Lighted buttons driving me crazy

[mcejsul]

Hello All
I am a newbie, a little over a week now with the M Series Plus, now have my Encore Viewer software and waiting for a chage out to the M-Series Pro.
My question is this. The control buttons (ramp, on/off and C-Flex) light up enough so I can read by. Is it possible to program them so they do not light up? I currently use a card over them to reduce the light.

Thanks, in advance.

[plr66]

I think I remember reading here that there is no way to extinguish the dratted blue lights. When I was using my Remstar M Series, I used either a folded washcloth, or a coaster, or a small cardboard jewelry gift-box cover over them.

By the way. How did that exchange go with your DME?

[howkim]

My machine is on a low footstool by my bed, so they're not shining right in my eyes. I also use an eye mask at night, for other reasons, but it helps with the blue lights.

[mcejsul]

I am still in the process. I contacted the Doctor's office to find out what I had to do. They told me no problem, just contact the DME (Apria Health...yeah.....). I contacted them and told them I wanted a full data machine and at first the "Clinician" said that that was the best machine and I informed her that I was aware that this machine did not provide any information other than usage and I wanted the the M-Seeries Pro and she kind of stammered and said she had to talk to someone else and put me on hold. She came back on and said that there was a "new" model they had, I just had to have my doctor call in a new Prescription..why I don't know. I called the Doctor and they said no problem, that was last Monday. I had not heard anything from Apria so icalled the "clincian" back and left a message Wednesday am and she never returned my call. I left her number at home on Thursday so I just called the direct number, told the male who answered my issues and said he could help me, looked at my file and informed me that they received my new Prescription on Wednesday and would put a note on file for someone to call me for an appointment. Still waiting.... If I don't hear by Tomorrow afternoon, I will call again and ask why it takes so long to swap out a machine.
ON the positive side, I did order and get my Encore Viwer and Card Reader and although it is only compliance data, it is working well. I am averaging about 7 1/2 hours a night with the machine going. There was only one night where I ripped it off in the middle of the night after about 3:45 hrs. I do have to say that my energy level is a little better during the day and actually wanted to go out and do some yard work yesterday after I got home from work.

[Rustyolddude]

Cut a few small circles of black electrical tape and stick it on the buttons. If you can't remember the buttons, put a label above each one.

[BlackSpinner]

Why not stick some masking tape over the lights?

[DNAClone]

For me there is a simple solution.
My machine is one my night table with the back of the machine facing me.
When I put on my mask I just lift the cover and it blocks the lights.

I have an M Series so I am not sure if this simple fix would work on the other models.

[LinkC]

I keep a hand towel ("drool rag") nearby for middle-of-the-night face and mask drying sessions. A convenient place to store it is right on top of the lights...

The towel solves TWO problems!

[GumbyCT]

I think the secret is to close your eyes - this really does work

I recently attended a support group where the Apria Kingpin (so to speak) for CT said they are trying to change they way they do business. Explaining that is more cost effective to issue the higher end machines such as autos. Of course he didn't know the Plus recorded ONLY compliance data. I think this has more to do with changes in Medicare Requirements and the flexibility of the machines helping to reduce the manpower requirements than a change in mentality from Apria.

But it appears the word has not reached all employees just yet.

To recap: try closing your eyes when going to sleep. Just a friendly tip. It works for me.

[sleepypp]

I think the secret is to close your eyes - this really does work

This is from Harvard Medical’s “Healthy Sleep” website:

“Light is one of the most important external factors that can affect sleep. It does so both directly, by making it difficult for people to fall asleep, and indirectly, by influencing the timing of our internal clock and thereby affecting our preferred time to sleep…”

Just one of many thousands of hits on the subject from Google. Many studies exist that suggest COMPLETE darkness is required for a certain kind of deep sleep.

There is no excuse for Respironics to not include a way to extinguish the lights on the M-Series. Anybody who has an old RemStar Plus machine can turn off the much less intense lights via the panel.

Get with it Respironics! Are you reading these forums? You should be! How about a firmware update?

As cheap as RAM is these days we should have machines that record our movement like a $39 Wii controller or Microsoft’s Natal technology. Plus real-time video/audio analysis and playback! I guess that only video game companies spend their profits on R&D.

No wonder we are in a healthcare “crisis”.

Stacy

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/hea ... al-factors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Natal

[GumbyCT]

oh I agree "Respironics should have ..." but believe me when I tell you - 'I am NOT gonna loose any sleep over it'.

[6PtStar]

Blue lights are not a problem. If they bother you just put something over them or get some plastic paint from the model store and paint around the edges. They do dim when the blower comes on. I like them because they keep me from stepping on my dog that sleeps at the side of my bed if I have to get up. I can't see them at all if I close my eyes.

Jerry

[RipVW]

I use the three little circles cut from black electrical tape (used a dime for a "template"). No more dealing with the washcloth, always having to move it to turn the machine off/on . . .

[wlenz]

I use a paper towel to cover the lights. These lights also will blink when there is a problem. It is a good idea to know very early if your machine is about to fail. If you mask the lights you may have to go without your machine for a few days when it fails. It is so easy to place something over the buttons, it is not a big problem.
Bill

[sleepyinstlouis]

I think I might be one of the weird ones who isn't bothered by the lights actually. I have a fear of the dark and if I happen wake up during the night, seeing them is somewhat calming.