CFlex and autoCPAP; 2 get or not to get w/ 8cm

I read the postings, all of them, but they don't define those definitions at all. I am still perplexed as to what an automatic machine turns on and off and what C Flex is. It doesn't really say. I need someone to tell me straight out what an automatic machine turns off and on and what C Flex is or does, please. Thank you so much for the link, but I couldn't find the answers to my questions in the postings, unless I missed something.

OK. See if this helps. From our fourm administrator:

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:47 pm Post subject: AutoPAP

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AutoPAP - also known as "auto-titrating CPAP", "auto-adjusting CPAP", or "self-adjusting CPAP."

CPAP is set for one continuous pressure. An AutoPAP can be set to deliver a range of low/high pressures, customizable within 4 - 20 cm H2O.

An AutoPAP differs from a CPAP in that an AutoPAP uses algorithms to sense subtle changes in the user's breathing and deliver only the amount of pressure necessary to keep the airway open.

An AutoPAP automatically varies the pressure to prevent and/or correct sleep disordered breathing events - apneas, hypopneas, air flow restrictions, and snores.

Computer software is available for AutoPAP machines, which will allow a user or clinician to download the recorded data into a PC. This data can be put in report form to track treatment results.

See: https://www.cpap.com/find-cpap-products/AUTOCPAP
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And as for CFlex:

C-Flex vs. Traditional CPAP: Brown University Study

Respironics has added their easy breathing C-Flex technology to the REMstar Auto. Now you can have both the comfort of auto-titrating pressure with the comfort of easy exhalation, all in one CPAP.

The REMstar Auto with C-Flex is is an auto-adjusting CPAP machine which is set for a range of pressures, then seeks out and delivers the lowest level of pressure needed to keep the airway open. With CFLEX technology, not only with the pressure level vary as needed, but it will drop with each exhalation.

The auto-adjusting CPAPs were designed for patients who are unable to participate in a sleep study or whose pressure needs vary during the night according to their stage of sleep or sleep position. However, any patient will receive very comfortable therapy from this type of CPAP.

ozij wrote in a previous post:

"You may want to buy an APAP not in order to use it as a APAP, but in order to follow your treatment in detail."

and written in another post copied in to this topic

"Computer software is available for AutoPAP machines, which will allow a user or clinician to download the recorded data into a PC."


I'm a bit confused. I know you can get/use software for many of the CPAP (nonAPAP) machines. But when you use the software in conjunction with an APAP, you can get even more usefull sleep data?

Thanks again.[/quote]

dougc4 wrote:
I know you can get/use software for many of the CPAP (nonAPAP) machines. But when you use the software in conjunction with an APAP, you can get even more usefull sleep data?

That's right Doug. On simpler, older machines you may only get compliance data = when and for how long you used the machine. This might be important for the clinician, who wants objective logging, and for the insurance company, who wants objective proof that you use the machine they pay for.

The ability to get more info from an xPAP machine depends on the machines sophistication, so, whichever machine you buy, make sure that
this specific machine is capable of givine you data about your sleep quality: snores, apneas, hypos, etc. The software will not do it if the machine can't record that data.


O.

Hey!

After reading the post about the VPAP, you guys almost had me sold, what with its sensitivity, its ability to be set low for EPAP levels, so I asked my RT about it.....

<<ROFL>>
She said that that was the one I sent back because I could not in any way use it

It was the machine that would take 1 to 2 seconds to deliver a breath and gave me an ache in the side from trying to use it!

<GRR>>

But she did say that they have an order in for the new GoodKnight 425 S/T (YAY!!!), providing that that is the machine the "Wind Wizard" recommends (I love that moniker too!!! It suits him to a T!)

And I'll let you folks in on a secret One - certainly not the most crucial - but ONE of the reasons I like this machine is the NAME!! I'm an old MacGyver fan and the episode "Good Knight MacGyver" was about the best one they ever did! Now how's that for trivia?!!

- JB

Judy, you mentioned this about the ResMed VPAP III bi-level machine that you tried and didn't get along with:

It was the machine that would take 1 to 2 seconds to deliver a breath and gave me an ache in the side from trying to use it!

I've never used a VPAP III, but I've followed many, many topics and postings about it on the talkaboutsleep.com message board - mainly postings by a woman nicknamed "frequenseeker". She is a big proponent of the VPAP III, and would be the first to say that there a lot of tweaks that can be made to it, to get it in sync with breathing.

Unfortunately, even otherwise good Respiratory Therapists are usually not familiar with all the many adjustments that can be made to the VPAP III. It sounds like the most customizable of all bi-levels...but that can be a mixed bag - good in the hands of someone who really understands how to make all the adjustments - or, an uncomfortable disaster if they don't know about them.

"Out of the box", it seems (again, just from what I've read) the Respironics bi-levels seem to be easier to tune for more people. However, people who have very complicated problems exhaling might need the kinds of tweaks that can be done with the VPAP III. Again, it depends on how knowledgeable the person is who is setting it up.

You might want to drop in at the talkaboutsleep.com Apnea/snoring message board and do a search on the VPAP III, especially for posts by frequenseeker. She's helped a LOT of people get that particular machine's many settings right for them. Even if you don't get that machine again, I'm sure you'd be interested in reading about the settings tweaks that can be done with a machine like that. She openly posts her email address in many of her posts - she's very experienced with the VPAP III's and how to arrive at the best settings.