IntelliPAP AutoAdjust, confused????

[MinhTuanDo]

Hi everyone!

I am a newbie here so please forgive me if I post or said something really wrong. I recently got the IntelliPAP AutoAdjust because of its reputation. However, after using it, I am a bit dissapointed and confused. I set the machine to auto mode but it doesn't seem to treat my apnea at all. I read somewhere in this forum that the minimum pressure should be at least 6.5 and that's what I did but nothing seemed to happened. I tried minumum pressure at 10 and again, no difference. I put on the mask and stopped breathing for about 20 second and repeat a couple of times just to see that the pressure did not change. Has anyone experienced the same?

Also, this CPAP quote to be the quietest in the market at 26dB but I heard that ResMed says that their S8 AutoSet Spirit II is 24 dB! What's going on here?

Any advices would be really appreciated! Thanks!

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, newbie, CPAP, auto

[Wulfman]

Please fill out your profile with your equipment. If you're using a nasal mask, it's a good bet that you're leaking air out your mouth during the night.

I'm not sure what you mean with this following statement......how do you know that it is not "treating" your apnea?

".....it doesn't seem to treat my apnea at all"

Den

[Slinky]

As I remember it, the Resmed S8 II came out AFTER the IntelliPAP altho not long after. At least here in the USA.

You mention the minimum pressure setting of 6.5, etc. but don't mention where you have the maximum setting.

I don't remember enough about the IntelliPAP, does it have a Ramp feature? IF so, is it turned on? Your breathing whilst you are awake is quite different than your breathing pattern whilst sleeping. You're not going to get any accurate data by turning the IntelliPAP or any other PAP on and checking data w/in just a minute or two. These PAPs are smarter than that!

[MinhTuanDo]

Please fill out your profile with your equipment. If you're using a nasal mask, it's a good bet that you're leaking air out your mouth during the night.

I'm not sure what you mean with this following statement......how do you know that it is not "treating" your apnea?

".....it doesn't seem to treat my apnea at all"

Den

Hi Wulfman, thanks for your comment. When my wife tells me that I have difficulty sleeping just as before and waking up still feeling tired, with no improvement, I don't know for sure. However, when I tried to produce an apnea by stop breathing for about 15-20 seconds then normal breathing and then repeat for many times and seeing no changes in pressure, I know that the device is not doing what I want it to do. There was no leak from the mask apart from air flows through the vent hole on the mask.

Have you tried this machine before? Please show me how this work!!!

And also, can someone tells me if the AutoSet Spirit II from ResMed is really 24 dB? This IntelliPAP claims to be 26 dB but still a mit noisy (I am very sensitive to noise). Thanks so much in advance!!!

[MinhTuanDo]

[quote="Slinky"]As I remember it, the Resmed S8 II came out AFTER the IntelliPAP altho not long after. At least here in the USA.

You mention the minimum pressure setting of 6.5, etc. but don't mention where you have the maximum setting.

I don't remember enough about the IntelliPAP, does it have a Ramp feature? IF so, is it turned on? Your breathing whilst you are awake is quite different than your breathing pattern whilst sleeping. You're not going to get any accurate data by turning the IntelliPAP or any other PAP on and checking data w/in just a minute or two. These PAPs are smarter than that!

[DreamStalker]

Unfortunately, I don't think your machine provides useful data to monitor the effectiveness of your treatment.

You will just have to go by how you feel or try and get a data capable machine.

Did you have a sleep lab study? If yes, what pressure were you titrated at?

What mask are you using? Are you leaking air from your mouth while asleep?

[Guest]

what's your doctor say????

[MinhTuanDo]

Unfortunately, I don't think your machine provides useful data to monitor the effectiveness of your treatment.

You will just have to go by how you feel or try and get a data capable machine.

Did you have a sleep lab study? If yes, what pressure were you titrated at?

What mask are you using? Are you leaking air from your mouth while asleep?

Thanks for your reply DreamStalker. Base on what I feel, I don't think my apnea condition is being treated but I would really want to find out if that is really the case. The pressure that I titrated at is 7-8.

I am using Ultra Mirage mask full face, does it make a difference if I open my mouth or not? Anyway, according to my wife, I don't and I take her word for it.

I did some searching on this forum and see that some people say the auto mode does work with high minimum pressure and I want to know how!!!

[Slinky]

Minh, I really can't answer that as I'm not at all familiar w/your particular autoPAP and brand. My experience has been w/the various Resmed S8s and one Respironics pre-M Series Auto.

A couple of things I can tell you just from my own experience.
1] The majority of us do NOT experience the miracle of great sleep and lots of energy the first night or even first few weeks of therapy. For a good many of us it is gradual improvement that takes us awhile to even realize we are experiencing.
2] Whilst the mask might not leak at all whilst we are awake, as we move and change positions during the night mask leaks can occur and they don't often wake us when they do.
3] Whilst if we open our mouth to breathe during the night the sound and "feeling" usually wakes us, more common is a gentle escape of air thru a parting of our lips causing leaks that does NOT wake us.
4] The most common cause of insufficient xPAP therapy is high leak rates regardless whether due to mask fit, mouth leaks or "lip flutters".

