ASV Study

[PapHater]

I'm having my ASV study tomorrow night, any tips? I hear it can be hard to adjust to.

[Pugsy]

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

I can't think of any special tips for an ASV study over the usual standard tips for any sleep study.
The tech will likely adjust things as needed and make the transitions as smooth as possible.
ASV use can take a bit of getting used to but I have seen people adapt easily from the first night. It's like anything with this sleep apnea stuff....everything comes with a YMMV sticker.

If you are apprehensive and think you may have trouble getting to sleep so they can get a good evaluation...talk to your doctor about the possibility of a sleep aid if you want to think along those lines. Gotta get the sleep to have the sleep study.

[Nooblakahn]

Not sure which studies you've had before. Alot of people say the asv is weird. One of the sleep techs there when I had my asv titration said she tried this kind of machine.. and wasn't sure how anyone can sleep with it. I honestly find the ASV easier to deal with than regular bipap, or bipap st. With the asv doing the tracking of your breath.. it seems to me to stay timed with my breathing better.

As pugsy said its gets even better the longer you use it, as you just get used to it. The machine was far less aggravating then the wires and "snotballs" in my hair and electrodes on my leg and chest. If you don't post before then, good luck! I hope all goes well for you. Keep us posted.

[johnthomasmacdonald]

Hi Pugsy, my sleep test is Tues and - as predicted - i haven't had a night over ahi 3 or many centrals for almost a week now ( following a night of ahi 38 with the identical conditions) - those space aliens are very tricksy

[johnthomasmacdonald]

PapHater - I've used the Resmed ASV adapt enhanced ( the old unit based on the S8) and i didn't find it any more uncomfortable than bilevel and i found it a WHOLE lot more comfortable than apap or straight cpap - really not much difference IMHO

[Pugsy]

Hi Pugsy, my sleep test is Tues and - as predicted - i haven't had a night over ahi 3 or many centrals for almost a week now ( following a night of ahi 38 with the identical conditions) - those space aliens are very tricksy

I told you that would happen...Murphy's Law at its finest.
Well...you will understand this but I hope you have one of your worst night's ever next Tuesday night...

[PapHater]

Thanks guys, that's reassuring to hear. Overall this will be my fourth study and I'm really hoping it'll be my last. I had my first one in 2007 and after 9 months of hell the sleep doc came to conclusion that I have complex apnea. Apparently she thought all of those new centrals during my titration were a fluke. I've had an oral appliance since then but it hasn't exactly been effective in improving my fatigue so I'm going to give the ASV a try.

[JohnBFisher]

Here's hoping the sleep study goes well. As others have noted, it sometimes takes a bit to adjust to the unit. Both the Resmed and Respironics units keep track of moving averages for the past three or four minutes. So, if for some reason you suddenly slow or speed your breathing, the machine will try to speed you up or slow you down. This sometimes happens when people fall asleep. During a sleep study, the best way to handle this is to just patiently slow your breathing and gradually wait out the insistence of the machine. Then you and the machine can drift off to sleep. When you get home with an ASV unit, for the first few weeks you can just turn off the machine and turn it back on .. That resets the algorithm and you can then drift off before it tries to adjust your breathing. But you will find that after a few weeks to a few months you won't even notice it anymore. If anything, you will find that the unit helps you maintain better breathing throughout the night. So, you would have a few rough nights and then your AHI would seem to mysteriously fall ... That's your body becoming accustomed to the therapy.

Anyway, hope things go well. Since you've had a long history of centrals, you should find you are able to get some deep sleep with the unit. Hope it goes well.

[MagsterMile]

One of the hardest things for me to get used to going on an asv machine was the fact that there wasn't a ramp feature available. I had become very dependent on it during the 4 weeks they had me on a cpap machine (Respironics System One Pro + 12cm). I couldn't take the huge hurricane in my face so I kept on 'ramping' if you will.

[JohnBFisher]

One of the hardest things for me to get used to going on an asv machine was the fact that there wasn't a ramp feature available. I had become very dependent on it during the 4 weeks they had me on a cpap machine (Respironics System One Pro + 12cm). I couldn't take the huge hurricane in my face so I kept on 'ramping' if you will.

You are correct about the Resmed S9 ASV unit. However, for the sake of others reading .. the Respironics S1 ASV unit does include a ramp feature. It does take time to adjust to the full pressure. But after a few weeks / months you will hardly notice it. Not saying it's easy when you start .. just it's wonderful how much our bodies do adapt to changing conditions.

[Nooblakahn]

One of the hardest things for me to get used to going on an asv machine was the fact that there wasn't a ramp feature available. I had become very dependent on it during the 4 weeks they had me on a cpap machine (Respironics System One Pro + 12cm). I couldn't take the huge hurricane in my face so I kept on 'ramping' if you will.

You are correct about the Resmed S9 ASV unit. However, for the sake of others reading .. the Respironics S1 ASV unit does include a ramp feature. It does take time to adjust to the full pressure. But after a few weeks / months you will hardly notice it. Not saying it's easy when you start .. just it's wonderful how much our bodies do adapt to changing conditions.

My s9 vpap adapt has ramp ... I don't use it but its there. Is this possible that it was added in a firmware update?

[JohnBFisher]

One of the hardest things for me to get used to going on an asv machine was the fact that there wasn't a ramp feature available. I had become very dependent on it during the 4 weeks they had me on a cpap machine (Respironics System One Pro + 12cm). I couldn't take the huge hurricane in my face so I kept on 'ramping' if you will.

You are correct about the Resmed S9 ASV unit. However, for the sake of others reading .. the Respironics S1 ASV unit does include a ramp feature. It does take time to adjust to the full pressure. But after a few weeks / months you will hardly notice it. Not saying it's easy when you start .. just it's wonderful how much our bodies do adapt to changing conditions.

My s9 vpap adapt has ramp ... I don't use it but its there. Is this possible that it was added in a firmware update?

Probably. I remember clearly looking at that feature on both the Resmed and Respironics units. Respironics only had it at the time. So, we can thank the power of competition for helping us get better technology. I'm in favor of that type of progress.

[MagsterMile]

I did ask the DME RT about not having a 'ramp' feature on the S9. I showed her my literature on the unit and low and behold, they showed a picture of the 'ramp' feature. She said she didn't know why it was listed in the literature since it is actually not available. She also advised that 'ramp' is not needed since the machine is analyzing my breathing needs. I guess what she is saying is that the machine will start out lower just because my needs are lower. It didn't seem 'lower' to me. Now that I'm about 6 months into the therapy, I have gotten used to the higher pressure starting out. I still miss the 'ramp' feature at times.

[Mary Z]

PapHater, how are things going now? In my year on ASV I have noticed big changes for the better in my mood and daytime sleepiness. When I started ASV I thought I would give it six months to a year to get optimum therapy. One year later the machine and I are best friends. The worst night was the trial of ASV in the sleep lab when the changing pressures kept waking me. Every night since then has been better. Hope it's going well for you.

[JohnBFisher]

... I have gotten used to the higher pressure starting out. I still miss the 'ramp' feature at times. ...

For what it's worth, you are not alone. I've used a CPAP/BiPAP/ASV unit for the past 20+ years. I still sometimes hate the claustrophobic feeling of the mask. But as you note, you do grow accustomed to it.