NEW: Using ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV Machine w/Dreamwear mask

[VolDog]

Recently diagnosed with Sleep apnea by Dept of VA.

Was given a CPAP machine but had a hard time using so I went to a civilian doctor instead. They did an overnight sleep study while having me use a BIPAP but because of my Central Sleep Apneas they now have me trying a ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV (37043) Machine.

Original settings (first two weeks) were: Min EPAP 6.0; Max IPAP 25.0; And PS 1.0-10 (cmH20) - 14 days my average AHI 1.71
My settings now (as of day before yesterday) are: Min EPAP 6.0; Max IPAP 17.0; And PS 0.0-5.0 (cmH20) - 2 days my average AHI 1.97

Here's the real problem for me personally (I keep waking up throughout the entire night and don't feel rested when I wake although my OSA/Central sleep apneas for the most part are gone).

CPAP Sessions
On Date Start End Duration
ResMed Session #1464399674
Click to disable this session. 5/27/16 21:41:14 23:26:15 01h 45m 01s
ResMed Session #1464406468
Click to disable this session. 5/27/16 23:34:28 23:58:30 00h 24m 02s
ResMed Session #1464408028
Click to disable this session. 5/28/16 00:00:29 00:54:30 00h 54m 01s
ResMed Session #1464423483
Click to disable this session. 5/28/16 04:18:03 04:32:05 00h 14m 02s
ResMed Session #1464424474
Click to disable this session. 5/28/16 04:34:35 04:53:35 00h 19m 00s
ResMed Session #1464425786
Click to disable this session. 5/28/16 04:56:27 05:08:28 00h 12m 01s
ResMed Session #1464426971
Click to disable this session. 5/28/16 05:16:11 05:22:12 00h 06m 01s

Any ideas on how to make this thing work as I feel like throwing it out the window and taking my chances without it.

I did find a mask I like which is made by dreamware (nasal-type).

I truly don't understand what the following data means from last night:

Date Sleep Wake Hours
5/27/16 21:41:14 05:22:12 03:54:08
Large Leak 0.34%
Clear Airway 0.00
Unclassified Apnea 0.00
Obstructive 0.00
Hypopnea 1.79

Event Breakdown

Statistics
Channel Min Med 95% Max
EPAPExpiratory Pressure (cmH2O)
W-Avg: 5.81 4.08 6.06 6.52 7.14
IPAPInspiratory Pressure (cmH2O)
W-Avg: 6.88 4.08 6.54 11.02 11.96
Minute Vent.Amount of air displaced per minute (L/min)
W-Avg: 8.93 0.00 8.38 13.12 24.88
Resp. RateRate of breaths per minute (Breaths/min)
W-Avg: 15.24 0.00 15.80 19.40 24.60
Flow Limit.Graph showing severity of flow limitations (Severity (0-1))
W-Avg: 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00
Leak RateRate of detected mask leakage (L/min)
W-Avg: 5.05 0.00 4.80 8.40 32.40
SnoreGraph displaying snore volume (?)
W-Avg: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02
Insp. TimeTime taken to breathe in (Seconds)
W-Avg: 1.78 0.16 1.58 2.92 8.58
Exp. TimeTime taken to breathe out (Seconds)
W-Avg: 2.23 0.18 2.12 3.46 4.94
Target Vent.Target Minute Ventilation? (L/min)
W-Avg: 7.66 4.12 7.75 9.00 9.88
Tidal VolumeAmount of air displaced per breath (ml)
W-Avg: 605.72 0.00 520.00 1080.00 2460.00

Total time in apnea 00:01:10
Time over leak redline 0.342%

[Pugsy]

How many hours of sleep are you averaging?
Are you using the mask and machine for all those hours or do you sleep part of the night without mask? If so, how many hours without mask and are those hours at the end of the sleep session?
We already know you wake often during the night which definitely is a problem and a recipe for poor sleep quality even if the sleep apnea is dealt with. Any idea why you are waking so often and how quickly do you go back to sleep?
Also...do you take any meds of any kind? If so, what?

Your data from the machine is unremarkable meaning nothing just screams out "fix me" except for the multiple sessions and short hours of use.
In terms of understanding what you are seeing on those reports...just concentrate on the basics for now....leaks, events, pressure and don't worry about the other stuff.

[VolDog]

Thanks for the response.

How many hours of sleep are you averaging? 5.5
Are you using the mask and machine for all those hours or do you sleep part of the night without mask? If so, how many hours without mask and are those hours at the end of the sleep session? I sleep approximately 3 hours with the mask and about two without. Usually sleep without after the first time I wake up and then when I wake up again put it on until it's time to get out of bed.
We already know you wake often during the night which definitely is a problem and a recipe for poor sleep quality even if the sleep apnea is dealt with. Any idea why you are waking so often and how quickly do you go back to sleep? Prior to using the machine I never woke up this often and usually slept through the night even if the quality of my sleep was poor.
Also...do you take any meds of any kind? If so, what? The only medication I take is TUMS and sometimes Tylenol for headaches. I also take Vitamin D3 5000 IU (Found deficient by the VA when they conducted a blood test).

[Pugsy]

The way that the AirCurve ASV machines go about their job can sometimes take some people a period of time to adjust to and how it does its job can unfortunately cause some people to wake up. With time and experience it usually will improve as the person comes to learn the new normal.

Sleeping without the mask/machine is tempting I know but it's a real bad habit to get into.
5 or 6 hours of using the machine is simply not enough sleep and sleeping without the mask/machine means untreated sleep apnea hours of sleep along with the 5 or 6 hours of treated sleep is pretty much going to guarantee feeling like crap.

Is there anything that you can pinpoint that is causing the wake ups? Mask comfort? Leaks? Anything that could stand improvement that might help reduce the wake ups?
If nothing there...perhaps talk to your doctor about maybe taking something short term to help you get through the adjustment period until your brain learns that the mask is your new best friend.
Maybe something OTC to help with sleep or maybe RX meds? Just a thought to consider.

[VolDog]

Thank you! I truly can't see why I continuously wake up so I will talk to the doctor about it upon my next visit. Since he just reset my machine maybe it has to learn how I breath again meaning better days are ahead - I hope

[palerider]

Since he just reset my machine maybe it has to learn how I breath again

cpaps don't 'learn' anything, your machine just responds from breath to breath.

[VolDog]

ASVs do learn your breathing pattern and that's the type of machine I am on.

http://www.resmed.com/us/en/consumer/pr ... 0-asv.html

[bwexler]

I also use an ASV machine. It took a while for me and my machine to learn to get along with each other. At first it tried to tell me to inhale before I finished exhaling. After a few weeks we came to a mutual compromise.
Now I have to check occasionally to be sure it is still on.
The key is to keep the mask on all night and to extend your sleep time to at least 8 hours if you can.
You may be tired and groggy and miserable for a while. But I understand that after 5 or 10 years of proper treatment we will feel rested and energetic again. I am certainly looking forward to it.

[palerider]

ASVs do learn your breathing pattern and that's the type of machine I am on.

http://www.resmed.com/us/en/consumer/pr ... 0-asv.html

if you want to believe marketing fluff, that's up to you, but ASV machine *do not* 'learn' your breathing pattern, they have no memory of what's going on beyond the last few minutes that they use to average out your minute ventilation, in order to establish a target minute vent level.

every time you turn on the machine, to it, it's a brand new day, starting from scratch.

believe what you want to believe, but them's the facts.

there is no "memory" that can be reset by your doctor.