Newbie needs help

I have been using a Respironics M-series with A-flex for almost a year and have been doing so with little or no direction at all. As the operator, I would like to know if I am able to change the pressure settings or are these normally locked only to be accessed by a health provider or the company that sold me the equipment. Additionally, except for a shop period at the very beginning I have not had anyone read the memory card to verify how the therapy is working. I believe that this model has a limited visual display but most of the critical information is contained on the memory card. How does one go about reading (and interpreting) the nitely results. Right now I seem to be woken up several time during the night with an excessively high pressure and a dry throat despite having a humidifier on-board. My mask seems to be leaking more and I am not certain if it is the high pressure contributing to the leaking or the opposite whereby the leaks are calling for a ramped up pressure. Typically how long are masks good for? WOW...that's a lot of issues! Thank in advance.

Welcome to the message board!

cpap00123 wrote:I believe that this model has a limited visual display but most of the critical information is contained on the memory card.

Correct.

cpap00123 wrote:How does one go about reading (and interpreting) the nitely results.

Encore Viewer software and the necessary card reader (DT3500 "Infineer" by Mako) will let you download the Smart Card from your M Auto with A-flex. Many people here on the board will help you interpret the download reports.

What mask are you using, cpap00123?

The mask is a ResMed Mirage Quattro

cpap00123 wrote:The mask is a ResMed Mirage Quattro

Thanks. That's a Full Face mask and a lot of people report a dry throat from mouthbreathing while using a FF mask.

cpap00123 wrote:dry throat despite having a humidifier on-board

Reason I asked was, if you had been wearing a non-FF mask, I'd be hot on the trail of mouth air leaks. But that's not a problem with a FF mask covering the mouth. You get your treatment fine either way with a FF mask -- through nose or mouth.

Mouth breathing even within a FF mask and with heated humidification can be very drying.

cpap00123 wrote:As the operator, I would like to know if I am able to change the pressure settings or are these normally locked only to be accessed by a health provider or the company that sold me the equipment. Additionally, except for a shop period at the very beginning I have not had anyone read the memory card to verify how the therapy is working.

Do you know what range of pressure your Auto is set for?

Health care providers will tell you you are not supposed to change pressure settings. They can't literally lock you out of the machine's menus and settings. But, there are hoops to jump through to get into those menus...some simple steps the health care provider won't tell you about.

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