Medicare and Sleepyhead

[Islandwoman]

I have just finished my first month on CPap. With Medicare I have a modem with a card plugged into my Respironics 560D which sends my information to my DMS and they report to Medicare and my doctor. My machine has another card in it but it tells me that one is empty. I think have to wait for two more months(when they remove the modem) before I can use Sleepyhead? I have the Respironics app on my phone which give me a little information but it is erratic and often I don't get a particular nights' data. It gives me leakage, therapy hours and AHI. I am vey new with all this but feel much better since CPap.

[sawinglogz]

Weird that your card would be empty.

Mine has an SD card underneath the modem (not the SIM card in the modem) that definitely contains data.

I unplug the machine, remove the modem, remove the card, write-protect it, copy all the data onto my computer, then un-write-protect it, reinsert the card, reattach the modem, and plug the CPAP back in.

So you can definitely use SleepyHead with a modem.

I just don't know why yours would appear empty. What says it's empty?

[Surly]

The card will have data on it. 1 months data takes so little room that your machine reports that your data card still has 100% space available.

[CapnLoki]

I have the same machine with a cell phone based "modem." From day one every morning I pulled the plug, removed the modem, and taken the SD card hidden beneath it to a computer to read it with Sleepyhead. (I don't bother write protecting but some have reported problems from not doing that.) I talked to the person at the DME who handles the "cell call-ins" and she said there's no problem, and even if the modem is off or out of range for a few days all the data still gets there. Also, she said they probably won't ask for it back because its just easier to leave them in place (winning points with the doctor). After the 3 month period I started leaving it off for a few days at a time just because its a hassle. Also, when I've traveled I've left it at home - one less thing to worry about.

If your machine doesn't have a card, you can easily add one. A 1gig card is fine - I figure my 2 gig card will full in about 15 years - so you can use the smallest (cheapest) you can find. They do fail on occasion, so in addition to Sleepyhead, I make a copy of the raw card data every few weeks and I keep a spare "tested" card in my travel kit.

[Islandwoman]

Thanks to all. I have not taken the card out yet to check. When I click info on the machine it now reads 99% space available. Earlier I saw an unremembered comment that led me to believe it had no information on it. I would guess that after 5 weeks 99% could be about right. I will write protect it after I read how (as I have never done that before) and try it in Sleepyhead.

Thanks again

[Islandwoman]

Hello again,
Well I looked on line and all I can find is how to unlock "stuck on write protect" cards which worries me a bit. I have my first after CPap doctors apt Friday and have no idea how he gets information. I think from the DME who receives the info through/from the modem card. Do both cards record the same information? Does the modem card read the machine card? No one ever explains the details and I didn't know enough to ask. I don't want to lock up my card and then not be able to unlock it. Will wait a bit.

[CapnLoki]

Yes, your doctor may well receive the data from the DME. I think they get all the data, but I never got this confirmed. The modem probably doesn't read the card (but it might) because the machine saves a fair amount itself.

I brought my laptop and showed my doctor SleepyHead - he was fascinated and impressed, and gave me permission to tweak my own settings, following his guidelines.

As I said earlier, I've never bothered to write protect the card, but some systems like to add little files to the card, and this freaks out some machines. To write protect, all you have to do is slide the little switch on the side of the card to the "lock" position. Remember to unlock before putting it back the pump.

[Islandwoman]

I did it and it worked perfectly. How often shall I download? I assume it just adds info for the new day(s). Now I will read again what it all means this time with my personal information in front of me. I did remember to unlock it. I really appreciate the help I have learned more "new tricks" this last month than the rest of last year. I wish you all a wonderful year!

[Surly]

As frequently as you like with your Philips Repironics device. Resmed S9 users lose waveform data after 7 days, so need to download frequently enough to accommodate that limitation if they want to be able to see their older waveform data.

[CapnLoki]

I did it and it worked perfectly. How often shall I download? ... I wish you all a wonderful year!

Personally I like to read it first thing in the morning, when I can still remember a bit of the night's "events." The more I read the SleepyHead data, the more I understand the factors affecting sleep. For example, when I realized that clusters of H events that coincided with VS events occurred when I slept on my back, I learned how to stay on my side and reduced the height of my pillows.

[Islandwoman]

Good idea Old dog. I tend to be a bit OC with tech toys and now want a laptop. I have been happy with my desk top a couple of tablets et.. Old but trying to keep up with four grandchildren. Do you know if I can send my report to an android tablet(no camera or native photo program)? I looked at export but don't know what kind of file to send to get all of it or what kind if app. I expect a .jpeg. I will try to send to photo file and then transfer I guess. I will need "B" Pap for the brain next!

[CapnLoki]

... Do you know if I can send my report to an android tablet(no camera or native photo program)? I looked at export but don't know what kind of file to send to get all of it or what kind if app. I expect a .jpeg. I will try to send to photo file and then transfer I guess. I will need "B" Pap for the brain next!

The only way to get a report of the daily charts is a screen capture. This is of course system dependent - on Win 8 a "windows key + PrntScr" will create a png file in the pictures/screenshots folder, but the are other methods, like the snipping tool. You could then transfer this to an tablet, assuming it can read .png. To show in this forum, you have to upload to a service like photobucket and then paste the link it provides. So what is it you really want to do?

I wish there was an Android version of SleepyHead - if I had more energy I'd port it, but if I had more energy I probably wouldn't be retired!