MY S9 is here!!

Today I unpacked my S9. Keeep in mind I have bever been titrated and know nothing about these machines other than reading about 5000 posts!! I have the Swift FX mask and my wife and I watched the vido and fooled around fitting the mask. Once I switched pillow sizes it seemed alright. When I inhaled I could feel that there was little leakage. Or at least I think it is alright. Any mask fitting tips appreciated. I will use my machine tonight . Other than reading the SD card is there another way to see the leakage data? My prescription was for 6 to 14 and that is how it is steup. Will I be able to tell after one night if that is OK? My AHI on the sleeep lab test was only 4 but REM AHI was 5.5. Thanks

Bob

If you haven't done so yet, find Uncle_Bob (a member here) and go to one of his posts. There, on the left under his avatar, you will find the links to download the clinician's manual and the software for your machine.

Good luck tonight....I hope you sleep well have great dreams! Keep us posted on your progress. Oh, and now that you have your equipment, go up to the User Control Panel (top left) and then to Profile and then choose Edit Equipment. From there, choose your gear from the drop down menus. Once done, choose to show those choices in TEXT not icons. Now your equipment will show up in blue at the bottom of each post, like mine does below.

Bob, congratulations on the new machine. I'd get at least a week or two of data before making any judgements about whether it is working for you. Here's hoping you have good numbers from tonight on.
Mary Z.

cortez356 wrote:Today I unpacked my S9. Keeep in mind I have bever been titrated and know nothing about these machines other than reading about 5000 posts!! I have the Swift FX mask and my wife and I watched the vido and fooled around fitting the mask. Once I switched pillow sizes it seemed alright. When I inhaled I could feel that there was little leakage. Or at least I think it is alright. Any mask fitting tips appreciated. I will use my machine tonight . Other than reading the SD card is there another way to see the leakage data? My prescription was for 6 to 14 and that is how it is steup. Will I be able to tell after one night if that is OK? My AHI on the sleeep lab test was only 4 but REM AHI was 5.5. Thanks

Bob

Hi Bob,

How fun to get to unpack your shiny, new S9! If you have been reading the posts, you have a lot of knowledge!
I also use the Swift FX nasal pillows and I believe it was Janknitz who said to make sure that the pillows are inflated prior to putting on the mask. That may have been in the video. By the way, where did you get the video on Swift FX? I'd like to watch it!

The other tip that I read on this site, and I can't remember who to give credit to, is to place 2 or 3 pieces of Velcro, the part that has the "hooks" on the inside of the back strap. The problem with the back strap is that it "rides up" causing the pillows to possibly shift. I put the Velco pieces on and it really helps to keep the back strap in place.

I think your assignment for tonight is to just get comfortable with your new gear. Your low pressure number of 6 cms may or may not be too low - you might feel like you are not getting enough airflow at 6 cms. I set my minimum at 7 cms and I am starting to feel like I get air hungry in the wee hours of the morning - it's an uncomfortable feeling. But again, for tonight, just get acquainted with your new machine. It is perfectly normal to come across bumps in the road. Just remember it's practice, not perfection when dealing with something completely new.

From one newbie to another - I welcome you! Laurie

Another point: do have your own recording oximeter?
I understand that your SO2 levels were key to determining you have apnea.
Browse Slartybartfast for a link to an inexpensive one.

Congratulations! I am getting mine on Tues and am looking forward to good sleep hopefully - I so need it ! Keep us all up to speed on what you are learning - (I may have to pick your brain )
Have a wonderful night's sleep!

The video is here under "Learning Center" https://www.cpap.com/productpage/3346

cortez356 wrote:Today I unpacked my S9. Keeep in mind I have bever been titrated and know nothing about these machines other than reading about 5000 posts!!

My first thought when I read the above is you sure are brave, or something else, for diving in to using a CPAP out of the box! And then I remembered - the therapist who delivered my machine spent only about 15 minutes going over everything with me, most I which I promptly forgot! So I ended up learning/relearning almost everything on my own, just like you are now doing. You will do just fine. Did your doc tell you to come back in after about a month, and bring your machine with you? Mine did. He changed my pressure setting from 6 to 14 to fixed at 9. I had little understanding what that was all about. After reading hundreds of posts here now I know. Congratulations of your choice of a fine machine. You'll do great!

Here's my handy, dandy, Swift Nasal Pillow Fitting Tips:

1. Loosen the headgear.
2. With the machine off, hold the pillows up to your nose, but don't put the headgear on your head.
3. Turn the machine on to fully inflate the nasal pillows.
4. NOW put the headgear on and adjust the straps. The mask should not be tight (no pig noses allowed!). Tighten the straps just enough to stop any leakage when you lie in your normal position or move around. If you can't quite get leaking to stop, try going UP one size in nasal pillows.
5. Try to set the angle of the straps like the ResMed video--halfway between your ear and your eye.

I'm sure you know this, but it's not very clear in ResMed's video--nasal pillows rest AGAINST the nostrils, not IN them (except for a small part of the cone shaped tip).

The velcro tip is wonderful and comes from UFO13 on this site.

Consider some sort of hose management, even if it's just hanging your hose over the headboard. The Swift's slinky hose is heavy and will endeavor to pull the pillows out of your nose any chance it gets.

I hope you have a good first night.

Bob i sent you a PM with some weekend reading for you

Let me know if you are having any problems driving your new machine