REMstar Auto M Series w/A Flex

[janalee]

I was wondering if anyone knows what the difference between A-Flex & C-Flex is? I have the above stated machine & noticed that the machine says A-Flex but the display screen says C-Flex? Is there any difference?

I'm currently on CPAP 10cm but wanted to change it to the Auto feature & I think I did. I do not feel like I'm getting any positive results with the CPAP so I thought maybe the Auto mode would be better? Any thoughts? I looks like my min. pressure will be 4cm & the max will be 20cm, should I change this range?

Thanks in advance for your help, I really appreciate it!

Janalee

[Wulfman]

I was wondering if anyone knows what the difference between A-Flex & C-Flex is? I have the above stated machine & noticed that the machine says A-Flex but the display screen says C-Flex? Is there any difference?

I'm currently on CPAP 10cm but wanted to change it to the Auto feature & I think I did. I do not feel like I'm getting any positive results with the CPAP so I thought maybe the Auto mode would be better? Any thoughts? I looks like my min. pressure will be 4cm & the max will be 20cm, should I change this range?

Thanks in advance for your help, I really appreciate it!

Janalee

Here's a link to the Philips/Respironics site that explains it.

http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/ ... efault.wpd

Like anything else, some users love the A-Flex and some don't.......same thing with C-Flex......some use neither and just turn them off altogether and just use straight pressure.

Do you have the Encore Viewer software to monitor your (existing or future) therapy?

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... eader.html

If you don't, you will have nothing to compare it to if you go to Auto mode.
If you switch to Auto mode, I would recommend that you do not set your minimum pressure below what you're using now in CPAP mode.
I see you're using a nasal mask. Are you sure you're not having mouth-leakage problems?


Den

[ww]

They are similar modes. C flex works only with both Auto and Constant Pressure (CPAP) mode and Aflex works only with the auto mode. I can't tell the difference. Both modes make it a little easier to breathe at high pressure settings.

[Hawthorne]

My M Series auto with A-Flex is now my backup machine.

A-flex is just a different form of exhalation relief. When the machine is set in straight cpap mode, you can only use C-Flex at 1, 2 or 3. When the machine is set in Auto mode, you can use C-Flex or A-Flex ( both have a 1, 2 and 3 setting). I used my M Series in Auto mode all the time and preferred A-Flex. It felt more natural to me but eveyone is different. I liked it at a setting of A-Flex 1. In Auto mode, you need to choose A-Flex or it will stay at C-Flex if you don't change it in the setup menu.

A pressure range of 4 cm to 20 cm is way too wide. That's just the default setting. You shoud customize it for you. I am assuming that your titrated pressure (from our sleep study with a mask) was 10 cm, since your machine is set at 10 cm straight cpap. It takes too long for the machine to go from 4 cm to your prescribed therapy pressure (10 cm) and a lot of events (apneas, hypopneas, etc) can occur while it is getting up to the right pressure for you. It is better, in my opinion, to set your minimum pressure at about a cm or 2 below your titrated pressure of 10 cm. The maximum pressure could be left at 20 cm since the machine will only go up if it needs to. I, however, prefer a narrow setting, with the maximum pressure set a maybe 2 to 3 cm above your titrated pressure.

Does your DME read your smart card on his/her computer or do you have your own software? Without someone reading your card or you having the software, you can only go by how you are feeling to determine if these are good settings for you - i.e. they feel comfortable while you are sleeping and your AHI is below 5. You can enable "show AHI-Leak Rate" in the setup menu so you can see that in your LCD display setting. Without someone reading the card with software (yur DME or you), you will only get 7 and 30 averages on your LCD screen so you have to wait awhile to see results.

Hope this helps.

[janalee]

Thanks for all the great info once again, I really appreciate it!

I changed my CPAP to the Auto mode, changed the pressures min. 9.5cm max 15cm & this morning when I woke up the LCD screen said 10.5cm.

