Could My Aircurve 10 ASV Be Faulty From New?

[Trevor G]

Three sleeps studies, 2 in 2016 and 1 in 2017.

Main problem = central apneas.

Provided with Aircurve 10 ASV. Third sleep study recommended EPAP 4-15, PS 0-20, Max Pressure 25cm (but I cannot see this setting as adjustable anywhere). Feb 2017

Subsequent testing for heart health specialist (because heart is supposedly stressed with ASV) saw a prescription of EPAP 5-10, PS 5-15.  Aug 2017

Original sleep doctor issued another prescription in Oct 2017 for EPAP 8-15, PS 0-20

Compliance report Dec 2017 showed settings at EPAP 8-15, PS 0-17. Oscar cannot read settings for this period up until I stopped using the machine in late 2021, however, when I accessed the clinician's menu in December last year those were the settings.

AHIs are frequently less than 1 on these settings.

PROBLEMS:

1. Don't really feel better after using it, especially when I wake, so stopped using it during an overseas trip when I could not get distilled water.

I started using it again early this year after noticing on my Samsung watch that my sleeping blood oxygen readings were often in the low 80s.

2. From early use found that on many occasions the machine would start "spurting" - my name for repetititve mask leaks.

Sometimes adjusting mask fit by hand pressure will reduce, but mostly not.

3. When repetitive mask leaks start due to high pressure they do not adjust when I breathe strongly, or change my breathing pattern - this flies in the face of claims that these are servo adjusting devices.

Switching machine off and then restarting by breathing normally (gently) corrects whatever the problem is.  Nothing else works.

4. I have not managed to find the methodology explanation for how these machines work (other than the very basic overview given in the ResMed manual) nor any information regarding most of the parameters shown by OSCAR and how they interact. As an electronics and computing diagnostic specialist for many years I would love to be able to intelligently make adjustments with some understanding of what I am doing.  :-)

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Here are expanded views showing the build up in pressure and the pause when the machine is switched off and restarted by breathing, and the normal pressure prevailing following this.

[stanleyjack]

I am not an expert by any means, but you should be able to test your machine works by holding your breath.

Go to your bedroom or where you have the machine. Put your mask on, start the machine and every 20 seconds hold your breath for 10 seconds or more (assuming you have no heart conditions), you will then feel the machine ramp up waves of pressure to try and induce breathing again. Once you have five minutes worth, pull out the SD card and load into Oscar.

I don't really have many events on my Oscar, so this is not an ideal example (its some sort of hypopnea),  but you should see something like my attachment, but even clearer

The flow rate will flat line and pressure will increase to tackle the event

[Trevor G]

Thanks, but the problem is not that it doesn't increase air flow, but that it goes high and stays high unless I switch it off.

[stanleyjack]

Gotcha,

Do you know about the blowback technique?

https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread...-ASV-reset

[DevinJones]

Trevor, this is a known problem with the ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV, but people do overcome the problem after getting used to the device and making appropriate setting adjustments.    

Read from post #26 and on in my thread:

https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread...ree?page=3

[Trevor G]

Gotcha,

Do you know about the blowback technique?

No, but I had tried doing that anyway. Thanks for the link.  :-)

[Sleeprider]

Trevor G I would prefer to see a couple changes to settings and get some feedback if it helps. You are using ASVauto mode with EPAP min, EPAP max 15 and PS 1.0-15.0. I'm certain you need a higher PS min and potentially lower PS max. Let's try EPAP min 8.0, EPAP max 11.0, PS min 3.0, PS max 12.0 and get some feedback on comfort and see a chart.

[Trevor G]

Trevor G I would prefer to see a couple changes to settings and get some feedback if it helps.  You are using ASVauto mode with EPAP min, EPAP max 15 and PS 1.0-15.0.  I'm certain you need a higher PS min and potentially lower PS max.  Let's try EPAP min 8.0, EPAP max 11.0, PS min 3.0, PS max 12.0 and get some feedback on comfort and see a chart.

Thanks so much for taking the time - I'll try it tonight!