Respironics BS / Encore Pro

I'm 100% for taking charge of my own health. I like my doctors, but I don't always agree with them!

I do believe you can get semi-useful information from the machine w/o the software, only not as detailed. Before I got my software, I checked my AHI and leak rates each morning, resetting to zero each night so I could have a new overnight result each morning.

A friend who suffers from OSA is a computer guy and did some beta testing with VISTA. He can't stand it and went back to XP. My son ordered a laptop from Dell as a special college rate. The only machines available at the rate reduced for college students has Vista. It's okay, but he said he'd never use Vista unless he had to!

I learned from a thyroid board that so many endos will not order certain tests that their thyroid patients want, so they use a website where you can order any blood test you want (not just thyroid), w/o a prescritpion. They send you the forms in the mail, you take the forms to a local participating lab (Labcorp in my neck of the woods). Once the company gets the lab results, you can get your results online in 48 hours, and/or receive the results by mail or fax. (Yes it's pay out-of-pocket, and some are expensive, but the ones I ordered aren't any more than my copay would be on the labwork through a doctor, and I don't have the office visit copay either.) If there's a problem, I can take the results in and get the needed treatment. Just another way to stay on top of your health

Pam

BrianRT wrote:As I've said before....

You should NEVER EVER EVER change your own pressure settings!!! This should only be done by licensed medical professionals who took a LOT of classes and passed a LOT of tests. These people can always be recognized because they wear white coats. This also includes the receptionists at most Dr's offices and the people who develop your film at the local pharmacy.





But seriously.....please keep in mind the seriousness of OSA. I can see how it is possible to have a "declare snoring a disease and make $$$" mindest but this can minimize the importance of the condition and your willingness to treat it. The research is very clear on the condition and the ramifications.

Remember, even though the treatment is rather benign, the condition isn't.

We know......we're the ones who've suffered from it. That's why many of us would rather monitor our therapy for the BEST results and not put our health in the hands of the "medical professionals" (and XPAP manufacturers) who would tell us that we don't NEED to monitor our therapy.
It completely defies logic!......until you factor in their reasoning......$$$$$$

Den

David, check your private messages.

Hey, good to see you again!

ComfortLite 2 is a good mask. I like it. I just still like my Twilight NP (formerly called the Aura) best of all -- deconstructed for two years now and going strong.

BrianRT! Think about diabetics. How their disease is managed. How much of their "therapy" is left in their hands. With guidance and education from their doctors and techs as needed. THAT type of education and guidance is NOT available for CPAPpers! Nor are PAPpers monitored as closely or as well. They're for the most part just handed their equipment and turned loose.

Either the sleep profession has to wake up and see the light and begin providing fully data capable machines, close monitoring, education and guidance .... to heck w/them, CPAPping becomes a do-it-yourself project or a dropped, tossed in the closet issue.

Wasn't directed at anyone in particular, Den. Just anyone who thinks OSA is not a big deal or who thinks CPAP is to "fix snoring" only.

I get the occasional patient who comes in with their CPAP to turn it in. They say "This thing is supposed to help me sleep, but I can't sleep worth @%#$ since I got it. I sleep so much better without it, so here, I don't want it"

Or my fav...."I sleep much better now that I take (insert name of prescription narcotic here) so I don't need this C-PAK anymore"


Fixing knowledge deficits is one of my main roles at my job. Unfortunately, some people I've met will argue that the sky isn't blue either

I just wish there were A LOT MORE like you, BrianRT, and like SAG, and Fidget, and others who have posted here from time to time.

Unfortunately, there obviously aren't. I can even understand DME RTs getting discouraged w/all the new CPAP patients who come in and are in such a cloud of confusion and being overwhelmed that they appear or are not interested in learning more. But d*mn!! No matter how discouraging the "average" new patient might be when you get a patient who WANTS to know ....

That you was not directed at you! Yer a peach! I don't know, do they grow peaches in TN?

As far as I know, only the PB Silverlining software is still widely available to consumers. Their machines do not have exhalation relief though. As a point of clarification to the person who said "no cable reader necessary": you DO need a cable; you do NOT need a card reader because the machine itself plugs into the computer.

I love my machine but it does not provide much useful data on-screen if you don't have the software.

My sleep doctor taught me how to adjust the settings myself. Among other things, he stressed only adjusting by half a cm, not going above or below certain pressures, not having the range be too much, waiting to see the effects before making another change right away ... and most importantly, trusting what makes me feel better instead of what the numbers say.

