Central Sleep Apnea - BiPap Not Helping

[Kat3365]

My husband was diagnosed with Central Sleep Apnea.  He has been to 5 Repiratory Specialists, 7 neurologists, tried CPAP, now on BiPap.  Long story short -- the Bi-Pap isn't working.  He is falling asleep behind the wheel and at work, incoherent, etc.  Oh...he is also an insomniac, has chronic migraines, chronic pain, and is on 10 medications.  Needless to say, we have no life anymore.

His present Respiratory Specialist ordered a sleep study, and from that determined that he should be on Bipap with 11/8 pressures.  We told this doctor (after three months on Bipap at this setting) that he is still falling asleep during the day and has had no relief with the Bipap.  The doctor told us that 11/8 is the setting that stopped the apneas durinig the study, and that the Bipap IS working.  End of story.  My husband takes Adderall 30mg - 2 tabs AM, 2 tabs PM and he still falls asleep.  The doctor told us that it has to be a neurological problem.  However...this same doctor told us that he would not begin treatment for my husband's condition until he had seen a neurologist.  The neurologist he saw indicated that it is not a neurological issue.

Anyway, we are at the end of our rope.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[asthma13]

I'm still suffering from severe sleep apnea and centrals and hypopneas according to sleepyhead software.  
does provigil do anything for sa or just mask symptoms?

I tried theophylline for a few days but the stuff seems toxic and can cause heart arrythmias.  I read one account that it helped a kid after one month, but it makes me nauseous a little and seems to affect my heart, increase heart rates

[Carlito2009]

To all hello, I have a severe sleep apnea I use BIPAP 18/14 and I take one tablet provigil 200mg morning and one tablet provigil 100mg after lunch all there my doc. Requested after 3 sleep study in 3 different place, I don't know if you can imagine what is pressure 18/14 , all what I mention for you now and it dosnt help. I send the sim card every month to the company to printed and send it to the doc. No change. But it's more worth. I think my employer cannot understand that problem and if he lay me off the provigil medication cost like 2000$ without insurance .

[ill13632]

I noticed too that I felt much better on 5 liters of O2, I'm not sure how that works- my sleep doc prescribed me 2 liters

[ill13632]

I am trying to get surgery, UPPP, tonsilectomy, septum surgery.  on Dr. Park's site there was a sad story about a neurologist with sleep apnea who eventually after many surgeries was cured by tracheostomy but I guess you have to live with this tube sticking out of your neck.  also UPPP combined with tongue surgery has a high success rate maybe 80% or higher
I don't understand how this terrible disease is acquired either??  my sleep doc said it can be from heart problems but I don't have any except mild MVP.  

[ill13632]

I have high prolactin and may have a pituitary tumor....
I have terrible sleep apnea and use a resmed asv and can't sleep on it because the pressure is too high and there is no ramp.  maybe the phillips machines are better?  
I had one central apnea on a study with 75% O2 and I have been getting some bad nights with headache and fogginess I think from low O2 or breathing difficulty.  
do meds like klonopin or prednisone help?  prednisone helps me but I think it causes brain damage

[ema1951]

My son, also suffers from central sleep apnea and Arnold Chiari Malformation, for which surgery was ineffective. He has tried at least 5 different masks with the bi-pap and cannot last even a few hours without the mask coming undone, falling off or the alarm going off cause he moves around when he sleeps.  My son is 20 years old and today his doctor suggested a procedure that would put a hole in his trachea so the machine could be hooked it and he would be able to cover the hole when not using the machine.  I am at my wits end because I will not  go along with this surgery so any info you receive could you please pass it on to me.  Anyone who has any info on a treatment for this without using bi-pap please let me know.  E Abbott Massachusetts