ASV users: the everything ASV thread.

[pharm30]

So I got a free sleep study at my fiance's work last week.
The tech looked at my previous studies and didn't really know why they did what they did.
I was only on CPAP for 8 minutes and had 3 centrals and tech switched my to Bipap...

Anyway, my sleep study showed few obstructives and several hypopneas while on my back and basically no events on my side.
I had a couple sleep onset centrals, but apparently those were insignificant. I think AHI was 11.
The Dr cannot believe I have a ASV machine or a previous diagnosis of complex sleep apnea.
His conclusion was I have positional obstructive apnea and that I don't really need a machine. Just try to avoid sleeping on my back.
He said try sleeping without machine for a month and see how I feel?

so the only difference between previous study and this one is that I am no longer on Cymbalta and Wellbutrin.
Could those have contributed to centrals during the studies?
Or maybe the tech/MD counted those in error? I had sleep onset centrals, and from what I have read, the machine doesn't know when you are asleep/awake and tossing and turning, so it could've been read in error?

I'm confused how I could've been diagnosed with complex sleep apnea, spend over a thousand dollars on machine/masks, and then be told I only have positional obstructive apnea and don't really need a machine?
I usually sleep on my sides/stomach, and during the sleep study, it basically forces you to sleep on your back due to all the wiring. Plus, since I am a mouth breather and they did my titration with a nasal mask, makes me wonder if my original study was accurate.

[pharm30]

Been about a month, have not used machine. Don't feel any different now that when I was using it.
No more "tired", not waking up any more than previous to go to bathroom, no night sweats. Doing fine with my workouts and at work.
I sleep with a body pillow on each side and pretty much always fall asleep on my side.
Not really sure if I should go back to using or not...

[Lizistired]

Been about a month, have not used machine. Don't feel any different now that when I was using it.
No more "tired", not waking up any more than previous to go to bathroom, no night sweats. Doing fine with my workouts and at work.
I sleep with a body pillow on each side and pretty much always fall asleep on my side.
Not really sure if I should go back to using or not...

First I have to say I haven't read all of your posts.
That said. I got a sleep study because I knew something was going on while I was sleeping, my doc didn't have a clue.
If a day comes and I feel human without the machine, I will make that decision on my own. Some will say that you should use the machine until a sleep study tells you you don't need it.... My doc doesn't know how I feel.
You really have to decide what you are comfortable with. If you have other health issues, you may need to be more cooperative with the doc. But it is a 2 way street.

[n0hardmask]

Well, I've "gone and done it". After having a second sleep study in May, saw the sleep doc on 2 Jan 13; he seems to think my lack of restful sleep and preponderance of CA are NOT a problem since my AHI is less than 5. I've been on xPAP 18 months and haven't seen much improvement in how I rest at night, despite being on BiPAP a couple months.
So, I bought one of the VPAP Adapts Grand-PAP offered, and tried it first time last night. Although I encountered typical challenges with leaks and 'learning' the way the machine functions; my numbers improved markedly.

Last night all I recorded was three hypopneas, one of which ?lasted 126 sec? Not sure I understand that. But I feel like I bounced about lots. The Zeo recorded the first 2-digit % of REM in the 6 months I've used it. (Usually have had 3% or less deep and about same Rem.)
I may be asking for mask recommendations IF I can't get SleepWeaver or ComfortLite2 to work. The CL2 tends to be bumped easily, leading to leaks even with APAP. Pressures have been 8 to 14. Thanks in advance for your continued support. earl

[Grand-PAP]

Hi Earl,

I sent you a PM.

[patrissimo]

Are there any of you ASV users who got ASV, not because of CAs, but to better control your OSAs?

