Number Settings on my new Auto Set?

[ShelaghDB]

Ooops I have climate control set to 80F.....actually thats where it was automatically set. Is that a tad on the warm side?


EDIT:

NM i posted that as the last one was showing up and I see 80 is fine after all..


Thanks for everyone's help.
I see I have a few more adjustments to make

[ShelaghDB]

Thanks SleepyDC, I hope to, that's for sure.

Ok, THINK i got it all, other than a few here people have warned me of.

So I turned SLEEP QUALITY on but then I noticed SMARTSTART which is off, but I didnt know what that was for so I left it off. I will have the full manual emailed to me within a day or two and then I can read up on these settings better I hope.

[SleepyDreamCatcher]

Thanks SleepyDC, I hope to, that's for sure.

Ok, THINK i got it all, other than a few here people have warned me of.

So I turned SLEEP QUALITY on but then I noticed SMARTSTART which is off, but I didnt know what that was for so I left it off. I will have the full manual emailed to me within a day or two and then I can read up on these settings better I hope.

SmartStart "ON" let's you start the air blowing by breathing through your mask once it is hooked up to your hose. When you take your mask off it stops automatically after a few seconds.... It needs to figure out that you have unmasked rather than having an apnea event.

I really like this feature and have it on. That way I can do all my adjustments to the mask in bed without needing to get up again to turn the machine on. I just clip the short hose into the main hose, start breathing and am ready for the night.

[vsheline]

As for why the AutoSet, beside being full data capable machine, the Autoset can also be used either as straight CPAP or auto-PAP (two machines in one)

That confuses me each time I hear it.
So let me get this straight.......I am now setting it up as a auto-Pap, correct?
If so WHY on earth would someone want it to be a straight CPAP? Isn't that what the Escape was?

There are two S9 Escape models, the standard S9 Escape and the Escape Auto. Neither is considered data capable. Both report nightly hrs of use. The Escape Auto also reports nightly AHI.

The S9 Escape Auto has two modes, fixed-pressure "CPAP" mode and an Auto mode using the old (not "Enhanced") AutoSet Algorithm.

The S9 AutoSet also has two modes, fixed pressure "CPAP" mode, plus an Auto mode using the Enhanced AutoSet Algorithm, which distinguishes between obstructive versus central apneas and does a better job setting an appropriate pressure than the S9 Escape Auto.

In both CPAP and AutoSet modes the S9 AutoSet records lots and lots of data. The AutoSet, when operating in fixed-pressure mode, is not like an S9 Escape. Instead it is like the fully data-capable (but fixed-pressure) S9 Elite.

Start Pressure: 4.0 it was already set at this number, albeit a brand new machine so I figured it knew something I didn't but if that is wrong, do let me know

This setting controls the start pressure for the ramp function. Because you are used to a CPAP pressure of 13 or 14, you will want to turn the Start Pressure up to 8 or higher. Otherwise you will suffer the slightly suffocated feeling reported by Retired Guy and SleepyDC.

EPR: OFF
EPR Level: OFF

I suggest turning EPR to Full Time (not on only during Ramp period) and setting EPR Level to PATIENT. That way you will be able to adjust it from the normal User menus, without needing to go back into the secret Clinician's Settings area.

I think most people prefer to have EPR turned ON. If you haven't used EPR before, I suggest trying a setting if 1 for one night. If you like it, try a setting of 2 the next night. If you like that, try a setting of 3 the next night.

It asked me about everything and being reminded in 6 months for new masks etc but even for SD Cards, it needs a new one every 6 months? Can that be right? SD cards can last for months upon months

The SD Card reminder is intended to remind the patient to mail the SD card to the Clinician for review of the data, not for replacement with a new SD card.

When set to AutoSet ramp always starts at a pressure of 4. I think that's poorly designed, but no one asked me about it when they were designing this model

The starting pressure for the ramp is adjustable. (See above.)

Take care,
--- Vaughn
.

[SleepyDreamCatcher]

Start Pressure: 4.0 it was already set at this number, albeit a brand new machine so I figured it knew something I didn't but if that is wrong, do let me know

This setting controls the start pressure for the ramp function. Because you are used to a CPAP pressure of 13 or 14, you will want to turn the Start Pressure up to 8 or higher. Otherwise you will suffer the slightly suffocated feeling reported by Retired Guy.

When set to AutoSet ramp always starts at a pressure of 4. I think that's poorly designed, but no one asked me about it when they were designing this model

The starting pressure for the ramp is adjustable. (See above.)

Take care,
--- Vaughn
.

Vaughn,

I wasn't precise enough when I typed that. I should have said, "when set to APAP" rather than "when set to AutoSet."

When I have my AutoSet in CPAP mode I can adjust the start level of the ramp function. When I change it to APAP mode I can still use ramp, but I am no longer able to adjust the beginning ramp level. I can click on it to turn it orange, but turning the dial doesn't change the the pressure level. I see that you are using a VPAP. Did ResMed change this so that you can choose where to set the ramp start pressure?

