Time for New Machine -- Overthinking it?

hschlossberg wrote:Last night's leak level was 0.56; avg for the week was 0.7.
Last night's AHI was 4.1; avg for the week was 4.6

It looks like last night's increased max pressure from 10.2 to 10.6 helped with AHI. I'll check it again tomorrow after increasing the pressure again, but I still think a newer machine with newer algorithms and a humidifier will help. I'm wondering: Can we tell from the AHI whether Resmed's method works for me versus Respironics?

Following up... Last night, per some suggestions from others in this thread, I increased my minimum pressure from 4.0 to 5.4, and I increased my max pressure from 10.6 to 11.0. The result was that leakage was up, from 0.56 to 1.04. But AHI was down, from 4.1 to 3.5.

ChicagoGranny wrote:What are you thinking at this point? I am thinking you should get a new machine and install SleepyHead on your PC. Then, let forum members help you get your therapy optimized. I favor ResMed machines, but Respironics machines are also good.

So it seems that going a little higher in pressure will help, but I can't do it any further without a humidifier, and there's no sense in me doing that without upgrading from S8 to at least S9. I think I'm going to stick with Resmed and continue to watch the data and boost the max pressure as needed.

Thanks all for your input!!!!

Howard

Howard, I didn't read the whole thread, but I think it would be an oversight not to strongly consider the Resmed A10 AutoSet. It is my first and only machine (received in January), but I absolutely love it with zero complaints. I chose the Respironics DreamWear mask to go along with it and I don't think I could have chosen a better combination from what is currently on the market. If you have any specific questions about the A10 Auto or the DreamWear mask, let me know.

Fresh_air wrote:Howard, I didn't read the whole thread, but I think it would be an oversight not to strongly consider the Resmed A10 AutoSet. It is my first and only machine (received in January), but I absolutely love it with zero complaints. I chose the Respironics DreamWear mask to go along with it and I don't think I could have chosen a better combination from what is currently on the market. If you have any specific questions about the A10 Auto or the DreamWear mask, let me know.

Thanks, Fresh. I'd consider the A10, but cost is important to me right now and it seems to me that the S9 is as good as the A10 and can be had (though in pink) for about $400 less. That's a difference that may be too big to ignore.

Howard

For 35 bucks you can have a custom skin made from your own pic. It needn't stay pink for long.

KillingMe wrote:

SewTired wrote:If data is not important to you

WT???? I thought the most important thing out of this thread is he now realizes how important data is???

Sometimes you should just refrain from replying if you don't want to read the thread to see what is going on.

You need to take a chill pill. If that is all you got out of my post, then seriously, I recommend that you put me on your ignore list and your blood pressure should come down a bit.

LAGrandpa wrote:

If data is not important to you, also consider an Intellipap. It's less costly, but still a good auto machine. People are happy with them. Not compatible with Sleepyhead as far as I can see however.

The Intellipap is compatible with Sleepyhead if you have the optional smartlink module. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... odule.html

Thank you. I thought it had been compatible, but didn't see it on the list. I just have the old link.

KillingMe wrote:

SewTired wrote:If data is not important to you

WT???? I thought the most important thing out of this thread is he now realizes how important data is???

Sometimes you should just refrain from replying if you don't want to read the thread to see what is going on.

+1

That may be my only complaint about the forum. People give egocentric replies without reading what the person needing help said or thinking about what should be done in his position.

CPAPIST wrote:

KillingMe wrote:

SewTired wrote:If data is not important to you

WT???? I thought the most important thing out of this thread is he now realizes how important data is???

Sometimes you should just refrain from replying if you don't want to read the thread to see what is going on.

+1

That may be my only complaint about the forum. People give egocentric replies without reading what the person needing help said or thinking about what should be done in his position.

I did. Apparently, you refrained from returning to the original post to look at his question. Here it is.

Any thoughts on this, or feedback/arguments to my logic would be much appreciated...

I saw no reference to the Intellipap, which is why I brought it up. If there was one, I missed it. For many people, PRICE is the final and only consideration because they don't have the hundreds of dollars necessary for choice. We've already established that yes, the Intellipap works with Sleepyhead, so he will get his data. It is less costly than both Resmed and Respironics (except pink S9) and has a 5 year warranty vs. a 2 year warranty. The S9 is a DISCONTINUED model, which also means part availability may decline over the next 5 years. This is a guy who keeps his machine until it dies, so that is a consideration. Perhaps someone else knows more about the part situation particularly the databoard.

I totally agree with everybody that data is important. I am thrilled with my Airsense for Her and regularly check the data, but I only had to pay $200 for mine.

Something I should have added to my post, is that most people experience no difference in quality of therapy between the different algorithms of Resmed, Respironics or Devilbiss. Unless you have a way of trying the machines out before you buy, you simply will not know if one is better for you than the other. While you are accustomed to an S8, the algorithm changed with the S9, so you are back to square one as to what works and what doesn't.

I like the S9 auto and would buy one again. I think it's pretty solid and provides all the information you need. I also noted that our sponsor currently has a Respironics auto 60 series for $439 (includes humidifier), if you want to go that way. It's another solid machine. The algorithm doesn't respond as quickly or with as much pressure to an apnea. This advantage is that increased pressure is less likely to wake you up. In my case, though, it wasn't as effective in lowering my AHI. It did lower my apneas and RERAs so perhaps given time, would have been fine. I only had it because my Airsense for Her arrived damaged and it was a loaner machine.

SewTired wrote:Apparently, you refrained from returning to the original post to look at his question. Here it is.

Any thoughts on this, or feedback/arguments to my logic would be much appreciated...

I saw no reference to the Intellipap, which is why I brought it up. If there was one, I missed it. For many people, PRICE is the final and only consideration because they don't have the hundreds of dollars necessary for choice. I totally agree with everybody that data is important. I am thrilled with my Airsense for Her and regularly check the data, but I only had to pay $200 for mine.

Something I should have added to my post, is that most people experience no difference in quality of therapy between the different algorithms of Resmed, Respironics or Devilbiss. Unless you have a way of trying the machines out before you buy, you simply will not know if one is better for you than the other. While you are accustomed to an S8, the algorithm changed with the S9, so you are back to square one as to what works and what doesn't.

I like the S9 auto and would buy one again. I think it's pretty solid and provides all the information you need. I also noted that our sponsor currently has a Respironics auto 60 series for $439 (includes humidifier), if you want to go that way. It's another solid machine. The algorithm doesn't respond as quickly or with as much pressure to an apnea. This advantage is that increased pressure is less likely to wake you up. In my case, though, it wasn't as effective in lowering my AHI. It did lower my apneas and RERAs so perhaps given time, would have been fine. I only had it because my Airsense for Her arrived damaged and it was a loaner machine.

I appreciate your responses SewTired. Perhaps there is some history there that had people responding to you like that, but no offense taken here. I've learned over the past few days that having at least some basic data is important to evaluating our therapeutic successes and/or failures.

Price for me is certainly NOT the ONLY consideration, or else I would have just picked the lowest priced APAP on cpap.com and not bothered with this thread. But some of what I've gotten out of this thread is that:
a) they all have different algorithms, which are all good for the right people;
b) I am accustomed to Resmed's S7/S8 algorithm, which doesn't wake me up when it goes high-pressure, and so the S9/A10 would probably be better for me than Respironics because (even though the algorithm has somewhat changed) the treatment theory behind all the Resmeds is essentially the same.
c) Pink is the new silver, as long as I can wrap it with a picture of white sand, palm trees, and blue waves.

Thanks, all.