ResMed S8 AutoSet II retrieving data?

[nicodan]

Hi, I guess I am a newbie even tho I have been on cpap therapy for almost 15years. I was trying to get help when no one knew how to help me. I used a Respironics machine up until last November. No settings, just on and off.
I have used the same mask since the beginning. Every time I try to switch, I get leaks. I am a stomach sleeper and have been my ENTIRE life and nothing else seems to work for me. Anything with a large piece attached to my forehead get knocked around. They have toldme that my mask is becoming obsolete and I will need to find another one. It makes me nauseous as nothing I have tried has ever worked.
Mine is by Respironics, Reusable Contour Nasal Mask is what it is called. It comes with foam spacers that used to give me sores on the bridge of my nose. MY DMES said I had to use them.......eventually I threw them out and I am fine.

A little research here shows me a mask that is similiar that I guess I will have to give a try.

Last November I got a new machine, a ResMed S8 Escape. DME told me it had a data card, but since my sleep study was "picture perfect", no one thought I needed to know more than that, and I went back to doing what I have doing. Machine on and I sleep, I wake up and machine off.
Last year I felt like I could sleep foreever. I had a sleep study, they raised my pressure from 11 - 12, suggested I use Melatonin to help stay asleep, and come back if I need more help. I also have Periodic Limb movement, altho that seems to be more under control, but Doc thinks that is why I wake up.
Back in November my dinosauer was making noises or so we thought, and since I had met my deductible, I got a new machine. I have been sleeping better to a degree, but now with the winter, dryness...it's not great any more.
(Add to that my son is gettingmarried in 6 weeks and I am sewing the 5 bridesmaid dresses)

DH said I was continueingn to have apnea episodes even with the new machine, so thanks to this board I knew that I had a compliance only data machine and I called and raised a teeny tiny fit.
I was immediately given ( at no extra charge) a Res Med S8 Auto Set II.

DMES told me to wait a week, put the card in and bring it back for them to send on to my Doc or I can take it to my Doc. I figure they can send it on and depending on what Doc says I will make an appointment then.

Clearly the DMES doesn't think I need to know more about my machine, but I want to get more invovled. Better late than never right?

For right now my machine is set at pressure of 12, the EPR level is 1 since it is new to me, I started low, but I think I will change it to 2.
It is not on automatic, but I believe it is capable of that.
And that is about all I know about it.

SO how do I retrieve the data from my machine?
It appears as thos many of you check it daily. Why?????

That's my background and my set of questions.
Thanks in advance for the all the help!

[scrapper]

SO how do I retrieve the data from my machine?

If you press the right and down keys at the same time, you will get into the clinician's menu. One piece of valuable advice someone (Chronie?) gave me, is to write down all of the dme settings the first time you access that menu to ensure you don't change something inadvertently.

You are looking to turn "smartdata" on. EPR etc are also on the menu. Once you set the machine, exit out of the menu. Each day, before noon, you can access or review the data you are looking for by pushing the right and left keys at the same time, and scroll through the screens. You want to look at the Efficiency Data--that will give you the pressure, leak, ai and ahi data. Until you get the software, make a chart of daily information--as well as how you feel. At noon, the data rolls into the average figures, and shows zeros until you sleep again.

It appears as thos many of you check it daily. Why?????

I cannot speak for others, but I'm a numbers person. I look at the numbers compared to how I feel, and then tweak my therapy to optimize it. I keep all of the data...but honestly I look at it less often than I did in the beginning. To see all of the graphs etc, you need the software and card reader.......but with the lcd screen you'll get a fair amount of information. I'll pm you a link for the clinician's manual.

You've got more experience with cpap than many here........we'd welcome your wisdom while we bring you up to date with your new machine and features. You'll got a good machine........

[DreamOn]

Welcome to the forum, nicodan!

As scrapper said, press the Right and Down buttons simultaneously (holding for at least 3 seconds) to access the Clinical Menu. Once everything's set up there, you can then access your results each day by pressing the Left and Right buttons simultaneously (holding for at least 3 seconds). On the ResMed machines, if you want to see the data from the night before, you have to access the information before noon.

