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Question about sleepyhead / Issues with diagnosis
#1
Question about sleepyhead / Issues with diagnosis
My husband was diagnosed with central sleep apnea and we have the repironics REMstar plus Cflex. Im trying to download the Sleepyhead software, but my MAC is telling me it has no application that will open it. Any advice on what to do next?

thank you!!

Arlene
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#2
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
(07-24-2013, 01:29 PM)Ayealp Wrote: My husband was diagnosed with central sleep apnea and we have the repironics REMstar plus Cflex. Im trying to download the Sleepyhead software, but my MAC is telling me it has no application that will open it. Any advice on what to do next?

thank you!!

Arlene
Hi Arlene and welcome to Apnea board
Unfortunately the Plus model is not data capable machine, doesn't tell you much other than how many hours using the machine each night and does not treat central sleep apnea

Here is a link to "Acrhangle machines choices", what machines to avoid
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices

Edit: Respironcis names are confusing, just to make sure of the exact model
Remove water tank to avoid any spillage, turn machine upside down, look at the label for the model number
Model numbers below 450 or 460 ( 60 series) are not data capable machines

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#3
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
I have bad news for you.

Firstly, only the latest version of SleepyHead is capable of reading the data from the most recent 60 Series REMstar machines. And that version of SleepyHead is a Windows-only build.

Secondly, even if you could get SleepyHead running somewhere, it won't do you any good. The REMstar Plus CFlex does not store any information other than usage (ie. compliance information). All that juicy event detection, leak detection, etc is not available from your machine. You would need either the REMstar Pro CFlex+, the ResMed S9 Elite, the REMstar Auto AFlex, or the ResMed S9 AutoSet to get useful overnight data. The latter two, by the way, are auto CPAP machines, while the former two are constant-pressure CPAP machines.

You can check the Machine Choices Wiki article for more information.

Apology-2
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#4
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
Hi Arlene,

I just want to reiterate what zonk said in bold. If he has central apneas, please seriously consider a machine which is designed to treat that type of apnea. You may wish to read about BiPAP or Bi-level machines. A regular CPAP machine essentially ignores central apneas and only responds to obstructive or mixed apneas.
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#5
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
Actually, even Bi-level machines aren't going to be effective. All those do is increase the range between inhale and exhale pressures, as well as allow higher pressures (up to 25, most other machines top out at 20).

Central apneas occur when the brain simply forgets to tell the lungs to breathe. Consequently, to treat that, you need an auto-servo machine. This has a timed mechanism that will automatically increase the pressure either on-demand (if the brain remembers to breathe) or after a particular period of time (if the brain forgets). Examples of auto servo machines are the ResMed S9 VPAP Adapt SV and the REMstar BiPAP AutoSV DS950.

Now, your doctor would know all of this, so there's more going on if he prescribed a fixed-pressure CPAP unit.
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#6
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
(07-24-2013, 07:08 PM)RonWessels Wrote: Now, your doctor would know all of this, so there's more going on if he prescribed a fixed-pressure CPAP unit.

This is true, though it's good to make sure the OP understands just in case what she said is accurate.

Thanks for correcting with the ASV recommendation. That's important!
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#7
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
(07-24-2013, 07:37 PM)Paptillian Wrote:
(07-24-2013, 07:08 PM)RonWessels Wrote: Now, your doctor would know all of this, so there's more going on if he prescribed a fixed-pressure CPAP unit.

This is true, though it's good to make sure the OP understands just in case what she said is accurate.

Well, if what she said was the full and complete story, what we have is a doctor that is too incompetent to prescribe the correct machine for the diagnosis. In which case, I wouldn't trust the diagnosis in the first place, so we're back at square one.

Arlene, just so you understand, we are not saying that you are lying or holding something back from us. We are just pointing out an inconsistency with what you have been told and what your doctor has prescribed. This might be something to take up with your husband (if he has a different understanding) or your husband's doctor.

It is quite possible that your doctor mentioned the central apneas (and that's what fixed in your mind) but is not concerned with them, and has prescribed the fixed-pressure CPAP unit to treat the obstructed apneas that were also present. That would make all kinds of sense.
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#8
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
Hi Ayealp,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Great advice so far.
Best of luck to you.
trish6hundred
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#9
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
This is the original poster. UNfortunately, I had to re-register because I lost my password.

Thank you for all of your advice. It's been a roller coaster of a day trying to figure out why these people at the sleep lab refuse to help me!

I called the manufacturer of Phillips and asked them if my model number is for patients who have central sleep apnea. Phillips told me, no-- this machine will not work on a patient with central sleep apnea. And they recommended their product biPAP auto SV advanced. So I called the respiratory supply pharmacy and I called my doctor to see what I need to do to get the machine switched. So after several phone calls I end up talking to the sleep lab. They are now in insisting that my husband's central sleep apnea was corrected by the CPAP! I told them that I spoke with the manufacturer and the manufacturer told me that this machine does not work for people with central sleep apnea. They told me that the manufacturer is wrong. The office manager there actually hung up on me! When I am looking at this sleep study my husband had six more episodes of central sleep apnea after the CPAP was applied. I don't know what to do because nobody will listen to me. Now they're telling me that the diagnosis code on the sleep study is for a obstructive sleep apnea --- my husband only had one episode of that the whole night. They keep saying oh that machine costs thousands of dollars. This is just a frustrating mess. I called another pulmonologist to ask them to see my husband and read the sleep study. He has an appointment next Wednesday.

Is there anyone here that can look at my husbands sleep study for me?

Thanks, Arlene
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#10
RE: Hello, Im new here. Just a question about sleepyhead .
Its not uncommon to try CPAP first, insurance requirement to fail CPAP before approve the switch to bilevel or ASV machine
Each machine have a different billing code
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