with it.

Well I only feel a little better from the CPAP machine. I was feeling great prior too, because remember I am taking the best supplements and superfoods in the world, especially chlorella and moringa, which makes a big difference in health. You should try them out and you will see what i mean. Everyone online raves about those superfoods. Go to the local health store in Europe and try to find them. Moringa tastes awful though so you will want to get it in capsule format to swallow without tasting. But chlorella tastes ok and I recommend the powder form for maximum potency. They also sell them on ebay for cheaper now.

Moreover, I use meditation and anti-depression herbs like St. John's Wort to ward off depression. When I'm not depressed my metabolism works a lot better too. So is centering myself. Also getting out of the super polluted Philippines has helped a lot as well. When I came to Taiwan within an hour I felt my acid reflux symptoms subside and become barely noticeable. So bad air quality and pollution seems to make a big difference too.

Well sleep and metabolism makes sense, because everything in your body is interconnected.

Btw, no 800 dollars and 2000 dollars is a big difference. 2000 is not "slightly" more than 800. Come on. I'm sure you can do the math. Better I just have someone bring it to me from the US. Or find a way to allow it to be shipped to me without customs blocking it.

Well yes, when you are traveling portability is the most important, especially if you are moving around and not settled in one place.

[Winston]

Wow good news everyone. Whenever i take a nap now in front of my parents, without the CPAP machine, they say that they only hear loud or medium snoring. Not any choking or indications of sleep apnea. Wow. I wonder if my sleep apnea has subsided or been cured. I only lost a few kilos here. Maybe that made the difference?

I think though it must also be the climate and air quality and temperature too. Because as i said earlier, taiwans sterile environment is a lot healthier for my body than Philippines and SE asias hot humid climate that i hate. Plus its winter now so the cold air is a lot healthier to me too. My body is better suited to colder climates.

I told rock and publicduende this a million billion times but they dont listen. I hate that. Why is it when u tell men something a billion times they act deaf and wont listen or take it into account? Really f***ing annoying. Yet when a chinese woman like yen tells rock the same thing, then he listen. Wtf? I guess u have to be a woman for men to listen? Lol. Thats f***ed.

Anyway the good news is: maybe i dont need the CPAP machine anymore? Unless of course i go back to Philippines again?

I told u guys long ago, SE asian weather and i dont mix. It feels so nasty and unhealthy and disgusting. And now i have proof.

Btw i dont think its just about air quality. Because in Las Vegas the air is clean and fresh too, yet i seem to have sleep apnea there and cannot lose weight. Maybe because of unhealthy food and bad electromagnetic energy there in the US? I mean the vibe in the US does feel off and artificial. It makes u feel anxious and paranoid and irritable a lot, whether u choose to feel that way or not. The feeling is imposed upon you. I wouldn't be a surprised if that is deliberate and due to some government conspiracy run by psychopaths. No joke. When u study the illuminati and deep state you wouldn't put anything past them and nothing surprises you anymore. So I definitely consider that a possibility. Thats why americas clean fresh air doesnt improve my health. Im sure many of u feel the same?

[Winston]

Anyway I looked online and on YouTube, and apparently the cheapest place to buy these travel CPAP machines is on this website:

https://www.cheapcpapsupplies.com/cpap-machines/travel

Wow if you use this code at the checkout page of cheapcpapsupplies.com, SJU7C31Y2, you will now get 20 percent off of CPAP machines!

[Winston]

I just sent this letter about my situation to CheapCPAPSupplies.com. Do any of you have any suggestions about what I should do? Thanks.

Dear Cheap CPAP Supplies,
I have an important question for you. I am in Taiwan now. The CPAP machines here cost around 2000 dollars. So I was gonna buy one from you guys and have it shipped to me. However the CPAP specialist I talked to here said that if I tried to do that, the Taiwanese customs may refuse the delivery and send it back, because there are customs restrictions on CPAP machines being imported here via mail. He said I'd have to go back to the US to get it or have someone bring it for me on their flight over here.

Is that true? Can you check with anyone you know who has tried to ship CPAP machines to Taiwan before? Or can you check the customs regulations here in regards to shipping CPAP machines? Have you ever shipped a CPAP machine to Taiwan before? If so, did it arrive ok without problem? So I need to ask you guys in advance to make sure before I order anything.

