CPAP product reviews and other helpful tips for CPAP users!
OSA in Athletes – The Good and the Ugly
Sleep Apnea & NFL Player Reggie White:
Almost 15 years ago, in 2004, the unforeseen death of a WWE wrestler, turned professional NFL legend, Reggie White completely devastated the sports world. He was just 43 years old. His No. 92 jersey has been retired by the Volunteers, Eagles and Packers. His untimely death caused everyone to take a closer look at the scary health risks of untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea and how it can directly cause complications and indirectly cause death. White lived with an inflammatory disease that affects his organs known as sarcoidosis and also suffered from Sleep Apnea. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in treating his OSA with CPAP therapy. According to the Medical Examiner’s Office, White suffered a fatal cardiac arrhythmia leading to sudden death in his sleep.
Sleep Apnea & MLB Player Josh James:
Josh James is a Major League Baseball Pitcher and has experienced his ups and downs in his baseball career. Often on the road for away games, he garnered a reputation for his snoring amongst his teammates. James was going through a low period. He started to gain weight, was plagued with chronic fatigue and delivered lukewarm performance game after game.
James was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. He decided to tackle his OSA with CPAP therapy and that meant taking a CPAP machine with him on the road to every away game. As his Sleep Apnea was being managed and his performance started to flourish.
On the field, James delivered fastballs over 100 mph and strong innings with numerous strikeouts against a tough offence against the Angels, something he’s never done before!
Take-Home Message
Both White and James’ stories with two completely different outcomes go to show just how important sleep is and how it affects all aspects of our lives. An OSA diagnosis can change your life - for better or for worse. Education on OSA and related breathing disorders can save lives. CPAP Therapy is only one of many treatment options. There’s positional sleeping devices, surgery or oral appliances which all have excellent success rates in treating OSA.
A healthy life includes a healthy sleep. Treatment is certainly not one fits all, or maybe easy to get use to, but it’s certainly worthwhile in the long run.
Other Athletes Excelling On CPAP Therapy
CPAP Masks For $100 Or Less!
Whether you're new to CPAP therapy or a seasoned vet, we can all agree: finding the perfect mask isn't easy! Short of having plastic surgery to fit into one of the hundreds of generic masks out there, you're probably going to have to try on a few before you find one that fits your face comfortably. Today, we've lined up our favourite CPAP masks and some best sellers that are $100 or less.
AirFit™ P10 & P10 For Her CPAP Masks (Fitpack), $97.98
This super-light and sleek CPAP mask is made by Resmed and may be one of the quietest masks on the market. The AirFit™ P10 has a Standard and a "For Her" version, each with various size nasal pillows. The Standard version has blue and grey headgear and comes with small, medium and large size cushions. The For Her version has soft pink and grey headgear and comes with extra small, small and medium-size cushions. The exhalation port, designed with QuietAir woven-mesh vent system minimizes any disturbances to your bed partners.
Dreamwear & Dreamwear Gel CPAP Masks (Fitpack), $97.98
Made by Philips Respironics, the Dreamwear and Dreamwear Gel masks have a unique frame design. Air flows through a flexible silicone frame that sits across your face and airflow to the main tubing is connected from the crown of your head. This design has a claim to support various sleeping positions - side, back or stomach for comfort. This mask comes with a standard size frame (additional size frames sold separately) and 3 or 4 size nasal cushions in the package (depending on which Dreamwear) for easy fitting.
AirFit™ N10 & N10 For Her CPAP Masks, $94.98
The AirFit™ N10 series, manufactured by Resmed has garnered a huge fan base. It's a nasal style (around the nose) mask with an under-eye frame that improves sightlines (for reading/watching TV) and provides comfort and wear-ability with their SpringAir™ cushion. The head straps are significantly slimmer with SoftEdge™ technology to provide excellent stability throughout the night. The Standard AirFit™ N10 comes with a standard size headgear in classic blue and a choice of small, standard and wide sizes. The For Her version is equipped with small headgear and only one small size nasal cushion finished in soft pink.
Mirage Activa™ LT Nasal CPAP Mask, $94.98
Also by Resmed, the Mirage Activa™ LT has been on the CPAP scene for quite some time as the successor of the original Mirage Activa™. The revamped MicroFit dial provides a more secure fit along the forehead and dual-wall cushion makes it a favourite among many CPAP users. The Mirage Activa™ comes in 4 sizes-small, medium, large and large-wide and performs comfortably - even for restless sleepers.
