Knowing your AHI

[StatKat]

Hi all,
I am a very new CPAP user....three nights so far. I see many of you referring to your AHI scores. Is there some way I can determine this via my machine? If so, how? Or will I get this information during my doctor visits when I remove and bring the data 'drive' to my doctor?
Oh my, there is so much to learn about OSA and CPAP treatment.

P.S. I use an ICON + Auto machine

[Julie]

Your doctor (normally) is interested only in 'compliance' info from the machine - i.e. are you sleeping at least 4 hrs/night every night - because the insurance co. will keep funding your treatment that way (and depending on where his interests lie, possibly funding your doctor in the process). If you want stats so you can track progress yourself, you must have a data capable machine (and one that records a lot more than compliance), plus software for your computer, and a card reader (not necessarily the same for all machines) that will transfer data to your computer where the program reads the stats. Write back and list the full and exact name and model of your machine (could be on the bottom - but empty the water tank before flipping the machine).

[Pugsy]

Check your private messages.
Sending you a link to download the provider manual for your machine so you can see how to get to the data that your machine gathers.
There is a special version of the InfoSmart software that is needed to get the software reports and I don't have a source for that version. The only source I have for InfoSmart won't work with the Icon + machines.
I don't know if SleepyHead will work or not but you could give it a try...it looks like the Icon + may be different than the regular Icon Auto.
I have links for SleepyHead in my signature line.
There should be some data available at least on the machine's LCD screen.
SleepyHead will work on the regular Icon Auto machines..unsure if it will work with the Icon + Auto.

[robysue]

Pugsy,

When did the Icon + machines come out? And have they totally replaced the Icons?

I'm asking because I was thinking about updating an old thread I wrote some time ago for "Pugsy's Pointer's #3" that gives some basic information about the current models from PR, Resmed, F&P, and DeVilbiss. And I was not aware that Icon + machines were out there and that (collectively) we didn't have a way to get our hands on an appropriate version of the software.

[lastlib]

I have an Icon A. On this machine The AHI ( which I pronounce AHEEEEE, like Maria Sharopova grunting when she hits the ball) is very easily determined. There is a knob the you turn around the on/off button. You use this knob to set humidity etc. When you get past the magic number which you read to either your Doctor or the DME to determine you are not cheating on your reporting, you push the on/off button. The pointer will immediately go back to the top. As you turn the knob you will come to all kinds of interesting things including AHEEEEEE. The first number you see will be the 30 day average, if you then push the on/off button you will get the 7 day average If you push it one more time you will get the number for last night. To get back to the regular information turn the pointer to the top button, push it once the machine will automatically move to where you pushed the button to get on this second set of numbers. Turn the knob back to the top and push the button and you will get the time screen.

[Pugsy]

When did the Icon + machines come out? And have they totally replaced the Icons?

I don't know when they came out but my source for manuals and software just had it show up not long ago. I will send what I have to you in a bit.
The first thing I noticed was that the InfoSmart software link had a big "doesn't work with the + Icon". So it hasn't been horribly long ago but I don't know for sure when. I never paid much attention before and when I saw the "doesn't work" then I realized that there must be something new out there. That was just a few days ago when I first noticed it and typically I am at that site at least once a day...so it hasn't been long in terms of when the site came up with that or the link for the provider manual for it.

I also don't have any idea what the difference is with the Plus models in terms of what it might do or not do or what the data that gets collected shows.
Obviously supposedly the latest and greatest but I haven't had time to research or compare the old Icon vs the + models.
I have too many other things going on now to take the time to put much effort in learning about a not so common new machine.

Since it isn't something I would normally recommend and I can't possibly know everything about every machine...I probably won't spend much time with it until after the first of the year and then only if I see it becoming something commonly dispensed.
But hey...it has an alarm clock.