Cartab’s therapy thread

[clownbell]

@ cartab - In post #6 you ask about the 99.5% pressure. May I help you with the definition?
--- 99.5% pressure does not mean "it handled 99.5% of the apneas."
--- 99.5% pressure means that the pressure was X OR BELOW during 99.5% of the night."

[cartab]

I would like to see you try soft cervical collar to eliminate your positional chin tucking apnea.  You may need to try more than one varying the height, most likely to higher.

Gideon,

Thanks. I purchased one, and waiting for arrival.

In the meantime here's last night's data.

Question is the time zone wrong? I see it cuts data after 12 noon, and then it marks that data as if it was the next day.

[cartab]

Update: My doctor prescribed that I switch to the AirCurve 10 VAuto BiPAP Card-to-Cloud.

It will arrive later today and will test it tonight.

[Gideon]

After your 1st nights use please send OSCAR a copy of your SD card so we can check it out

https://www.dropbox.com/request/REp6AH7LCGyeOcXfOokH. Please include your forum name in the zip file name so we know who the file is from.
(https://www.dropbox.com/request/REp6AH7LCGyeOcXfOokH)

[cartab]

Thank you Gideon - 

Before I do, I'd like to confirm the settings. The prescription reads: BIPAP set max IPAP 25, min EPAP 6, PS 4 cm H20 with heated humidity and mask/interface fitting. 

But based on everything I'm seeing in these forums, a tighter range seems to be recommended. Would you go with the default recommendation or should I adjust max IPAP down?

[Gideon]

That is an Auto Setting and I see no issue with it as an initial setting. Any time you get a new machine, especially a new model you need to go thru an optimization process. Expect to change the settings for night 2. Max pressure should matter little as when properly tuned it shouldn't go near there. There are always exceptions. A narrow range is best, but I like to get there via tuning, not limiting performance. If actually needed we will limit the max, but not now. If its going to bother you set it to 15, if that's going to bother you set it to 12.

I run my VAuto min 11, max 25, PS=6 It always sits 11/17 +/- a small fraction. but I need the higher min and really, really prefer the higher PS. Note that my settings are for me, and not anyone else.

[cartab]

That is an Auto Setting and I see no issue with it as an initial setting.  Any time you get a new machine, especially a new model you need to go thru an optimization process.  Expect to change the settings for night 2.  Max pressure should matter little as when properly tuned it shouldn't go near there.  There are always exceptions.  A narrow range is best, but I like to get there via tuning, not limiting performance.  If actually needed we will limit the max, but not now.  If its going to bother you set it to 15, if that's going to bother you set it to 12.  

I run my VAuto min 11, max 25, PS=6  It always sits 11/17 +/- a small fraction. but I need the higher min and really, really prefer the higher PS.  Note that my settings are for me, and not anyone else.

Ok then, I'll proceed with the prescribed settings and will report (and upload results) tomorrow.

Thanks Gideon, I appreciate this very much.

[hh9797]

The AS11 is not a Bi-Level machine.  ...

I think the reason for that is because most insurance companies will not approve a BiPAP machine unless you try CPAP first and CPAP doesn't end up working. BiPAPs are more expensive and so insurance always wants to try the cheapest option first before approving the more expensive options, so the reason it may be a AS11 instead of a BiPAP is purely to meet the needs for the insurance company to actually approve the BiPAP... yes I know it is weird that insurances would rather end up spending more money having to do multiple treatments rather than just go with the correct one the first time, but they even do it for things like back injuries too, my step mom had to go through years of treatments that the doctors said flat out would not work at all before she could get approved to get the surgery that the doctors had suggested from the very beginning but they had to go step by step wasting time having the patient in more pain for longer for insurance reasons to get the correct treatment approved.

[cartab]

I think the reason for that is because most insurance companies will not approve a BiPAP machine unless you try CPAP first and CPAP doesn't end up working. BiPAPs are more expensive and so insurance always wants to try the cheapest option first before approving the more expensive options, so the reason it may be a AS11 instead of a BiPAP is purely to meet the needs for the insurance company to actually approve the BiPAP... yes I know it is weird that insurances would rather end up spending more money having to do multiple treatments rather than just go with the correct one the first time, but they even do it for things like back injuries too, my step mom had to go through years of treatments that the doctors said flat out would not work at all before she could get approved to get the surgery that the doctors had suggested from the very beginning but they had to go step by step wasting time having the patient in more pain for longer for insurance reasons to get the correct treatment approved.

Yea, and worse of all... I'm not going through insurance for this. My sleep test was so severe that I just had to pay out of pocket. So now I need to return the A11, thankfully its within the 30 days.

[cartab]

Hey folks I’m looking for the “easy breathe” option in my Aircurve 10 (No cellular), but i cannot find in the menu.

Is my firmware out of date?