New Machine, not new to CPAP

Hi All,
I've been on CPAP therapy for 11 years; I'm one of the lucky ones who got immediate and wonderful relief from my first night. I know I'm blessed by that.

I can still remember the feeling of the first night with the hose attached to my face - I remember thinking several times during the night, oooohh, I don't know if I'm going to be able to handle this thing on my face every night, but I just did not allow myself the option of giving up. That first night's sleep was not so great, but even at that, when I got up in the morning I felt so much better than I had in years I knew it was going to be worth it!

The first machine was a straight CPAP, ResMed S6, set at 11. That's what I've been using all this time. A few weeks ago I decided I wanted a newer smaller machine, and called my doc to get a copy of my RX so I could just buy one on my own. Since it had been so long since my sleep study, he wanted me to do another to see if the pressure settings were still good. After going through the sleep study, I was provided a shiny new S9 Autoset machine; this sleep study showed the best pressure for me seemed to be 8, so the machine is set for a range of 5-11.

I foolishly thought since I'm a "veteran" of this CPAP business, it would just be a matter of hooking up the new machine and continuing on as usual. To my surprise, I'm having a whole new learning curve to go through. This machine is so dang smart!! I've been using it for 2 weeks now, and literally learning something new about it every day.

I've been lurking around and reading the forum posts, I have the software to read the SD card, but here's what I'm wondering -- I am supposed to send in the SD card after I've been using the machine for 2 months; apparently that's the only time I have to send in the card. Of course, I'm itching to see what it reads now.

I have the software already downloaded and installed,but I haven't been able to find out whether if I remove the card and see what it reads, the card info will be transferred to my computer, thus giving an empty card when I put it back in the machine. If that's the case, I'll just bide my time until I send in the card, replace it with one of my own and start learning how to read/interpret the data.

If anyone can tell me for sure whether the card data can be read without it being erased from the card, that would be great and most appreciated.

Thanks!!

Feel free to look at your data. Copying to your computer does not erase the data from the SD card. While it can be done it does require your participation and ordering the erasing of the card....and even then if you made a mistake not all the data is lost. When you put the SD card back in the machine the data stored on the machine will then be put back on the card. Some older high definition data might be lost but the important stuff will be put back on the SD card.

Also, you can view the night's data on sleep time, AHI and leak by pressing and holding down at same time both silver buttons to the right of your screen. I do that each morning and I only put the card in my computer when I want to see detailed graphs.

OK, thanks - good to know. I'd already discovered that I could look at each night's results from the LCD screen; at first I wondered why I'd been able to see results in the morning, but after noon there was nothing there. That was one of the first lessons learned

Now that I know I can look at the details, I'll give it a go! Thanks!!

Congrats! This machine is so cool. I write down my numbers every morning in a little notebook.
One more thing to show the PCP (and blow him away!)
--It's less threatening than pages of data (that is for the respi doc--also impressed!)

I love my S9, without the detailed data I would have never figured out I was a mouth breather. I never had a dry mouth and felt ok on cpap but the detailed data gave me details about my leaks that users here were able to determine were due to mouth breathing. Sometimes the summary data on the machine is not enough. I wake up every day and load the detailed data into my computer and immediately replace the card (if you dont you may forget to put it back in when you go to sleep!!). I then post the data with my questions here, it has helped a ton!

More information is good. I look forward to the day that CPAP machines routinely record all airflow, capnographic, oximetric and other data that technology allows to be easily recorded. The medical profession doesn't need to feel threatened. There will still be plenty for doctors to do; they will just have more information (provided by their patients) and will be better able to figure out what is going on.