[Equipment] New Dream Station Horible night.

[pbreed]

I've used a CPAP machine every night for the last 7 Years without missing a single night.

For the last 11 months I've had a PS system one DS 560.
For first 9 months it was set to 8cm min Auto....
The AHI Readings were a bit high averaging 6.
Based on this the Sleep Doc suggested changing the min pressure to 10cm..
Then for the last 2 months it was set to 10cm min Auto mode.

The DS560 starting making a high whining noise that was driving my wife nuts.
So I took it to the DME and they traded it for a brand new DreamStation Auto CPAP machine.

Last night was my first night with the new machine and it was horrible,
it seemed like every time I tried to exhale it hit me with a burst of pressure at exactly the wrong time. It was very uncomfortable and I did not sleep well....

This morning it reports an AHI number of 14.5!

So specific questions:
Could anything in the setup cause this problem?
Has anyone else switched from a DS560 to the Dream Station?
Do people like the DreamStation? Its really quiet, but from a user standpoint its horrible....

This morning its reporting :
6.4 hrs
AHI 14.5
90% pressure 12.5 (average pressure for last machine in July was 12.1)

Any thoughts?

[Crimson Nape]

Hi pbreed - Congratulations on your first post!

My first thought is; If you had to return the previous machine due to noise/malfunctioning, could other problems have existed that gave erroneous data?

Please keep us posted.

Side note: Please update your profile. You're still showing a Resmed S9.

[stephennic]

I have just started with CPAP and trialling a auto dreamstation and found it one of the most gentlest machines for breathing. I use expiration 1 or 2. I haven't had that issue. Averaging 6-7 AHI.

When I tried the airsense 10 I found that a bit like you describe.

I noticed you use a s9 on your list, how did you find that compared to your DS560. The S9 is meant to be similar to the s10.
Sorry I am probably no help.

Cheers

Steve

[Ghost1958]

The aflex setting may be set differently than your 560. Which could give that feeling. Or not on at all.
Ckeck those settings.

[chill]

Or it get setup with C-Flex which feels very different. I found it harder to exhale against than no flex at all in my brief usage.

[Ockrocket]

I'm relatively new to the sleep apnoea/CPAP situation.

I was trialed with a Dreamstation and found it excellent to use, subsequently I purchased a brand new one when my trial period was over and I returned the loan unit.

I have no problem exhaling with it, and the pressure relief is switched off.

When being tested the machine was set to auto for a period and peaked at 6, so my respiratory specialist ordered it be set at a fixed pressure of 7 to see in my AHI numbers dropped any further.
There was a small gain in having it at the fixed pressure, but either way I am well within the compliance range, my AHI for the last week has averaged 1.21, and 1.24 for the last 30 days.

I think if you get the Dreamstation set up properly you will find it is a very good unit.

I'm finding mine very user friendly in all respects..... easy to clean and maintain, easy to fill the humidifier tank, easy to access the filters and SD card.

My mask is a Fisher & Paykel Eson nose mask, again I'm happy with that as well.

Hang in there, you will get it sorted, the right settings will be the solution for you I feel.

[trish6hundred]

Hi pbreed,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you as you continue your CPAP therapy and also, with getting your Dream Station set up the way you want it.

[Maskup N. Sleepwell]

I went from a DS560 APAP to the Dream Station Auto BiPAP. I went through 2 Dream Stations before the 3rd one worked properly. The bad ones were making a horrid racing noise. Felt like I was sleeping on a dragstrip. Third Dreamstation has worked properly for many month now and I have no complaints. Just ran across a couple of lemons.

I have had no problems with bursts of pressure at the wrong time. I suggest adjusting the settings on the Dreamstation to mimic the DS560 and see if the issue is still there or disappears. If it disappears, then it sounds like a settings issue. If the pressure bursts are still present, may be a machine problem.

[KSMatthew]

I replaced my previous CPAP with the Dreamstation.

I have a basic constant pressure setting of 7, no flex, nothing fancy. I saw a big difference in AHI numbers the first few nights. There really should not have been anything different from my previous machine: same pressure, no ramp, no flex, nothing. But I got a high number of AHI values for the first 5 days or so. Eventually they leveled out to roughly the same as my old machine (still just a little bit higher). I don't know why it happened that way - maybe the new machine measures AHI events a little differently than the old one (two different manufacturers).

Assuming all settings are the same: In your case, there might be some slight differences in the way your pressures are being adjusted. Maybe you need a few nights to get used to it, and it's possible the machine is "learning" your breathing patterns and maybe it takes a little while for all the averaging to level out.

I'd give it a few days and see what happens.

[Maskup N. Sleepwell]

I have seen different machines measure AHI differently ... sometimes they seem to include CAs in the AHI, sometimes not ...