AirCurve Vauto setup as CPAP

[Danalex]

Hi All,

New here but not new to CPAP therapy.

Bit of history and a question ....

Diagnosed with OSA like 10-12 years ago. I had an S8 that I used for 4 or 5 years that I was very compliant with but the mask I was using broke and was discontinued. I tried quite a few others and couldn't get comfortable so I finally gave up.

I recently got a Fitbit 4 activity tracker with the pulse oximeter and saw in the sleep tracking that I was getting low oxygen readings sometimes in the high 70's at night with an average of 92.

Saw my GP and explained and got a referral to a sleep doc. He said I need to get back on a machine. Recommended an Airsense 10 or Mini. I trolled the local For Sale pages and yesterday picked up a brand new / unused Air Curve with heated hose for $400 Canadian. Young guys mom passed away before she could use it I read they can be setup for CPAP only so figured it would work and that it was a smoking deal as up here they sell for over $2k.

Questions:

I'm not sure how to get into the menu for clinician setup and wonder if I should use CPAP only mode or do it in BIPAP. Will it really make a difference in how the machine runs if I only need CPAP but set it up for BIPAP?

Thanks!

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Go here and request the clinical/provider manual for your new machine.
It will explain the options and how to get to the setup menu where you can change things.
https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual

It's a really sweet machine and you got one heckuva deal on it.

You can start with plain cpap mode if you wish and once you get more comfortable with it and understand what it offers, etc
then maybe play with the bilevel modes if you wish.
A bit of a learning curve but actually fairly easy to wrap your head around with just a little bit of education.
It's a full data machine...works well with SleepyHead too.
See the sticky thread at the top of the announcements section for additional information about software etc.

What were your settings prescribed on the old machine? Do you know?

[Greg Riddle]

Welcome to the forum.

Go here and request the clinical/provider manual for your new machine.
It will explain the options and how to get to the setup menu where you can change things.
https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual

It's a really sweet machine and you got one heckuva deal on it.

You can start with plain cpap mode if you wish and once you get more comfortable with it and understand what it offers, etc
then maybe play with the bilevel modes if you wish.
A bit of a learning curve but actually fairly easy to wrap your head around with just a little bit of education.
It's a full data machine...works well with SleepyHead too.
See the sticky thread at the top of the announcements section for additional information about software etc.

What were your settings prescribed on the old machine? Do you know?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the data recorder doesn't work in straight cpap mode

[Pugsy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the data recorder doesn't work in straight cpap mode

Consider yourself corrected.
CPAP mode on the AirCurve 10 will give the same data that a person would get if they were using the Elite because it essentially is Elite fixed mode.
CPAP mode on the bilevels is pretty much what a person gets with the Elite.
And I have the reports to prove it. Not with the AirCurve but with the older big brother the S9 VPAP Auto.

The only thing different is with cpap mode on the really high end bilevels...like ST or ASV or something...cpap mode doesn't offer EPR..that's the only thing that is lost in cpap mode on those high end machines.
With the VAuto or S models...EPR is available.

[Danalex]

I knew it was a good deal (maybe too good) after googling them. The guy even delivered it to my door at 8:30 last night and I must say I was a bit worried it was a scam or a way to get it the house for a mugging. Who sells stuff so cheap AND offers to deliver it free across town? I made sure he was alone and had my wife lock herself in the bathroom with 911 on speed dial.

I 'think' I was set at 10 last time ... my memory isn't so great with OSA it seems. At least that's what I tell my wife when I forget things

My old machine wasn't auto adjusting so I'm a bit fuzzy on the concept .... In CPAP mode it's a straight numerical setting I'll input and the machine will automatically adjust pressures up and down from there where as in bilevel I'd add a minimum and maximum pressure and the machine would still self adjust but somehow differently?

Thanks

edit: I was putting the box away and saw all the mfg. tags have been removed. hmmmmmm

[Pugsy]

Maybe it fell off the truck. I wouldn't worry about it. I have a sneaking suspicion that my second machine I ever bought was one of those.

CPAP mode is fixed single pressure all night. It won't/can't auto adjust no matter what happens.
S bilevel is a fixed dual pressure mode...just like cpap except 2 distinct pressures for inhale and exhale....like cpap it can't auto adjust anything.
Auto bilevel...that's the dual pressure mode where the machine can auto adjust depending on the parameters set.

Play with all the modes available if you wish ...while awake and not right before bedtime.
If you want to try cpap...try 10 cm...and EPR of your choice or off if you wish.
If you want to try S mode....try EPAP 8 and IPAP 10 just as a starting point
If you want to try Auto mode...try EPAP 7...PS of 3 and max IPAP of 15...see what happens. It won't go higher than 10 for IPAP unless it needs to. Might not ever even hit max Ipap of 15.

