Problems using AirMini

[newuser385]

Good morning everyone. First time I'm posting and I would like to know if anybody could help me with a problem I'm having after buying a Resmed AirMini. I am having a lot of problems adapting to the new equipment even though the settings are the same as my previous one (Resmed S9 Autoset).

I have been using the Resmed S9 for 6 years on autoset mode, pressure 6-10, no ramp and APE at 3 (pressure reduction on exhale). I use a nasal mask (Respironics Wisp). Everything perfect, I love it. Then last week I bought an AirMini with the Resmed N20 nasal mask and got it set up with the same settings. When I tried to use it for the first night, I could not fall asleep for 2h (normally it does not take me 10 minutes) and had to go back to the S9 to be able to sleep. I would feel the air flow too strong, specially by the end of my exhale (as if I could not get all the air out of my chest before it started blowing strongly again) or when I was about to fall asleep (I would suddenly wake up with the machine making those strong periodic gulfs of air). Inhale was also uncomfortable, I felt like there was too much air coming in and had some headache.

I tried to make changes on most of the settings to check if it would improve, but none of them made the Airmini to feel nearly as comfortable as the S9. The difference was brutal (not the speak about the noise, which I'm disregarding for now). Things I tried:

- Reduce minimum pressure to 4: it helped but still not close to the comfort of the S9.
- Increase minimum pressure to 7: I read some threads where people mentioned that a too low of a minimum pressure might not be enough to get all the CO2 out. Even though my problem seems to be different, I tried this with no success (actually got more uncomfortable).
- Turning of the pressure reduction on exhale: other threads mention that having this active might make you inhale more than exhale. Again, not sure it would help my case (since I have been using this feature with the S9), but I tried and it didn't bring significant improvement.
- Changing the treatment at the Airmini from Standard to Soft: very little noticeable change.
- Including a ramp: no help neither; little more comfortable with the low pressures at the start of the ramp but gets worse as it moves to the minimum setpoint.

I found lots of threads about the noise problem of the Airmini but very few on people complaining about adapting to the new equipment (just 2 actually, one with no responses and the other one suggesting to explore turning off the pressure reduction on exhale). Because of that, I am not sure if the equipment I got is defective or if it just manages the airflow in such a different way that is not good for me (in which case I would return the Airmini and replace by the Airsense 10 Autoset probably). The difference is gigantic, I can't even fall asleep with the Airmini and with the S9 I sleep very well (and both on exactly the same settings).

Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

[chunkyfrog]

If you can exchange it, do it ASAP.
The Airmini is only intended for incidental use, like during travel--not full-time.
You already are having trouble with it.

[LSAT]

What about the humidity?

[LSAT]

What about the humidity?

[zonker]

what about the humidity?

(who's next?)

[chunkyfrog]

I second that. (Or third it)

[newuser385]

Indeed, the reason I bought the AirMini was for travel. But The way it is now I can’t use not even in travel.

With regards to humidity: I don’t use a humidifier with my S9. I was not able to sleep the night with the AirMini so I can’t assess how dry it would be.

Has any of you used the AirMini and had similar problems as I described?

[zonker]

Indeed, the reason I bought the AirMini was for travel. But The way it is now I can’t use not even in travel.

With regards to humidity: I don’t use a humidifier with my S9. I was not able to sleep the night with the AirMini so I can’t assess how dry it would be.

Has any of you used the AirMini and had similar problems as I described?

while uour waiting a response to that, you may want to type airmini into the forum search box. i know it's cumbersome to wade through, but you might find some tips.

[booksfan]

I bought an AirMini to use for travel and (pre-pandemic) used it several times a year for long trips and multiple times for weekend visits. I set it up with the same settings as my Airsense for Her and did not experience the problems you have. I did find it quite noisy until I hacked the hose to be able to use my Bleep mask (I am the rare minority that hates the P10 ). That had the unexpected side benefit or signficantly reducing noise. I do miss the humidifier, but I use minimal humidity and the benefit of the size makes up for that FOR ME. Sorry to be unable to actually help!

[TONWAT]

My unit also has a similar issue. My wife got a new AirMini from ResMed 2 days ago while she is waiting on another order for Airsense 11. This is a brand new unit with a P10 mask. Since I am not using it, I can only speak for my wife, but the symptom is very similar to what was described here. She is using the HumidX Plus filter for humidification.

She is also struggling with exhaling into the machine. It seems the machine continues pushing air out so she could not breathe.
I went to the setting and tried many different settings but it seems every setting has a similar issue with exhaling.
We tried,

1. Autoset for Her / Max Pressure 20 / Min Pressure 5, Ramp Time OFF, EPR OFF
2. Autoset for Her / Max Pressure 12 / Min Pressure 5, Ramp Time ON, EPR ON 1 & 3
3. CPAP Pressure 12

Since I still have time to test this out but it could be a defective unit. I will post my update here. Please let me know if you have resolved your issue.

[LSAT]

My unit also has a similar issue. My wife got a new AirMini from ResMed 2 days ago while she is waiting on another order for Airsense 11. This is a brand new unit with a P10 mask. Since I am not using it, I can only speak for my wife, but the symptom is very similar to what was described here. She is using the HumidX Plus filter for humidification.

She is also struggling with exhaling into the machine. It seems the machine continues pushing air out so she could not breathe.
I went to the setting and tried many different settings but it seems every setting has a similar issue with exhaling.
We tried,

1. Autoset for Her / Max Pressure 20 / Min Pressure 5, Ramp Time OFF, EPR OFF
2. Autoset for Her / Max Pressure 12 / Min Pressure 5, Ramp Time ON, EPR ON 1 & 3
3. CPAP Pressure 12

Since I still have time to test this out but it could be a defective unit. I will post my update here. Please let me know if you have resolved your issue.

CPAP = CONTINUOUS Positive Air Pressure. The EPR needs to be set to give her exhale relief but the machine will not go lower than 4. With a minimum setting of 5, ramp is really useless.

[TONWAT]

@LSAT, Thank you for the comment. That's what I am starting to investigate. Maybe she needs a BiPAP.

Last night, we tried many different settings and she slept with the following settings.

Autoset, Max Pressure 12 / Min Pressure 10, Ramp Time Auto, EPR ON, EPR 3

Before she went to sleep, we tested different settings. We found she could not exhale if the Min Pressure - EPR > 8

Max Pre 12, Min Pre 10, EPR 2 (the value is 8 ): Ok but not the best
Max Pre 12, Min Pre 10, EPR 3 (the value is 7 ): Comfortable << This is what she used last night >>
Max Pre 12, Min Pre 9.6, EPR 2 (the value is 7.6 ): Ok but not the best
Max Pre 12, Min Pre 9, EPR 2 (the value is 7 ): Comfortable
Max Pre 12, Min Pre 10, EPR 1 (the value is 9 ): Can not exhale
Max Pre 12, Min Pre 11, EPR 2 (the value is 9 ): Can not exhale

With Min Pre 10, EPR 3, she slept ok until the apnea hit her. She felt hard to exhale again. This was maybe caused by the machine when it increased the pressure to Max Pre 12 w/EPR 3 the value becomes 9.
So tonight she will try

Autoset, Max Pressure 11 / Min Pressure 10, Ramp Time Auto, EPR ON, EPR 3

This way when the machine pushes 11, after the EPR, the value becomes 8 so hopefully, she can still exhale.
I will post this result tomorrow.

[zonker]

@LSAT, Thank you for the comment. That's what I am starting to investigate. Maybe she needs a BiPAP.

would you be so kind as to start your own thread?

thank you.

oh and welcome to the zoo!