Just so everyone knows, my comment about changing your own settings was a joke, hence the "But seriously" part. I'm a full supporter of doing that, as long as you know what you're doing (which most people on this forum do)

I don't personally mind filling in the knowlegde gaps for my patients. It's what I do I enjoy using the critical thinking skills to fix problems. That's why I immerse myself in all possible scenarios. Coming to this forum and reading the posts lets me know the full spectrum of what kind of problems to seek solutions for. I liken it to continuously refining gold by burning off the impurities. The more I can learn, the better of an RT I can be for my patients.

That is a good metaphor, Judy, the diabetes thing. It's like giving a diabetic some syringes and saying "Here ya go, just inject one syringe after every meal" and never checking your blood sugar levels to adjust the dose.

Or giving a blood pressure prescription to someone and never bothering to check their BP ever again.

It's like I had mentioned before, if "I" owned a DME, I would sell ONLY data capable machines and even teach a class, like CPAP 101, or something like that, for new patients. (although I like the idea of calling it CPAP Bootcamp and dressing in camo fatigues LOL)

Would I make as much $$? No, of course not, but I guarantee my PAP compliance would be among the best in the country!

Somethings are more important than "The Bottom Line"



(if anyone wants to front me the capital for this DME, just PM me LOL )

IF I had the capital AND IF you would settle in my area of Michigan ....

If wishes were horses, BrianRT ..... at least you know my heart is in the right place.

BrianRT wrote:Just so everyone knows, my comment about changing your own settings was a joke, hence the "But seriously" part. I'm a full supporter of doing that, as long as you know what you're doing (which most people on this forum do)

I don't personally mind filling in the knowlegde gaps for my patients. It's what I do I enjoy using the critical thinking skills to fix problems. That's why I immerse myself in all possible scenarios. Coming to this forum and reading the posts lets me know the full spectrum of what kind of problems to seek solutions for. I liken it to continuously refining gold by burning off the impurities. The more I can learn, the better of an RT I can be for my patients.

That is a good metaphor, Judy, the diabetes thing. It's like giving a diabetic some syringes and saying "Here ya go, just inject one syringe after every meal" and never checking your blood sugar levels to adjust the dose.

Or giving a blood pressure prescription to someone and never bothering to check their BP ever again.

It's like I had mentioned before, if "I" owned a DME, I would sell ONLY data capable machines and even teach a class, like CPAP 101, or something like that, for new patients. (although I like the idea of calling it CPAP Bootcamp and dressing in camo fatigues LOL)

Would I make as much $$? No, of course not, but I guarantee my PAP compliance would be among the best in the country!

Somethings are more important than "The Bottom Line"



(if anyone wants to front me the capital for this DME, just PM me LOL )

I got your joke. I think your critical thinking works just fine and I like your DME business philosophy too.

Oh, I know Judy. YOU are the peach, my dear.

I know the field of sleep medicine is still growing.....maybe one day it will be comparable to the support that diabetics get

Anonymous wrote:My thought is that it would be less expensive to get/keep a computer that still has the XP operating system and continue to use your existing Encore Pro software than to get a new XPAP and then still have to buy the software for it.
Or, at least until something shakes out with this XPAP/software issue.
Who knows, the "good fairy" may leave a copy of EP 1.8 under your pillow some night.

As far as monitoring, after 2 years, I've got my therapy pretty well "dialed in", but it's more of a habitual ritual (curiosity thing) to check it each morning. From the horror stories I've heard and read about Vista (so far), they'll have to drag me into it, kicking and screaming.

Den

I have a machine with XP still on it. But my CPAP won't last forever and neither will XP. For the moment, that is probably what I will do. As for Vista, let me jump to its defense. I have never regretted moving to Vista. For me, it is a terrific OS. Compared to XP it is a great improvement in my estimation. The new application suite from MS is also terrific.

rested gal wrote:David, check your private messages.

Hey, good to see you again!

ComfortLite 2 is a good mask. I like it. I just still like my Twilight NP (formerly called the Aura) best of all -- deconstructed for two years now and going strong.

Hi Laura

Actually the kicker for me was the "Direct Seal Cushion" they have as an option. I have a messed up nose. When I try to use a regular over the nose mask the pressure just closes my nostrils and I don't get any air. This type of seal allows me (with the size 5) to push the thing a way into the nose forcing the sides apart and allowing me a flow of air. The other option would be the full monty with surgery etc. I understand your nostalgia for the Aura. Stockings and all

Slinky wrote:you can access that night's 95th percentile leak. . .

Pardon my density here . . .but is that the 95th percent highest leak recorded or the leak rate for 95 percent of the time?

Thanks.

Dave

95th percentile = leak rate was at or below this level 95% of the time.