CPAP AND OXYGEN

READYTOQUIT · Post by **READYTOQUIT** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:57 am

OK JOINED AND POSTED MY EQUIPMENT. ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:35 am

A few questions......

What pressure is your machine set to?

Have you discussed any of your problems with your doctor?

Are you aware that there are machines with which you can monitor your own therapy?
(your DME gave you about the cheapest one)

Do you have a copy (or original) of your prescription?

Do you have a copy of your sleep study?

Have you looked through the information under the yellow lightbulb (above) "Our Collective Wisdom"?

Den

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:30 pm

For some reason your machine comes up a filter for me. Glad to see you have a Full Face mask, that means one less problem to worry about. You really need a machine that collects data, everyone does.

As far as O2 rate, I've never heard of anyone using 1 LPM rate, usually they are set up for 2 LPM, and I question that rate as being useful, due to the mask vent rate. It seems to me that it would need to be higher to overcome the losses. Sometimes I think Doctors never had to take math or physics. Just the knife and pill bottle please.

Maybe your doctor could arrange for you to roadtest a APAP, and collect some data to work from. If possiable I would even get one out of pocket on line if I could afford it, your health is worth a lot to you too.

Jim

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:38 pm

You have a heated humidifier. That's good. I guess I'll ask the obvious...just to be sure....

Do you always remember to turn the humidifier on by pushing the humidifier button on your machine each time? If you turn the machine off during the night and then back on, do you remember to turn the humidifier on again also?

The pre-M REMstar machines, like you have, don't turn the humidifier's heat on automatically when you start the cpap machine itself. Humidifier turns OFF automatically when the cpap is turned off, but humidifier has to be turned on manually each time....doesn't come on automatically when you turn the cpap machine on.

AltPwrPuffer · Post by **AltPwrPuffer** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:01 pm

I recently developed pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs, multiple ones unfortunately) and I'm on O2. They won't release you from the hospital until you're under 5mlpm, most of the oxygen generators and tanks will only provide with a maximum 5 ml per minute.

They provided an adapter that plugs into the dischage of my Remstar Auto(tank) from which I run my hose to my F&P 100 HH. As for the Remstars HH you can put the adapter on its discharge. The adapter has a little tube to plug your O2 line on and you're good to go.

I'm on 3 mlpm to keep my O2 saturation at 95% and all works fine.

Perhaps this answers some question...........

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:55 pm

Boy! I've never heard of just 1L of 02 supplementation either. I'm on 2L of 02 supplementation w/my CPAP which is set at 8 cms. I don't use Ramp or EPR (I have a Resmed S8 Elite).

My 5L concentrator sits in my 'puter room and runs across the floor to my bedroom. It is set at 2L. My Elite sits on my nightstand. A cheap plastic adapter fits onto to the humidifier output where the mask hose would usually fit, the mask hose fits on the other end of the adapter. The 02 tubing is slipped over a "nipple" in the middle of the adapter.

Fortunately, with my Resmed I don't have to remember to turn the humidifier on. It automatically turns on and off when I turn the Elite on and off. Thank goodness it is one less thing I have to remember!!!! (I have once or twice forgotten to turn the concentrator on and after getting all masked up and snuggled in for the night, had to unmask, get up and go turn the concentrator on). Grrrrrrr. But since the concentrator can be noisy even when sitting on a piece of carpet I prefer to have it in the other room. My concentrator is a DeVilBiss whose compliance counter stopped at 22555 hours. "I" did NOT put anywhere near those many hours on it!!! Obviously, I was given a previously used concentrator but I understand Medicare replaces them as needed so I don't have to worry about that new "capped rental" that went into effect 01 Jan 06.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:59 pm

Besides the noise, it's nice to keep the extra heat out of the bedroom. Jim

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:07 pm

Ah, ever so true during the hot, humid summers, GoofProof!!!!

READYTOQUIT · Post by **READYTOQUIT** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:23 am

Wulfman wrote:A few questions......

What pressure is your machine set to?

Have you discussed any of your problems with your doctor?

Are you aware that there are machines with which you can monitor your own therapy?
(your DME gave you about the cheapest one)

Do you have a copy (or original) of your prescription?

Do you have a copy of your sleep study?

Have you looked through the information under the yellow lightbulb (above) "Our Collective Wisdom"?

Den

_________________MY PRESSURE IS 10
I DID TALK TO MY DOC THATS WHEN SHE ADDED THE 02 AND I DO NOT HAVE A COPY OF EITHER
WHAT KIND OF MACHINE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): DME, Prescription

READYTOQUIT · Post by **READYTOQUIT** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:25 am

rested gal wrote:You have a heated humidifier. That's good. I guess I'll ask the obvious...just to be sure....

