From Remstar M DS100HS to FP Icon Auto

[Quality Zees]

Thanks for the comment, Lullaby. Are you using the APAP mode or the CPAP mode? I don’t think Sensawake works unless you’re using APAP (forgive me if this is a stupid question, I’m still learning, having been saddled with basic machines in the past).

Last night I went to a boost of 3 and enabled Sensawake. It was my best night so far. I won’t have the machine data until I return home this evening, but I think it will look good because I feel good. Had slight rainout, a tiny bit compared to a standard tube. My sinuses have mostly abandoned their rebellion.

I slept mostly on my back last night. I can force that because I have an adjustable bed, so when I raise the head and feet, I must lie on my back to be comfortable. I know it’s not recommended, but my wife said I didn’t wake her through snoring. Should I find that I must sleep on my back to prevent mask leaks, I get a different mask or nasal pillows. I am due for a new mask next month (with insurance reimbursement).

If I sleep on my back a few nights and see good numbers, I think the problems I’ve had with leak rate and high auto pressure are likely due to accidental mask leaks caused by the mask having been pushed to one side or the other when I sleep on my side.

I will definitely want to sleep on my side, long term, so I’ll move on to solve that problem when I’m used to the Icon Auto. One problem at a time, right?

[Quality Zees]

Here's the first odd night

Here's the second, even more odd

And last night, the best of all


I got the software, but it has a warning that it is a trial copy lasting 30 days. It's pretty easy to use. Do you think this supports my preliminary conclusion that the odd nights represent nights when the mask slides to one side of my face?

Thanks to everyone.

[DLB]

Hi QZ,

I agree with your hypothesis. Notice how the pressure increases in conjunction with the mask leaks. It is important to get these leaks under control for effective therapy.

Your AHI numbers aren't too bad, but I regularly read and personally experience that I feel the best with AHI below 2.

I subscribe to the theory of a critical pressure at which the airway collapses. Keep the pressure above this level and it stays open, drop it below and it will close. I also believe from personal experience and analyzing my data and how I feel that these obstructive events are very traumatic and have a big impact on how I feel. I rarely get an AHI below 1.0, but when I do, I know I had a good night without even looking at the data! I noticed that in auto mode, if my min pressure is too low that I experience a higher AHI and feel worse. I keep my min level at my titrated pressure and have the max level 3 to 4cm higher to allow for variables that influence my critical pressure. Things like medicine, eating too much or too close to bedtime, gaining a little weight, being extra tired, etc.

I was surprised to see your min setting well below your titrated prescription. Maybe something to discuss with your doctor if you continue to have continued variability with your AHI.

Good Luck.
DLB

[KrisasMan]

To get around the 30 day warning just go here https://software.fphcare.com/Registration and register the software. No verification required.

I agree, the leak is dragging up your pressure level. I think it was Pugsy that said F&P gets concerned about accuracy when the leak rate exceeds 90 L/mi. My guess is the fan in this unit has problems producing more airflow than that accurately.

[Pugsy]

I think it was Pugsy that said F&P gets concerned about accuracy when the leak rate exceeds 90 L/min.

I can't swear to that 90 L/min number...I know it wasn't less though. Back when I first started therapy another new member happened to get a F & P auto machine and he told me that the large leak number was quite generous. Might have been 100 L/min. I don't remember reading any information recently about where F & P draws the line.

[Quality Zees]

The transition has gone pretty well. I slept on my side last night and I feel pretty rested. I took care to arrange my pillow to avoid the mask slipping to the side. I raised the minimum pressure from 6 to 7 as suggested by DLB. I don’t have the data yet. I tried 8 but it was too much. I may have to use the ramp feature to increase to 8. A pressure of 8 seems to “blow my mouth open” a bit and is uncomfortable going to sleep.

The data from the previous night was good: 2.8 AHI, 7.5 pressure, 25 leak, 7.5 hrs used.

Here are my thoughts about the transition.

