[Equipment] Aircurve vs Dreamstation Data Recording question

[SarcasticDave94]

nevermind me...I was randomly rambling, sorry...

[bfry]

Rambling can be fun and insightful. No worries Dave!

[SarcasticDave94]

Despite earlier senile musing that was used to edit out my nonsensical butchering of words, a sincere hope you're getting proper therapy by being dialed in, and are headed to adjusting well to mask and machine. Also hoping you'll soon start feeling where the therapy is making you feel better.

to a very enjoyable second half of the weekend...

[ajack]

@ bfly, walla and sleeprider.
I finished on min 15 max 20 and bounced around 20 all night on cpap, now I'm on a machine where I bounce up to 25. You do get use to higher pressure and it doesn't take very long. It seems that being woken with mouth breathing was the issue? Once the mouth breathing is fixed, which may end up with mouth tape or a mask that also covers the mouth. my choice was a change of mask. You may find you sleep better as you adapt to the bpap.

The only real difference between the resmed and dreamstation in auto bpap that I can see. Is that the dreamstation has both variable ps and epap, where the resmed only has variable epap. I couldn't tell you what could be better for you. Each one can be adjusted to suit your needs, I would guess.

Agreed it's not a major concern with the o2, but given a choice, why not? It might be best to ask the doctor at the next visit what he wants. By your chart, the o2 fell from 94 to 91 and then rose back up to 93%. I speculate that's why they went to the extra cm pressure support PS4 to PS5. When the apnea was fixed at 13/9. with o2 91%. We also have limited data from the study. There is no reference to other data used in the study to determine outcomes, they do collect and use a lot of data points.

[Walla Walla]

Some other things the VAUTO has that the Dreamstation doesn't. Inspiratory Time Control with trigger and cycle settings. Provides in the Data on SleepyHead a flow chart of flow limitations. Provides a chart for mask pressure. Gives more options for Humidity Temperature Control Also the humidity tub holds more water.

[bfry]

So, I had my "follow-up" with the doctor, and some things are now a bit clearer.
First, he does not look primarily at the indexes & counts (though he referred to them a couple of times.) What he looks at is the Flow data (the breathing wave form), and said he can't get that from the ResMED. We argued about that for a minute, as I know the Airsense & Aircurve record that data. The problem is on the reporting side (specifically ResScan software). On the interactive mode, you can view the wave form data, but you can't print out the data at any level of detail like you can with Encore Pro. So, for him to review the breathing patterns of any given night, he's limited in what he can do if it's not a Respironics device.
I went back to the ResScan software to prove him wrong, but so far I haven't been able to do so.
SleepyHead, isn't an option obviously, because it's not approved for medical use.

So, I'm now trying to figure out next steps.
Getting the Aircurve with insurance support isn't going to happen at this point, because of the above. Anyone know or heard of something that might be a way to get the detailed data more interchangeable? Or, maybe be able to print out detailed flow graphs like Encore provides... I would like to be able to go to the doctor and press him for the machine I want to use, and this is now the sticking point. Going to another doctor won't resolve the machine issue (at least initially).

I really do appreciate everyone's help and input. As always, I learn more each and every time I come to this board, and it's because of all of you.

Blessings,
Bill.

[Walla Walla]

ResScan actually has a better flow chart than Encore does. To access it, under download below data select there is a box that reads "Include the equivalent high rate data sessions"s. Put a check in the box. You might have download all of the days again to get it to work.

[bfry]

@Walla Walla,

I've been able to download the data. That's really not the problem. The problem seems to be in the software interface & reporting.
In Encore Pro, if you click on a night's detailed data, it automatically produces a PDF report with pages like this:
[attachment=4447]

ResScan will let you review the data (with some manipulation from the defaults) in a similar fashion (though only along a single line).
   

But the only thing I can get it to provide in a report, print, etc. is like this:
   

It's probably not worth too much effort, as I doubt the Dr. would accept printed/pdf substitutions & meet my request to change machines. It would be enjoyable to prove him wrong as I find another doctor though.

Blessings, 

Bill.

[Walla Walla]

I don't see the need for a written report when they can download your information onto a computer. There's no doubt your doctor is just making excuses.

[Sleeprider]

FWIW, I think the Dreamstation BiPAP Auto is a fine machine. I got good results out of the System One version of it. The Dreamstation is compatible with Sleepyhead and Encore software, and provides pretty much all the therapy options of the Aircurve 10 Vauto. The auto algorithm needs to be optimized, but it provides variable PS. If you decide to just go with your doctor's recommendation, there are far worse things.

My personal preference is to use my doctor as a resource, but not have him looking at my day-to-day results. That would only be for trouble-shooting, and I doubt your doctor will spot much that you wouldn't otherwise hear on the forum anyway. If you like your doctor, and are going to stick with him, the path of least resistance may have virtue here. The Dreamstation BiPAP auto is a fine machine and a lot better than the DS auto CPAP.