I check my data daily because I like to see my AHI, AI and HI numbers. I keep track of my numbers and look for trends. If I'm not feeling so great, the numbers may reveal some clues. If my AHI is up for an extended period of time, for example, I may need to adjust my pressure or my leak rate may be too high. I check the leak rate to make sure that I didn't have excessive therapy air leaks (which can come from either mask or through an open mouth). With the ResMed machines, if your leaks exceed 0.4 L/s, then your therapy isn't optimal. Knowing the leak rate has helped me troubleshoot a few problems. I was sleeping through air leaking from my mouth, as it was occurring when I was deeply asleep. A chinstrap solved that problem for me, but others have to tape their mouth or use a full face mask.

There are masks in many different styles now (full face, nasal, nasal pillows, hybrid). They each come in different sizes, and each manufacturer's masks have unique features and fit differently. If you have a local DME, try on as many various styles and brands as you can. Test them at full pressure, preferably on a bed in their office. Plan to spend a lot of time doing that, and you should find a few that'll work for you. Between my titration study and mask fitting, I probably tried on a dozen before I found one that works! As you know from your many years using CPAP, the mask is everything!

Best wishes to you,

DreamOn

[Muse-Inc]

...Last November I got a new machine, a ResMed S8 Escape...

If it really is an Escape, there is no efficiency data stored; the Escape only stores the number of hours it was turned on. Not sure under what conditions the Escape was sold to you but if it was touted as a full efficacy data machine and not just a compliance data machine, you were mislead. Currently there are 3 versions of the Escape: the original, the Series II with EasyBreathe and EPR, the latest which is an autotitrating CPAP...unfortunately, none store overnight data.

[DreamOn]

...Last November I got a new machine, a ResMed S8 Escape...

If it really is an Escape, there is no efficiency data stored; the Escape only stores the number of hours it was turned on. Not sure under what conditions the Escape was sold to you but if it was touted as a full efficacy data machine and not just a compliance data machine, you were mislead. Currently there are 3 versions of the Escape: the original, the Series II with EasyBreathe and EPR, the latest which is an autotitrating CPAP...unfortunately, none store overnight data.

Muse, later in nicodan's post:

DH said I was continueing to have apnea episodes even with the new machine, so thanks to this board I knew that I had a compliance only data machine and I called and raised a teeny tiny fit. I was immediately given ( at no extra charge) a Res Med S8 Auto Set II.

Easy to overlook, I know!

[Muse-Inc]

I did miss that tidbit -- THANKS!

[Muse-Inc]

Nicodan, I log my numbers daily to understand trends and see what might improve my sleep. So far my 95thcentile pressure corresponds to my congestion, leaks correspond to pressure(more P = more L), and AI and HI do not appear to be associated with anything I can track or notice...well, stress but in my case a lot is unpreventable (currently unemployed and about to lose my medical insurance). Anyway, that's why I log my data every day. If I had the card reader or USB cable, I'd use the software for reports as it'd be good to see if I can nail down a cause for my wakeups and maybe find a resolution.

[nicodan]

thanks everyone. Honestly you all know so much more than I do. I was so frustrated by the really not great experience in teh sleep lab and the complete lack of knowledge when I first got on this and then a really negative experience with my sleep Doc 8 years ago, I never went back. Truly I have been just doing the machine and nothing else for 8 years. I can hardly believe my DMES didn't request that I go back and see him before they sold me one more mask over the eyars, but they never did.
So now I am learning.
Be patient with me, it will take a while.
I am coming out of Menopause, my last son is getting married, empty nest syndrome coming on and I am ready to feel better. TMI??

Another question..some of you say you tweak the settings....what are you changing?
I guess maybe if mine was set for auto there would be more to change??

[scrapper]

am coming out of Menopause, my last son is getting married, empty nest syndrome coming on and I am ready to feel better. TMI??

Not at all........you fit right in here. The most important thing is that you want to feel better.

Another question..some of you say you tweak the settings....what are you changing?

