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All new to me
#1
All new to me
Hi all, just a shout out/thank you for all the info this board is providing. I am trialling a dreamstation after my sleep study revealed mild apnea, and most of all trying to drop my  snoring so I can again share a bed with my wife. A couple of questions though. 
1. Why won't the dreamstation start/stop with my breath. (Smart start)?
2. After 12 days trialling the cpap machine I don't feel any more alive. (If that's the right word). It has solved the snoring though.  Do you think over time I should feel more refreshed and sleep better? Or for some, does a cpap machine simply stop snoring?
3. Does anyone think I would be mad to just purchase a dreamstation without test driving others?
Thanks again everyone. I look forward to navigating the board more when I have the time. So much to learn.
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#2
RE: All new to me
Hey!  And welcome!   You found the right place - this a very supportive forum.  Let me take a stab at your questions:

(1) it's possible that auto start is disabled.  I believe you need to be in provider settings to enable it.  You can follow the "cpap setup manual" link in the top menu to request the manual for the Dreamstation.  It will help you take control of your therapy.  I personally never found the auto off to work that well.  

(2) It can take some time before you feel "normal" again, as most would tell you, you need to work off your sleep debt.  You mentioned dreamstation, but not the model.  The dreamstation cpap is a brick, but other models are fully data capable.  When you have a fully data capable machine, and combine that with open source sleepyhead software, it can really help you and us assess how your therapy is going and help make changes that will improve the quality of your sleep.

(3) I don't think anyone will call you mad.  I think some will caution about the type of machine and to make sure it's fully data capable before you commit.  A brick won't help you at all.  Philips and Resmed are the two big names in sleep apnea care, and you really can't go wrong with a data capable machine from either.  I originally chose the Resmed over the dreamstation because it was ore aggressive at treating obstructive events and their breathing relief was more comfortable to me.  People feel the other way.  YMMV.

Good luck!
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#3
RE: All new to me
Condee, the Dreamstation Auto and Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset are the leading machines. Your profile indicates a pressure of 14.5 which suggests you are using fixed CPAP pressure. It is important that you have a machine that gives you data, and an auto machine can provide ideal therapy pressure, rather than just high pressure all the time. The Resmed is much more responsive to auto start and stop. It also uses an exhale pressure relief that is more intuitive and comfortable than the Philips, with up to 3 cm of pressure relief. The Philips machine is demonstrably slower in auto mode to respond to obstructive events, and the Resmed actually has two auto modes, standard and soft. I think it would be worth your while to try the Resmed Autoset, or just get it, if you can find a price you can live with.
Sleeprider
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#4
Grin 
RE: All new to me
Condee. Welcome to the boards.

Like you, I am a new CPAP user and forum member, just ten days old. And like you I though this thing would be a miracle worker and when I woke up the next day I would feel like a new man. After browsing through the forums, this is clearly not the case. My snoring has stopped completely which has done wonders for my marriage Wink

I know and accept that it will take time to get the rest I desperately seek. Its tough to get the solid 6-8 hours when you have the monster from Aliens strapped to your face. But I Know I will get there eventually. Be strong.
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#5
RE: All new to me
Welcome Condee!

Trying to get the DreamStation to smart-start with a full-face mask is like trying to suck start a lawn mower!  It works fine with a nasal mask or nasal pillows.   The Resmed machines are much better in this particular aspect.  

It can take some time to feel the full effects.  Your brain needs to adapt your sleeping to this new reality.  It might also be that your therapy is not yet optimized.  We can help you do that.

The DreamStation is a good machine, if you are happy with it there is no need to trial a different brand.  Resmed is the only other brand I would personally consider.  I have used both, both are very good.  Before you finalize it, make sure it is one of the fully data capable models.  These machines come in cheaper models that are not data capable.  You want the data collection so that you can optimize your therapy.  Here is a good list of the machines and which to avoid: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices
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#6
RE: All new to me
1. Why won't the dreamstation start/stop with my breath. (Smart start)?

As pp said, it takes a strong breath to tell it to turn on. But also the function has to be activated. My DME did not activate that function, so I need to go in to the clinician settings and turn that function on.


2. After 12 days trialling the cpap machine I don't feel any more alive. (If that's the right word). It has solved the snoring though.  Do you think over time I should feel more refreshed and sleep better? Or for some, does a cpap machine simply stop snoring?

I'm only a month ahead of you in this process, so I'm not sure about this. But keep going!!!!  

3. Does anyone think I would be mad to just purchase a dreamstation without test driving others?
Thanks again everyone. I look forward to navigating the board more when I have the time. So much to learn.

I was originally given a DreamStation Pro to rent. It would've been perfectly fine for me, but after reading so much here I decided I wanted an Auto so I could have better autonomy and flexibility in treating myself.  (I wanted to be able to use the auto setting to sort of titrate myself.)

So I switched my DreamStation Pro for a DreamStation Auto.  I'm very happy with it. 


I do agree with the others, how they say the DreamStation has a sort of hesitation for the exhale (or however they describe it), and I did notice it at first... but that doesn't bother me. 

I also like that it's white.  I know it's a psychological thing, but the white machine makes me feel happy. 
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#7
RE: All new to me
As chill stated, it is very hard to get the DreamStatioin to smart start with a full face mask. I use a pillow mask and can't breath well enough with it to use smart start, either.

It just takes time to optimize your treatment. Once you do, it gets better.

I agree with Sleeprider. Try the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset before making a machine choice.
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#8
RE: All new to me
Thanks everyone, Im not sure if this is the best way to repond to you all but anyway. I am overwhelmed how helpful everone has been.
Which now makes me concerned (with all respect) about my confidence in my treating techs. I took my dreamstation back with regards to the
smart start. There response "we've never seen this before". Then tried 2 more dreamstations and couldn't get them to autostart either. They could not really give me an answer. Surely they should know what I have learnt in 5 minutes (through this board). Smile
Im thinking also that this company may just supply Phillips.
I am convinced now to have a test drive of the "ResMed airsense 10 autoset" and am going to source one today.
Thanks All.
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#9
RE: All new to me
Hi Condee,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck with your CPAP therapy and getting the machine you really want.
Hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
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#10
RE: All new to me
(02-20-2017, 07:26 PM)Condee Wrote: I am convinced now to have a test drive of the "ResMed airsense 10 autoset" and am going to source one today.
Thanks All.

That's a good choice! I swapped between both the dreamstation auto and A10 Autoset for a month until I settled on the Resmed. Resmed just makes awesome machines.  And the auto start works well.  Shy
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