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New guy on the block
#1
New guy on the block
Hello to all members. I have been one of those lurkers for quite awhile now. I thought I would register and make the customary first post. I started CPAP therapy in 2010 after knowing for 20+ years I had a problem. I did a great deal of research prior to my first sleep study and lurked on the old apnea board forum and other forums.

In the Saint Louis area most doctors prefer to prescribe Respironics machines. I had decided my goal was to get a Resmed S9 Autoset that had just came out. Finding a sleep lab that would be accepting of someone wanting an Autoset was quite a problem at the time. I heard from one place that people generally don't continue with therapy after they get those machines because we don't see many of them again. I found a lot of humor in that statement after the research I had done on auto-titrating machines. Sleep study finally occurred and got my paper prescription and located a small family owned DME firm that would see that I got the machine I wanted and not a brick.

I started with a S9 Autoset in May of 2010. Doctor said to use it in CPAP mode at 18. They didn't even set it up to collect data. I was lucky that I adapted to the machine easily. They about had to kick me out of the sleep lab and were able to do the full study in one night. After getting the machine on me I wanted to stay there with the thing attached to my face. It was the best sleep I ever got. Compliance was not an issue and the machine was mine after 30 days. I quickly switched it to APAP mode and a 16/20 setting with an EPR of 3. It worked great and my AHI was always below 4.

After about 18 months I upgraded through self pay to a S9 VPAP Auto and I used it for about 18 months before upgrading it to a S9 VPAP Adapt in the past month. The S9 Adapt in ASVAuto mode is a wonderful machine for me and it is a luxury to have it. I could never justify to have the insurance company buy me such a machine but with my contacts I had developed it was quite affordable.

History:
  • 2010-05 - S9 Autoset Mode: CPAP 18
  • 2010-06 - S9 Autoset 16/20 EPR 3
  • 2011-12 - S9 VPAP Auto Mode: VAuto Max IPAP: 20 Min EPAP: 12 PS: 5.0
  • 2012-12 - S9 VPAP Auto Mode: VAuto Max IPAP: 16 Min EPAP: 11 PS: 4.0
  • 2013-07 - S9 VPAP Adapt Mode: ASVAuto Min EPAP: 4, Max EPAP: 15, Min PS: 3, Max PS: 15

I look forward to being more active on your forum.
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#2
RE: New guy on the block
Hi STL Mark,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Wow, it sounds like you have adjusted well and it's good to hear that you have taken control of your sleep apnea.
I don't live too far from St. Louis, about 70 miles west.
CONTINUED SUCCESS.!
trish6hundred
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#3
RE: New guy on the block
Hi Mark. I'm curious why you went from the S9 VPAP Auto to the S9 VPAP Adapt. Did you realize you needed the auto servo feature, and if so how?
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#4
RE: New guy on the block
Welcome
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#5
RE: New guy on the block
(08-16-2013, 06:07 PM)RonWessels Wrote: Hi Mark. I'm curious why you went from the S9 VPAP Auto to the S9 VPAP Adapt. Did you realize you needed the auto servo feature, and if so how?
I had done some reading about the ASVAuto mode of the S9 VPAP Adapt and it seemed to be effective against CA and OA. My OA was effectively treated with my S9 VPAP Auto but I still had between a 2 and 3 AHI due to CA. While not a major concern I wondered how much I could lower that.

I was also very interested in the process of the ASV machines adapting to the required therapy on every breath. I noted that even with the VPAP auto I needed to keep the settings in the general area of my 95% pressure. I had the opportunity arise to buy the machine and decided to try it for a few nights. The first night on the S9 VPAP Adapt was magical. I used the default settings with my only changes being turning ramp to off, setting mode to ASVAuto, and changing sleep quality to on. It was like I was wearing the mask without the hose attached. Each inhale had a mildly existent pressure where it was barely noticeable each exhale seemed to have no resistance. I slept almost 12 hours the first night and usually wake after 7. The first night I had my first 0.0 AHI. I have since had nights at 0.2 and 0.4 in addition to many at 0.0. The machine makes it very easy for me to be compliant. I believe that if I had not been through the other two machines I may not have appreciated this one as much. But for me, it is a keeper.

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#6
RE: New guy on the block
(08-16-2013, 06:48 PM)STL Mark Wrote: The first night on the S9 VPAP Adapt was magical. I used the default settings with my only changes being turning ramp to off, setting mode to ASVAuto, and changing sleep quality to on. It was like I was wearing the mask without the hose attached. Each inhale had a mildly existent pressure where it was barely noticeable each exhale seemed to have no resistance.

Hi STL Mark, welcome to the Forum!

Thanks for sharing your story.

Have you tried increasing the Minimum PS to 4 to see if it will get rid of the slight resistance during inhale? Also, increasing the Minimum EPAP may help, if your machine is actually spending any time that low.

Take care,
--- Vaughn
The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
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