Bob3000 wrote:
Hi DreamDiver, I am a little confused by your post - are you saying that when you switch from the M-series to the S9 that your AHI dropped? And if so, do you believe that it's due to an actual drop in events, a change in the way events are graded, or something else? I ask because I wonder if an S9 might provide better therapy than e.g. an intellipap auto (which I have right now). My AHI is usually around 4 - 5 with the intellipap, but it's worse than that because most events are clustered around the last three hours of sleep so during that period the AHI must be double and just evens out to 4 - 5 so if in fact S9 would provide better therapy, I might buy one at some point and keep the Intellipap as a backup.
Sorry for the confusion. I assert that the S9 does a better job for me than the M-Series Pro
for me.
Noise:
- The M-Series Pro is louder. I had to wear earplugs, and even then it didn't seem to make much difference because the noise is also transported through the hose as a vibration medium. The S9 has all but eliminated vibrational noise transported through the hose.
C-Flex VS. EPR
- I find C-FLex (Flex in general) invasive. It makes my autonomic breathing pattern race while I'm sleeping. I end up breathing like I've run a race when I wake up. This is bad. When I turned it off, my AHI on the M-Series dropped by three points.
- On the opposite side of that, EPR in the Resmed machines is hardly noticeable. it's very useful for combating aerophagia. This supposed equivalent of C-Flex does its job differently, and more effectively than C-Flex for me.
Resmed FOT vs. Respironics FOT
- Resmed Forced Oscillation Technique (FOT) uses half-cm pressure waves to evaluate open airway apneas (marked 'Central' on the Resmed graphs). These pressure waves oscillate at 4.3 Hz - well within the frequency range of third-stage sleep and therefore is unobtrusive to me. I could only sense it while I was awake and testing the capability directly.
- On my last titration, I was tested on a Respironics Omnilab Advanced - capable of emulating a System 0ne - which is what they set the machine to emulate in CPAP mode but with FOT. Their FOT method uses 2cm pulses every few seconds. An abrupt 2cm change induces a wake response in me. Almost every time. They didn't know how to turn it off. In fact, they didn't even know it was on. I had to prove it by making the tech take out a manometer so she could see it. I might as well hammer an aluminum pie tin as well as use any Respironics machine using their method of FOT.
Resmed Algorithm vs. Respironics Algorithm
- Something about the resmed algorithm allows me to breathe more naturally. It seems to do a better job of anticipating my needs without clunky changes in pressure or clunky methods to achieve constant positive pressure.
- That said - it must be emphasized this is what works for me. It may be different for other cpap users.
The S9's algorithm may be slightly more advanced than the S8 because the S9 can detect centrals, but that does not take much away from the standard set by the S8. While I have not tried an S8, since the S8 and S9 use the same basic technology, I can only assume I would probably have been happier with an S8 when I first started CPAP therapy than I was with an M-Series Pro.
I cannot comment on the Intellipap, but I've heard it is a pretty quiet machine. Some have had trouble, but apparently
DeVilbiss Marketing is willing to work with board members to make sure they're satisfied with their therapy. I take that as a positive sign from any manufacturer that they're willing not only to put their faces directly on this board, but to actually contribute to our knowledge with useful information that isn't always just about DeVilbiss.
That said - I believe the S9 does a better job of reducing AHI than any current or prior Respironics machine. For me. The differing algorithm may be responsible for counting Apneas and Hypopneas differently -- I cannot say one way or the other -- but the overall difference seems to me that my sleep is better with this machine.
