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[CPAP] Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
#1
Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.

I know it's been a long time since I last posted.The Auto A Flex that I had brought with me from the US turned out to be junk.I recently bought another used machine (Respironics PR System One REMstar Auto with A-flex),and when this one arrived I was pleased to see that it appears new.

I sent a request for the Setup Manual to the Apnea board email addy,and was immediately rewarded with an email containing the manual,but as soon as I opened it I realized that I am likely in well over my head.

I have no small measure of concern about setting this machine up.It really appears to be complicated,and I'm not really a complicated guy.

Sad

SMM
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#2
RE: Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
G'day SMM.

Can you be a bit more specific about the problem? Are you having difficulty with any particular aspect of the setup, or is the whole thing too complicated? Do you have a copy of your prescription - if so, post that and somebody should be able to help you figure it out.
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#3
RE: Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
I'm mainly feeling overwhelmed by what appears to be a lot of settings DB.Maybe instead,I should take it a step at a time.

I wanted this particular machine because of the "Auto" function.Sleep centers are few and far between here in the Philippines,and the availability of home testing is nil,because the testing centers want the extra $ from an in-center test.Not to mention that I don't have a lot of confidence in the testing that would be done here.

There are also no restrictions on buying equipment,(meaning,no prescription necessary),but the equip is more expensive here. $150 for a Mirage Quattro with headgear as an example.

I have the Cpap machine and a nasal mask.I can buy additional masks here as necessary,but the most important issue is getting the machine set up.

The Cpap machine came with a card in the back.Can that card be removed and the machine will still operate?The card was from the previous owner.If not,do I need to somehow erase and reprogram the card?

Thanks for any advice.

SMM
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#4
RE: Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
OK, I'm not very familiar with PR machines, but from what I understand, yours is the basic autosetting model, not a BiPAP or ASV. In that case, the key settings will be upper and lower pressure limits, flex, ramp and humidity.

Pressure: In the absence of a prescription, you need to set a pretty wide pressure range and then adjust it to home in on an optimum setting. The factory default is 4 cm to 20 cm. A lot of people find 4 cm is too low for comfort and a starting lower pressure of maybe 6 is more comfortable. So I'd suggest you start with a minimum pressure of 6 and a max of 20, stay with that for a week or so, then adjust as appropriate.

Flex: This setting controls the way the machine transitions between inhale and exhale pressures. I believe the settings are 1, 2 and 3 - try 2 to start with. This is more of a comfort feature which you can play around with to suit your self.

Ramp: This starts the machine at 4 cm and gradually increases pressure to the therapeutic level. Again this is largely a comfort feature. The factory default is (I believe) 45 minutes which is waaaay too long. I'd suggest 10 - 15 minutes to start, with a view to reducing it over time.

Humidity: I'm not sure how this works on your machine. The idea is to add moisture to the air to prevent dryness and congestion of your nasal passages. You live in a very humid environment, but if your bedroom is air-conditioned the actual air you breathe might be very dry. Again, you can play with this setting to see what suits you best.

Data card: It's a good idea to reformat the card to eliminate the previous user's data. You can do this in your computer (which should see the card as a disk drive) or there should be a way for the machine to do it. Once you've done that, download SleepyHead to monitor your progress and guide further adjustments.

Hope this helps.
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#5
RE: Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
Wow.

You couldn't have have condensed it down to a level I could understand any better than that.

Ok.

Admit it.

You have done this before.Right?Bigwink

Obviously I came to the right place for help.

Thanks

SMM

One last thing:The SH software.If I have not run the machine before,and I format the card,then there would be no data to import to the software program,right??

Could the software be loaded to a usb memory stick for portability?

Can the timezone be modified later (if I were to move or whatever?) Just curious as to the importance of the time settings.Is that to indicate the time during the night that an event occurred? I am guessing that is the reasoning for the accuracy of the time setting.

Thank you very much.
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#6
RE: Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
In addition to reformatting the SD card, you will want to erase the previous owner's data from the machine--or else the machine will put old data back on the SD card as soon as you put it in the machine. Go to Provider Mode, Info, Reset Data.
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#7
RE: Setting up this auto a-flex is really intimidating.
Thanks Dave.I wouldn't have known that.
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