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Frankly, since the reported Leak rate gives you a darn good idea of the mask fit who gives a rat's rear what the reported Mask Fit is for the PREVIOUS session of use?? That doesn't even make any sense!

It makes a LOT more sense to be able to have someone (the mask fitter) be able to use the Mask Fit option "in real time" as the mask fit is adjusted in various positions. Duh, Resmed!

I think it's something that can have a dual purpose.

Resmeds manuals all talk about encouraging compliance and the ***** ecxellent thingy is one of those things that can encourage people that they are doing well.

If you aren't "in the know" you never get to see the real values.

I think knowing how you did in your last session is actually more useful than knowing how you did when your mask was first fitted. JMHO.

Obviously we agree to disagree on this issue, BigK.

Hi BigK,
I have been using S8 Auto for a couple of years now. Currently with success with the Liberty mask but still use my "old faithful" Activa quite often. My thoughts are the leak rate is good. I go between 0.02 and 0.10 l/s depending on restlessness. Do you use the settling feature? I have mine set on 10mins which gives me time to lay down and adjust the mask, swallow, grunt etc and not be marked in AHI results I also make sure to turn off as soon as I am awake in the morning. This brought down my AHI results quite a bit and gave me more confidence that what I was seeing after that was in sleep.
I roll from side to side and on my back quite a lot and find having the hose go back over head and out of the way stops most of the niggling little leaks that use to happen waking me anyway. I have a velcro loop fitted through the 2 holes in the forehead brace. The hose swivels up, held by the loop and hooked above my head so the whole thing turns easily on the pivot, I can roll around, no leaks and I sleep straight through. Keeping the mask fit just tight enough is also very important with the Activa. Another little trick I use to check leaks is to stick my finger across the vent holes which quietens the whole thing down and you can actually hear/feel the leaks a little better.
Good luck and keep batting on. CPAP is a Test, not a one dayer.

Archie

Slinky - you bet!

I quite like the activa as well.

I have the settling on 10 mins but am rarely asleep - I've been thinking of doing away with it although it is useful to get a comfy sleeping position.

My leaks have ranged from 0.06 to 0.1

I just KNOW now when I will have crappy stats because I have had a restless sleep. Like you, I have started taking the mask off as soon as I wake up in the morning.

Last night I seemed to wake a few times, even got up in the middle of the night for a drink and one other time to readjust my mask. AHI was 5.4 which isn't dreadful but m mask leak was ony 0.06. Go Figure. I also use the smart start so I don't have to grope for the on/off button - so I always get a leak spike when I remove the mask.

All in all, the more I understand this the happier I am. I tried nasal pillows and hated them - I loop the hose above me over the bedhead so the hose doesn't get at all tangled and moves freely when I roll over - Never sleep on my back, always my side.

When Resmed rented me the S8 they saw me 3 times during the month and asked if I wanted to try CPAP - but I didn't as the APAP was working pretty well. Increasing the minimum pressure also seems to have helped.

billbolton wrote:Flow generators with different firmware may do different things.

Do you (or does anyone) have an idea of how often the manufacturers (e.g. ResMed) has firmware updates for their machines?

I'm just curious - my Elite would crash frequently in response to a coughing fit. So far my Autoset hasn't crashed, but I also haven't had it long enough to have the intense coughs I get during allergy season.

Just curious ...

ken

No idea Ken.....

Ken....what do you mean that it "crashes"?
Bunker......I didn't know that during the settling period, that data doesn't go into the daily stats. That's important to know. I do alot of moving around, adjusting my pillow mask, etc., and I'm sure that can mess up the totals. I've had my settling turned off for a long time. Guess I'll turn it back on! Thanks for that info!

kennethryan wrote: ... Do you (or does anyone) have an idea of how often the manufacturers (e.g. ResMed) has firmware updates for their machines?

I'm just curious - my Elite would crash frequently in response to a coughing fit. So far my Autoset hasn't crashed, but I also haven't had it long enough to have the intense coughs I get during allergy season.

I haven't the slightest idea but we might be able to detect any Resmed changes if we compare the info from our own devices.

I had the use of a Resmed S8 Elite manufactured in March of 2006, FG Software Id:SX396-0202

My own Resmed S8 Elite was also manufactured in March of 2006, FG Software Id:SX396-0202

My Resmed S8 AutoSet Vantage was manufactured in February of 2006, FG Software Id:SX396-0202

If those w/older and those w/newer Resmed S8s would check their devices we might or might not see a change.

Personally, even w/some severe coughing spells I've had - especially recently - I've not ever "blown" my Elite's "mind", nor my Vantage's (tho I've not used my Vantage a whole lot and can't be sure if I've ever had a severe coughing spell when I've used it).

I wonder if the problem could have been an individual device problem rather than a particular model's? I don't remember ever reading of a data glitch problem w/the Resmed's or w/their software.

For those who don't know where to find this info for their Resmed, the first 6 digits of the serial number (found on the bottom of the device) are the year and month it was manufactured. The firmware can be found in the Clinician's Menu or if you check the Patient Notes in your software, its on the second line of the download. (The serial number precedes it).

bigk wrote:Go Figure. I also use the smart start so I don't have to grope for the on/off button - so I always get a leak spike when I remove the mask.

I often get a short sharp spike in the leak data reading even if I use the "down" button to shut off the flow generator, before removing the mask. It seems to be something to do with the way the flow sensors work.

Cheers,

Bill

kennethryan wrote:Do you (or does anyone) have an idea of how often the manufacturers (e.g. ResMed) has firmware updates for their machines?

I have no idea how often Resmed does updates but I know that at the time I turned in my S8 Lightweight for the product recall in mid-2007, the firmware in the new replacement S8 Lightweight was 4 or 5 sub version numbers later than my original machine (which I had bought as soon as the S8 models were announced in Australia).

There is also a 1 sub version number difference between the firmware in my S8 Vantage (which had been supplied new as part of the product recall update in the US) and my S8 AutoSet Spirit, which had been purchased as a new machine few months later in Australia.

The current firmware number is displayable on the patient menu all S8s... its the number that is in the general form of SX396-0202 (or similar). That specific number is from my S8 Vantage.

Cheers,

Bill

My S8II is SX442-0200

What is the date of manufacture of your S8 II, BigK? Its the first 6 number of your S8 II's serial number. 4 digit year and 2 digit month.

200711