Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
#21
RE: AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
Ok, here's what I hit "send" on last night:
Quote:I would like to make some updates and clarifications to my chart.


1) Since July 6th I have been using a AirCurve VAUTO bipap, and it is significantly better at treating my sleep-disordered breathing, at significantly lower pressures than the Autoset. I have virtually no flow limitations while using it, and it stops the positional apnea “storms” that the Autoset has little effect on. The responsiveness of the pressure support is more comfortable to use. I have been experiencing less daytime drowsiness and headaches, and fewer nighttime awakenings. Since I’ve had my Airsense10 Autoset machine since October, 2014, and it has almost 18,000 hours on it, it needs to be replaced. I would like for you to prescribe a ResMed AirCurve Vauto for me as the replacement.

2) In my March consultation, you noted “CNS hypersomnia unlikely.” In fact I have 2 first-degree relatives and 2 second-degree relatives with varying levels of hypersomnia, and I have many of the same symptoms as they do. If hypersomnia is relevant to the treatment of my sleep-disordered breathing, I would like to be evaluated for it.

The serial # for the vauto is []. I believe that you can get the detailed data from ResMed using the serial number.

I also have attached 3 PDF documents focusing on data from several nights which illustrate how much better the vauto is at limiting flow limitations, events, and constant arousals that the Autoset does not completely treat.

Here's the 3 supporting documents that I created. The third one is actually a fascinating study of me as flow-limit queen, and how the vauto just fixes the problem while the autoset messes around impotently.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/rj00uvnurs6bwb...4.pdf?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/awb9vwz6p51l8q...8.pdf?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jopv3af7fgbo04...2.pdf?dl=0


(I'm still pretty aggravated that ResMed has, in the Autoset hardware, this incredibly effective device for treating UARS. And they have, in their software library, the software -- already fully tested and deployed with all of the development costs spent -- that can run on the autoset hardware and treat those of us with severe flow limitation problems. All they would need to do is to have a mode -- put it on the menu as a 4th choice after {CPAP, Autoset, For Her} -- which has all of the triggers, timing, responsiveness, etc, of the vauto defaults. Then extend EPR a bit -- make it settable to 4 or 5. When you are done, all of the capability that most of us Flow limit sufferers would need from the vauto would be in the base model.)
Post Reply Post Reply
#22
RE: AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
I don't know, but I'd bet there is a standard or regulation that says a CPAP cannot have a pressure greater than 20 or a Flex/EPR >3.
Post Reply Post Reply
#23
RE: AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
I'd not be surprised either if there's not a regulation in Max PAP pressure. We can't have anyone blowing up lungs.

The VAuto Max would be higher than the CPAP, at 25. If you need higher than that, NIV such as ResMed's Stellar or Astral have Max 50 cmH2O, which I know you don't need. Just for comparison.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#24
RE: AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
Yeah I have the vauto set wide open with a max of 25. Even in the midst of a positional apnea storm it's not made it up past 18. Which I can't say for the autoset -- when it's in "ineffective mode" it will peg the pressure at 20!
Post Reply Post Reply
#25
RE: AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
There are several machines (usually bilevel or bilevel ASV that will go to a maximum pressure of 30. I suspect the more advanced features are not put into the Auto CPAP machines because the manufacturers can get away with 3 to 5 times the price for the upgraded machines. Other than the software difference the bilevel higher pressure machines have a bigger motor with a tachometer output (3 wires instead of 2 to the motor).
Post Reply Post Reply
#26
RE: AB friends -- help me fire my sleep doc?
Hi Cathyf:

I know each person is different in how flow limitations affect them.  Did you find that decreasing your flow limitations (with the Vauto) helped you feel better?

My apologies, I probably should have posted this in your other thread.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  [Treatment] Request for Sleep Data review compared to Sleep Study thesingingchef 2 161 03-14-2024, 05:14 PM
Last Post: thesingingchef
  adding sleep report (Wondering whether changing sleep position can "cure" apnea) NewlyDiagnosed 1 206 02-26-2024, 10:19 PM
Last Post: BoxcarPete
  NOTICE: FDA Fire Safety Alert Dreamstation 2 Gideon 15 1,254 12-03-2023, 03:00 PM
Last Post: kotaKat
  Inconsistent Sleep Patterns and Confusing Sleep Studies - Please Review mperry99 17 1,361 10-14-2023, 04:20 PM
Last Post: mperry99
  [Diagnosis] Sleep deprivation vs sleep apnea - my therapy thread JRNfromAZ 2 807 08-01-2023, 02:43 PM
Last Post: JRNfromAZ
  Adding a true HEPA filter to APAP for california wild fire smoke Stom 25 5,804 03-23-2023, 09:15 AM
Last Post: JLRINCT
  Sleep apnea and CPAP use and it’s effect on HRV and Sleep Quaility tinyobject 1 1,011 01-21-2023, 10:37 AM
Last Post: Jay51


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.