Dr. Krakow says he uses an ASV personally, and that research shows ASV machines are not just good for CA, but better at controlling OSA. For those of us who are feeling desperate to sleep better, using xPAP (APAP in my case) and not finding significant relief (though I'm only a few weeks in, and will continue for many months more), and who can afford to upgrade to the premium machine, it's awfully tempting. There's nothing about my life even 1/10th as problematic as my bad sleep and constant exhaustion, so I want whatever the best technology is for fixing it. Given that an xPAP machine lasts for many years, an extra $500 or $1000 for something that will give you better sleep every night for 1000 nights seems totally worth it. I'd pay way more than $1/night for better sleep!

Is there a reason why an ASV might be worse? It seems from this thread like they are trickier to configure.

Just wondering if anyone else can share experiences with getting ASV as a super-CPAP, rather than for medical necessity. Thanks.

[Taringa542]

Are there any of you ASV users who got ASV, not because of CAs, but to better control your OSAs?

Dr. Krakow says he uses an ASV personally, and that research shows ASV machines are not just good for CA, but better at controlling OSA. For those of us who are feeling desperate to sleep better, using xPAP (APAP in my case) and not finding significant relief (though I'm only a few weeks in, and will continue for many months more), and who can afford to upgrade to the premium machine, it's awfully tempting. There's nothing about my life even 1/10th as problematic as my bad sleep and constant exhaustion, so I want whatever the best technology is for fixing it. Given that an xPAP machine lasts for many years, an extra $500 or $1000 for something that will give you better sleep every night for 1000 nights seems totally worth it. I'd pay way more than $1/night for better sleep!

Is there a reason why an ASV might be worse? It seems from this thread like they are trickier to configure.

Just wondering if anyone else can share experiences with getting ASV as a super-CPAP, rather than for medical necessity. Thanks.

Set your EPAP & leave everything else at default

[pharm30]

looking to sell my Respironics BiPap Auto SV advanced with humidifier.
Used 3-4 weeks. Not really sure what they are worth - $1400?
Let me know.

[n0hardmask]

Well, I've "gone and done it". After having a second sleep study in May, saw the sleep doc on 2 Jan 13; he seems to think my lack of restful sleep and preponderance of CA are NOT a problem since my AHI is less than 5. I've been on xPAP 18 months and haven't seen much improvement in how I rest at night, despite being on BiPAP a couple months.
So, I bought one of the VPAP Adapts Grand-PAP offered, and tried it first time Monday night. Although I encountered typical challenges with leaks and 'learning' the way the machine functions; my numbers improved markedly: all I recorded were three hypopneas, one of which ?lasted 126 sec? Not sure I understand that. But I feel like I bounced about lots. The Zeo recorded the first 2-digit % of REM in the 6 months I've used it. (Usually have had 3% or less deep and about same Rem.)
I may be asking for mask recommendations IF I can't get SleepWeaver or ComfortLite2 to now wiggle and leak. The CL2 tends to be bumped easily, leading to leaks even with APAP. Pressures have been 8 to 14. Thanks in advance for your continued support. earl

Sooo, i've tried a bit of extra strapping down of the Comfortlite2, but it wakes me up within an hour; I get up and switch back to the SW. As much as I love the comfort of SW, I have ordered the FitLife FFM that popped up for $60. It will probably be either a big flop or exactly what I need. More to come...

QUESTION for Y'all- I think I read the S9 ASV doesn't record CA's?! Also it doesn't show FLOW Limits, which I have tended to use as a guide to how my breathing is doing. I've looked at both Sleepyhead 0.8.8 and Rescan 4. Neither show CA's or Flow Limits. TYPO? I had Sleephead (0.8. and it sure reads funny.

[n0hardmask]

Are there any of you ASV users who got ASV, not because of CAs, but to better control your OSAs?
Dr. Krakow says he uses an ASV personally, and that research shows ASV machines are not just good for CA, but better at controlling OSA. For those of us who are feeling desperate to sleep better, using xPAP (APAP in my case) and not finding significant relief (though I'm only a few weeks in, and will continue for many months more), and who can afford to upgrade to the premium machine, it's awfully tempting. There's nothing about my life even 1/10th as problematic as my bad sleep and constant exhaustion, so I want whatever the best technology is for fixing it. Given that an xPAP machine lasts for many years, an extra $500 or $1000 for something that will give you better sleep every night for 1000 nights seems totally worth it. I'd pay way more than $1/night for better sleep!

