Forced Air Flow Changes in New Machine

I'm not sure how to title this post, but I was using the sub-standard brick (PR System One 220) until I found out from the forums that it is does not record full data. Yesterday, after several calls, the DME supplier switched the machine for the PR System One Flex C+ so I would have some info for the doctor to evaluate at my appointment next week. The problem is I can't use it. The air coming out of the tube is twice as loud and forceful as the first machine for some reason. The rep. was only in my house for under one minute--explained nothing--dropped the new one off and said see 'ya. I had to check the book because they didn't even bother to set it up to match my old settings. Anyway, I was able to wear it alright, but after I woke up an hour or so later I felt really bad. My heart was racing and I was shaky.
I didn't use it for the rest of the night and am afraid of using it again tonight.
This is not the right therapy for me, as I believe I have opiate-induced apnea (on morphine therapy for 14 years), but I just need it to prove to the sleep doctor that straight CPAP does not work for me. In fact, I feel worse using it.

I would appreciate any thoughts on why the air flow is so much more forceful and louder (when mask is off). I put the pressure setting to 2, which is right in the middle. My titration is same as before at 12. Thanks.

Hi S, I've been involved in your other thread on the ASAA forum (the ASAA forum seems to be down a lot lately). I'm glad you found this forum too.

I don't know why the new machine would feel so different at the same pressure setting. You were at 12 cm on the old machine?

Instead of not using the machine at all tonight, what about lowering the pressure a little and looking at the report tomorrow? If you are indeed having opiate-induced centrals, pressure is not going to treat those anyway. If some of your apnea is obstructive then lowering the pressure may allow some of those apneas to occur, but it seems better to me right now that you use the machine at a lower pressure so that you can start getting some data, rather than not using the machine at all.

Will you be downloading software so you can look more closely at your data?

Hello again, I'm so glad I posted this here and you found me. I really need some help with this and Advanced Oxy-Med is a nightmare outfit in my personal opinion. I had to call three times yesterday before someone called me back and he was of no help. Yes, I was at 12 on the old PR 220, and it literally was about half the force of this machine. My husband even noticed the noise level when I took off the mask to get up during the night was twice as loud. I can't understand it.

I agree with you about lowering the pressure, but I can't seem to do it. There is a "C flex + demo" that you can try at 1, 2, or 3. No matter what number I choose, the air pressure seems the same. I haven't used the machine at all since the night I received it (Thursday), so I know I'm not compliant, but the worst part is not having any data to give the doctor this Friday. I was physically sick and stayed in bed most of yesterday from not sleeping. At least with the old machine I was able to get into a deep sleep, even though it was only for an hour or two at a time. Without it, I can't get past level two sleep without medication. I am going to try and nap after I finish this post for an hour or so with the machine and try again.

I just can't understand why the air force is so much greater and why I had that reaction. As for downloading the software, I don't know how that works, but I think you need a smartphone, right?
In which case, I am out of luck at the moment. Thanks so much. ~S

You don't need a smartphone, the software goes on your computer (or laptop). SleepyHead software will work: http://sleepfiles.com/SH/index.html?TestingVersions People here will help you if you have questions about getting it installed and uploading the data from your machine's SD card.

There's a link in my signature box to a brief video tutorial on the PR machines (last video on that page). It shows you how to get into the menus including the clinicial menu where pressure can be changed.

perchancetodream7 wrote:Hello again, I'm so glad I posted this here and you found me. I really need some help with this and Advanced Oxy-Med is a nightmare outfit in my personal opinion. I had to call three times yesterday before someone called me back and he was of no help. Yes, I was at 12 on the old PR 220, and it literally was about half the force of this machine. My husband even noticed the noise level when I took off the mask to get up during the night was twice as loud. I can't understand it.

I agree with you about lowering the pressure, but I can't seem to do it. There is a "C flex + demo" that you can try at 1, 2, or 3. No matter what number I choose, the air pressure seems the same. I haven't used the machine at all since the night I received it (Thursday), so I know I'm not compliant, but the worst part is not having any data to give the doctor this Friday. I was physically sick and stayed in bed most of yesterday from not sleeping. At least with the old machine I was able to get into a deep sleep, even though it was only for an hour or two at a time. Without it, I can't get past level two sleep without medication. I am going to try and nap after I finish this post for an hour or so with the machine and try again.

