Machines with software

Just curious which machines interface with a PC or at least have PC software available? Resmed machines apparently have a data card but no software.

https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment


None of the machines actually come with software for your PC (nor can you hook them up to your computer which wouldn't help you if you could) but software is easily available. See the link above.
ResMed has ResScan put out by ResMed and despite what they say...we end users can get it and use it.
SleepyHead works with not only ResMed machines but Respironics and F & P and DeVibiss.

You do want to make sure that the model machine that you get actually gathers the data needed by the software to let you see what is going on.
Some machines only gather hours of use data...we call those bricks...and you don't need software to tell you how many hours you used it.
Some machines that do gather more useful data will show some of it on the machine's LCD screen but if you want the real details you need the software.

Here's a video on how to use ResScan to give you an idea what the machines that aren't bricks can show you.
http://montfordhouse.com/cpap/resscan_tutorial/

and in this thread are some examples of SleepyHead detailed reports (there's a lot more to SH than is shown in these examples but you can get an idea)
viewtopic/t103468/Need-help-with-screen-shots.html

All free...and fairly easy to use.

So what do I look for if I have a choice of machines? Last I checked the VA tends to offer Resmed machines.

Thanks,

The VA has been dispensing full data apap capable machines for years...sometimes Respironics and sometimes ResMed (might depend on where you are) and a full data apap capable machine is most likely what you are going to need.
Won't know for sure till you get the titration study done.

https://sleep.tnet.com/cmd

https://sleep.tnet.com/cmd.class?class=as10
The above link lets you look at the various models and see if they are full data or not easily.

Assuming you have plain jane vanialla OSA and don't need pressures over 20 cm...and if your VA is dispensing ResMed I would think you would get the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet.

An apap machine is actually a cpap machine with auto adjusting mode available. It has 2 modes (sometimes 3 if you get the For Her ResMed) of operation available...fixed cpap mode and auto adjusting (apap) mode...so like 2 machines in one.
While you may not need or want apap mode...it might come in handy and it's always better to have something and not need it than need it and not have it.

I have never known the VA to dispense a brick. The do it right because with the availability of the data it saves them time and money and they are all about saving time and money. It's a lot easier to make adjustments if needed with data pointing to what is needed. Without it they get to do another sleep study, another titration study, another machine, another office visit...and they want to avoid that if possible.

TooNew wrote:So what do I look for if I have a choice of machines? Last I checked the VA tends to offer Resmed machines.

Thanks,

If you have basic obstructive sleep apnea, you want to make sure to get an Auto machine by ResMed or Philips. This is the current ResMed model - https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... idair.html . If you are a female, there is a version "for Her".

If you have OSA with high pressure requirments, a bilevel machine may be needed.

Pugsy wrote:
Assuming you have plain jane vanialla OSA and don't need pressures over 20 cm...and if your VA is dispensing ResMed I would think you would get the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet.

Since I do not have the full report (and probably won't for another month or so), I assume "plain Jane" or not is determined at the titration test?

Thanks

TooNew wrote:So what do I look for if I have a choice of machines? Last I checked the VA tends to offer Resmed machines.

Thanks,

Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset (preferably) or Elite
Resmed S9 Autoset (preferably) or Elite

TooNew wrote:Since I do not have the full report (and probably won't for another month or so), I assume "plain Jane" or not is determined at the titration test?

Actually plain jane can be determined during the initial diagnostic study in most cases.
Sometimes "plain jane" can turn into something else during the titration study but the majority of people won't have it change.
Now you might end up needing pressures in the upper teens to deal with plain jane and if that's the case a bilevel auto adjusting machine would likely be more comfortable for you than a cpap with auto adjusting pressures. Not that needing a bilevel takes you out of the "plain jane" category though.
Bilevel is where 2 distinct pressures are used instead of one single pressure.

If plain jane was all that was found on the diagnostic sleep study they will start with cpap (fixed single pressure) and move upwards with the pressure until the apnea events are reduced to whatever level that lab has as criteria. Should you start having issues with the pressures (aerophagia which is gastric discomfort) or simply can't handle the pressures or if centrals pop up then they move on to different stuff to try if time permits.

So your main job is to try to get as much sleep as possible during your titration sleep study and if you think that might be a problem consider asking for medication to help. Without sleep there is simply no way to come to a conclusion about pressure needs.
Now if they give you an apap machine and if you don't sleep so great during the titration study...there are ways to still figure out optimal pressure settings with the data available on the full data machines. Everything is fixable with the right equipment and time.
Now I know you are short on the patience department but just remember that problems are fixable. Sometimes easily fixed and sometimes it takes some work but all are fixable.

I didn't have the greatest titration sleep study but that wasn't cpap's fault. It was just a combination of a bunch of other stuff because I simply didn't sleep much at all and kept waking up. I came out of it feeling like death warmed over but I already knew that wasn't the norm...and here I am over 8 years later.

In the meantime have you seen this video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gie2dhqP2c