First Night with CPAP.. some questions

[tierdal]

Hey. I just got my CPAP (Dreamstation APAP). I got a nasal pillow. My AHI was 60 when I got tested.

I used it last night and it felt like I have to breath extra hard out my nose to avoid being suffocated, breathing out was straining and made it hard to get to sleep...is this normal?

I woke up this morning and I didnt feel like "10 years younger a clouds been lifted" but I guess... I did actually wake up after 8 hours and didnt sleep 14 hours...and don't feel AS tired as usual...so I guess thats a good thing. Kinda dissapointed it wasn't more night and day as I'd read other peoples experiences were like waking up from a living nightmare. Can I expect this to improve?

Lastly- my machine isn't showing me any data. I don't see my AHI or Apnea events or anything. Where is this located? did the manufacturer disable it?

Side Rant: The ability to spy on you and disable features on your machine is super f*cked by these companies and I have no idea why it isnt a hippa violation.

[Sleeprider]

What we need to find out is what model CPAP you got. There is a bottom of the line Dreamstation that does not give data. If I could pursuade you to return your CPAP and get the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset, you'd be amazed at the difference. That's the problem when someone comes to the forum and says, "Hey I just got my CPAP". That is why the article "CPAP Machine Choices" is linked at the top of this forum http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...ew-machine If you had the misfortune of being dispensed a Dreamstation CPAP Plus DSX200, then you're screwed for data. Read the wiki http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_choices

With one day in, you may be able to swap for something useful. When you go in uninformed, you are just adding to the profit margin.

[tierdal]

My choice was Dreamstation or Resmed. Thats it. There was no choice. I am all for sticking it to these greedy shitbag money grubbing a-holes..but I was giving a shoping list to choose from.

Why resmed? I can change it out for like 30 days. But how do I know it wont just be a crap bottom of the line resmed? What is the difference?

If I am correct it looks like a REF: DSX500H11C ? so a DSX500? Is this a crap machine? do I return for a resmed?

[Sleeprider]

You got the auto CPAP so you can use the OSCAR software. You will need a SD card if not already equipped. If you have the choice of Resmed, the Wiki discusses why we consider the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset the top of the CPAP line. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_choices The Philips is not just slow to respond to CPAP events, it is completely reactive rather than preventive. This is built into the auto algorithm and the only mitigation is to set the Philips minimum pressure higher. The Resmed detects flow limitation and that is normally what can be detected before a hypopnea or apnea occurs. As a result it prevents the event from ever happening, so AHI is consistently lower with Resmed. While the Philips offers Flex to ease pressure during exhale, it is a momentary reduction of pressure up to 2-cm and CPAP pressure returns before inhale begins. The Resmed uses a true bilevel pressure with up to 3-cm difference between inhale and exhale. The increase of pressure for inhale begins when you start to inhale, so the increase of pressure is true "pressure support" just like a BiPAP. It fills in behind your inspiratory effort making inhale easier and helping to treat things like flow limitation, RERA and hypopnea. It works and a majority of members prefer this machine. You can find both views in this recent thread http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...am-Station

Download OSCAR so you have the software. Be sure you have a SD card and we can look at some charts and help evaluate yourtherapy and offer specific suggestions. If you have a standing offer to swap for an Autoset, that's what I would do. You can learn a lot from the clinician manual. You can get clinician manuals for your Philips Dreamstation Auto and Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset and compare here https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p...tup-manual I think the quality of those manuals, and the machine features should speak for themselves.

[tierdal]

What do I need to ask the DME scammer person to ensure its a good Resmed? Cause all they say is Dreamstation and Airsense.


I was ab le to enter into diagnostics mode and it said my AHIU was 1.9 last night down from 60 from my test.

Speaking of breathing out... is it supposed to be this difficult? Is it better with a full mask or nose mask vs a nasal pillow? It feels like I really have to exHALE HARD and it kiunda sucks and makes falling asleep difficult.

[Rich66]

Is it supposed to be this difficult to breath out??  Yes, when you're new at it.  Maybe some adjustments need to be done, or a different machine needs to be used.  I found the original CPAP machine they tried with me was so bad for exhaling that they switched me to a more upgrade machine.
When I first started, I thought the doctor was monitoring me, and the DME was monitoring me.  NEITHER was monitoring me.  I switched DME's, and the new one isn't monitoring me either.  But they all want you to believe they're being so helpful.
The best help you're going to get is to download OSCAR (as Sleeprider suggested) and the knowledgeable people on here will be glad to help you.  Read how to post views of your results -- helping them helps you.
I switched from Respironics and have gone with Resmed -- the quality improvement is noticeable.  But it seems most DME's are terrible at being any actual help.  And fyi, after four machines, my old DME settled on a machine that worked pretty good -- so they let me keep that machine.  They didn't bother to tell me it was an outdated machine (but they got paid for it).  They were more interested in their profit than my health.

[tierdal]

Ya these institutions are utter garbage. Trust nothing they say ever.

Ill see about switching. How do I know what is "too much preasure" when breathing out? It just felt like i had to take deeper breaths, and that my automatic breating wouldnt take over and I had to think about it. And a few times at night I felt like I w as suffocating and had the take the mask off to breath.

Also what makes Resmed so better? strange I didnt read about this in anything i read before hand, theyt said dreamstation and resmed were basically the same

[Gideon]

Why ResMed?  We get this all the time

The AutoSet is sooo much more capable.

ResMed AutoSet Dreamstation Auto comparison
Why ResMed?
1. Faster algorithmic response to events than PR.
2. ResMed Responds to Flow Limits
   PR responds to Snores
3. Lower average pressure (PR require a higher pressure to ward off obstructive events)
4. Better to avoid Aerophagia.
5. Flex is not the same as EPR
6. EPR provides for better treatment of hypopneas, RERAs, Flow Limits, UARS, and snores
7. EPR acts like a BiLevel up to a limit of 3cmw (1,2, or 3cmw) and a max pressure of 20 cmw
8. EPR follows your breathing whereas Flex predicts it with a feeling of fighting to get a breath when it predicts incorrectly
9. More flexibility in treating a greater variety of Apneas and respiratory events.
10. In general ResMed provides better therapy.
I have frequently told many DreamStation users that they need to get either the ReaMed AutoSet or BiLevel to get better therapy.

FYI I just added this to the bottom of the selection Wiki (http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_choices)

[staceyburke]

The ResMed has EPR(exhale relief pressure) which makes breathing out a little easier. You did not put in what pressures you are using. But for example —

Min 8
Max 20
Epr 3

Would make the pressure on inhale is 8 cm on exhale 5cm. You subtract the EPR from the min.  The EPR can be set 1, 2 or 3. And makes exhale easier. 

But there can be problems with it - increase in centrals. That is why you need to download and use OSCAR. Without OSCARyou have no idea what is really happening.

[OpalRose]

tierdal,
Write this down and hand it to the DME.  

ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet

And to answer your question above... No, it shouldn't be hard to breathe out. We will help you get your pressures set to what is optimal for you. Using the EPR (Expiratory Pressure Relief) setting will help greatly when exhaling.

And don't forget to get an SD card.