Meridian CPAP Mask, $79.98
Last, but certainly not least, the Meridian nasal mask by Resmed is the lowest priced CPAP mask on our list. It's one of Resmed's longstanding classics; a simple nasal mask providing effective treatment. The headgear features 3 fastening points for easy on-and-off maneuvering and a 360-degree swivel elbow to allow a range of movement for users. The cushion is fitted with a silicone pad that contours the face with minimal leakage. Though it comes in small, medium and large, finding your size can be challenging - and with so much new mask technology coming out every few months, many CPAP vendors have stopped stocking this oldie but a goodie.
While many CPAP users tend to push their mask's lifespan to over a year, it's recommended we replace our CPAP masks every 6 to 8 months, as your mask can get gross and its materials begin to break down. We hope this list helps you find a well-fitting and budget-friendly mask that'll bring you a restful night's sleep.
Don't Let Sleep Apnea Keep You From Traveling The World (Part 2)
If you read our previous blog on the AirMini™ then welcome to part 2 of that discussion! For those of you who didn't: in a nutshell, we highlighted the AirMini™ travel-specific unit and listed some of the accessories and add-ons we found to be the most impressive. The goal is to help savvy customers like yourself customized a travel unit to best fit your adventurous needs.
Next up on the list, (also the last) quickly became a bestseller in the travel category - the Dreamstation Go Auto CPAP. Continue reading to learn more on which accessories are worth buying and which ones to pass on.
Dreamstation Go
A relatively new release, the Dreamstation Go by Philips Respironics made its way onto the Canadian market (and into our hearts), spring of 2018. It was designed to be a direct competitor to the beloved and highly buzzed about AirMini™. The Dreamstation Go is a small, sleek and compact, but don't be fooled by appearances: it weighs more than it looks.
Notable differences between the Dreamstation Go and the AirMini™ - the Dreamstation Go has a touch screen, full compatibility with all CPAP masks and compatibility to various heated and standard tubing!
Sounds good so far doesn’t it? Let’s move on to it’s accessories.
Heat/Moisture Exchanger (HME) Filter
As mentioned in our look at the AirMini™, travel units do not come with built in humidification chambers. Travel units use a waterless technology in the form of dry filters or tablets that provide moisture and heat. But Respironics does not make a waterless solution exclusive to the Dreamstation Go. You can get a third party heat/moisture exchanger. The HME filter accessory from the Z1™ Auto travel CPAP by HDM works pretty well on the Dreamstation. Those filters are certified for 7 full days of use.
Small or Medium Travel Kit
Personally, I am at the mercy of any attractively designed case or bag. Philips Respironics has travel cases for the Dreamstation. The smallest (below, on the left) is sturdy, stylish and rugged enough, but it is big enough to fit only the Dreamstation unit itself.
There's a medium size case (above, centre) that's more robust and can store both the main unit and the optional battery (which we'll talk about next). Both Small and Medium Travel Kits have a zipper closure and come with a separate washable canvas bag (top, right) to house your mask and tubing.
Dreamstation Go Overnight Battery
One of the core features of the Dreamstation Go is it’s exclusive overnight battery. Weighing in at 1.53lbs, it’s designed to match the look of the Dreamstation Go. First, remove the panel on the unit to reveal the battery port. The overnight battery connects seamlessly to the unit, giving you about 13 hours of uninterrupted therapy (at 10cmH20 pressure) on a 4-to-5 hour charge.
Medistrom™ Pilot-12 Lite Battery & Backup Power Supply
Although Philips Respironics makes a cordless backup and overnight battery exclusively for the Dreamstation Go, there are other options. Choice One Medical released the Medistrom™ Pilot-12 Lite as an alternative portable battery for the Dreamstation Go (also compatible with other CPAP brands and devices). A 3-hour charge with the Dreamstation AC Adapter can power up to 2 nights of therapy (on average pressure of 10 cmH20) with humidification and heated tubing disabled if using with main units.
There you have it, that’s a wrap on the Dreamstation Go. Completely in love? We know, we are too. We hope you enjoyed our informal “part one” and “part two” ongoing discussion of the tech- filled travel CPAPs and all their accessories.
The take home message? Regardless of which travel CPAP you invest in, both machines offer consistent and reliable therapy. It truly comes down to personal preferences in brands, look, compatibility and accessories. Now leaving your CPAP therapy at home is a thing of the past.