New Nasal Pillow user question

I am using a ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset. I just switched from the nasal mask to the P10 For Her Nasal Pillow. Previously when I removed the nasal mask, my machine would blow air for a few seconds and then sense that I was no longer wearing it and the air flow would stop. I've noticed that with the Nasal Pillow, it keeps blowing air after I take it off. Seems my machine doesn't sense I'm no longer wearing it. I've had to push the stop button to get it to stop. I'm concerned this will mess with my data. Should it be able to sense when the nasal pillow is removed like it did with the nasal mask? I did switch my mask type on the machine. Also, do you notice a few more events with the nasal pillow. I'm still well within range, but noticed the events went from 2 to 4.5/hour.

Welcome to the forum.

Just be prepared to manually turn the machine off when you remove the mask.
This is a common thing with the ResMed machines and some nasal pillows. It's a combination of pressures used and the inherent resistance in the silicone of the pillow.
Not enough change in resistance for the machine to sense that the human is no longer attached.
This is so common it is mentioned in the provider manual.
Happens at the lower pressures fairly often. I had this issue for years when I used the P10. I am now using the Bleep nasal mask and the machine now shuts off all by itself.

Expect some nightly variations at first when trying any new mask. We don't always sleep as solidly for one thing and greater chance for false positive awake events getting a flag and there's always a potential for just the normal nightly variations in results happening.

If it really bugs you we need to know which category of events that composes the AHI seems to have increased.

The ResMed Airsense machines will continue to run at a low speed for 30 minutes after you turn them off. This is to help dry the hose.
From the manual....
Device blows a small amount of air in order to avoid
condensation in the air tubing. It will stop automatically after
30 minutes

LSAT wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2019 7:38 am

The ResMed Airsense machines will continue to run at a low speed for 30 minutes after you turn them off. This is to help dry the hose.
From the manual....
Device blows a small amount of air in order to avoid
condensation in the air tubing. It will stop automatically after
30 minutes

This is true but with the P10 the machine will blow at full pressure even if the mask is off the person....it never gets to the low level pressure for just drying out the hose. There is an obvious difference in the level of the air flow between the two. Easy to spot the difference.

An alternative to manually pushing the off button to stop the excess air flow since the sensors won't do it is simply remove the P10 from the long hose. Then SmartSense will work properly and the machine will shut off the big flow and go to the small flow for 30 minutes for drying out things.

I think the ability for SmartStart to automatically turn the device off is also influenced by the size of the P10 pillows and possibly the pressure.

I use the large size (which allows for a lot more flow), when I take my gear off SmartStart consistently turns the device off.

I also have the Resmed 10 but the elite model. I am also using the large P10's and it will automatically shut off. Must be a pillow size thing.

Rob

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2019 8:53 am

I think the ability for SmartStart to automatically turn the device off is also influenced by the size of the P10 pillows and possibly the pressure.

I use the large size (which allows for a lot more flow), when I take my gear off SmartStart consistently turns the device off.

i'm thinking this must be true. i'm using a min of 15 and max of infinity. machine will do the slow down to dry out hose thing when i remove it in the morning.

Sounds like the machine senses backpressure from smaller pillows and keeps blowing

turbo wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2019 12:05 pm

Sounds like the machine senses backpressure from smaller pillows and keeps blowing

Got it in one.

When I first switched to the P10, the machine wouldn't turn off by itself... then I realized I'd forgotten to change the setting from 'full face' to 'pillows', when I switched it to pillows... the auto off worked fine.

There's more back pressure from the pillows, and with the wrong setting, the machine thought "oh, that's just a REALLY big leak, but not mask off".

Mask setting has always been correct for me.
Still won't shut off. I tried it once with 10 cm pressure with the P10 size small...still wouldn't turn off.
Didn't go any higher and didn't have any other sizes of pillows to try.

Works fine with the Bleep though...shuts off like it is supposed to.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2019 3:16 pm

Mask setting has always been correct for me.
Still won't shut off. I tried it once with 10 cm pressure with the P10 size small...still wouldn't turn off.
Didn't go any higher and didn't have any other sizes of pillows to try.

Works fine with the Bleep though...shuts off like it is supposed to.

aliens?

It's in the manual but needs to be modified...7 cm doesn't necessarily work properly either. I personally can attest to it.

The auto on part still works great and I use it. I see no reason to turn off smart start just because of this little hiccup.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat May 18, 2019 6:07 pm

It's in the manual but needs to be modified...7 cm doesn't necessarily work properly either. I personally can attest to it.

The auto on part still works great and I use it. I see no reason to turn off smart start just because of this little hiccup.

smartstart.JPG

hey! no fair bringing in your fancy facts and figures.

It appears, even with the right settings, P10 small pillows create enough restriction that the machine thinks someone is wearing the mask.