3rd night w/ AirCurve 10 VAuto-from-AirSense 10...

[salinas212]

and while I'm unwilling to carve the below numbers in stone I do see at least a promise of improvement based on a smidge of data complimented by how I'm feeling the past couple days. First, I did reduce my sleeping O2 from 3.0 L/min to 2.5 and may go to 2.0 in another day or two. Beyond that I've let all other things remain the same since my initial setup. Admittedly some numbers stump me... not the least of which is the highest pressure required during the night, ie; 12.6 which is identical to previous machine. I know some will agonize over not seeing my SH charts but hopefully this update will provide an example of my OCD tendency before I delve into my first peek into SH data next week.

For now I include the first things that, least for me remain inexplicable given some of the above-mentioned info, ie; leak rate and events per hour using the last 27 nights from the MyAir site with old machine and the last 3 nights on the new machine. I now totally understand why PR suggested I keep my posts together related to this instead of piggy-backing initially on another's 1st night AirCurve 10 post.

Leaks per night: Mask (F20), ClimateLine heated Air/Oxy hose, homemade liner from terry microfiber and close-as-possible identical settings on both machines:
AirSense 10: 13.037 L/min avg per night
AirCurve 10: 1.333 L/min avg per night (89.75% improvement)


Events per night: Same ancillary equipment as above
AirSense 10: 1.255 per night avg
AirCurve 10: 0.200 per night avg (83.5% improvement)

While I recognize I'm not the strongest case for OSA therapy and COPD that ever came down the pike I can't help but feel I've moved a little closer to a better/more efficient treatment regimen. Hopefully after a few weeks/months I'll have things even better dialed in and may manage to eek out marginally better numbers.

And yes I feel better tho I haven't felt like I did pre-CPAP for months. But I also know about placebo effect, buyers elation etc and don't want to consider that aspect too heavily this early into the new machine. There'll be time for a much better, more objective evaluation in a few weeks/months. For now, suffice it to say I'm happy and excited about the direction this is headed.

[salinas212]

4th night and at the risk of redundancy I'm compelled to add another 1st with the AirCurve 10. In addition to enjoying my first 100% leak-free night since beginning therapy 7 months ago on Feb 8. I have subsequently had 3 more nights 100% leak-free sleep. Only leakage since installing AC 10 was @ 3 L/min on the 2nd night of it's provided therapy. Additionally while it has been common for me to have .2-.3 events per night, sometimes a few points more but NEVER never less, throughout my term of therapy, last night I enjoyed absolutely "0" recorded events. Further it was accompanied by a full 8.5 hours of sleep without waking, even once! Clock shows 9.6 hours use but inexplicably and unusually it did take me an hour or so to fall asleep last night. But when I fell asleep I didn't awake again until after 7 this morning. That hasn't happened to me personally in perhaps 30+ years!

While I'm willing to chalk all this up to fluke or even beginner's luck I can't help but feel maybe, just maybe there's something the AirCurve is offering me that simply wasn't available to me via the AirSense 10. Only thing I know for sure is I won't be touching a THING on the machine's settings between now and when I sleep again. Having a MyAir sore of 100 isn't all that significant to me. I've done it dozens of times in 7 months. But scoring 100 the "hard way" (all zeros) is H-U-G-E!!!

[Pugsy]

I had a lot more lower AHI nights when I was using bilevel. I think I just slept better and had less chance for SWJ flagged events.
Never did figure out just exactly why I slept better but I seemed to average 45 to 60 minutes longer (long term average) more sleep with bilevel vs...apap with small exhale relief.

I went from Respironics apap where the most drop I could get with Flex exhale relief was 2....to PS of 4 and I simply slept better and felt better. Why?? Dunno...but I just did. That extra time asleep...45 minutes or so...I have notice has a big impact on how I feel during the day.

[salinas212]

Thanks Pugsy! I'd previously read of your positive experiences and am happy you chose to drop in and participate. I can easily understand some parts of all this while still struggling to grok others. When strapping the mask on at night and settling in I have this profound feeling of enhanced refinement & sophistication pushing air at me. The AC 10 simply feels kinder, gentler, more adept and comfortable in everything it delivers before I drift off. And to say I'm delighted I've just broken a 30+ year record of length and quality of uninterrupted sleep and zero'd out a night's cumulative scores would be an understatement! But I still struggle with how/why it can completely eliminate mask leaks with no other changes whatsoever and in spite of using two distinctly different masks, ie; DW and F20 FFM's. While that curiosity would like to be satisfied I'm altogether content not looking this gift horse in the mouth too closely. Like a dog chasing a car, what will I do with it once I catch it!?! I'll happily trade not knowing for a lifetime of continued incredibly good and recuperative 8+ uninterrupted hour sleep nights.

[salinas212]

5th night (odd # nights are DWFFM/even # nights F20FFM): Aced it again last night... 8.3 hours uninterrupted sleep. MyAir score 100/ALL zeros (no events/no leaks)!

[Pugsy]

So......how's the sleep quality and how you feel during the day?

[Pugsy]

Hey PaleRider...I think we have another convert. Tried bilevel and won't be going back.
I knew after the very first night trying bilevel that I would be converting and I was trying the PR S1 BiPap Pro at fixed pressures.
One of these days I will get me another ResMed bilevel...probably the AirCurve 10 VAuto.
No rush though...I have the PR S1 760 for back up and I am really quite happy with the AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her...and I am finding that I really like that for Her algorithm. Been doing much better with it than past apaps and much better than I originally thought.
I like it that it's smart enough to raise my minimum for me if I need it and sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.
That's why I haven't been in any big rush to get another bilevel.

[salinas212]

Hey, I resemble that remark! Sleep quality is impeccable and I'm feeling incredibly good! Haven't had a nap in several days in spite of not missing one for months and months. Ok, did try yesterday but laid down, strapped it on and eyes flew wide open and I realized there's no chance I could fall asleep. Still have this silly song in my head this evening but just learned Alexa can play it. Sounds so much better than my rendition anyway.

[Pugsy]

Pretty sad when the only thing we can bitch about is we tried to take a nap and couldn't because we couldn't go to sleep because we slept so good during the night.

I am very happy for you.
I always cross my fingers and toes when someone makes the change to bilevel because there are a few outliers who don't do well with it.

[salinas212]

I've always thought life should be two periods of naps interrupted by 40-50 years of work & OSA.

[palerider]

Hey PaleRider...I think we have another convert. Tried bilevel and won't be going back.

Sounds like

and I am finding that I really like that for Her algorithm. Been doing much better with it than past apaps and much better than I originally thought.
I like it that it's smart enough to raise my minimum for me if I need it and sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.

I think that 'auto raising minimum' should be standard, or at least available, on every auto machine, it'd fix *so* many problems. "well, $user SAID they want a min of 6, but every time i get the pressure down to 8, they have more problems, I'll just raise the min to 8.4"...

[Holden4th]

....and I'm another convert to the Bilevel/BiPAP brigade. After I got the 760 my numbers and the way I felt improved significantly. Changing to the Aircurve 10 VAUTO made an even bigger improvement, especially in comfort levels. I don't really need a BiPAP/BiLevel but if it makes an improvement then why not!

[Pugsy]

I don't really need a BiPAP/BiLevel but if it makes an improvement then why not!

I have always said that "want to" is a good enough reason to do anything or try anything. Doesn't have to be a "need to".
Want is sufficient in my book.