Very High Uncontrolled Pressure ResMed Airsense

[ejbpesca]

My ResMed AirSense started making a loud sucking noise at the filter upon inhaling. It is producing more inhale pressure than what therapy should be.

Upon inhaling, the pressure inflates the mask and blows the seal open all around the mask. Turning down the max pressure from 14 to 10 has no effect. Even during ramp the mask will inflate and blowout from being sealed with an inhale. It seems enough pressure to inflate a tire. The mask fit functions produces this really high pressure also that with it, there is no way to get anything but a red frowny face.

I appears my machine is broken and could be dangerous. Calling Versus, my vendor, the machine is 5 years old. A new one can be ordered Feb. 8, '23. I guess no therapy for a month.

Versus is out of stock of Airsense and does not know when it will be back. They have a Luna brand and one other, that's it. I do not know which is better, but I guess they all have passed tests and are sufficient.

Any similar experience someone can share? I did a search here but could not find anything similar. Is Luna an okay brand?

I will have to stop therapy for now or maybe drag out an old machine.

[palerider]

My ResMed AirSense started making a loud sucking noise at the filter upon inhaling. It is producing more inhale pressure than what therapy should be.

Upon inhaling, the pressure inflates the mask and blows the seal open all around the mask. Turning down the max pressure from 14 to 10 has no effect. Even during ramp the mask will inflate and blowout from being sealed with an inhale. It seems enough pressure to inflate a tire. The mask fit functions produces this really high pressure also that with it, there is no way to get anything but a red frowny face.

I appears my machine is broken and could be dangerous. Calling Versus, my vendor, the machine is 5 years old. A new one can be ordered Feb. 8, '23. I guess no therapy for a month.

Versus is out of stock of Airsense and does not know when it will be back. They have a Luna brand and one other, that's it. I do not know which is better, but I guess they all have passed tests and are sufficient.

Any similar experience someone can share? I did a search here but could not find anything similar. Is Luna an okay brand?

I will have to stop therapy for now or maybe drag out an old machine.

Maybe it's your mask. Without *measuring* the pressure, you don't know. you can make a manometer, or just stick the hose in a bucket of water and see how many centimeters of water it can push against.

[chunkyfrog]

NEVER ACCEPT A LESSER MACHINE
Having used a Resmed (check spelling very carefully--off brands use similar names),
you need the same make/model, or a newer version of exactly the same thing.
Going from a Resmed to a Luna would be equivalent to trading in a Lincoln for a Yugo.
Don't let them scam you.

[ChicagoGranny]

I will have to stop therapy for now or maybe drag out an old machine.

There should be no dragging out. Everyone should keep their old (but still in good working condition) machine ready to use at any time their current machine fails.

[booksfan]

You might also want to check with another DME. The DME I am signed up with did not have machines available when I got a new Rx in November and were not sure when they would get new stock. They thought MAYBE December, but my insurance is c**p and I had met my deductible for 2022. So I called another DME who had machines in stock and picked up my machine last week.

It's worth trying.

[robysue1]

My ResMed AirSense started making a loud sucking noise at the filter upon inhaling.

It's worth checking to make sure the air filter is not getting sucked into the air inlet in the machine's blower unit.

It is producing more inhale pressure than what therapy should be.

How do you know this? How are you attempting to measure the pressure? It is possible that your mask or hose has a small hole which is triggering a leak. And the machine blows significantly more air into the system in the presence of a leak in order to maintain the correct pressure. Check your hose for leaks. Check your mask for leaks.

Is Luna an okay brand?

I have no idea. But I don't think Oscar will work with a Luna.

I will have to stop therapy for now or maybe drag out an old machine.

If I were you I'd drag the old machine out instead of going without therapy for a month or accepting a machine that I know little or nothing about.

[ejbpesca]

I will have to stop therapy for now or maybe drag out an old machine.

There should be no dragging out. Everyone should keep their old (but still in good working condition) machine ready to use at any time their current machine fails.

I did keep two old machines and dragging out had to be done to access them. (dragging refers to me hunting in a storage room). REMstar A Flex M series back in service.

Found that one old one is a recalled Phillips. It will not come on at all. I guess good thing.

[ChicagoGranny]

Found that one old one is a recalled Phillips.

Register on the recall site to get a replacement.

[ejbpesca]

Found that one old one is a recalled Phillips.

Register on the recall site to get a replacement.

Philips says no replacement for my REMstar Auto System One that is part of the recall. Machines past 5 year service life will not be replaced. I will pursue a bit further.

