Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

Switched from APAP to BIPAP
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
That's probably an easy problem! Can you ask the shop manager in the physics department to help you take a look at it? One of your student friends who builds stuff?

(My problem is preventing my physics professor husband and three physics grad student children from taking my machine apart. Because I know that once they take it apart they won't put it back together, LOL).

And how loud is the whining? I would be really tempted to put the blower in a padded box to muffle the sound and then wear earplugs!

Seriously -- the way that sleep SHOULD work is that people sleep through a lot of noise. Like smoke detectors going off and fire alarms! It's clear through all of this that the problem you have is the continual awakenings, and that the only reason that you care about the sleep-disordered breathing is if it's the cause of the awakenings. If you can get the stupid machine muffled enough that you can fall asleep, it would be really interesting to see if you stay asleep. Because if the vauto's algorithm allows you to stay asleep then you know you're on the right path to a solution.
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
My main concern wasn't even the noise, but the probable causes of the noise. Since the seller lied about the machine's usage hours, and I was too excited to remember to check the runtime; It had a runtime of 10,000 instead of 8,000 hours. I was concerned that the reason for the whining was a result of infectious material inside the machine. since at first glance, the seller looked fairly unhealthy.

 I do have some light tools to potentially take apart the material and may do so, I think getting a new machine from insurance which will much longer since I'll take care of it will be worth it in my case. Also, my physics or electrical engineering/computer science department won't be opened till the next semester starts in late august. 

I'm confident that money won't be an issue after 2 more years if I can mitigate my brain fog and fatigue during my current course, as I'll be essentially guaranteed to graduate with a Computer science degree (and hopefully physics) from one of the top 3 CS schools in the world.
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
I assume you are stuck with this machine, if so and I were in your shoes I would disassemble it to try and figure out the issue and potentially fix it. Here is a resource to try and help fix noise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzNpLW_FJWM
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
If it were my situation, I'd proceed as cathyf suggests, but would first have it do a long dry run while awake so I could check whether bearing failure, for example, was continually raising the operating temperature. I wouldn't want fire nor hot chem-laden VPAP air. 

I'd try that before any disassembly. 

Also, the power brick may get inordinately hot working against bearing drag. 

An AB member will likely know (Red , SR, Geer1, others?) whether an Autoset motor can be substituted in for a bad VAuto motor, whether the part number might even be the same. I have a used Autoset that was given to me by a lady who advertised it on CL. I drove more than 100 miles one way to get it. Her deceased husband was a fireman with damaged lungs and his card was a breathing mess.  When I reached for my wallet she said "I can't take your money, take it. I wanted it to go to a user not a sharpie dealer." I can pay it forward and either send that or another unit to you, or just a motor if it would work in a VAuto.

Given the deception, you gambled and lost as we sometimes do, and there is no obvious recourse. Lesson confirms for me, a frequent second hand buyer: arrange an  on-site bench test somewhere public and check the unit and its run hours for face-face transactions (as I did for my first used Autoset); buy cross country only through those sites, like OfferUp (and maybe others), which have some color of protections against deception and get a pic or, at least, written assurance of Run Hr. 

(All said, to move quickly and have a high level of confidence, I'm thinking of using our vendor #2, my first time, for my 4th used pump, a backup VAuto. I am now convinced I'll be unable to get one through insurance for FL with my (Autoset treated) low AHI. My OfferUp VAuto is by my bed, my original Autoset is in an all-CPAP inclusive go bag my wife insists must be at hand for her to bring to me--me with a hardware and bovine tissue store in my heart--in a hospital. One used Autoset is hidden behind my recliner, and I gave one to a friend who had a brick.)

Just curious: If there was a card in the machine, did you take a look at it for any clues as to most recent usage?
I have no particular qualifications or expertise with respect to the apnea/cpap/sleep related content of my posts beyond my own user experiences and what I've learned from others on this site. Each of us bears the burden of evaluating the validity and applicability of what we read here before acting on it.  

Of my 3 once-needed, helpful, and adjunctive devices I have listed, only the accelerometer remains operative (but now idle). My second CMS50I died, too, of old age and the so-so Dreem 2 needs head-positioning band repair--if, indeed, Dreem even supports use of it now.



