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New user questions
#11
RE: New user questions
(04-07-2015, 02:51 PM)Sleeprider Wrote:
(04-07-2015, 12:04 PM)gbynum Wrote: I downloaded ResScan and sleepyhead; is one better than the other? What are relative advantages?

THANKS!

You will be able to tell pretty quickly that Sleepyhead has much more detail, almost diagnostic level. While ResScan is a good summary, the Sleepyhead software lets you zoom in on any events and see the waveform (respiration) correlated with pressure and other data to see why it might have occurred. It is a much better tool for making decision about therapy and relating issues to your doctor.
Found 1 big difference; raw data can be on hard disk with sleepyhead, must come from SD card with ResScan. I see that bilevel support with the Aircurve S10 doesn't seem to exist in sleepyhead.

Disc issue matters TO ME because my wife's PC had our card support; we are networked so it can copy into my shared folder or to GoogleDrive ... but ResScan cannot absorb it.

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#12
RE: New user questions
gbynum,

I use pressure close to yours - 20/16. I have had leakage at the nasolacrimal (tear) duct. For me it just decreased with time but that sounds like it may not be the case for you. The only danger that the ophthalmologist mentioned to me when I asked him was drying out of the eye. He said to use a gel type eye drop before bed to minimize drying if that is a problem. If it becomes a major problem the duct can be plugged.

I use both Rescan and Sleepyhead. I look at things in general on Rescan and if I want to investigate in more detail, I do it in Sleepyhead. I download my data to both.

Keeping your mouth closed is only part of the solution to the mouth leakage problem. At your pressure, I will venture to say that you can not seal your lips well enough to prevent leakage. I could not at my pressure even wide awake. The thing that must be accomplished is using your tongue against the roof of your mouth to create the seal. The trick, of course, is to keep it that way while you are asleep. The chin strap helps some people to accomplish this. I was never able to accomplish it well enough even with a chin strap. The answer for me was the full face mask. The mask that might work best for you is the total face mask that seals from your chin to above your eyes. The total face mask might also help with your lacrimal duct leakage. The Respironics FitLife mask is the only total face mask that I am aware of but I would think there are others.

Best rEgards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#13
RE: New user questions
(04-06-2015, 05:17 PM)gbynum Wrote: I'm concerned that Archangel's machine choice doesn't wiki consider this bilevel capable, and wonder if a mistake was made

I just hadn't updated that part after they came out with the A10 models. I think all the AirCurve 10 models are good.

I've updated it now. Thanks.

Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#14
RE: New user questions
(04-07-2015, 02:51 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: You will be able to tell pretty quickly that Sleepyhead has much more detail, almost diagnostic level. While ResScan is a good summary, the Sleepyhead software lets you zoom in on any events and see the waveform (respiration) correlated with pressure and other data to see why it might have occurred. It is a much better tool for making decision about therapy and relating issues to your doctor.

And it also behaves properly with other applications running at the same time. ResScan on my computer insisted on occupying the foreground while doing it's importing, thus making it impossible to use my browser while waiting for ResScan to do it's thing. I put up with that for a few months but eventually decided I couldn't put up with it's bad behaviour anymore and got rid of it.

Sleepyhead isn't perfect but at least it doesn't do evil things when running.

Ed Seedhouse
VA7SDH

Part cow since February 2018.

Trust your mind less and your brain more.


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#15
RE: New user questions
There are at least 2 styles of total face masks on the market. internet search "total face mask cpap". the two models I have seen both are from Respironics.

These have increased mask trapped air volume, may fog up more readily in a cooler room, and may have a higher designed-in leakage (to sweep out exhausted CO2).

Some who use higher volume masks such as FFM and these Total Face versions have less CA labeled events.

I would definitely try it if I had tear duct leakage.

QAL
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#16
RE: New user questions
(04-07-2015, 11:59 AM)gbynum Wrote:
(04-06-2015, 08:10 PM)justMongo Wrote: It's going to be difficult to adjust to that high pressure.

The tear ducts next to the nose are actually drains to the sinuses. There is a small flap that operates as a check valve in the duct; but sometimes they blow air with CPAP therapy.

I am going to try to make do for a few weeks; strangely, the pressure display when I awake is significantly lower. I've not looked at it at bedtime. I __THINK__ it cycles between 10 and 16 when I looked at it. I've the files on my PC now, and ResSoft will be loaded "really soon now"

I've had trouble (as in being aware, not a medical issue) with that eye to sinus check valve "forever"; air when blowing my nose passes through, as likely "snot". I had a noes bleed which worked its way out, too ... ugly! My optometrist says not to worry unless I have other problems.

