CPAP product reviews and other helpful tips for CPAP users!
Ditching Your CPAP - Good Idea?
If you’ve been diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, you should either be seeking treatment or on CPAP therapy already. Let me paint you an all too common scenario - you’ve got your machine and mask purchased and after a couple of weeks on therapy, you stop using it. You see it on your bedside table every day but ignore it. Days turn to weeks and weeks turn into months. Sounds familiar? This scenario happens too often.
What happens if you leave your Apnea untreated?
Surprisingly, a couple of nights off your CPAP is actually okay. The benefits of consistent use persist for a couple of days. For example, if you’re travelling or have a cold and took a couple of nights off, you’ll be happy to know that there is still residual benefit when you are not using it for a few days. Continued therapy reduces swelling of soft tissues during sleep making it easier for you to breathe when you are taking a break. However, danger lurks when it’s left long term.
Some would argue you won't die from Sleep Apnea, but like smoking or AIDS - people won't die from it, but likely from the complications that come from smoking or AIDS. Keep reading to find the effects, risks and possible consequences are if you don’t use your CPAP as directed.
Return of common symptoms
Not using your therapy means the return of the classic symptoms - constant fatigue, low energy, headaches and lethargy. It's only a matter of time these dreaded symptoms will creep back into your day to day life. It will affect the way you carry out work and social activities and limit your capabilities and negatively impacting your overall quality of life.
Risk of sudden death
Untreated Sleep Apnea will increase the risk of sudden death or sudden cardiac arrest and the consequences are not reversible. The sudden death is caused by abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmia which are erratic and disorganized impulses from the heart's ventricles. This means the heart is unable to pump blood and death can occur.
Risk of premature death
Those who leave their OSA untreated for 10 years or 30 years will lead to shorter lives. Lack of treatment means you'll face more than 3 times the risk of premature death.
Risk of stroke
The low levels of oxygen available to the body and brain and the high blood pressure of the heart working harder put you at 2-3 times higher risk for having a stroke.
There are endless reasons why doctors prescribe CPAP - they know what they're talking about and it works. No matter how uncomfortable it is, give it a second, third or fourth try. The take-home message here is that untreated OSA produces long term, cumulative exposure to advert effects that is harmful to your health and may cause death.
There are heaping benefits of being on therapy and it shouldn't be ignored. Speak to your health professional for more information or guidance to get the proper care you need to adhere to CPAP therapy.
Introducing The New DreamStation Go Travel Humidifier
We’ve all been asking the same question, why doesn’t any travel machines come with a humidifier? Well, the solution is finally here; Philips just introduced the heated humidifier for the DreamStation Go travel machine. Ever since the lightweight travel system DreamStation Go came out, we’ve been told by Philips that the heated humidifier would soon be available. After months of waiting, the tiniest travel humidifier is finally available!
You might ask why having a humidifier was never an option for travel machines until now, the major difficulty of designing a travel humidifier is its size. It is hard to integrate a humidifier chamber onto such small units. That is why Philips Respironics developed a new “water-saving” technology which allows the humidification level to adjust automatically in order to deliver the right therapy setting. Thanks to this “water-saving” technology, Philips now developed a portable humidifier for travel machines that only adds an additional 0.76 lbs to the already lightweight machine!
Not only is the DreamStation Go humidifier lightweight and small; it is also safe to use regular tap water or bottled water instead of having to specifically look for distilled water while you are travelling.
So, what are the pros and cons of bringing a travel humidifier instead of using the HME filters? Well, let’s take a look:
PROS
- No replacement parts needed
- Use tap or bottled water
- Provides humidification evenly throughout the night
- Ability to increase or decrease humidity as required
- No need to keep track on HME expiry date
- No disposal and no waste
CONS
- Only compatible with DreamStation Go Travel System
- Takes up more space compared to the HME filters
In my option, I would want my travel baggage to be as light as possible. Therefore, I would prefer just to bring an HME filter with me on a short trip. (see below HME)
However, if I was going away for up to a month, and/or going to a place where the weather would be more drying, then I would recommend bringing the travel humidifier with you on the go.
So, my final verdict is that if you are someone who goes on long trips often, this travel humidifier would be a great investment! Whereas, just take an HME filter with you on those short business trips out of the country.