[Danalex]

OK it's getting clearer.. once I figure out the lingo i'm not used to ... let's see, 'Ipap comes before Epap except after Cpap' .. no that's something else

I seems the easiest would be to use Auto and let the machine figure it out the since I haven't had a new sleep study and my current pressure is unknown. By checking the data it collects I'll know what my needs are now. Right?

[Danalex]

And ... I still don't have a mask so I'll have to see what's new and see if I can find something I like. That's the dead end I hit last time.

[Pugsy]

Can you normally breathe through your nose just fine or do you have chronic nasal congestion issues that can't be cleared up enough to rely solely on nasal breathing?

What kind of mask interests you?

[Danalex]

I was using Nasonex every night for stuffiness figuring that would help the apnea but alway felt bad, tired nausea, anxiety dizzy yada yada and after getting a heavier than normal dose from a new full bottle and having a really bad night with sweating and BAD dizzy spells during the day I started doing some reading. Well it seems LOTS of people have tons of side effects from steroidal nasal spray. I've been off for a month and feel way better than I have in the two years I was on it.

So, to answer your question I have a bit of stuffiness but not really bad and I did use a nasal pillow mask previously with pretty good results. I did have some mouth leaking where I got to the point of using surgical tape. My new sleep doc said don't worry about some leaking so I think I'll head towards the nasal style again.

This looks interesting ... Respironics Dream Wear but I haven't seen one up close. Monday I'll have to drive around to some shops who sell masks and try some.

Any other ideas?

[palerider]

I knew it was a good deal (maybe too good) after googling them.

Nah, good deals like that can be found, I bought my first S9 VPAP Auto (the previous version of your machine) for about the same price. (and two more at that price, as backups) you just have to get lucky... and you did.

It's a *great* machine... in my opinion, the best machine for people that don't have special breathing needs.

[palerider]

I seems the easiest would be to use Auto and let the machine figure it out the since I haven't had a new sleep study and my current pressure is unknown. By checking the data it collects I'll know what my needs are now. Right?

Yeah, check the data, make adjustments, get better sleep.

The machine is "auto" but still needs to be tuned to your needs, because even though it's auto, it's not smart, and it forgets everything every time it's turned off and has to start over adjusting from scratch... so by "tuning" it, ... it starts out where it needs to be.

It's not difficult, we'll walk you through it.

[LSAT]

Hi All,

New here but not new to CPAP therapy.

Bit of history and a question ....

Diagnosed with OSA like 10-12 years ago. I had an S8 that I used for 4 or 5 years that I was very compliant with but the mask I was using broke and was discontinued. I tried quite a few others and couldn't get comfortable so I finally gave up.

I recently got a Fitbit 4 activity tracker with the pulse oximeter and saw in the sleep tracking that I was getting low oxygen readings sometimes in the high 70's at night with an average of 92.

Saw my GP and explained and got a referral to a sleep doc. He said I need to get back on a machine. Recommended an Airsense 10 or Mini. I trolled the local For Sale pages and yesterday picked up a brand new / unused Air Curve with heated hose for $400 Canadian. Young guys mom passed away before she could use it I read they can be setup for CPAP only so figured it would work and that it was a smoking deal as up here they sell for over $2k.

Questions:

I'm not sure how to get into the menu for clinician setup and wonder if I should use CPAP only mode or do it in BIPAP. Will it really make a difference in how the machine runs if I only need CPAP but set it up for BIPAP?

Thanks!

$400 CAD = $307 US Great Deal

[Pugsy]

You can take a stroll through here to give yourself an idea what's available.
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks
I prefer as little on my face and head as possible so I lean towards the nasal pillows with minimal headgear.
Take a look at the mask in my equipment profile. Exhaust venting is diffused and essentially silent. Bed partner doesn't get a blast of cold air in their face or neck or back...and there's just not much to it.

Now your preferences might be different than mine and that's just fine.
Because my mask has so little to it...it sometimes moves around a bit and the back strap might slide up the back of my head sometimes.
No mask is ever perfect and we have to learn what our preferences are and satisfy them as best as we can.
For some people that little sliding up the back of the head is really a deal breaker and they prefer a mask with more stable headgear and more presence on the face and head. That's okay too. The only person we have to please is ourselves...use whatever makes you happy.

[Danalex]

I seems the easiest would be to use Auto and let the machine figure it out the since I haven't had a new sleep study and my current pressure is unknown. By checking the data it collects I'll know what my needs are now. Right?

Yeah, check the data, make adjustments, get better sleep.

The machine is "auto" but still needs to be tuned to your needs, because even though it's auto, it's not smart, and it forgets everything every time it's turned off and has to start over adjusting from scratch... so by "tuning" it, ... it starts out where it needs to be.

It's not difficult, we'll walk you through it.

Perfect, thanks everyone.

Tomorrow I go mask hunting.