I just can't understand why the air force is so much greater and why I had that reaction. As for downloading the software, I don't know how that works, but I think you need a smartphone, right?
In which case, I am out of luck at the moment. Thanks so much. ~S

you need to download sleepyhead (see below) and read the data, it will also tell you what your machine is set to.

make sure that you have the right hose setting, what kind of hose are you using? is it one of the heated hoses?

also, it's impossible for your machine to have twice the pressure your old one had, (the machine only goes up to 20).

and, the noise that it makes when you take the mask off means nothing, the machine is trying to reach it's target pressure, and when you take the mask off, it tries as hard as possible, blowing as much as possible, in an effort to pressureize the air.... which is impossible with the mask off.) as soon as you put the mask on and it starts building up the pressure, the blower slows down to maintain the set pressure.

palerider wrote:and, the noise that it makes when you take the mask off means nothing

He's right Perchance. Turn the machine off before you take the mask off and on the other hand, don't turn the machine on until you are wearing the mask.

An incorrect hose setting has been found to be the culprit in a similar complaint. Make sure you check that.

Nick Danger wrote:An incorrect hose setting has been found to be the culprit in a similar complaint. Make sure you check that.

I said that!

I'd bought a craigslist machine, and it was set to factory defaults, (slimline hose), I put my regular hose and a mask on it, and thought "man! this thing's broken!! it's way more pressure than I'm used to!" then I remembered the hose setting, and it felt 'right' after that.

palerider wrote:I said that!

See, nobody reads your posts.

Did you check the hose setting?

Midnight Strangler wrote:

palerider wrote:I said that!

See, nobody reads your posts.

case in point.

Hi all. I am wiped out. I just watched the video tutorial and am confused about a few things. Hose setting...? The tubing is set at 22, which is, I'm assuming, what I have. You can change it to 15, but they say 22 is the standard. Is that what you mean? But, then there's "tubing type lock--" should that be on or off?
It's a C flex +, which is different from the video (A flex +). There is an option for Auto IQ mode, but I don't know what that is.

Palerider, that makes sense about the noise and the machine trying to pressurize the air with the mask off--I should probably have thought of that. The tubing is not heated.

I'm going to try it again tonight, very soon, and see what happens. I need some data before my appointment on Friday. Even though it's not the right therapy, at least I can get into REM sleep for an hour or two at a time. I can't stay like this until Friday so I hope it works.

Thanks for the help. ~Susan

perchancetodream7 wrote:Hi all. I am wiped out. I just watched the video tutorial and am confused about a few things. Hose setting...? The tubing is set at 22, which is, I'm assuming, what I have. You can change it to 15, but they say 22 is the standard. Is that what you mean? But, then there's "tubing type lock--" should that be on or off?
It's a C flex +, which is different from the video (A flex +). There is an option for Auto IQ mode, but I don't know what that is.

Palerider, that makes sense about the noise and the machine trying to pressurize the air with the mask off--I should probably have thought of that. The tubing is not heated.

tubing type lock should be off, that way you can set it without going into the clincian menu. it's just there so controlling DME people can prevent people from changing their own settings. 22mm tubing is almost an inch in diameter, (or 22mm) and 15mm tubing is closer to 3/4ths inch) just measure it to make sure.

the reason I asked about heated tubing is that it automatically picks the right setting.

autoiq has the machine do it's best to automatically figure out what your right pressure should be. it's like a multi night pressure (titration) study.

but, you do have to wear the mask cflex+ and aflex are pretty much the same, just for cpap or apap.

Don't forget-- we need the LONG reports for the sleep studies, some sort of CO2 lab work (pCO2 from blood gs, -HCO3 or TCO2 from electrolytes), and can you load up the data from the card to Dropbox to view breath-by-breath of the download?

Did you get Sleepyhead to work?

Well, I guess I'm not going to have much data of use to this doctor on Friday because, if I am able to use it, I will only have tonight through Thursday night. I was unable to get sleepyhead to work, but will try again tomorrow. Thanks.
The tubing is 22.

So very tired--going to try and sleep now and hope for the best. ~S