 
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
The SD card wasn't in the machine so I have no clue. I still have my Autoset with me so I'm using that in the meantime, however, I have some good news. After talking to a nurse practitioner and stating all my findings and researched insurance requirements for a new prescription, I now have a prescription for the Aircurve 10 VAuto. Right now, my prescription has been sent to a non-profit provider, breathe California, who will hopefully have the device on hand and send it to me. If not, I'm currently looking at cheaper providers with contracts to my insurance to get the Bipap. Either way, I should be able to get a fully functioning and sanitized Bipap by next week.

In regards to the current Aircurve 10 VAuto, I will attempt to make fixes to the machine once I have access to the physics lab in the fall semester, which I'll either use as a backup or resell to another person in need. 

Here are the conditions for being prescribed a Bipap. 

(I have clinically significant OSA btw)

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) may be considered medically necessary with both of the following: 
  • Patient has clinically significant OSA. 
  • Patient failed a prior trial of CPAP or whom BiPAP is found to be more effective in the sleep lab.



And here are the conditions for a failed CPAP trial:
  • Claustrophobia
  •  nability to breathe through the nose 
  • Patient intolerance 
  • Discomfort or pain 
  • Patients requiring high pressures of CPAP (greater than10 cm H2O) complaining of pressure discomfort

Since my nurse practitioner found that my overall average pressure in my use was 12cmH2O, I asked her to consider that the CPAP trial failed due to inability to breathe through the nose, patient intolerance, and requiring high pressures of CPAP (greater than10 cm H2O) complaining of pressure discomfort (Last one has empirical evidence)


I hope that given the details I gave to the nurse, insurance shouldn't be able to deny coverage for my BiPAP machine. What do you guys think?
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
If true, make mention how you believe your used VAuto felt like better therapy. Buying one on your own can produce necessity proof by usage and stating you've felt better treated with the VAuto.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
Just getting the prescription should be counted as a win, most don't get so lucky.
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
(07-15-2021, 08:37 PM)Geer1 Wrote: Just getting the prescription should be counted as a win, most don't get so lucky.

Make sure that the supplier gets pre-authorization from the insurance. I've gone around in circles with my insurance company before. I had $4500 in blood work last spring, which I finally got verbal confirmation last week had been approved, but I'm not going to believe that it's paid until it finally gets posted.
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
So I tried my first night on the used bipap, and it didn't go as well as I would've liked. I had accidentally set min EPAP to 8 after trying to find the right mask fit, and had my humidifier turned off since it contributed to the motor whine. (I did disassemble the machine and found that the motor was kinda gross, but didn't have compressed air to attempt to clean it. I also apparently took off the mask and slept for 2 hours without it. 

Things to note:

Tidal Volume + minute vent + peak / min flow rate was significantly lower than APAP, and I'm not sure why. 

Some real CA's did occur, but if the machine handles flow limitations well and keeps me asleep, I'm completely fine with that.

Here are the attached results:

Part 1:

[attachment=33832]

Part 2:

[attachment=33833]


Let me know where you'd like to zoom in and what y-axis range is suitable.
Post Reply Post Reply
RE: I've been using my APAP for a week, symptoms wors V2e.
With the data supplied, having higher CA than OA may indicate PS 4 is a bit much right now.

On the other hand, there's an area of flat lined Max pressure between 0840 to about 0920. This indicates to me Max pressure of 14 (IPAP) is probably too low.

You mention min pressure of 8 (EPAP) was accidentally selected by you. What were you going to select there?

PS, I'm only guessing, but if you're not feeling well sorted after sleep sessions like this, there's very likely another medical cause. That would be brought to the forefront if/when you attempt VAuto usage more consistently and without mask off time and aren't feeling the better for the VAuto usage.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Issues with APAP WWYD FlyingUmbrella683 1 86 03-22-2024, 07:21 PM
Last Post: Deborah K.
  New APAP machine: Lowenstein Prisma Smart Max Robert Detz 10 365 03-21-2024, 07:58 AM
Last Post: WisNaeMe
  [Health] RESMED APAP tuning sleeper2460 10 564 03-18-2024, 08:43 AM
Last Post: sleeper2460
  APAP optimization assistance jayed53 9 427 03-14-2024, 03:13 PM
Last Post: jayed53
  srwilsn3's therapy thread | APAP -> BiPAP srwilsn3 34 1,412 03-14-2024, 02:23 PM
Last Post: UnicornRider
  Which biPAP? HalfAsleep 9 251 03-14-2024, 09:04 AM
Last Post: HalfAsleep
  Help optimizing APAP SomeUser 8 1,147 03-12-2024, 03:51 AM
Last Post: SomeUser


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.