1. I think the Icon data suggests I need a different mask. I’d like to get the AHI a little lower and I don’t see that happening with my current mask. I’m eligible for one next month, so I’ll post then to get some recommendations (it looks like nasal pillow masks are the most popular for the forum members but I’m considering a full face mask too. I’ll start a separate topic when the time comes and if I can’t get enough information from topics already posted).

2. The Icon has a small footprint that has cleared room on my nightstand. I think it will make travel easier, too.

3. My fear about not getting enough humidity was unfounded. One big reason I got the Icon was that F&P have a good reputation for humidity control. I’m using it at the maximum settings, though. It’s very dry here now (teens and single digit humidity) so I think I’m at worst case.

4. The F&P InfoSmart software works OK, but I’m going to opt for SleepyHead when it’s ready for Windows XP.

5. Having this forum available has made the transition easier. Thanks to everyone who has chimed in with support. I hope someday to pass it on.

QZ

[LesS]

Hi Guys
I am just a new user of the F&P Icon Auto but not able to read the data on the USB stick
Is there a link to a download point for software that will let me read it on my Win7 system
I am from Australia but have had no luck in locating any software
Any help appreciated
I use a ResMed Quattro medium mask and have a heated tube attached to the Icon auto.

Thanks for any help
LesS

[Pugsy]

I am just a new user of the F&P Icon Auto but not able to read the data on the USB stick
Is there a link to a download point for software that will let me read it on my Win7 system
I am from Australia but have had no luck in locating any software
Any help appreciated
I use a ResMed Quatt

Check your Private Message box please.

[Zorki1c]

I've been using my ICON Auto+ three nights now. The first night my AHI was 3.01--not too bad. The second night it was 3.0 with quite a few leaks, I was using ramp and SensAwake, was having trouble getting to sleep and getting back to sleep after waking up. The third night I turned off Ramp so I'm starting out at the prescribed 8.0 pressure. I also turned of SenseAwake so the ICON is essentially blowing at 8.0 all night. The first night the heated tube was on and the warm air really bothered me. I'm using a nasal pillow mask. The second night I used a non heated tube which was better and on night three I turned down the humidifier from 4 to three. This morning my AHI was 1.22. We live in a high desert where the humidity seldom goes above 10 percent for any length of time and the nighttime temps don't get below 80 until after midnight a lot of nights... But the 3 setting was just fine. I'm probably go back to the heated tube and 4 setting in the winter.

All in all I really like the ICON Auto--especially since Sleepyhead accepts ICON data now.

[zorki1c]

Since posting here earlier I talked my doctor into letting me switch to the ResMed S9 Autoset. Frankly I like it a lot better than the ICON, The S9 has the EPR feature which reduces the pressure when you exhale--the ICON doesn't have that. Also, since the ICON screen is on the front of the unit I had to get down on my knees to check the menus. The ICON screen brightness can be adjusted but when you push the button to turn it on or off the screen goes to high illumination for several minutes which lit up the entire bedroom if I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Plus the ResMed has a much larger support group. Don't get me wrong, the ICON is a nice machine (and more compact--with humidifier--that the S9). But I have posted much lower AHI scores (<1 most nights) with the S9.

[jdm2857]

Remember that event scoring varies by brand of machine. While the definition of
an apnea is relatively simple to measure and score, the same is not true for hypopneas.
The scoring rules for hypopneas involve drops in O2 saturation and/or the occurrence
of an arousal, neither of which an xPAP can measure. So the manufacturers "fudge" a bit.
And each does it their own way. So comparing AHI between brands is not necessarily an
apples-to-apples comparison.

As an example, the ResMed S8 series was known to score more hypopneas than other brands.
Switching from an S8 to a Respironics M-Series almost guaranteed lowering the machine-
measured AHI. But it probably did little if anything to improve therapy. ResMed,
BTW, changed this with the S9 series. (I don't know if the change was made to improve
scoring accuracy, or to change the perception that ResMed machines could not treat
hypopneas as well as other brands could.)