Added O2 and Wow!

[SleepMonger]

So, I've been a long term CPAP user of a RemStar Auto.   I managed to catch Covid-19 with mild symptoms but I had the usual breathing issues.    My pulse ox is usually around 95-97% during the day.   I'm a lazy breather and even find myself needing to take some catch up breaths during the day.   Somehow, I managed to emerge from childhood with a reduced lung volume and on an Xray you can see a darker area that isn't functioning.   (My guess it was when I nearly died when I was 3 years old from sepsis.)    

I definitely do have some obstructive Apnea, but recently I've been starting to wonder if I'm breathing optimally during the night as I sometimes wake with a sharp headache which seems to go away as I wake up.    I stumbled on Central Apnea and bought a O2 concentrator, tubing, connectors for my CPAP, and wow, big difference.   I used to be a serious brainiac but in the last 10 years, I've really struggled with concentration and memory issues which have degraded my life, but now I wake somewhat refreshed.   Not perfect, but definitely an huge improvement, and I'm doing much better in the memory and cognitive departments.

I'm trying to figure out where to go from here.   You guys are way, way ahead of me on software.   I know my little remstar takes a SD card, but not sure what that would yield.    It really seems like I need a massive CPAP upgrade with good analytics.    

I keep seeing AirCurve 10 VAuto Bi-Level With HumidAir Humidifier By ResMed;  however, I have a wrinkle.   I love to travel in 3rd world countries mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean.    So, as they say, size matters, and I also need to deal with frequent power outages and such.   The CPAP I have runs on 12V which is perfect commercially available Li Ion backup systems, and I can pack it into to a carry-on with all my essentials that I carefully guard.   I'd be hard pressed to check it on airlines or worse have it ride on top of a 3rd world Bus.

I've done the sleep doctor route, but honestly, I was less than satisfied as their cycle times are extremely long (weeks/months) for making any adjustments and I have an analytical mind so can tune machines.   Also the sleep studies are $1000 a pop and honestly, I don't sleep well (or at all) in a lab environment, so I question their validity and relevance.

I bought a wearable Pulse Ox, but I'm still trying to crack the interface on a MacOS.   Looks like I UART (I thought I've seen the last of those), and this work laptop won't install Oasis and it would be career limiting to try to circumvent the security.   (I'm hiding under a rock in the Caribbean while Florida is overrun with Covid-19).

Any ideas, recommendations or similar stories?

[ardenum]

That's the same with new machines too, you're just gonna need the dc-to-dc converter :

https://www.resmed.com/de-de/dam/documen...lo_mul.pdf

Here's a battery guide:

https://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/...lo_eng.pdf

[kappa]

this work laptop won't install Oasis and it would be career limiting to try to circumvent the security. 

Hi SleepMonger,

I can't comment on the health stuff but I also had issues installing OSCAR (I assume that's what you're referring to) on my work laptop (didn't play nicely with BeyondTrust Privilege Management) . I ended up installing it on another system and just copying the directory from 'Program Files' in to my downloads folder and running it directly from there. It seems fine. It would be nice if there was a installer option that was happy in regular user mode and had an option to install in to %APPDATA%\Programs, or a zip version in the distribution...

[SleepMonger]

I had a power outage last night and really feeling the effects of no O2 since I added O2 a few weeks ago. Headache, can't seem to wake up and get going, and now, at 9am, I'm already ready for nap. Seems too familiar.

I'll definitely need to prioritize upgrading the cpap and getting an inverter for the O2 machine. I suspect this pig uses a lot of power.

[SleepMonger]

I was awoken twice last night with my O2 Concentrator beeping with an angry red light.   Reading the manual, it's probably a flow blocked alarm.   

My CPAP doesn't have an O2 input, but I bought a connector between the CPAP & hose connector.    My hypothesis is that as the Auto CPAP increased pressure last night, the O2 machine interpreted this as a flow blockage.   

Let me know if there are better avenues to explore?   But, how do people usually connect their cpap to O2 machines?    I'm tempted to get out my hot glue gun build a small reservoir at the intake.   (Yes, a cpap upgrade is in my future).

[Sleeprider]

Sleepmonger, I merged this most recent post with your previous thread because the topics are related. We like to keep therapy threads together so information and history is more easily available.

Most oxygen flow generators flow oxygen at much higher pressure (1-psi) than the 9 cm-H2O (0.128 psi) in your profile. There was probably a kink somewhere. You might want to read our Oxygen Bleed with CPAP wiki http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php..._with_CPAP

[SleepMonger]

I merged this most recent post ...

Most oxygen flow generators flow oxygen at much higher pressure (1-psi) than the 9 cm-H2O (0.128 psi) in your profile.  There was probably a kink somewhere.  You might want to read our Oxygen Bleed with CPAP wiki http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php..._with_CPAP

Thanks and big thanks!   A table was shoved up against the wall crimping the line.

[SleepMonger]

Problems continue. The concentrator continues to throw alarms, so it looks like it needs service.

Is there a place in south florida? I have an "Everflo Q OPI". I cast around on google for a service center didn't find anything.

Or, where to get parts? These look like fairly simple devices. I smell a hobby coming on.

[becker44a]

I keep seeing AirCurve 10 VAuto Bi-Level With HumidAir Humidifier By ResMed;  however, I have a wrinkle.   I love to travel in 3rd world countries mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean.    So, as they say, size matters, and I also need to deal with frequent power outages and such.   The CPAP I have runs on 12V which is perfect commercially available Li Ion backup systems, and I can pack it into to a carry-on with all my essentials that I carefully guard.   I'd be hard pressed to check it on airlines or worse have it ride on top of a 3rd world Bus.

Hi SleepMonger:
Unless you are travelling more than staying home, I would choose based on the best treatment efficacy, not portability.  Many on this forum have switched from Respironics to Resmed and found better treatment results.  I have no personal experience with the machine you have been considering, but generally, the Resmed units seem to have better algorithms for pressure control.  One difference is that Resmed units sample the breathing wave form at 25 times per second, versus 5 times per second for Respironics.  This means that Resmed can analyze the waveforms much better for the shapes they call "Flow Limitation", which is considered to be a precursor to apnea events. 

In any case, choose a machine that provides full treatment data, and start using OSCAR or other software to see what is really going on.  This is really important.

Some here have acquired a 2nd unit to use for travelling, and there are units available that are made to be compact for that purpose.  Features like humidification are usually omitted in such machines, but you will have some choices, should you go that route.

[ardenum]

Everflo Q is a great unit, been using it 5 years now. Best give respironics us a call about support.