THANKS!

You might want to move your appointment up, if they need to change your machine, sometimes they only give you a 30 day window to do so at no extra charge. You might want to at least call them and inform them so that perhaps they can extend the trial period on this machine. Good luck!
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#17
RE: New user questions
OK, been away from here a while; to bring things up to date; Called Dr and saw him; he said the prescribed pressure isn't actually enough, but is all the machines can do; said I had no non-surgical options of which he was aware. Advised against FULL mask; said total area was such that at high pressure sealing would be even worse. 5 more days and I'm rubbing skin raw from mask relieving pressure. Went back to DME and therapist tried "nasal pillow" they call it; 2 flexible protrusions for the nostrils; worked pretty well in the office. Tear duct leakage is still present; if I cannot live with that, I'll give this thing up. We'll see. Since __I__ never saw the need for this therapy, I may just move to a separate bedroom so my wife can sleep and I can live a shorter, but easier, life.
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#18
RE: New user questions
Gbynum, welcome back. Sleepyhead does work with your machine. We really have no way to help you if your won't install this program, look at the charts and post some examples of your therapy. We'd really like to help you succeed and be comfortable with your therapy.

The link to download Sleepyhead is at the top of this forum page. You will install it by extracting to your computer hard drive, and clicking on the executable file, then downloading data from your SD card. To post the data on the forum, this tutorial may help. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...pnea_Board
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
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#19
RE: New user questions
(04-15-2015, 04:37 PM)gbynum Wrote: OK, been away from here a while; to bring things up to date; Called Dr and saw him; he said the prescribed pressure isn't actually enough, but is all the machines can do; said I had no non-surgical options of which he was aware. Advised against FULL mask; said total area was such that at high pressure sealing would be even worse. 5 more days and I'm rubbing skin raw from mask relieving pressure. Went back to DME and therapist tried "nasal pillow" they call it; 2 flexible protrusions for the nostrils; worked pretty well in the office. Tear duct leakage is still present; if I cannot live with that, I'll give this thing up. We'll see. Since __I__ never saw the need for this therapy, I may just move to a separate bedroom so my wife can sleep and I can live a shorter, but easier, life.

I do not completely agree with your doc. For one thing, I think that my Mirage Quattro will seal up to 25 cm/H2O. Second, had a discussion with a tech person at Respironics concerning the Fitlife mask. He said that as long as the mask will seal on your face, it will seal up to 40 cm/H2O. I imagine that the headgear would have to be pretty darn tight though.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#20
RE: New user questions
(04-15-2015, 10:12 PM)PaytonA Wrote:
(04-15-2015, 04:37 PM)gbynum Wrote: OK, been away from here a while; to bring things up to date; Called Dr and saw him; he said the prescribed pressure isn't actually enough, but is all the machines can do; said I had no non-surgical options of which he was aware. Advised against FULL mask; said total area was such that at high pressure sealing would be even worse. 5 more days and I'm rubbing skin raw from mask relieving pressure. Went back to DME and therapist tried "nasal pillow" they call it; 2 flexible protrusions for the nostrils; worked pretty well in the office. Tear duct leakage is still present; if I cannot live with that, I'll give this thing up. We'll see. Since __I__ never saw the need for this therapy, I may just move to a separate bedroom so my wife can sleep and I can live a shorter, but easier, life.

I do not completely agree with your doc. For one thing, I think that my Mirage Quattro will seal up to 25 cm/H2O. Second, had a discussion with a tech person at Respironics concerning the Fitlife mask. He said that as long as the mask will seal on your face, it will seal up to 40 cm/H2O. I imagine that the headgear would have to be pretty darn tight though.

Best Regards,

PaytonA
I cannot disagree with what works for you. All I can say is that the sleep lab couldn't keep it sealed more than about an hour before it started leaking significantly somewhere.

The DME tried a nasal and nasal pillow; keeping my lips sealed is (so far) impossible for me; I've tried a large adhesive bandage with moderate success. The nasal pillow (2 silicone things that sorta fit my nostrils) is the only one that seals so far.

To sleeprider; I am using SleepyHead; it confirms and sorta quantifies ResMed's sad face icon. Getting help from you guys (I don't mind sharing) requires first a stable seal environment. I'm not there yet.

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