[Equipment] Questions about Res-Med AirSense S10

[Shin Ryoku]

Couple questions about Res-Med AirSense S10:

1) I can get a better deal on the "for Her" version than on the black one.  Is there any reason not to go that route?  I am a dude but don't mind having flowers on the design.

2) Can I use it as is without putting water in it, or do I have to take off the humidifier part and buy a cap?


Right now I have a Dreamstation, but I want to buy a Res-Med (cash) to see if the more aggressive titration helps me with my apnea.


Thanks!

[ajack]

I would get the her, you have a choice between 'soft/hard' or whatever setting name it is.

you can turn the humidifier off and leave it plugged in, you can also just put some water in and run it cold for just a little humidity. If I was going to travel without humidity, then I would think about the 'cap'.

you should be able to get the DS to control your apnea, even if it finishes up with a very tight gap/virtually straight CPAP and some people find straight cpap better anyway. Do you want to work with the DS and set it up?

[Gideon]

ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet (best choice) (E0601) (Fixed CPAP, Auto CPAP)
ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her (best choice) (E0601) (Fixed CPAP, Auto CPAP)
The for her version has an additional auto setting and as such has a slight edge. Not enough to demand a significant premium.

[Shin Ryoku]

Thank you both. I ordered the "for her" version because in my case it comes out a few bucks cheaper.

"you should be able to get the DS to control your apnea, even if it finishes up with a very tight gap/virtually straight CPAP and some people find straight cpap better anyway. Do you want to work with the DS and set it up?"

I am new to this and have been gradually upping my pressures. It seems 10 seems to prevent a lot of my obstructive events, but it takes a LOT more pressure when I start to get clusters of obstructive events. I don't like the idea of staying at higher than 15 almost all night. My hope is that that the faster reactions of the ResMed will let me stay at the lower pressures most of the time and also break up some of those clusters.

At any rate, the price I paid is worth it to me to know that I have the best machine for my purposes, even if that turns out to be the DS.

[Sleep2Snore]

There is very little difference in the machine, just a few algorithms to make it slightly easier for a woman to use, however, there is nothing wrong with us guys going for it as well.  In fact, when I was upgraded lately I was offered both for her and for him machines.  Don't know what that says about me?  

Enjoy your machine, I think you will like it.

[Walla Walla]

Shin Ryoku,
I looked at your chart on your other thread. It looks like your pressure may need to be set around 14 cm. Using the ResMed Air Sense for her won't change the pressure needed. But since you've already ordered one here's something to remember. The Air Sense has two auto sets. The auto set for her Caps the EPAP at 12cm. So if you require a higher pressure you want to use the normal auto set mode.

Also you talk about clusters of OA's. A lot of times the use of a soft cervical collar helps remove those clusters by preventing your chin from tucking down and cutting off your airway.

Good luck with the new machine.

[TBMx]

this is very confusing for me.
I was under the impression that with the latest US firmware every AirSense 10 AutoSet has the the "normal" AutoSet-Mode with the 2 responses and also the For-Her-Mode?
Meaning: the actual For-Her-device differs only in coloring.

Is this no longer the case - or maybe never was the case at all?
(the latest european firmware however does NOT enable the For-Her-Mode on the normal AutoSet - thus RERA-reporting only only the actual For-Her-Device)

The auto set for her Caps the EPAP at 12cm. So if you require a higher pressure you want to use the normal auto set mode.

that is not correct - as stated in the (clinical) manual for the For-Her-Mode.
In the For-Her mode the device only RESPONDS to obstructive Apneas until 12cmH2O - it reacts however still to flowlimitations (and I'm unsure about RERAs - but I suppose it reacts to those as well above 12cmH2O)
And in For-Her-Mode it raises the minimum pressure for that session if 2 OAs occur within short range (I believe 1 or 2 minutes) - the minimum pressure should than be the resulting pressure after the 2nd OA (but you better look that up, if you want to know that exactly)

All in all your pressure will be much higher with the ResMed - compared to Philips - as ResMed mainly responds to flowlimitations. For-Her produces an overall lower pressure-need as the normal AutoSet-algorithm would produce.

I spare you the details about what or what little ResMed flags as events - just know that you will be seeing much less events (as compared to nearly every other brand) - this does not mean, that they are not there.

[Sleep2Snore]

If this was the case I would not have been offered it as I had a pressure of 18?
Humm!  It does go up to 20 but it is a bit confusing.
Manual says:

Obstructive apnea
An obstructive apnea is when the
upper airway becomes severely limited or completely obstructed.
AutoSet generally prevents obstructive apneas from
occurring by responding to flow limitation and
snoring. If an obstructive apnea occurs, the device will respond by increasing pressure.
Central apnea
During a central apnea, the airway will remain open, but there is no flow. When a central apnea is
detected, the device responds appropr
iately by not increasing pressure.
AutoSet for Her mode
AutoSet for Her mode is based on key aspects of ResMed’s AutoSet algorithm and delivers
therapeutic responses tailored to the ch
aracteristics of female OSA patients.
The AutoSet for Her is similar to ResMed’s Auto
Set algorithm with the
following modifications:

Reduced rate of pressure increments designed to help prevent arousals.

Slower pressure decays.

Treats apneas up to 12 cm HO and continues to respond to flow limitation and snore up to
20 cm H2O.

This might be a problem if your pressure is higher than 12?    
Why would they cap it at that, it appears crazy to do that?
I was told it just dropped pressure a bit slower!
Someone at the clinic I go to needs to study the manual a bit closer me thinks!

[Walla Walla]

TBMx, I stand corrected on my wording about caps at 12cm.

Thanks

[Shin Ryoku]

Shin Ryoku,
                  I looked at  your chart on your other thread. It looks like your pressure may need to be set around 14 cm. Using the ResMed Air Sense for her won't change the pressure needed. But since you've already ordered one here's something to remember. The Air Sense has two auto sets. The auto set for her Caps the EPAP at 12cm. So if you require a higher pressure you want to use the normal auto set mode.

Also you talk about clusters of OA's. A lot of times the use of a soft cervical collar helps remove those clusters by preventing your chin from tucking down and cutting off your airway.

Good luck with the new machine.

Thanks, Walla Walla.  Last night I used 12-15, spent much of the night at 15, and still has as many OAs as I showed with the lower pressures in that other thread.  Also, I sewed some tennis balls onto the back of my shirt to prevent sleeping on my back, which someone said was also a potential cause of OAs.  A little frustrated.

I will try a cervical collar too.  Is there one that you recommend?  I'm starting to look pretty crazy to my wife - mask, chin strap, tennis balls, now a collar too.  LOL.