Sleep Study Results/ Should I buy Used Resmed Vpap S?

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Hiya, all! Wow, there is a lot of information in this board. I am so glad it exists.

Had a home sleep study done, and, what do you know, being tired all the time isn't just normal. I'll list actual results below, but: have the chance to buy a ResMed Vpap S - the S9 kind that's all silver and shiny and expensive for a good price. Question one: do you think this is a good fit machine for my test numbers, or do you rec. something else? Question two: what should I look for/look out for when I go to buy this used machine from a private seller? Question three: does anyone use a Tap-Pap mask with this machine, and is it all that?

Thanks all! Apnea is 'moderate', but here are the results, which seem...not moderate?

Flow evaluation period: 9h 23 m/ Sp02 eval period: 9h 21min
Indices:
AHI: 20.5 Average Breaths per minute: 17.89
RI: 23.7 Breaths: 10064
Apnea Index: 1.4 Apneas: 13
UAI: 0 Unclassified Apneas: 0
OAI: 1.3 Obstructive Apneas: 12 (92%)
CAI: 0.1 Central Apneas: 1 (8%)
MAI: 0 Mixed Apneas: 0
Hypopnea Index: 19.1 Hypopneas: 179
% Flow lim. Br. without SN (FL): 36 Flow lim. Br. without SN (FL): 3644
% Flow lim. Br. with SN (FS): 2 Flow lim. Br. with Sn (FS): 234
Snoring Events: 4595 <---------- will cpap stop this? if yes, this is absolutely enough to make me 100% compliant!

ODI: 35.5 No. of desaturations: 332
Average saturation: 92 Saturation <= 90% 168 min
Lowest desaturation: 77 Saturation <=85% 6 min
Lowest saturation: 77 Saturation <= 80% 0 min
Baseline saturation: 97 Saturation <=89% 110 min
Saturation <=88% 62 min
Minimum pulse: 53
Maximum pulse: 120
Average pulse: 86

Proportion of probable CS epochs: 0

[Pugsy]

I have used the Tap Pap mask quite successfully with this type of machine. In fact I had a S9 VPAP Auto which is like the S model except it also has an extra mode that does auto adjusting pressures. It's a great mask no matter which machine is used and really doesn't matter what pressures are used.

Yes, effective cpap/apap/bilevel therapy will help eliminate/reduce any snoring.

Yes, if you can get a good deal on the S9 VPAP S it should work well for you.
It has 2 modes of operation....it will work like a fixed single pressure cpap machine (which is like the S9 Elite) and it has a mode where it delivers 2 pressures..one for inhale and one for exhale so we call it a bilevel mode. The pressure is fix and won't auto adjust.
It doesn't have auto adjusting mode but you may not even need it or want it. Not everyone does well with auto adjusting pressures.
It's nice to have that ability but it is rare for it to be of critical urgent need.

The S9 VPAP S may technically be "more" machine than you need but it won't hurt anything to have a machine that is a step up in models. If you can get a good deal on it...get it. It's a really nice machine.
It has full data available and software is easy to get and use so you can evaluate that therapy.

Are you going to have a sleep study where they use a machine and a mask to try to find out what pressure you are going to need?
Or are you going to try to figure it out without the sleep titration study? Having auto adjusting capability can make the self titration a bit easier but it can also be done with a fixed pressure machine.
If you don't have insurance to help you out with the machine costs and you can get a really good deal on the S9 VPAP S....you can still figure out optimal pressures with it.

We can't really tell by test numbers what machine might be the best machine unless someone has an unusually large number of centrals and you don't. Looks like the bulk of your events are hyponeas...most likely obstructive in nature and the VPAP will work just fine for those type of events.

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Are you going to have a sleep study where they use a machine and a mask to try to find out what pressure you are going to need?
Or are you going to try to figure it out without the sleep titration study? Having auto adjusting capability can make the self titration a bit easier but it can also be done with a fixed pressure machine.
If you don't have insurance to help you out with the machine costs and you can get a really good deal on the S9 VPAP S....you can still figure out optimal pressures with it.

My insurance has a pretty high deductible, so I'm not 100% sure yet....Have to call them on Monday and hash out what they'll cover when I hit my deductible, but funds are kind of tight. I'm thinking it might be smartest for me to self-titrate/experiment for a bit, and then if I can't figure it out I'll pony up for the sleep study (which will be totally out of pocket, yikes). Any advice on that front? The MD prescribed a 4-20 standard old titration, which I understand basically doesn't mean anything, right? By the way, I just read some of your bi-level experimentation stuff, amazingly clear and helpful.

[Pugsy]

If you end up with plain jane vanilla OSA without any complicating factors you should be able to self titrate. Won't hurt to try and if unsuccessful you can then pony up for the sleep study.
Home studies are limited a bit in the data channels that we get but it's a good start. So far from what the home study shows it looks like plain jane vanilla OSA is what is going on. Won't know about centrals for real until you start adding pressure. Even if centrals do develop the usual first line of defense for pressure induced centrals would be a machine like the VPAP s anyway.
If you had auto adjusting capabilities you could find the optimal pressure maybe a little faster but you can still find it using the VPAP S. The chances of complicating factors are not all that huge.

I would go for it if it were me and reserve the expensive out of pocket sleep study as an option placed on the back burner to be done later if needed.

Where are you going to get your masks? I assume the doctor who ordered the home study will write the RX for the masks but you still have the same problem with out of pocket costs for masks. The mask thing is the most difficult part of this therapy...finding the right one and all that. I might have a couple you can try for free depending on what type of mask interests you.
Otherwise I would suggest that you give cpap.com a try for mask supplies. Some masks come with free return insurance and some you have to buy the return insurance. That way if you hate the mask you can return it (you have 30 days) and at least get your money back. Cpap.com even provides a prepaid shipping label.

If you normally can breathe through your nose just fine then I would suggest that you start with the nasal pillow mask. It's the least intrusive and easiest to get and maintain a good seal simply because there's less real estate involved.
If you have chronic nasal congestion issues that can't be cleared up then you are likely going to need a full face mask.

Finding the right pressure...not difficult. Takes just a bit of time and education on your part in understanding the data but it isn't all that difficult to get a handle on.

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Well, I've got a ResMed S9 VPAP S with 35 hours of use on it. Also a TrueBlue nasal mask (that I have sanitized the crap out of). I guess this lady got it and basically put it on a shelf immediately? Anyway. I've emailed apnea about the clinician's manual, but I doubt I'll hear back tonight. the settings are currently at:

IPAP 12
EPAP 7
Ti Max 2
Ti Min .3
Rise Time 300
Trigger Med
Cycle Med

EasyBreathe On

Is this a reasonable place to start, with my numbers above?

Also, yes, Pugsy, I would absolutely be interested in talking to you about trying out masks. I'll work on this one for a couple nights, talk to my insurance Monday, see what shakes out. Sidenote:I can't believe how much time/niceness you put into this board - you're like the good fairy of cpap!

Any Colorado users with advice on DMEs?

Thanks!

[Pugsy]

See if this video helps while waiting for the manual. If you don't get the manual tomorrow...send me a private message and and I will get it to you.

http://www.cpaplibrary.com/machines.html
You want to reset the machine settings to factory defaults..and you also want to erase prior user's data off the machine. Erase the SD card too. You want the machine and SD card free of any user data so it doesn't get mixed in to your data.

I would suggest that you start with EPAP of 6 and IPAP of 10 ..the other settings are fine.

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Thanks so much! Done and done. I'm sure tonight will be eye-opening, in one way or another...