If packing up your CPAP before your flight gives you a hard time but using those HME filters is not enough to provide moisture during the night, you can now purchase all of these items on our website! Please visit each of the links below to purchase the parts that you need!
Already purchased the DreamStation Go Travel humidifier? Not a problem, visit the link below to watch how you could assemble the DreamStation Go humidifier to your existing DreamStation Go travel machine.
TOP-RATED CPAP MASKS OF 2019 SO FAR, FROM YOU!
A sincere thank you to our patrons who provided their honest feedback on the CPAP masks. Your reviews and feedback truly help others to make informed decisions. We can all agree online shopping poses some challenges - the biggest one is the inability to try a mask for sizing.
The team here at CPAPmachines.ca has compiled a list of best of best thus far for 2019! Read our Top-10 list of best selling CPAP masks with their average star rating out of 5 by verified buyers. The goal is to help customers make informed decisions about products they're looking at purchasing. We'd like to remind everyone that fit, size, comfort and wear-ability are subjective to each individual person.
Our best of the best top rated list is below starting with #10.. Make your way down the list to see what the current #1 selling CPAP masks for 2019 is!
Top CPAP Masks Of 2019: As Voted By You
#10: Dreamwear Full Face by Philips Respironics
Score: 4.5/5
A new addition to the Dreamwear family, the Dreamwear Full Face by Philips Respironics offers an innovative, comfortable design and more freedom of movement. Its ability to easily adapt to a wide range of sleeping positions has been a plus for many CPAP mask users.
#9: Mirage Activa™ LT by ResMed
Score: 5/5
If you hate fussing with your CPAP mask every night, then the Mirage Activa™ LT by ResMed was made for you. Comfortable, easy-fit and 100% hassle-free this is the perfect mask for restless sleepers.
#8: AirFit™ F10 by ResMed
Score: 4.9/5
This ResMed CPAP mask offers the same level of comfort and reliability that this brand has become known for. The AirFit™ F10 offers a new, improved slimmed-down design that has delighted many of its users.
#7: Dreamwear Gel by ResMed
Score: 4.7/5
At 7th place on the top best selling CPAP masks for 2019 list is the Dreamwear Gel by ResMed.
This fit pack mask has a remarkable design that aims to make sleep as comfortable as possible for patients. Users of this mask can sleep in every position imaginable thanks to the clever positioning of the mask’s tubing.
#6: Mirage Quattro™ Full Face CPAP Mask by ResMed
Score: 4.7/5
Want whisper-quiet performance? Then the Mirage Quattro™ Full Face mask is a great option. Considered as the industry standard for sleep apnea masks, ResMed has come out on top again with this streamlined designed mask. Easy to use and comfortable...a winning combination.
#5: Wisp Nasal Mask by Philips Respironics
Score: 5/5
The Wisp mask by Philips Respironics delivers the performance and comfort that you deserve. This leading mask offers an elegant aesthetic design of a pillow mask while providing the high-quality performance of a nasal mask. No surprise why you rated this mask a 5 out of 5.
#4: AirFit™ N20 by ResMed
Score: 3.9
The AirFit™N20 by ResMed is one of the brand’s most adaptive mask designs to date. It comfortably moves with you while you sleep and features InfinitySeal™ cushion technology providing you with a reliable seal all night.
#3: AirFit™ F30 by ResMed
Score: 3.9
The third best selling mask of 2019 is the AirFit™ F30 by ResMed. This minimal- contact, full face CPAP mask reduces irritation, noise and red marks thanks to its modern design. Designed to cover less of your face, many patients are loving the comfort this mask provides.
#2: AirFit™ N30i by ResMed
Score: 4.6
ResMed’s first tube-up nasal cradle mask makes starting CPAP therapy easy. It features a QuickFit elastic headgear that easily slips on and adjusts to different profiles providing the first-time fit straight out of the package. It’s curved nasal cradle cushion allows for a stable, comfortable seal throughout the night.
#1: AirFit™ P10 by ResMed
Score: 4.7
The AirFit™ P10 by ResMed is the number 1 best selling CPAP mask of 2019 as voted by you. As CPAP masks go, this is undeniably ResMed’s quietest mask to date. Offering premium comfort, this mask provides ease of use without compromising on stability. The mask is equipped with a dual-wall nasal pillow and innovative Flexi-tube design. The AirFit™ P10 will give you unobtrusive, comfortable sleep.