I do not have the ability to read my data, but I can get it read at the local sleep lab which is what I did before my last visit w/my sleep doc.

My issue is that I previously (since the end of 2008) had a CPAP set @ 9cm w/o any data & w/o much results, now I have a new sleep doc & new CPAP machine set @ 10 w/data (after another sleep study) & I'm still not feeling any real positive results. My sleep doc. checked the info from the card (the person who printed off the info only printed off a weeks worth instead of the 3 weeks that I'd been using it) & he said the numbers were good & it can take time to feel the results? I just don't know? Since I was previously at 9cm & now @ 10cm, is that really a big difference?

How do I understand the leak ratio? My sleep doc. said that I had no big leaks but the LCD screen says 34, does this mean that I'm having a lot of leaks? My AHI is under 5 & has been since starting with this new machine?

My PCP is checking other possible reasons for my extreme fatigue, so maybe something else is going on?

Thanks,
Janalee

[Hawthorne]

An incease of 1 cm can make a BIG difference but it will take a week or more to see any results from the increase.

Something else may well be causing your fatigue when you know your data shows good results. I have Reumatoid Arthritis, which has a fatigue factor of it's own. My apap data tells me that my thereapy is working well but some days I am fatigued when the arthritis is acting up.

As far as the leak rate goes, you need to look at your mask users manaul. There is a graph (chart) there that tells how much leak the machine will compensate for at a given pressure.

You should find that graph and see what the vent rate is for your mask AND at your pressure. In an auto setting, use your 90% pressure. You want your leak rate as close to this number as possible.

[Wulfman]

Here are the setup instructions for your machine.
To see the summary data, make sure you turn on the "Show AHI/Leak" option.
To reset the data from one night to the next (so the numbers each morning will be current data), follow the instructions in the lower part.


Den



Hold down the <- -> buttons while plugging in the little power cord in the back, wait for 2 beeps release buttons. Then press the + key to enter setup mode, use the <- -> buttons to move to the next field, use the -/+ keys to decrease/increase values, when set press the On/Off button to exit Setup.

Therapy Mode = CPAP/AUTO (If Auto is selected, there will be A-Flex or C-Flex options)
CPAP Pressure = NN (only appears in CPAP mode).
AutoMax = 20 cm (default)
AutoMin = 4.0cm (default)
C-Flex Setting = Off, 1, 2 or 3
Ramp Time = (0:05 to 0:45)
Ramp Start Pressure = 4.0cm (can be from 4cm to AutoMin pressure).
Mask Alert = On/Off (beeps on large leak, mask removal).
Auto Off = Off (turns off machine on large leak/mask removal) Suggest leaving it "Off"
Split Night Time = Off (options are Off, 120, 180, 240) Should be "Off"
Show AHI/Leak = On (enables logging to display) Suggest leaving it "On"
Patient Reminder = Off (days to remind you that you get a new mask w/Insurance).
returns to Therapy Mode
Pressing On/Off exits Setup



==========Resetting LCD Display Data====================

To reset LCD Therapy data (does NOT erase any data from SmartCard):

1. Hold down the (<-) (->) buttons while plugging in the power on the back,
wait for 2 beeps or 5 seconds, release buttons.
2. Press the (->) key and navigate to Therapy screen.
3. Press and HOLD down the (-) minus key for 5 seconds and/or until therapy data is reset to Zero.
4. Press the (->) key to scroll back to main menu, press (+) key to enter Setup or
On/Off button to exit.

[deerslayer]

Den you are still the man ! giving great advise and helping your fellow c papers. ....i have both types of respironic machines- model 500 w/ c flex & my primary 510 w/ a flex. i can no longer tell the difference between the two * tim

[janalee]

THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH! I don't know what I'd do without you guys & your wealth of information! YOU TOTALLY ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Janalee

[JHouston]

With this machine, it turns its self off during the night. It seem when I sleep on my side, it turns its self off. Does anyone know how to fix this?