Software--necessary evil or an option?

gailzee · Post by **gailzee** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:58 am

I see many postings on obtaining software w/one's CPAP unit. Do not tell me you have to play on the computer besides wearing a CPAP unit. For those of us technology challenged and happily knowing as little as we can about our computers, on/off it enuf do we have to enter data ea. day or what?
UGH....thxs

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:02 pm

I thought the software was an option. When I first bought my Spirit in 2002 there was no software under $500

When I borrowed a 420E I purchased the software for $85. I learned alot about my treatment.. Also you must have the software to make adjustments to the 420. It would be nice for the Spirit but you may make adjustments and get data using the screen and keypad.

I now understand that if your are serious about your treatment you need the software.

Cheers,

Chris

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:29 pm

Hey Chris,

You can make adjustments to the 420E without the software but you have to know to press the secret button.

-SWS · Post by **-SWS** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:34 pm

chrisp wrote: I now understand that if your are serious about your treatment you need the software.

Amen! But on a sad note, most of us have to get serious about our treatment, because our health care providers were not serious on our behalf.

The ideal would be to have well-trained medical personel checking our sleep therapy on a regular basis so that CPAP/OSA unknowledgeable patients wouldn't have to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. I don't see that happening any time soon...

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 5:06 pm

No, Gail... with software (or without it, for that matter) we don't have to enter our data each day. If you mean "entering data" in the sense of having to look at info, type it in, etc., like a spreadsheet or something.

Our overnight data is collected while we sleep blissfully on our autopaps.

Next morning or whenever you want to see it (you can wait several days, if you wish) use a cable from your machine to your computer (ah, the handiness of the lightweight 420E, carrying it to the computer desk) or take the smart card out of your Remstar machine and carry the card to the "card reader" on your computer desk. I don't have a Spirit, but I think it also uses a simple cable from machine to computer.

Whatever machine/software you have, you don't have to enter the data. You just start up the software, tell it to download your overnight data, and voila' ....there it will be, all nicely graphed and charted for you to see what events sneaked through the guardgate of the machine, while you slept. What you won't see are the events you would have been having, if you had not been using cpap at all. But you can get an inkling of that, just by looking at the pressure graph. Interesting to see the ups and downs, (or the steadiness) of that pressure line, as the machine works all night to deliver only what you need, when you need it, preemptively stopping collapse of the airway and allowing you to continue to sleep.

But no, you don't have to enter data like filling out a form or something, if that's what you mean. It's all already collected by the machine and the software. It's just a way for you to passively see what happened. (And an easy way to tweak the pressure, if you're so inclined. )

gailzee · Post by **gailzee** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 6:04 pm

Hi Rested Gal:
My eyes started to glaze over w/your third paragraph. Once I had to ''do'' something with the CPAP and the computer, you lost me. I know what you are saying, it's the ''doing'' I am NOT good at. I'm 54, and am lucky I can even get into this msg. board. I do agree that how would I know if the treatment is working, if I don't chart it, and thank GOD, it's not a spread sheet or I wouldn't even bother with the software. I am not happy to chart it using the computer, but it seems to be the only way. Can't go to a sleep study every 4 wks to measure the effectiveness. Well, this will be one more question for the dr. tomorrow. I think he will know I've been trying to do my homework, even if I am technogically challenged. Yes, we all have to be serious, as the more I learn, the scarier the NOT treating this can become down the road. thanks for the info.

rested gal wrote:No, Gail... with software (or without it, for that matter) we don't have to enter our data each day. If you mean "entering data" in the sense of having to look at info, type it in, etc., like a spreadsheet or something.

Our overnight data is collected while we sleep blissfully on our autopaps.

Next morning or whenever you want to see it (you can wait several days, if you wish) use a cable from your machine to your computer (ah, the handiness of the lightweight 420E, carrying it to the computer desk) or take the smart card out of your Remstar machine and carry the card to the "card reader" on your computer desk. I don't have a Spirit, but I think it also uses a simple cable from machine to computer.

Whatever machine/software you have, you don't have to enter the data. You just start up the software, tell it to download your overnight data, and voila' ....there it will be, all nicely graphed and charted for you to see what events sneaked through the guardgate of the machine, while you slept. What you won't see are the events you would have been having, if you had not been using cpap at all. But you can get an inkling of that, just by looking at the pressure graph. Interesting to see the ups and downs, (or the steadiness) of that pressure line, as the machine works all night to deliver only what you need, when you need it, preemptively stopping collapse of the airway and allowing you to continue to sleep.

But no, you don't have to enter data like filling out a form or something, if that's what you mean. It's all already collected by the machine and the software. It's just a way for you to passively see what happened. (And an easy way to tweak the pressure, if you're so inclined. )

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 7:34 pm

Well, I'm 60, Gail. My eyes started to glaze over when I wrote that 3rd paragraph. LOL! I have to ask for step-by-step help all the time.

You know...many, many people all over the world get very good treatment from their cpap machines by simply turning on the cpap machine, putting on the mask, and going to sleep. It really isn't necessary to have software or to prowl around through the data. That's just a nice extra to buy, for those who want it. Autopap/software can be a boon to people who have less-than-helpful/not-very-knowledgeable doctors or DMEs. Even if you got yourself an autopap, the software is not necessary at all...unless you just wanted it.

gailzee · Post by **gailzee** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 7:50 pm

I am learning so much from rested gal, too bad she can't fly into each of our homes, straighten us out, listen to our gripes, concerns, and questions, and fix us....I have a pad full of ?? for pulm. doc tomorrow morning. The sleep techie told me, he probably will not have time to review entire titration report, but rather goes by the summary and the techie's recommendation. So we'll see! I will do my best. Can't feel any more tired than I am.....as they say, "gotta be in it to win it" or some such quote. Just to get thru the night will be a miracle, and feel better a bonus on top of that.
I'll keep you posted on the 5 min. face bum's rush at the doc's tomorrow ok?
I'll try the sofware you talked me into it. Why not?
G.

rested gal wrote:Well, I'm 60, Gail. My eyes started to glaze over when I wrote that 3rd paragraph. LOL! I have to ask for step-by-step help all the time.

You know...many, many people all over the world get very good treatment from their cpap machines by simply turning on the cpap machine, putting on the mask, and going to sleep. It really isn't necessary to have software or to prowl around through the data. That's just a nice extra to buy, for those who want it. Autopap/software can be a boon to people who have less-than-helpful/not-very-knowledgeable doctors or DMEs. Even if you got yourself an autopap, the software is not necessary at all...unless you just wanted it.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 8:08 pm

Gail,

Though we may not be able to walk next door and ring rested gal's doorbell she's always just a forum post away. It is amazing to me that I've had the opportunity to learn so much from a person I would have never "met" without this forum. The nature of the forum is that we all may be continents away from each other but our common denominator, sleep apnea, has made us close commrades. Don't be afraid of letting rested gal "talk you into" something. Be assured she'll be there to help you along.