As far as noise level: I'm not particularly noise sensitve. I never found my Respironics pre-M Series auto to be loud or bothersome, nor did I find that w/my Resmed S8 AutoSet Vantage. I "do" find that my Resmed VPAP Auto "is" even more quiet than my Vantage or the pre-M Series. This VPAP model bi-level was just released in January 08 and even tho it is not designated as S8 II, it has the EasyBreathe technology so it may or may not be an S8 II. in July 08 Resmed came out w/the Resmed VPAP Auto 25 which I believe they do designate as an S8 II. I found it odd that they came out w/2 models of a VPAP (bi-level) w/in 6 months of each other. The only difference between the two I know of is that the Auto 25 is capable of 5 cms higher IPAP and it uses a new Humidaire 4i integrated humidifier whereas the VPAP Auto still uses the Humidaire 3i and its maximum IPAP is 20.]

[MinhTuanDo]

what's your doctor say????

Hi. My doctor says if I am not comfortable with that then I should have it set to CPAP mode at 8 cm. However, I also feel not comfortable with that pressure and have trouble putting myself to sleep. I think the definition of Auto is that it can automatically adjust its pressure to provide comfort. Has anyone experienced this before???? Please help!!!! Thanks.

[Slinky]

Minh, my first 30 nights on CPAP were the worst sleep of my life. There was some gradual improvement the next 30 nights, and even more the next 30 nights. Even w/an auto the improvements came gradually. But I was fortunate to be able to SEE the data, first via the LCD screen and then via the software. Sometimes the improvement was so gradual that I almost didn't believe the LCD or software data! Thank goodness I had them to encourage me or I might have given up.

Be patient. Give yourself 30 days of experience and adjustment to sleeping w/an autoPAP and mask. Its not like it is the most natural way to sleep! THEN let your sleep doctor reveiw your data and see what changes in therapy might be needed. Some of us ARE bothered by the constant changes in pressure and DO do better in straight CPAP mode. But give the auto a chance to do its thing and figure out your most effective and comfortable pressure setting. You are just confusing it the way you are trying to check if it is working. Put your mask on, turn your autoPAP on and go to sleep. Don't play anymore games w/it. You are just messing up your data and making it more difficult if not impossible for that auto to figure out your therapy setting needs.

Our wake breathing is different that our sleep breathing. These autoPAPs need to adjust to your SLEEP BREATHING.

[Wulfman]

Some thoughts:

I haven't had any experience with that machine. However I understand from a couple of others that have it, it's a very comfortable machine to use.

When using a full face mask, it doesn't really affect your treatment to have your mouth open, however, you'll probably get a dry mouth from the mouth-breathing.

It's quite possible that your "sleep disturbances" are from the pressure changes (if you have your upper pressure set to 20 cm).
I was under the impression that they were going to come out with software for that machine......but I haven't heard any updates on that situation yet.
It would be advantageous for you to get it when it finally comes out. Till then, you might want to limit your upper pressure to about 10 if you were titrated at 8.......and maybe gradually move your minimum pressure up closer to that.

Den

[ozij]

[quote="Slinky"]Minh, my first 30 nights on CPAP were the worst sleep of my life. There was some gradual improvement the next 30 nights, and even more the next 30 nights. Even w/an auto the improvements came gradually. But I was fortunate to be able to SEE the data, first via the LCD screen and then via the software. Sometimes the improvement was so gradual that I almost didn't believe the LCD or software data! Thank goodness I had them to encourage me or I might have given up.

Be patient. Give yourself 30 days of experience and adjustment to sleeping w/an autoPAP and mask. Its not like it is the most natural way to sleep! THEN let your sleep doctor reveiw your data and see what changes in therapy might be needed. Some of us ARE bothered by the constant changes in pressure and DO do better in straight CPAP mode. But give the auto a chance to do its thing and figure out your most effective and comfortable pressure setting. You are just confusing it the way you are trying to check if it is working. Put your mask on, turn your autoPAP on and go to sleep. Don't play anymore games w/it. You are just messing up your data and making it more difficult if not impossible for that auto to figure out your therapy setting needs.

Our wake breathing is different that our sleep breathing. These autoPAPs need to adjust to your SLEEP BREATHING.

[Hawthorne]

I don't have that machine but do have an auto and have it set in auto mode. I keep my pressure range quite narrow. I have the minimum pressure just under my titrated pressure (by .05cm) and the maximum pressure just 2 1/2 cm above that. My setting, then, is 10.5cm to 13cm. With that, I only rarely get to 13 cm. I am always at 11 and 12.
It seems to work well for me. I do, as I said, have a different auto than you and I also have the software and reader so I know what's happening every night.
I think a narrow range is helpful for many people. Here's hoping the software for your machine comes out soon ( I heard lat summer, early fall). Then you can see what is going on and make more educated adjustments.

[ww]

The Intellipap Auto is NOT a data capable machine and has no software with it.

It has been brilliantly marketed (as a quiet machine-which is debatable), but they forgot to consult the engineers and give proper readouts to the patients or allow their patients to be able to buy the software. All you can depend on is how you feel!