Pressure settings and ranges........gather up some of your information for a week or 10 days, and we'll help you learn and do the same to optimize treatment.

Unfortunately, the service you rec'd from the dme eight years ago seems to be the norm rather than the exception based on experiences shared on this board. If you find a great dme, make sure you spread the word! I've found a gem as far as fitting masks..........but the experience still requires that I be my own, assertive, advocate. This board has taught me well. Welcome, welcome!

[Muse-Inc]

...Menopause

Investgate using bio-identical progesterone, called topical progesterone, wonderful stuff. Helps to prevent the bone loss that typically occurs the first 5 yrs following menopause amongst other really good things like activating the gene that protects against estrogen-mediated cancers, keeping your estrogen receptors sensitive to the amt of the 3 major estrogens that you are still producing (you don't stop, it's just reduced by 40-60%, every fat cell produces estrogens, it's progesterone that drops to ziltch).

...tweak the settings....what are you changing?

The pressure or in the case of APAPs, the pressure range. Sometimes the ramp pressure if ramp is used.

[paradiddle]

Dumb question #12 - what tape do you use for your mouth?
My leak # was high last night and I want to rule out mouth leak.

I'm just getting up to speed on S8 data logging. AHI is a combination of AI and HI? should I disregard AI and HI and just concentrate on AHI?

[ozij]

Reviewing your data is quicker and safer if you used the Review Menu instead of the clinical -- press the right and left key simultaneously to enter that menu. I only enter the clinical menu if I want to make changes.

Remember - you will only get the night's data till noon. After that, the numbers clear for the next day's data.

Welcome to the forum, nicodan.

[DreamOn]

Dumb question #12 - what tape do you use for your mouth?
My leak # was high last night and I want to rule out mouth leak.

I'm just getting up to speed on S8 data logging. AHI is a combination of AI and HI? should I disregard AI and HI and just concentrate on AHI?

Hi paradiddle,

I'm sure others will weigh in with their favorite tape, but here's rested gal's links regarding that subject: viewtopic.php?t=8011. Lots and lots of information there!

Yes, AHI is a combination of AI (average apneas per hour) and HI (average hypopneas per hour). AI is really the most important part of that equation, as it's the apneas that usually do the most damage. The goal is to get AI as close to zero as possible. Because the ResMed machines tend to overscore hypopneas, an AHI under 10 may be acceptable, as long as they're mostly hypopneas. AHI under 5 would be even better.

As far as leaks go, has your mouth been dry? That's usually a sign that therapy air is escaping through your mouth or you're mouth-breathing.

~ DreamOn

[paradiddle]

Dumb question #12 - what tape do you use for your mouth?
My leak # was high last night and I want to rule out mouth leak.

I'm just getting up to speed on S8 data logging. AHI is a combination of AI and HI? should I disregard AI and HI and just concentrate on AHI?

Hi paradiddle,

I'm sure others will weigh in with their favorite tape, but here's rested gal's links regarding that subject: viewtopic.php?t=8011. Lots and lots of information there!

Yes, AHI is a combination of AI (average apneas per hour) and HI (average hypopneas per hour). AI is really the most important part of that equation, as it's the apneas that usually do the most damage. The goal is to get AI as close to zero as possible. Because the ResMed machines tend to overscore hypopneas, an AHI under 10 may be acceptable, as long as they're mostly hypopneas. AHI under 5 would be even better.

As far as leaks go, has your mouth been dry? That's usually a sign that therapy air is escaping through your mouth or you're mouth-breathing.

~ DreamOn

wow a lot of reading on taping. I guess its not rocket science. I didn't have the dry mouth problem until this year and I agrees that it sounds like I'm mouth breathing.

Now for some data logging. I think I have some micropore tape in the cabinet.

[billbolton]

Because the ResMed machines tend to overscore hypopneas

<sigh>

No, they don't. They score differently from Respironics but they do not "overscore" anything.

an AHI under 10 may be acceptable

No, its no more or less acceptable with a Resmed that it is with any other brand.

This is just plain bad advice