02-02-2017, 02:59 PM
Un-happy face sleep report
Experience: 18 years with CPAP at 15 cmH2O setting after Uvulopalatopharyngopalsty (UP3) surgery, full face mask with 10 foot hose and three clinical sleep studies. I use my machine every night and average more than eight (8) hours per sleep session.
I replaced my second machine, a ResMed S8, with a new ResMed Aircurve 10 Vauto last week and I was looking for some way to get rid of the un-happy face displayed on the sleep report for the mask seal. Since I started using the Bi-PAP with the lower pressure on exhale, I have not had a major mask leak (blowout). I have long suspected the added pressure of exhaling plus the constant pressure of 15 cmH2O from the CPAP was blowing the soft edges of the face mask seal outward, causing a leak and a lot of noise. The new machine came to me configured and set by the DME to 8 ccH2O minimum and 13 cmH2O maximum, as per my latest 2014 sleep study. The face to face with the new DME was with me using my 10 foot hose, since they did not have one in stock when I picked up the machine. These new pressures seemed to me to be too much pressure on inhaling and too little pressure on exhaling, compared to the ResMed S8's constant pressure. My sleep study doctor reported that I could not tolerate pressures greater than 13 cmH2O, even though I clearly have been at 15 cmH2O on two different CPAP machines for the past 16 years. I also noticed I was snoring a little (while still awake) on exhaling. I prefer a long hose, having pulled my machine off the bed side table more than once with the six foot hose, so I use the ten foot hose. The DME knew this because I told her and it is listed on the paperwork; “patient requests 10 foot hose”. I decided to check the hose type setting in the secret menu and found it was indeed set to slim line hose (6 feet), the wrong type hose. The slim line hose with its smaller diameter has a much smaller volume compared to the standard size 6 foot tubing, then add 33 percent increase for the 10 feet length. After I changed the setting to the correct hose setting, the resulting pressures are much more pleasant. I could not believe the difference. I am pretty sure the data for the first five days may very well be skewed because the machine was calibrated for the wrong hose. I had tried a new Bi-PAP two years ago but gave up after 72 hours because of these new wild pressures. I found my self hyperventilating, and waking up with my heart pounding. So after trying to work the S9 problem with the DME, I was told the technician required an appointment and the closest was two more weeks out. I returned the ResMed S9 and paid the month's rent, went back to my ResMed Escape S8; that is, until the S8's motor froze up on December 18th , 2016. The wild pressures on the new ResMed Aircurve 10 were the same as the pressures I experienced on that ResMed S9 back in 2014 before I changed the hose type configuration; but I had no choice, I was determined to use the new Bi-PAP machine and force myself to acclimate to the new pressures. I had been using my old Respironics Solo LX for the last forty-nine days and thankful it still works. Thank goodness that DME is no longer my provider. That company was bought out by another national DME provider back in December 2016. But when I requested a Medicare compliance report from my S8's memory chip from them, they told me they could not touch my machine until my AHP records were transferred and that I would have to wait. So guess what; I am not using them either since my Medicare advantage insurance company allowed me to use someone else. After all, it is my machine and my data, not theirs. The Aircurve 10 uses a standard memory card that I can read and upload via the card reader in my Dell computer and with the ResMed software link found on this site, I am up and running with my own reports. Love it!
I am still getting the red un-happy face for mask seal, and I am using a new hose and mask. But with my 18 years experience, I am sure the mask is fine and only leaking a little around the hose swivel connection and valve assembly, as always. Is there a mask seal threshold setting in the secret menu? Before I changed the setting, the only way I could get a happy face when running the mask fit adjust test was to disconnect the hose from the mask and completely close off the hose with my hand. Any ideas will be welcome. Joe
I replaced my second machine, a ResMed S8, with a new ResMed Aircurve 10 Vauto last week and I was looking for some way to get rid of the un-happy face displayed on the sleep report for the mask seal. Since I started using the Bi-PAP with the lower pressure on exhale, I have not had a major mask leak (blowout). I have long suspected the added pressure of exhaling plus the constant pressure of 15 cmH2O from the CPAP was blowing the soft edges of the face mask seal outward, causing a leak and a lot of noise. The new machine came to me configured and set by the DME to 8 ccH2O minimum and 13 cmH2O maximum, as per my latest 2014 sleep study. The face to face with the new DME was with me using my 10 foot hose, since they did not have one in stock when I picked up the machine. These new pressures seemed to me to be too much pressure on inhaling and too little pressure on exhaling, compared to the ResMed S8's constant pressure. My sleep study doctor reported that I could not tolerate pressures greater than 13 cmH2O, even though I clearly have been at 15 cmH2O on two different CPAP machines for the past 16 years. I also noticed I was snoring a little (while still awake) on exhaling. I prefer a long hose, having pulled my machine off the bed side table more than once with the six foot hose, so I use the ten foot hose. The DME knew this because I told her and it is listed on the paperwork; “patient requests 10 foot hose”. I decided to check the hose type setting in the secret menu and found it was indeed set to slim line hose (6 feet), the wrong type hose. The slim line hose with its smaller diameter has a much smaller volume compared to the standard size 6 foot tubing, then add 33 percent increase for the 10 feet length. After I changed the setting to the correct hose setting, the resulting pressures are much more pleasant. I could not believe the difference. I am pretty sure the data for the first five days may very well be skewed because the machine was calibrated for the wrong hose. I had tried a new Bi-PAP two years ago but gave up after 72 hours because of these new wild pressures. I found my self hyperventilating, and waking up with my heart pounding. So after trying to work the S9 problem with the DME, I was told the technician required an appointment and the closest was two more weeks out. I returned the ResMed S9 and paid the month's rent, went back to my ResMed Escape S8; that is, until the S8's motor froze up on December 18th , 2016. The wild pressures on the new ResMed Aircurve 10 were the same as the pressures I experienced on that ResMed S9 back in 2014 before I changed the hose type configuration; but I had no choice, I was determined to use the new Bi-PAP machine and force myself to acclimate to the new pressures. I had been using my old Respironics Solo LX for the last forty-nine days and thankful it still works. Thank goodness that DME is no longer my provider. That company was bought out by another national DME provider back in December 2016. But when I requested a Medicare compliance report from my S8's memory chip from them, they told me they could not touch my machine until my AHP records were transferred and that I would have to wait. So guess what; I am not using them either since my Medicare advantage insurance company allowed me to use someone else. After all, it is my machine and my data, not theirs. The Aircurve 10 uses a standard memory card that I can read and upload via the card reader in my Dell computer and with the ResMed software link found on this site, I am up and running with my own reports. Love it!
I am still getting the red un-happy face for mask seal, and I am using a new hose and mask. But with my 18 years experience, I am sure the mask is fine and only leaking a little around the hose swivel connection and valve assembly, as always. Is there a mask seal threshold setting in the secret menu? Before I changed the setting, the only way I could get a happy face when running the mask fit adjust test was to disconnect the hose from the mask and completely close off the hose with my hand. Any ideas will be welcome. Joe
