I'm going to post my experience as another point of reference for those who follow after me. I've applied for WLS - and one of the pre-requirements from the surgical office is a sleep study. If you don't have apnea - great. If you do - you need to get on a CPAP machine. The nurse explained to me that keeping enough oxygen in your system is really important to your healing process. So in keeping with spirit of going forward with a positive attitude - when called by the Sleep Center - I scheduled by study. I picked a Saturday night - (although next time I might ask for a Friday ) ... good news to me that you can do this on a weekend and not have to do a full day of work afterwards. I brought my own pillow - decided to sleep in my comfiest undewear and sweats, and packed along some magazines to read. The technician at the center explained every step - and chatted away as he used gel and tape to stick the electrode plates to my face, head, shoulders and calves. The room that they had me sleep in was very similar to a typical hospital room (maybe a little smaller). When it was time for lights out (I got to pick a time) - they run you through some exercises to make sure all the little monitors are working. For me it was a little uncomfortable knowing someone was watching me sleep - and all the wires and tape made it difficult to toss from side to side (one time a piece of tape on my face stuck to the pillow). You know - come to think of it- it might have been fun to watch that part afterward... I'm sure I made a fun face in the dark when I realized my face was taped to the pillow. They got me up - unhooked and out the door early. The techician was able to confirm I had episodes of apnea and would likely need a machine. By Monday they called and asked where to send the prescription. On Tuesday I picked it up and the technician fit me for a mask and showed me how to use it. Slept with it for 7.5 hours last night -and while I had moments of awareness of the tubes.. for the most part - I am better rested and less sleepy today than I've been in a long time. I was given a mask that has the nose pillows that attach to a soft tube that sits on your upper lip. I was afraid that I'd be breathing through my mouth... but the few times I opened my mouth last night - it was like a wind tunnel - and I just shut it right back up. I will say I have a few features on the machine I like... a flex start - it starts at a lower pressure for the first 10 minutes until I get comfortable with it.. the machine adjusts when I exhale, and then a warm humidifer. The machine is very quiet (softer than our ceiling fan). I admit to being kind of a grumpy pants about this whole thing -even though it's been a relatively smooth process. But here's what else I've learned in the last few days... a lot of symptoms that I'd been attributing to aging or peri-menopause over the last few years are symptoms of sleep apnea. And when I see the list of symptoms - and realize how my primary care physician had been treating each symptom as an indepedent issue - I'm amazed that no one made me get tested earlier. I hope your journey is as good as mine. Jody

AHI stands for "Average Hourly Interuptions" (I think) That being said with 20+ you should be fine

Thanks for this post!! All's I ever hear is how I can't live without my CPAP. I can't sleep at all with it, how can you not open your mouth at all at night??? I just got it a week ago and I used it for 1 hour and stuffed it back in the pack in came in. How do you do it???? Terri

That's craps on buying a used Cpap system. You take it and get it get it adjusted to what your needs are. Mine was Auto. Meaning if my breathing went down the machine adjusted it's self, breathing went up it again took care of the breathing for me. I paid $800.00 for mine back in 2004 and was thinking of trying to get $200.00 for it but I see you can get them much cheaper. I have a warmer that attaches on the bottom and gave me mist at night. Hugs Donna

Lisa, I am so glad that I found yur post. I thought I was the only one who lhated this thing. Now I do not feel so alone. I am using it. but I feel soooo tired and I am getting headaches. something that was not going on before I had the cpap. I go see my dr. in 2 weeks hoping he clears me and I can get on with my life. Good luck to you.