I still don't understand why ResMed would keep the ramp fixed at a pressure of 4 at start up when in APAP mode. So many of the posters who are used to higher pressures say they feel suffocated at that pressure.

[ShelaghDB]

Ok, I am going to have to read and abs some of the messages left so far, above this post and compare to the settings I have done as of last night.

Whatever I did, it wasn't right...LOL. I had the worst sleep.

Bear in mind that with the S9 Escape, I never felt claustrophobic or that i was suffocating but last night, I found the pressure too much and for the first time using a Nasal Mask, I had dry mouth which I never had before using it on the ESCAPE.


I had the setting on 11-15 whereas the fixed on the the ESCAPE was either 13 or 14 ( have to double check what it was)

I woke up several times with a somewhat suffocating like feeling. I think, but am not positive, when that happened, I opened my mouth and as soon as I did that, it seemed to shoot air down my stomach, I think?
I was still half asleep so I am not positive but suffice it to say I did not sleep right through the night as i have been doing most nights on the Escape

Anyhow, here are my uploaded SleepyHead Software screenshots none of which yet make any sense to me











I found loading up the SleepyHead Software to handle the readings from t he card odd. A screenshot there will show that as I tried to import data, everything was greyed out. I assumed it was not working.
I hit on something, but mistake, so no idea what I did click on and suddenly, what you sees in that shot was imported.
So not sure what one is supposed to normally click on to import the data?

[retired_guy]

What were most of your events? OA or CA? Your ahi is off the charts, so I'm betting (don't win these all that often these days) that you are experiencing a lot of CA's. If that's the case, turn the EPR off and have another go at it tonight with the same pressure settings.

Ok.. I see the CA vs OA chart now. That's a fair amount of both, but I'm inclined to think you should turn the epr off tonight anyhow and try it again.

[ShelaghDB]

Im not familiar with the all the lingo yet


Don't yet know what AHI stands for......

So CAs are Central Apnea?
And if so, what does the EPR have to do with it? And why turn it off?


Sorry but you understand this looking at it, I don't, plus then am dealing with terms like AHI which doesn't mean anything to me yet.........and CA i believe one type of apnea result?

I sleep ONLY on my back if that helps explain why my numbers might be hight but since i don't what the numbers are you speak of, I was awakened many time due to feeling uncomfortable from pressure being too high i think.........funnily enough at 3am it was very clear to me but now I barely remember what was wrong.

I requested and received the manual for this machine late last night. I will have to find time to read it today to become familiar with all these terms, what they mean, etc.
YES i COULD just put the numbers where i am told to put them and not question why but I do need to know why so I apologize asking everyone to explain to me what something or other means.

I don't know anyone with Sleep apnea, and/or that knows anything about it that i can ask!

So sorry if I ask a zillion questions

[ShelaghDB]

Ok, I see CA events means CLEAR AIRWAY where we just stop breathing rather than having an obstruction......if that is correct.

I think that this is going to be a lot more complicated than I gave it credit LOL
All I know is that I slept better on the ESCAPE than last night, by a long shot but the whole point of this machine, besides being able to read data was to have a variable pressure range. I see it will be a bit more difficult to figure out the optimal range for myself than I gave credit.

/goes to read manual


/just concerned for I have good reason, I believe, to distrust the sleep study reading.......the first he said was a mistake and he didn't bother with those

sent me for a second and they could not find a mask for me without severe leakage...only the very first hour, with the first mask, until it started leaking, did I sleep naturally.
The poor technican was beside herself and came into my room 3x to almost plead with me that she needed an extra hour at least in order to give a reading for that night. But each time she gave me a new mask, she had to tape them onto my face so tightly i ended up with a headache, something i never get.
I always sleep on my back so she came into test me on my side and the mask leaked like crazy so i lay there and don't believe I fell asleep for about 45 mins and then i finally gave up and wanted up.
She apologized for they only had FF masks there and as a mouth breather none of them was working for me but they didn't have any other style to try so I have never been confident to begin with, that they got an accurate set of readings........and i just hope i am not flying blind

[retired_guy]

Your questions are just great! Just take things a little slow until we get all this stuff figured out. Yes, your pressure is bouncing off your max roof, but I think leave it alone for a day or two. Turn off the EPR.

The back sleeping is probably your problem. If you cannot sleep on your side, can you at least prop up your side of the bed a fair amount? That should help a lot.

Before treatment, I never slept on my back because of the apnea events. I only slept on my side. Now I do both and it's great to be able to flop around a bit. You can get there too, but let's take it a little at a time.

OK... Tonight: Epr off, no other changes to the machine. See how that goes. Sleep propped up a bit. Then we'll talk in the morning..

Isn't this a strange little world? "how was it for you last night?" -- "Oh just wonderful.... and you?" Where have I heard that before?