turn apap off or leave on?

Poisson · Post by **Poisson** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:14 am

If you remove the mask and get out of bed for a few minutes, is it better to turn the apap off or simply leave it running?

From looking at last night's data, I'm thinking that leaving it running not only fools the software into thinking that there is a massive leak, but also that apneas are occurring while the mask is off.

--Bob

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:29 am

I turn mine off. If you have a machine with an integrated humidifier that turns off with the machine but not on with the machine (#@$* Remstar) remember to turn the humidifier back on.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:41 am

I guess there are pros and cons either way. As you said, Poisson, it will register a large leak if you take the mask off and leave it running.

I leave mine on if I have to take the mask off for a few minutes. I'd rather see a large leak spike on the data graph and not have the single "night" data broken up into sections. Also...not sure about this, but I wonder if stopping the machine and turning it back on would make it start a settling time again. Would the period of time after an autopap is turned on have to be done over again while it gathers or samples our breathing pattern to get a "fix", so to speak, on how to handle our breathing. I don't know if it has to do that all over again after a fairly brief off and back on. I'm not speaking of "ramp" or anything like that.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:58 am

Hi Rested Gal,

Registering a large leak doesn't bother me, because it's quite apparent from the chart when the mask was removed. I was also leaving my apap on while leaving bed for a minute because I also didn't like the single night data broken up into sections. However, last night it said that I had 6 apneas. When I look at the detailed record for apneas, I see only 2 vertical bars: a thin one earlier in the night and a thick vertical bar that appears to coincide with the time the mask was removed.

This leads me to worry that my apap was detecting apneas while the mask was removed. Although I don't mind the apap detecting leaks while the mask was removed, I'm a little more concerned about distortions on the number of apneas.

I have no idea if the "settling time" is done over again; however, I wouldn't be surprised if it is since there is that 15 minute gap (at least with the 420e) that seems to re-occur each time the machine is re-started.

--Bob

rested gal wrote:I guess there are pros and cons either way. As you said, Poisson, it will register a large leak if you take the mask off and leave it running.

I leave mine on if I have to take the mask off for a few minutes. I'd rather see a large leak spike on the data graph and not have the single "night" data broken up into sections. Also...not sure about this, but I wonder if stopping the machine and turning it back on would make it start a settling time again. Would the period of time after an autopap is turned on have to be done over again while it gathers or samples our breathing pattern to get a "fix", so to speak, on how to handle our breathing. I don't know if it has to do that all over again after a fairly brief off and back on. I'm not speaking of "ramp" or anything like that.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:11 am

r g & Bob,

I have not had the machine split the night in two. I just get a slight gap in the data lines (less than a 1/16"). I assume it does not reset the settling time otherwise there would be a larger gap in time on the data. Either way leaving my machine on with the air blasting out of the mask would wake up my wife, so I would turn it off anyway.

snoozin' · Post by **snoozin'** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 9:19 am

I have the RemStar Auto w/c-flex. I have been turning it off when I get up in the middle of the night, and haven't had any problems. It shows the night as one night, with a little break when turned off. It doesn't seem to "restart" the pattern or anything, as long as the break is only for a few minutes. I haven't had any long breaks, like an hour or so, since I started using this machine. Also, I haven't gotten up at all during the night for the past few nights, so most of my data is from the first week or so.
Debbie

SleepyGuy · Post by **SleepyGuy** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:30 pm

I have an Autoset Spirit. If you turn it off and then back on, it starts settling again.

Mikesus · Post by **Mikesus** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 5:07 pm

If you stop and restart a Remstar Auto w/cflex it does "start over" so to speak. I can verify this because I had to do so and the pressure was reading 9.5 After restarting, it fell back to my original 8.5 pressure and took a while to build back up again.

sthnreb · Post by **sthnreb** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 5:43 pm

I just purchased the bi-pap pro II. I set it to auto off. The auto on works great, 3 or 4 breath cycles and it will start up. The auto off is something else. I hoped it would turn off and then back on when putting the mask back on. Nope. It runs blowing for about 2 minutes and then the alert beeper goes off. The machine does turn off auto but you have to manually turn off the beeper. So I guess it is best to cut it off and back on, remembering to restart the humidifier too. I've been using the bi-pap pro for 3 yrs now. Just ordered the software too.

derek · Post by **derek** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:05 pm

Mucker,
If I had one design improvement to suggest to Respironics it would be to have the humidifier reset to the state that it was in when the machine was turned off. I find it a real nuisance when you use the auto-on feature to restart in the middle of the night, and then have to remember to reach over and turn the humidifier on manually while in a semi-conscious state.

I suppose they are worried about having the tank run dry.

derek

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Resmed AirCurve 10 VAuto BiLevel with HumidAir

turn apap off or leave on?

turn apap off or leave on?

Respironics humidifier