M-Series Auto CPAP shows System Leak 7-day average 4.0 L/min

The M-Star manual states (pp4-6) "System leak is a combination of intentional and unintentional air leak. Intentional leak is the expected leak at the exhalation port"

My intentional leak rate is about 26 L/min as I have a Swift Mask at 10 cm pressure.

The machine is displaying 4.0 L/min for the 7 day system leak average.

Is this an indication of a machine mal-function?

I regret that I am unable to communicate with Respironics directly as though only accept enquiries from DME's and providers.

My Encore Pro is not working at this time , see viewtopic.php?t=18489&highlight=

but some old Encore Pro results at http://www.mudie.info/energy show that the leak rate was up in the 50->70's. While I am working on reducing the leak rate, I don't seem to have found the magic trick leak rate trick yet.

The Remstar is reporting a system leak rate 30 day avergae of 51.0 L/min

So is this a serious machine malfunction or just an interesting quirk in the Respironics software?

If so how do I send them a bug report?

John M

Well I talked to my DME who contacted the local Respironics rep who said something like...

An APAP has a lot of difficulty measuring leak rates because the pressures keep on changing and that I should not use the display.

I think what this means is that there is a known software bug in the machine.

I find it very interesting that the 30 day leak rate display is showing a reasonable (but high) number in the 50's and I seem to remember that once upon a time the 7 day average was displaying "reasonable" numbers.

But any rate the DME says my APAP is working OK and that there is nothing wrong with it so I am going to drop the issue except I am real suspicious that something aint right somewhere.

One of the fun things about OSA is that it causes confusion so what might be "aint right" is me !!!!!

John M

John, the display information is unreliable, as is the information from Encore Pro for the M Series machines. Or at least that seems to be the norm from everyone who has posted about their M's. I should not say everyone because everyone has not posted about their display information but I do remember that both Maryb and I have noticed that our display information is inaccurate. I'm not sure how many others have this problem also.

I just spoke with Respironics today. (Very easy to get ahold of; not sure why you think they only talk to DME's and providers -- I called 800-345-6443 and pressed option 4 for "I use Respironics in my home". Got right through and they were very nice and knowledgeable.)

Anyway, the tech confirmed that there is a firmware bug that affects the 7-day average that's shown on the M-series display. (Not sure of all the models it might affect, or whether it's only Leak Rate that's affected or all stats.) So if you were to note the 7-day average then unplug the machine, the 7-day number may change when you plug it back in. He said the 30-day averages are unaffected by the bug.

He said they should have a fix soon out to the providers, and they will then be able to update the firmware on your machine to fix the problem.

I have similar situation like John's\

I reset my LCD data yesterday
This morning Leaks show ONLY 4.0 L/m (I am using UM mask at 90% pressure of 9)

My LCD show: Leak 3.6 L/min while the Monthly average is 29.4

I follow the Respironics suggestion of switching the CPA off and then ON again
Now the data is OK, LEAK stats is now 29.4 - both for last night and Monthly average

Yes, I believe there are at least 2 bugs: the LCD data and the missing data

There are 2 types of missing data:

1) whole day - and it is not on certains days, it can be week-ends it can be a Wednesday

2) part of the day: in my case it recorded data of my first 2 hours of sleep and then suddenly nothing for the rest of the night

Perhaps my RT is correct when he advised me not to try to track my sleep data: You are not a professional, there is no need for you to know...

John,

I am glad you brought this up because I was getting ready to ask the same question. Mine only does it in the auto mode as well, my 30day average is within parameters but 7 day is wacked.

I also noticed that the therapy hours versus the blower hours seem to be out of whack as well. My blower hours is almost 3 hours ahead of my therapy hours. But I haven't had anywhere close to that amount of time off my head.

Wish they would let people know about these things.

If anyone hears that they've come out with the update, please let us know so we can all start bugging our providers.

.

I am also having problems. When I got the machine it was showing the therapy hours for 7 days every day it got lower and lower. Now it shows 0.00 therapy hours. I just want to know the darn thing is working or am I wasting my time using it.

chriml wrote:I am also having problems. When I got the machine it was showing the therapy hours for 7 days every day it got lower and lower. Now it shows 0.00 therapy hours. I just want to know the darn thing is working or am I wasting my time using it.

You can use the 30-day averages to see what's happening. Apparently the 30-day averages are unaffected by the bug.

Or if you wanted to mail me your smartcard, I'd be happy to print off the data for you. (Passing along kindnesses previously shown me.)

that is very kind of you but I don't have a smart card. My machine doesn't have advanced data.

JohnMudie wrote:Well I talked to my DME who contacted the local Respironics rep who said something like...

An APAP has a lot of difficulty measuring leak rates because the pressures keep on changing and that I should not use the display.

I think what this means is that there is a known software bug in the machine.

I find it very interesting that the 30 day leak rate display is showing a reasonable (but high) number in the 50's and I seem to remember that once upon a time the 7 day average was displaying "reasonable" numbers.

But any rate the DME says my APAP is working OK and that there is nothing wrong with it so I am going to drop the issue except I am real suspicious that something aint right somewhere.

One of the fun things about OSA is that it causes confusion so what might be "aint right" is me !!!!!

John M

That machine has been out now a year. Still the same problem being reported a year ago. You either got a year old machine from the DME or the problem has never gotten addressed by Respironics.

What firmware level of software does your machine have?

Think mine has like version 3.06 and it has the lost days problem, the AHI/Leak info displays but doesn't appear to be accurate especially if I compare my "avg" leak data from the M series to my 420e. If you use each for a week and compare and the 420e shows an avg leak around 32L/m and the M series shows 48L/m, I'm more inclined to go by what the 420e is saying. I was getting 48L/m using a UMFF, and I question if I was ever leaking that much. On a 420e that amount of leak would show up at 0.8L/s. My leak rarely gets over 0.6L/s on the 420e even using the UMFF with it.

The answer you got back reads more like it was designed to only pacify your complaint. "oh we are working on a fix, check back soon...like in a couple years when a new model comes out"

I wouldn't expect much in the way of a fix coming from Respironics. Does your dealer have the means of flashing your machine with updated software once there is a fix? I doubt it. I doubt even the largest DME's have that capability. Only factory authorized service centers would have that capability. A DME is not going to sit around flashing machines all day. They are going to take that machine put it in a box and UPS it to the service center and hope it comes back in one piece in a few weeks.

IF the LCD data is off by that much, one can only imagine how accurate pressure delivery is on the machine. Usually if you see poorly written software like we have seen with EncorePro (like humidifier data being superimposed over the compliance page), that is usually an indicator what you can expect is inside the machine which runs it. So if you seen crappy reporting software on the outside which is easier to fix, you can can expect the same poor quality probably exists on the inside of the machine as well.

What firmware version of software does your machine have installed?

Think mine is like 3.06 or something.

Unplugging and then plugging back in works for me in "fixing" the leak data on the LED screen for 7-day average.

Pam

Well It's official after11 days with this crazy machine it went crazy. It started beeping ( I never heard it beep before) and it said service required. I called cpap.com and they were very helpful. They will let me send the machine back to them and I can purchase another. I don't want to get the same stinky machine so I think I will put a little more money into it and get the remstar pro 2 with c-flex and humidifier. Anyfeedback on this one will be greatly appreciated. cpap said they would let me know by tomorrow if I could do that. I am so mad that my insurance wouldn't cover this machine because this is a life threatening problem. I cant use the machine anymore till I get another so I hope I don't die in my sleep.