Causes of sudden Dreamstation APAP runaway?

[NorthernGuy]

I have been using the Philips DreamStation APAP for 4+ years and doing great.  AHI of <1 and sleeping all night.
My 90% pressure was always 10-11.

Suddenly, last week I woke up multiple times the same night due to runaway pressure.  The pressure caused my full face mask to leak around the edge (noisy) and I checked the display and it was >16 cmH2O.

I turned the unit off and then back on, but this proceeded to happen a couple times the same night.


I called both the therapist and equipment vendor.  They claim to have changed settings (but not the prescription pressures) remotely, but the problems has been happening 1-3 times every night since.

Is it likely a mask problem?  DreamStation problem?  Settings problem?  The DreamStation is 4-5 years old, but no leaks and worked great up to now.

There is no excessive mask leakage reported on the screen and none noted until the pressure was recently above 15.

Ideas on things to try?

I have an appointment to go back, but not for a couple more days.

[staceyburke]

Something may be seen by using OSCAR Without that we can only guess.

[Sleeprider]

Dreamstation auto CPAPs increase pressure for one reason more than any other; snores. They may be real, or an artifact of something that causes multiple snores (VS) to be detected. The vibration feedback can be anywhere in the circuit, like a leak or something that feeds-back to the sensor. Check Oscar. If a replacement is possible, don't get a Philips again! Anyway, it's probably just a loose connection to the humidifier, tube or mask, but look for something that is causing vibration.

[NorthernGuy]

I hadn't used OSCAR before.

I posted Jan. 10th when there was no problems,

   

then Jan. 24th (two screenshots to fit it all).


   

   

The thing that stands out to me is VS2 went up drastically.

Did my mask suddenly fail?

Did a sensor in my machine fail?

Something else?

[jaswilliams]

As you say the snores detected by the machine have increased massively and it is increasing pressure to Ryan and resolve the issue. It is unlikely to be a mask failure. But it could be a machine issue I guess how,any hours are on the machine, are you due a replacement

[NorthernGuy]

Mmmmm.  I don't believe I just suddenly started snoring like crazy.  My wife says she doesn't hear any snoring, but she can hear the blower whining when the pressure gets really high.  There is no audible vibration or leakage (until the mask seal finally breaks due to pressure).

I guess I will see what the RT and vendor says in a couple days.

I don't like that the pressure range is set all the way to 20, even though my 90% level before the problem started was a pretty stable ~10 cmH2O.  I am going to ask to have it lowered.

[OpalRose]

The rise in pressure seems to correlate to snores and the rise in leaks.

[Sleeprider]

NorthernGuy, you should reduce the maximaum pressure yourself, and assume that if snores, real or not, are being detected, the machine will seek the highest pressure setting. Your RT will not make changes without a doctor's order, and that approach is incredibly inefficient, when you can DIY like the rest of us on the forum. I was serious that if the machine is to be replaced, get a Resmed Autoset.

[NorthernGuy]

Thanks for the suggestion. 



I am just a little hesitant to change the pressure settings, because I don't want to be accused of causing the problem when I do finally get in to see the doctor (annually). I know all settings changes are logged and reported back (whether anyone checks or not is the question).

[Sleeprider]

As long as the machine detects snores, real or not, it will increase pressure. You know what pressure range is effective and necessary, so set the max in that range. Nothing to worry about. If there is a malfunction, you're just mitigating it, not causing it.