Otherwise, I'd have to wait til I go back to the US which I don't know will be how long. Do you guys have any suggestions? Thanks for your attention and help.

Regards,
Winston

PS - One more question. If I have someone watch me while I sleep and they say I no longer choke or gasp for air while I sleep, does that mean I no longer have sleep apnea? How loud does the snoring have to be for it to be considered sleep apnea? And does one have to be heard gasping for air and choking for them to have sleep apnea? Thanks.

I submitted my questions to the Free CPAP Advice Forum too. See here:

http://freecpapadvice.com/forum/viewtop ... =11&t=5349

[Winston]

Contrarian Expatriate,
Did you need a prescription to get a CPAP machine in Europe? If so how did you get one? Did you just ask a doctor to write one for you? Didn't you need to go to a sleep lab and stay overnight first to get the sleep apnea diagnosis?

Btw, check this out. They have travel CPAP machines now that are the size of a coke can. See link and images below.

https://www.cheapcpapsupplies.com/cpap- ... l?limit=24

[Contrarian Expatriate]

Contrarian Expatriate,
Did you need a prescription to get a CPAP machine in Europe? If so how did you get one?

I purchased mine while in the United States last year. It was actually a bit of a pain to find one in Northern Florida and I had to travel to Jacksonville and my insurance would not cover it so I ate the cost myself.

Did you just ask a doctor to write one for you? Didn't you need to go to a sleep lab and stay overnight first to get the sleep apnea diagnosis?

I found out I had it by chance. During a routine colonoscopy, a physician suspected I had it and told me not to delay in getting evaluated for it. I went to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist and obtained an at-home sleep study device. I wore it one night and it confirmed that I had severe sleep apnea. The specialist wrote a prescription and I took that to a medical device company that had the travel Resmed that I use.

Btw, check this out. They have travel CPAP machines now that are the size of a coke can. See link and images below.

https://www.cheapcpapsupplies.com/cpap- ... l?limit=24

This is good to know. I want to eventually purchase a backup for when the current one breaks down.

I would say the impact of using it is PROFOUND. It normalized my blood pressure level from high to optimal, I feel naturally energized without the need for any caffeine, my cognitive functioning and memory has improved, and I am still shedding percentages of fat as I pass the one year mark of using it (though the TRT factors into that also.)

As much as a pain in the neck it was to get it, it was totally worth the trouble in terms of optimizing my wellness.

When you do get your hands on one, a physician has to prescribe the particular therapeutic airflow appropriate for your level of apnea for it to be most effective.

[Winston]

Other good CPAP suppliers that you can order online.

https://www.1800cpap.com

https://www.cpap.com

Travel sized CPAP machines.

https://www.1800cpap.com/cpap-machines/travel

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machines/trav ... ap-machine

[Winston]

I submitted my questions to the Free CPAP Advice Forum too. See here:

http://freecpapadvice.com/forum/viewtop ... =11&t=5349

No one replied. Dang. I'll find some other CPAP boards to post on then. I'm going to post them below as reference so I can check on them easily later for replies.

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... Any-advice

http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t1788 ... dvice.html

https://myapnea.org/forum/issues-with-s ... any-advice

https://forums.cpap.co.uk/forum/cpap-th ... any-advice

Letter to post:

Issues with shipping CPAP machines to Taiwan - Any advice?

Hi Everyone,

I joined this forum because I need some advice on a few issues. Here's my situation.

I am in Taiwan now and was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago. The CPAP machines here cost around 2000 dollars, which is a ripoff and more than double what they cost in the US. I don't know why. But I don't want to pay that much. When I was in Philippines, the prices were similar too. So I was gonna buy one from CheapCPAPSupplies.com and have it shipped to me here. However the CPAP specialist I talked to here said that if I tried to do that, the Taiwanese customs may refuse the delivery and send it back, because there are customs restrictions on CPAP machines being imported here via mail. He said I'd have to go back to the US to get it or have someone bring it for me on their flight over here.

Is that true? Can you guys ask anyone you know who has tried to ship CPAP machines to Taiwan before? Or look up the customs regulations in regards to shipping CPAP machines to Taiwan? I'm unable to find anything through Google search.

