[Equipment] Does "for Her" make a difference?

[BadGoodDeb]

Since you have the Resmed AirSense 10 autoset and are using nasal pillows, I'll repeat my tale again (sorry if I'm redundant, other forum members). My DME suggested that a size small nasal pillows was what I needed. After 30 minutes of trying to sleep, I felt suffocated / starved of air. I switched to a size medium and found a huge improvement! Just because your nose looks small, your lungs might not be; the size of the hole is affected by the sizing. FWIW, I used to play a musical instrument, so I typically register a deeper lung capacity than my asthma people say is normal.

I've since switched from the size medium to a size large, and I like it even better! Some folks here keep saying "it doesn't have to fit IN the nose, just under it. The air pressure will make it stay put." (Well, plus the face strap). The size large doesn't go INTO my nose much at all, but I'm getting so much more air through it! My face straps are not particularly tight; don't assume that's the trade off.

My point: try the different sizes of nasal mask that come with the kit. If you find you like the largest in the kit (medium, in my AirFit P10 For Her mask kit) at some point ask for a replacement that is larger yet, and give that a try. You might really like it!

[baconjurer]

Here's a bit of documentation about what they do for pulmonary transplant considerations...

SIZE MATTERS: IT'S ALL ABOUT HEIGHT, SEX AND RACE!
Thomas M Egan, MD, MSC
Professor of Surgery
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

http://www.ishlt.org/ContentDocuments/20...light.html

Ho! Very interesting. I was checked for asthma a few years back. There were some initial screening tests that came out negative for asthma but I got sent for more sophisticated testing because of a really nasty cough. The specialist's nurse checked my height and insisted on running the initial testing again because I was half an inch shorter that what I told them at the initial screen. I had my doubts then, but they swore it mattered.

[vicmt]

Agree. Should never get other than what the Doctor prescribed. Have an AirSense 10 for her. My doctor is setting it at CPAP for the beginning few months of my therapy. I am happy that eventually we will go on Auto and glad to have more options.

My clinician is a woman; she feels the 'for Her' settings supply an algorithim that will help as therapy progresses. She supplies all brands but feels this AirSense 10 for Her is her choice right now.

[icyura10]

The specialist's nurse checked my height and insisted on running the initial testing again because I was half an inch shorter that what I told them at the initial screen.

When I go to the Dr and they almost always want to find out my stature, I ask if they want to measure me on the floor or while I'm standing...

In one case I'm 6' something... in the other case I'm a lot shorter

[Marthajoy7]

I went with my spouse fot her pulmonary doctor visit. We changed insurance and needed to change DME because of it. I brought up I thought the Resmed AirSense 10 for her as being supplied by new DME.
The doctor proceeded to tell me the problems with standard APAP. Then I told him the changes 'For Her' has. He prescribed the for her CPAP in Auto mode for her. She had been prescribed 17cm/h2o but Auto has been in the 12-13 range.
Her new max is 15cm/h2o. But it does not get that high.

Differences: For him - Does not make any changes to air pressure until there have been 3 apnea events. Then make a large pressure change.
This pressure change will disrupt sleep pattern in many women. So the change to the treatment was to make small adjustments and to start right away rather than wait. Works much better for many people.

[BadGoodDeb]

I went with my spouse fot her pulmonary doctor visit. We changed insurance and needed to change DME because of it. I brought up I thought the Resmed AirSense 10 for her as being supplied by new DME.
The doctor proceeded to tell me the problems with standard APAP. Then I told him the changes 'For Her' has. He prescribed the for her CPAP in Auto mode for her. She had been prescribed 17cm/h2o but Auto has been in the 12-13 range.
Her new max is 15cm/h2o. But it does not get that high.

Differences: For him - Does not make any changes to air pressure until there have been 3 apnea events. Then make a large pressure change.
This pressure change will disrupt sleep pattern in many women. So the change to the treatment was to make small adjustments and to start right away rather than wait. Works much better for many people.

Ooo! My AirSense 10 is only 16 months old, but in another 4 years when they want a new machine for me, I'll make sure to get the "For Her" model!

[somnia16]

So is the Resmed Auto sense 10 for her an Auto or a CPAP? Silly question I guess, it is auto right? So I think the term CPAP machine is used incorrectly to cover all machines most of the time, right?

[BadGoodDeb]

The AirSense 10 can come in straight Cpap or auto-Pap flavors. I imagine the "For Her" can likewise. I was using the term Cpap in a generic sense, yes.

[somnia16]

Oh, thanks, I presume mine is Auto - it is the Auto sense 10 for her. Would this be due to the fact that one sets a minimum/maximum pressure? Or does the auto sense when you are not breathing and provide air within those pressures? Mine came very unhelpfully set at 4/20. I am still very confused by the recommended pressure my ENT gave me (5) - what does this mean in relation to the min/max pressures? Where does the 5 fit in?

[chill]

You are jumbling up words. Your machine's correct name is "AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her". The AutoSet part indicates that it is an automatic adjusting machine. The "AirSense 10 CPAP" is an non-auto adjusting version of that series of machines.

CPAP machines have a single, set pressure. The auto-adjusting machine have a min and max pressure and adjust in that range based on the breathing problems that it detects. These changes in pressure are to prevent future problems, not fix the present problem. Neither of these machine can force you to breathe, the pressures are far too low for that.

If you had a CPAP machine, it would have been set to 5 based on your prescription. For an auto machine, as a comparable setting, it would likely get set to something like Min 4 / Max 7 based on a CPAP setting of 5 and the 4 being the lowest these machines can go.

That seems like a very, very, very low pressure setting. I personally would feel suffocated at that pressure. I am surprised that it is therapeutic for an adult.

Hope that helps you make sense of things.