[ejbpesca]

You might also want to check with another DME. The DME I am signed up with did not have machines available when I got a new Rx in November and were not sure when they would get new stock. They thought MAYBE December, but my insurance is c**p and I had met my deductible for 2022. So I called another DME who had machines in stock and picked up my machine last week.

It's worth trying.

I am searching for another DME without success. Local med suppliers are CPAP challenged. CPAP.com does not take Medicare, some online services seem scammy. I was hoping someone may suggest a good one here that has AirSense. It seems many are fresh out of AirSense.

[ejbpesca]

Maybe it's your mask. Without *measuring* the pressure, you don't know. you can make a manometer, or just stick the hose in a bucket of water and see how many centimeters of water it can push against.
[/quote]

I hope to try the bucket test. Ruler and 5 gal. bucket should do it. Mask fit test > hose into bucket > push downward until bubbles stop > measure distance from surface of water to where bubbles stopped. Is that the procedure for a pressure measurement?

I know this: 2 different head gears, three cushions and 3 hoses all do the same thing. The pressure is so high upon an inhale my cheeks are blown out, pain occurs in throat and upper chest as I'm being inflated, and masks get blown out with no way to seal them.

The much louder noise the AirSense is producing is another indicator that more than usual/normal air is being drawn into the machine. I could take a db reading on that but have nothing to compare it to. The AirSense has been a quiet operating CPAP until now.

[ejbpesca]

NEVER ACCEPT A LESSER MACHINE
Having used a Resmed (check spelling very carefully--off brands use similar names),
you need the same make/model, or a newer version of exactly the same thing.
Going from a Resmed to a Luna would be equivalent to trading in a Lincoln for a Yugo.
Don't let them scam you.

I hear you Chunky Frog, but unless I can find a DME that accepts Medicare with an AirSense, I will have to take LUNA. Versus DME is out of stock as is others. I am searching but a trusted DME with an AirSense has not been found yet. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

[robysue1]

The much louder noise the AirSense is producing is another indicator that more than usual/normal air is being drawn into the machine. I could take a db reading on that but have nothing to compare it to. The AirSense has been a quiet operating CPAP until now.

More air being drawn into the machine can be a symptom of a significant leak problem. The way CPAP machines attempt to compensate for large leaks is to pump more air into the system to maintain the current pressure system.

Have you checked your hose and mask for leaks? Have you made sure the humidifier tank's gasket is properly seated and the humidifier tank lid is completely closed? Have you made sure the humidifier is properly and fully inserted? I know that it sounds like I'm pointing out the obvious, but often people will forget to check these things when they assume that the machine is misbehaving.

Finally, have you checked to make sure the air filter has not been partially sucked into inlet opening in the blower unit? You might want to read PaleRider's post about this in order to see why I am bringing this up.

[ejbpesca]

More air being drawn into the machine can be a symptom of a significant leak problem. The way CPAP machines attempt to compensate for large leaks is to pump more air into the system to maintain the current pressure system.

THANK YOU! It was the water tank's lack of seal causing the high pressure. I worked the tank it in and out a few times and it sealed back to normal pressure as per mask fit test.

I had just replaced the water tank. The old one had corrosion on the bottom plate. The new one although fully inserted, evidently did not seal by usual insertion. I hesitate to clean the gaskets that receive the water tank, but I guess a damp cloth may not hurt.

Water is rarely placed in the tank, humidity and hose heat kept off. Maybe the gasket have lost their elasticity with age and dryness.

This machine is one month away from end of advised service life.

I just requested my prescription to be sent to a local DME who has AirSense 10 in stock. For the first time in over 10 years I will visit a DME for fitting and advice on the latests masks etc. I had tried for a year to move to this DME, Coastal Therapeutics, without success but the ball is rolling now.

Thanks again. Y'all are the best.

[ejbpesca]

By suggestion here from Robysue to check it, I found the problem to be lack of seal of the water tank. Although fully inserted, the new tank had not sealed. Working it in and out a few times made it seal. Machine is one month from 5 years old.

Now to deal with one of my old spare machines, a Philips recall. It is over 5 years service so Philips offers no replacement, but they may offer some payment to return it to a DME. My new local DME, 2 miles from me, is a place it can be taken. Waiting on the fax from clinic to DME, to get all in place.

Thanks so much to all for the advice here to help me hunt down and solve the high pressure problem!

Y'all are the best!