Do you always remember to turn the humidifier on by pushing the humidifier button on your machine each time? If you turn the machine off during the night and then back on, do you remember to turn the humidifier on again also?

The pre-M REMstar machines, like you have, don't turn the humidifier's heat on automatically when you start the cpap machine itself. Humidifier turns OFF automatically when the cpap is turned off, but humidifier has to be turned on manually each time....doesn't come on automatically when you turn the cpap machine on.

YES MA'AM I ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT ITS ON THANK YOU

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:30 am

READYTOQUIT wrote:
Wulfman wrote:A few questions......

What pressure is your machine set to?

Have you discussed any of your problems with your doctor?

Are you aware that there are machines with which you can monitor your own therapy?
(your DME gave you about the cheapest one)

Do you have a copy (or original) of your prescription?

Do you have a copy of your sleep study?

Have you looked through the information under the yellow lightbulb (above) "Our Collective Wisdom"?

Den

_________________MY PRESSURE IS 10
I DID TALK TO MY DOC THATS WHEN SHE ADDED THE 02 AND I DO NOT HAVE A COPY OF EITHER
WHAT KIND OF MACHINE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT

Your CPAP machine.

Den

READYTOQUIT · Post by **READYTOQUIT** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:37 am

should have been more clear sorry, what name brand machine alows you to monitor yourself?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:49 am

These four machines:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-advanced.php?PNum=1608

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-advanced.php?PNum=1607

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-advanced.php?PNum=2170

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-advanced.php?PNum=2197

The first and second ones would be able to utilize the same humidifier you have now. With the last two, you'd need to purchase the package that includes the humidifier that is specific to the M Series machines.

This is the software and reader you'd need to interpret the data from a smart card that would come with any of the above machines:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage-bundle.php?BundleID=64

Den

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:08 am

Well, you have the older "classic" Respironics (pre-M series) so you would need a Respironics RemStar Pro II (that II is important) to have a fully data capable CPAP. There is also the older ("classic") Respironics RemStar Pro (no II) that is NOT fully data capable. They are getting a bit more difficult to buy as they are being or have been phased out in favor of the newer M series Respironics RemStars. Unfortunately, the only way to "upgrade" to an M series is to also purchase a new humidifier as the "classic" integrated humidifier won't "integrate" w/the M series CPAPs. None of the Respironics CPAPs that have Plus in their model name is more than compliance data only capable. Compliance data doesn't do diddley-squat for you or tell you or your doctor anything expect that you are using the CPAP and how much you are using it.

The fully data capable CPAPs provide information such as your leak rate, AHI (apnea/hypopnea index, how many of them you experience each hour of sleep), etc.

Do you have insurance w/good DME supplies coverage? Are you selfpay for all your supplies and equipment? Do you have Medicare coverage? If so, do you have a secondary insurance that also covers DME equipment and supplies?

Since you've been on CPAP for a year and a half you "might" be able to get your insurance to pay for you to upgrade to an autoPAP - maybe - if your doctor supports you and scripts one. ALL Respironics and Resmed autoPAPs are fully data capable as is the Puritan Bennett GoodKnight 420E. But if you "can" get an auto you will more than likely also have to get a new humidifier as well.

If that is the case, and you have room on your nightstand or wherever you keep your CPAP you might want to consider a Fisher & Paykel HC 150 stand alone heated humidifier. They have considerably more capacity for providing humidity than the integreated humidifiers. On the other hand, if you travel much, especially by air, they are no where near as convenient to haul along. The other nice thing about the stand alone humidifier is that it can be used w/ANY brand or model of CPAP.

GoofProof is more of a "pro" w/utilizing 02 supplementation w/CPAP than I am. And RestedGal and Wulfman are more experienced w/CPAPs than I am.

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:03 pm

I could be way out in the weeds on this but it occurs to me that the reason the O2 sats are low is because the therapy is NOT effective. So rather than the doc finding out why the therapy is NOT effective, she orders 1L O2. Done.

Keep in mind, it doesn't sound like she even knows if the O2 has any effect so far. Meaning you can fill the room with O2 but if you do NOT breath it in, why even bother?

Ready (RTQ), have you been diagnosed with other help issues (beside apnea) that would affect your O2 level only while sleeping?

Have you done any over night oximeter testing after beginning the use of O2?

Good Luck,
GumbyCT