Is there a reason why an ASV might be worse? It seems from this thread like they are trickier to configure.
Just wondering if anyone else can share experiences with getting ASV as a super-CPAP, rather than for medical necessity. Thanks.

Patrissimo,
I'm very new to high end XPAP. In Oct I started on VPAP S to try and tame the Centrals and my dozens of almost-10 sec events . It pretty much works like the APAP (mine doesn't have the ST functions, which i thnk are more complex). I didn't seem to get much better, though I have also been battling leaks.
What I think I see is the Adapt does things totally differently, whether it's an obstruction or clear airway. I'm doing a lot of inferring, but I can tell you I am sleeping better, despite the leak battle. I have fewer than 20 events, all hypopmeas. My GUESS is it's mitigating events to no worse than a partial event. So instead of getting 25 to 40+ events a night, I see a dozen or so, and they may be milder.. not sure there. I only know I'm feeling better, and that hasn't been happening for a LONG time.
I'll add more when i have more to look at and eventually share. Don't know if I've helped answer you, P, but since I've dropped $2K for XPAP equipment in 3 months, I'm kinda desperate to get my restful sleep back <assuming I ever had truly restful sleep>~ doubtful. earl
PS I ordered a FFM to hopefully beat the leaks, but I'm going to cling to my SleepWeaver as much as I can

[4betterO2]

[Using Respironics 950]

@ patrissimo:
My OSA is mild but I'm using ASV because BiPAP did not control CNS events, so it is for medical need. But having used BiPAP before, the ASV does feel like a super CPAP. All my events stats are much better with ASV than they were with BiPAP. So I think yes it is much better in controlling OSA.

To ALL ASV USERS on this board:
I do have a big problem though, I'm not sure if I'm really getting the oxygen I need, because much too often, my machine drops the IPAP pressure on me while I'm still inhaling... Very uncomfortable!!!
Makes me feel smothered over... The pressure settings I'm getting are OK, it's the TIMING of the shift from IPAP to EPAP pressure that is the problem. Right now I can't take it back to the DME provider, so I'm trying to accomodate it, by letting my breathing go down as if I'm very tired, and then the machine ends up with a sort of rhythm of short breaths, which I fear, cannot at all deliver the optimal oxygen I need. It would help me if I can refer to info from others when I do get to talk about this to my DME, so they won't just tell me "you just need to get used to the machine"...
I need to know if any other ASV user has this problem?

Isn't the ASV machine supposed to LET YOU INHALE with your indicated IPAP pressure UNTIL you are finished, and not drop to the EPAP pressure until it SENSES you are exhaling?

[4betterO2]

I'm new to SleepyHead, and to the terms it uses. Just read the CPAP vocabulary list on the forum.

I'm particularly concerned to know, what are the NORMAL VALUE RANGES for a healthy adult, measured when using the PR System One Advanced ASV machine, regarding these measurements:
(If the norms defer by gender, please list for both men and women)

Minute Ventilation

Hypopnea

Pressure Pulse

Also, can someone please explain what is the Pressure Pulse measurement, in this context?

Thanks!

[old64mb]

There aren't any 'normal' ranges (besides ideally having no hypopneas, although that's hard to achieve) and for ASVs you should probably be using the software native to your machine for best results.

That's because Sleepyhead doesn't really take advantage of some of the features on the ASVs; the one that it really misses is the estimation of patient triggered breaths along with breaths/minute, which can be really important in treating conditions that cause centrals.

[mollete]

...what is the Pressure Pulse measurement, in this context?

"One or more test pulses delivered by the device during an apnea to determine if the event is a clear airway apnea or an obstructed airway apnea."

That said, perhaps the machine did not read the instructions:

[mollete]

...research shows ASV machines are not just good for CA, but better at controlling OSA.

Do you have the reference(s) for that?

Thanks.