New Guy - New CPAP User - Have Questions

[Bill Lumberg]

Hi All,

New CPAP user. A little history about me - Was diagnosed with sleep apnea around 10 years ago, but is was a very mild case and did not warrant any type of intervention. About 2 months ago, I was talking to a buddy of mine who is a cardiologist and was telling him about my snoring/stop breathing at night. He made me an appointment with the local sleep center and I went in for my test. I got the results back about two weeks ago and they were: I had 29.6 episodes per hour, Oxygen Level of low 80s.

My equipment is below. I so far like my machine, but I don't know of my mask. Two things bother me: 1) I have pressure points on my check bones. Should I try a different mask or is this something I need to learn to live? 2) I am a mouth breather and slobber a lot at night. I have to lift up the mask 2-3 times a night in order to dry off my chin. What can I do for this?

I also need a travel CPAP machine. I am on the road 3 weeks a month. My wife told me I need to take my CPAP with me and leave the travel on at home. I have looked at the CareFusion Pure Som and the Probasics ZzzPap. Both with the humidifiers. Does anyone have experience with these or other small CPAP machines? I would like to have the SD card capability so I can just bring that in to my DR.

I have also seen several post about "software" and see where it is selectable on the signature. What does this refer to?

TIA,

Bill

[GumbyCT]

Bill welcome to the BEST forum on the internet.

The travel part is easy - get the same make/model machine you use at home. You can get new or used machines on Craigslist (CL) but you need to know what you are looking for first, they ALL do look the same.

Start a notebook, kinda like a diary. Write your questions down, leave room for the answers right under the Q. You won't be sorry.

Memorize your equipment & mask make/model and your machine settings.

[Emilia]

Be sure you chose the correct machine. You listed a Plus and those are not data capable machines. If you indeed chose correctly, see if you can exchange it for a fully data capable machine that will provide you the efficacy data so you can know what is happening overnight. Janknitz, one of our forum members has this wonderful blog. Check out her list of machines: http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Please verify that the machine shown in your profile is indeed the machine you have.
The PR System One Plus CPAP with CFlex does NOT collect any data beyond how many hours you use the machine.
The software that we talk about...check out my signature line for the options using the PR S 1 machine.
If you do have the PR S1 Plus CPAP that SD card only tells the DME how many hours you use the machine.
Nothing else.
To verify your machine if you are uncertain...turn the machine over and look at the bottom of the blower...look for a mode number beginning with the letters DS....
DS250 or below...do not gather anything more than hours of use. There is no DS350 model.
To have access to more data you need at least a model DS450 or above.

If you have the "Plus" machine..you have been given a what we not so lovingly call...a brick.
You might want to read up on which machines collect data and which do not and what to do when you have realized that your machine doesn't gather the data that you thought it does.
One of our forum members has a good blog with all that information handy in one spot.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

So before you start worrying about an extra machine...might want to get this one sorted out.

[Pugsy]

In my signature line.........links to PR S1 software options will explain software choices with some examples. SleepyHead is the easiest, smallest and fastest of your software options..those are the other links in my signature since I like that software the best. I am now using a ResMed machine but that is just for this past month. Up till then I used a PR S1 machine.
I see Emelia has also posted Jan's blog link so be sure to read it and look farther down on the blog for "brick" information.

Personally....I would suggest using the same machine at home as on the road. The other machines will have different algorithms...feel different and won't offer the data that you will eventually want in the format that is easily accessed.
The brands with easily accessible software.
Respironics PR S1...ResMed S9...DeVillbiss... just make sure the models in each gather the data for the software to report. Presence of a SD card doesn't mean full data. Just means some data and hours of use is classified as data.

[Pugsy]

Regarding mask issues. I can't help with full face masks (never owned one) but pressure points already bothering you point to something needing work. Masks should not cause pain or sores on one's face and if they do...adjustment is needed or a different mask.

You might investigate using a mask liner...it will help with the drool issues as well as pressure point discomfort. You can make your own from an old T shirt.
You can buy pre-made liners designed for multiple use like these from Padacheeks.
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html
or disposable lines like Remzzzz...https://www.cpap.com/productpage/remzzz ... iners.html
and there other brands out on the market.

You might also discuss with your DME supplier the possibility of using a different brand of mask.
There are many full face models available.
This one has nothing across the cheeks or forehead. You may or may not like it but I show it as an option. It is classified as a full face mask because bother the nasal and oral interface are covered
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/RespCa ... -Mask.html

[Bill Lumberg]

Thanks everyone for the comments.

I did have the wrong machine. I have a RemStar Auto A-Flex System One. It does not have a "DS" on the bottom of the machine, but does have the number "550P". I believe that this machine can use a software? Is that right? I looked at the onscreen data, but there was not much information.

Thanks Pugsy for the link to the liners. I am going to order some of those.

I can understand staying with the same machine as the one I have at home, but was hoping to be able to utilize a smaller machine. I traveled 108,000 miles in a plane last year, and space is a premium in my suitcase. The RemStar Machine will not fit in my suitcase (without expanding it, but then it would not fit in the overhead compartment), but maybe one of the smaller ones would not either.

Bill

[Pugsy]

It does not have a "DS" on the bottom of the machine, but does have the number "550P". I believe that this machine can use a software? Is that right? I looked at the onscreen data, but there was not much information.

The Respironics machines' LCD screen data sucks. Some 7/30 night AHI averages..pressure and large leak percentage (time in large leak).

The 550 P...didn't realize they were using P instead of DS...my machines had DS...but the 550 is the PR System One Auto CPAP with AFlex (so an APAP machine which can be used in straight CPAP mode) and yes, it will work with the software option that I have mentioned.

The other "travel" size machines are a bit smaller. Just check dimension size (shown on the spec page of each machine) and see if one might be suitable. Then ask other forum members if they happen to have tried one for their input.
You will be hard pressed to find a full data "travel" size machine with software in the price of those you mentioned.
You will be giving up some stuff to get the size you are wanting.

CPAP machines in their carrying case...are exempt from the carry on allowance since they are considered medical equipment on US airlines. Most of the members here will use that allowance and not check the cpap machine and not put it inside the carry on luggage allowance.