Does anyone use a Non-data capable CPAP?

[Dive Apnea]

And are just fine? Feel like they are sleeping well, and rested? Just curious.

[cflame1]

It's not that it doesn't give you good therapy... it's that if you have a problem, there's no way of knowing what that problem is short of going back to the sleep lab (or trying to arrange a rental of a non-brick machine).

It's worth your while to fight for a better machine!

[Dive Apnea]

I am going to try and fight for a data machine, or just buy one. I was curious to see if anyone was using a brick cpap with success, but I understand what you are saying. I am curious to see how religious I will be analyzing data. Does everyone look at their data every day? Or not until you feel a little off?

I think I might be an "overnighter" is that the right term? The secondary situation of snoring is gone... I feel pretty good thus far, aside from clenching my teeth with CPAP. Previously, I never really felt super tired during the day, a little run down, but not like I shouldn't drive a car, or am gonna fall asleep at my desk at work.

Thanks for everyone's help, just trying to figure this out!

[Tip10]

For what it's worth my travel machine is a "brick" -- I sleep just as well on it as I do on my main machine and feel I'm getting good therapy on both machines.

I'd never be satisfied using a "brick" for primary though. Having the data available on my primary has allowed me to verify, watch and fine tune my settings and therapy so that it is about as effective as I can get it -- and to keep track of it -- thus allowing me an occasional foray into using the "brick" for a stretch of time knowing that it is working for me.

[cowlypso]

I used to look at the data daily. I did that for a few weeks before it got old and I got busy. Of course, the first few weeks were the most important anyway. Now my AHI is consistently below 1.0, and I feel pretty good. I download my data about once a week or so just to check. This morning is the first time in a long time that I've downloaded in the morning specifically to see what happened the night before (I had some crazy dream and took my mask off in the middle of the night, so I wanted to see how long I had it off).

[Emilia]

I am going to try and fight for a data machine, or just buy one. I was curious to see if anyone was using a brick cpap with success, but I understand what you are saying. I am curious to see how religious I will be analyzing data. Does everyone look at their data every day? Or not until you feel a little off?

I think I might be an "overnighter" is that the right term? The secondary situation of snoring is gone... I feel pretty good thus far, aside from clenching my teeth with CPAP. Previously, I never really felt super tired during the day, a little run down, but not like I shouldn't drive a car, or am gonna fall asleep at my desk at work.

Thanks for everyone's help, just trying to figure this out!

In a word, no. When you first start out, I think anyone with a data capable machine will check it daily or weekly to monitor the therapy. Once you reach your 'sweet spot' and can sleep well with very low AHI consistently, you learn to measure your sleep success by 'feel' and will just know when something is amiss. I was fanatical about looking at data the first few months even though it was consistently 'boring' to see. I did find it useful the first weeks as I adjusted things to achieve my best results. These days, I check it every few weeks.... If you are being monitored by your insurance company for 'compliance,' they will check your data for hours of use to justify continued payment for your equipment. I bought my own machine so I don't have that issue. My data is pretty boring to view as I am consistently the same night after night..... not that I am complaining! My overall AHI average is 1.5.

For those who have many health issues or more complex OSA, monitoring data becomes essential to see trouble spots from overnight. Leaks, centrals, snores.... all these things cause some folks problems and need to be pinpointed so adjustments can be made.

Glad you are feeling better and the snoring is gone...that is a clue your therapy is working well!! Keep up the good work.....

[Dive Apnea]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond to my post, I really appreciate it

[Slartybartfast]

Even a brick is better than choking all night. It's a matter of degree. CPAP is still the gold standard for treatment. The automatic machines only allow the average pressure to be lower when not needed. It's a patient comfort feature, not one that necessarily improves therapy over fixed pressure. So even if you have a brick, and you're sleeping well, and your sleep doc says you're doing well, then don't worry.

Re: data, I, too, scrutinized my data during the first months I was on the hose. After I learned how little night-to-night variation there was, I began downloading my data and saving the reports weekly instead of daily. I still do that about a year later.

[LSAT]

I have been using a 'brick' since I first started with CPAP 2.5 years ago. I love it......I have an S8 Autoset that I pull out every 4-6 months just to check my therapy for a few days. My 'brick' gives me the therapy I need. I adjusted my pressure only once in the 2.5 years.

[LinkC]

My brother-in-law has used a brick for almost 7 yrs. He has no interest in data.

Some people are just that way. I tried early on to get him to switch to data...or even an Auto. He just wasn't motivated. He didn't want to hear about the long-term effects, either. As long as it keeps him from snoring, he's fine with it. I asked a few times what his AHI is...and just got a blank stare. He has no clue or interest in what his initial study said. I've given up trying to "convert" him. We're both happier that way.

[BlackSpinner]

I charted my data for the first 3 months. Now i look at it if I feel rotten in the morning just to check that things have not gone south. It gives me a feeling of security knowing I control my therapy. Also according to my pulmonologist I don't have to come back unless my AHI starts climbing. As far as he is concerned there is no reason to waste money on sleep studies if the patient is willing to check one number occasionally. Of course my health care system works differently in that he doesn't make an extra cent sending more people through studies, it just clogs up the system for his more problematic patients.

[tbone421998]

I've been at it for two months now. I'm still looking at my hours of use, AHI and leak rate. My AHI has been below 5 95% of the time. Now leaks are another story. I'm looking at trying another mask in a month when my insurance will cover it.

But it's like what was said up above, a brick will give you the same therapy as a data capable machine.

[nanwilson]

I used my original, no data, straight cpap for a year, then got an auto and started tracking my daily data. I still use my plain old machine when I'm out camping and visiting...not a thing wrong with it, I feel just as good with my F&P as I do with my M series. The only difference I see is the ability to track my data and KNOW how I'm doing by the numbers every day.

[RandyJ]

I had a "brick" for first 4 months of therapy and, while I had the general impression that things were going well, I pushed to get a data capable machine until finally, last week, I got one.

I'm so glad to be able to see the data; at the moment I am reviewing it daily, though may not always need to do so.

I discovered that I am still snoring (in isolated brief spurts) during the night and having several obstructive events and leak events per night. However, my AHI is less than 5 so I'm generally happy with my therapy, but better armed to tweak it as needed.

For me, the data is essential.

[dsm]

And are just fine? Feel like they are sleeping well, and rested? Just curious.

Are you meaning the older Remstar Auto ? circa 2005/6 (we used to call that the 'brick').

If yes it was one of the better cpaps I owned. Whilst at that time the data was good (still is) the newer machines are a techie's delight with the depth of data. So detailed in fact that we can do an in-depth interview of a single apnea event

DSM

PS the name 'brick' was to do with shape not its data recording ability. The 'brick' got replaced by the M series.