Can Doc or RT Lock a CPAP Machine?

A friend of mine asked for my help last week. He had been using pressures of 12-17 (and still continued to snore all the time). He has never been able to tame his mask leaks, even after trying several of my masks. His Sleepyhead report showed an AHI of over 12; certainly not optimized therapy!

In an effort to reduce his leaks, his doctor lowered his pressure to 5.
(I think he could have reduced his leaks to zero if he had simply disabled the machine altogether.).

Needless to say, he can't breathe! I went into the clinician's menu to raise his pressure a little, which functioned as I expected, but when he started his machine to see if the pressure felt O.K., the pressure reverted back to 5. I tried again several times, but the machine just let out a long alarm. Everything I did resulted in the alarm sounding. I had to unplug his machine to get it to stop.

Can his machine be locked to prevent "unauthorized" changes from being made? If so, can the lock be over-ridden? His machine is a PR S1 760, and he has been on it since Nov. 2013.

My best guess: I don't think the machines can be "locked" but they can be programmed (i.e. controlled) by the SD card. Which means that you'd have to be able to reprogram the settings on the SD card in order for the changes to stick on the machine. I know someone who dealt with this issue by getting a new SD card from Officemax and putting it in her machine -- now she can make needed adjustments without a problem. What I'm not sure about is whether switching out the SD card would screw up any of the compliance data (if compliance monitoring is a factor in your friend's case).

Can the current SD card be reprogrammed using Encore Basic or Pro?

The machines can't be locked. I'm pretty sure that the settings on the clinical menu override anything on the SD card. The SD card only loads the settings once - they can then be overridden.

See this conversation viewtopic/t80612/How-to-enter-the-clini ... PP-ST.html between Pugsy and Feeling_Better

if the doc lowered the pressure without having the machine, then he wrote a new rx to the card, that sets the machine.

it's handy... but annoying when you're trying to change it.

you can delete everything on the card in your computer, or get encore software and write your own rx onto the card

Sounds like they used Encore to alter the pressure and locked it in so the machine always pulls from the SD card.
Meaning the SD card and Encore's directive will override any manual changes.

The SD card will have to be erased and then any changes made to the PR S1 will stick.
Or get a new SD card and use it.

Compliance data ( along with about a months worth of detailed data minus wave form flow rate) is stored on the PR S1 and will be written back to the SD card in the event the SD card is blank (either erased or brand new) and shouldn't be any big deal for hours of use compliance data gathering.

Can the current SD card be reprogrammed using Encore Basic or Pro?

Yes but it is easier to just manually erase it with your computer and then stick it back in the machine and let it write the old stored data back onto the SD card.

But yes...you can change the RX via Encore Basic or Pro....that's why we aren't supposed to have access to the software...duh...like we can't go into the clinical setup or figure it out like we have here.

Pugsy wrote:Sounds like they used Encore to alter the pressure and locked it in so the machine always pulls from the SD card.
Meaning the SD card and Encore's directive will override any manual changes.

The SD card will have to be erased and then any changes made to the PR S1 will stick.
Or get a new SD card and use it.

Compliance data ( along with about a months worth of detailed data minus wave form flow rate) is stored on the PR S1 and will be written back to the SD card in the event the SD card is blank (either erased or brand new) and shouldn't be any big deal for hours of use compliance data gathering.

Can the current SD card be reprogrammed using Encore Basic or Pro?

Yes but it is easier to just manually erase it with your computer and then stick it back in the machine and let it write the old stored data back onto the SD card.

But yes...you can change the RX via Encore Basic or Pro....that's why we aren't supposed to have access to the software...duh...like we can't go into the clinical setup or figure it out like we have here.

Thanks for confirming my answer and explaining better than I did.

Before she got a new SD card from Officemax and put it in her machine, my friend was able to change her settings but as soon as she put the original card back in the machine all the settings reverted back to the SD card programmed settings. Very annoying since she was only trying to adjust humidification and ramp!

Pugsy wrote: But yes...you can change the RX via Encore Basic or Pro....that's why we aren't supposed to have access to the software...duh...like we can't go into the clinical setup or figure it out like we have here.

well, we both know that the doctors and DME's would rather we keep going back to them with every little thing so they can get more of our $$$$

Oops - misread the device the OP had. Looks like Encore for Remstar works differently than ResScan for ResMed.

Amen!

Thanks for all of your responses. You all are awesome! Am I thinking right in that when I hear the alarm go off, it's because it doesn't want me tinkering with it? The alarm stays on until I unplug the machine.

At any rate, I will give my friend the option of my erasing his card to establish a new pressure or taking his machine to his doctor and letting him work it out.