Any bad experiences with ASV?

Has anyone personally had bad experiences using ASV?

Not bad, but frustrating. I have the older model now five years old. I don't quite fit the parameters of the machine so the first few months were rough. I breathe slowly when awake and the ASV does not like it when people take less than 8 breaths per minute. So it tries desperately to make me breathe faster.

I spent many nights fighting against the ASV until we learned to "dance" together. Five years later I still have an occasional rough night but once I am asleep my breathing speeds up and the ASV is happy.

Bons wrote:... I have the older model now five years old. I don't quite fit the parameters of the machine so the first few months were rough. I breathe slowly when awake and the ASV does not like it when people take less than 8 breaths per minute. So it tries desperately to make me breathe faster. I spent many nights fighting against the ASV until we learned to "dance" together. Five years later I still have an occasional rough night but once I am asleep my breathing speeds up and the ASV is happy.

The model 950 ASV has a parameter that allows the user (in provider mode) to set the breaths per minute (BPM) to a fixed number. Have you looked at the minimums that you get when you end up fighting the machine? As an experiment, you could set the BPM parameter to less than that number and see if the fighting ceases. I'm assuming that you have this parameter set to Auto, as most of us ASV users do.

Now that you mention it, I too remember a time when my machine seemed to be forcing 'air' at me. I tried consciously to slow it down by breathing slowly. That problem has gone away for me. I'm thinking that your machine just needs to learn what your breathing patterns are. Of course, I'm not very technical and the ASV gurus on this forum can advise you. Also, one thing that really helped me was to get rid of the 'ramp' feature. What a relief!

Hi ada,

ada wrote:Has anyone personally had bad experiences using ASV?

No, and to me, it was night and day compare to CPAP/APAP experience and worth every penny so far! Had some problem at first with the really high and fast pressure swing but minor change to pressure resolve that quickly. What kind of "bad" experience do you have?

Bons wrote:I spent many nights fighting against the ASV until we learned to "dance" together. Five years later I still have an occasional rough night but once I am asleep my breathing speeds up and the ASV is happy.

Hi Bons,

Have you looked into JDS74 suggestion it might help you with those occasional rough nights? I'm on a Resmed ASV and never had a problem like that but I tried a Respironics ASV once for a couple of nights and had really hard time falling asleep due to this weird "dance"... Of corse, every one is different but maybe when you'll have to replace your current machine you could try a Resmed before buying to see if it more suit you.

I had a wonderful experience with the ResMed. In the beginning my numbers were 25/23 on a plain machine. I got switched to a ResMed ASV and it didn't feel like a wind storm going thru my mask. I recently had a new ASV Titration and I did not know the DME had switched to an exclusive contract with Respironics! They used the System one to do my repeat titration and when I told them I wanted my ResMed back I was told the numbers on my report could not be converter to the ResMed! I would have to go thru another sleep study to get the right numbers. The DME took my one year old ResMed back and gave me the system one that I hate. I really don't think it works right or the numbers are wrong. I can't even tell there is air coming through right unless I hold my breathe and see if the mask reacts. I don't use the heated tubing as the air comes out too hot as it is. I did put the standard tubing on that I had for the ResMed and changed the tubing size on the machine. I thought the ramp was suppose to slowly go up until it got to the right place and then stay on the higher air flow. My does just the opposite. Any one have any suggestions???

seajay wrote:I can't even tell there is air coming through right unless I hold my breathe and see if the mask reacts. ... I thought the ramp was suppose to slowly go up until it got to the right place and then stay on the higher air flow. My does just the opposite. Any one have any suggestions???

Seajay, I can't address the DME issues. Sorry. I do know how frustrating it can be.

But I thought I would tackle a couple points you make.

First, it's possible the Minimum IPAP and EPAP pressures on your machine might be too low. Ask your DME if they can be increased (or increase them yourself). However, if you must submit your SD card (or your DME monitors your machine) for insurance, then this is not an option. If that's the case, you would need to ask your doctor if the Minimum pressures can be increased.

Second, Respironics offers a "ramp" feature on their newer ASV units. Resmed does not have this "feature". I agree with Resmed on this. Ab ASV units need to be effective at the get go, since many/most people suffer a central apnea as they fall asleep. A "ramp" during that would not allow the ASV unit to properly sustain respiration during the transition to sleep.