If I cannot get a CPAP machine shipped here internationally, then I'll have to wait til I go back to the US which could be several months. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do? All the CPAP machines in Asia seem to be around 2,000 dollars or so. This is a travesty I think, because what if someone here is too poor to afford it? Then they would be putting their life at risk simply because of cost. Kind of stupid. Is sleep apnea supposed to be a "rich person's disease"? lol. It seems so, at least here in Asia.

What do you all recommend?

Thanks,
Winston

PS - One more question. If I have someone watch me while I sleep and they say I no longer choke or gasp for air while I sleep, does that mean I no longer have sleep apnea? How loud does the snoring have to be for it to be considered sleep apnea? And does one have to be heard gasping for air and choking for them to have sleep apnea? Thanks.

[Winston]

An extensive list of CPAP suppliers, for anyone who's interested.

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... plier-List

[Winston]

CE,
Is this a good price for the Resmed AIrMini?

https://www.cpap.com/compare-chart/travel-CPAP/2ua7

It's 700 dollars on that site. There's also another one for $589 too. It looks very small and portable too. See below. What do you think? Is it just as good as the Resmed AirMini?

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/z2-aut ... ap-machine

[Winston]

Does this article mean I probably cannot ship a CPAP machine to Taiwan from the US?

https://www.export.gov/apex/article2?id ... al-Devices

I guess I will try to call the Taiwan Customs Office to clarify. I'm posting their contact info below for reference.

https://eweb.customs.gov.tw/cp.aspx?n=553A36D5749EEEEB

Taiwan Customs Office
TEL: +886-2-2550-5500 ext. 2116
* Special number given to me by the post office:
TEL: +886-2-2705-5280 ext. 207

https://www.post.gov.tw/post/internet/U ... sp?ID=2407

Taiwan Post Office
Customer Service Center
Voice service hotline : 0800-700-365
TEL: +886-2-2321-4311

Taiwan FDA
+886-2-2787-8000

[Contrarian Expatriate]

CE,
Is this a good price for the Resmed AIrMini?

https://www.cpap.com/compare-chart/travel-CPAP/2ua7

It's 700 dollars on that site. There's also another one for $589 too. It looks very small and portable too. See below. What do you think? Is it just as good as the Resmed AirMini?

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/z2-aut ... ap-machine

I can only speak for the AirMini. That is a great price for a CPAP that has worked wonders for me. Keep in mind that you need to purchase accessories like filters, and replacement face masks to change every few months or so.

[Amy]

my spouse is also snoring and it's very interrupting to my sleep. Then, I shake him and awake him and sudden awake stops snoring for a while but restart. He is usually suffering from nasal congestion and most probably this would be the reason for this loud snoring. Assuming this would be the reason, he started to use a vaporizer and it seems that it helps as the snoring frequency is lower than before

[Winston]

Some good suggestions to me from a sleep apnea forum. CE, what do you think?

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... #pid342394

The best CPAP on the market is the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset For Her. It is a reasonably compact machine, but not tiny. It comes with a world class travel case. The Resmed Air Mini is small but does not provide useful therapy data to help you optimize settings and track your progress. The Philips Respironics Go is small and has data, but does not have an integrated humidifier which makes CPAP use much more comfortable and quiet, and it uses special masks and tubes with a heat-moisture exchanger (HME) in the tube. It's compact, but you give up comfort for the size.

For the most portable solution, the Philips Dreamstation Go is best. For best therapy, the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset is best and far more comfortable and quiet. Keep in mind the Resmed also works as a limited bilevel (separate inhale and exhale pressure) which greatly increases its therapy flexibility and range. We have leveraged this "Exhale Pressure Relief" feature to greatly improve results and comfort for many forum members. If you can help us understand that nature of your sleep disordered breathing, we might be able to suggest other options.

If you go for one of the portable options, or want to consider another very experienced export solution, take a look at Supplier #33. Sistemma used to have a big presence on Amazon with very low prices, and shipped all over the world. Worth noting their price on a new Airsense 10 Autoset with mask complete is $693. He also carries the Air-Mini with mask for $799 and Dreamstation go for $639 USD. This supplier is probably the best for export to Taiwan.

Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

The supplier he/she recommended for exporting CPAP machines abroad is this one:

https://www.sistemmacpap.com