Got My CPAP - First Experiences

P

Pat Anderson

New member
OK, the sleep lab ordered the machine for me from Apria, who is apparently contracted to Kaiser-Permanente. Not horrible. It is a Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset.

When it arrived, it appeared to be DOA. So I called Apria, and the gal started a telehelp video chat and in about 10 minutes, I was up and running.

First use was Friday night. Total disaster. Mask was simultaneously leaking like crazy and doing the dreaded "mask farts." Second use last night, much better! I got the mask on and adjusted correctly, then inserted the elbow on the hose, and I slept like a baby (ahem - until nature called around 3 a.m., but then I went right back to sleep until 6 a.m.)

Both nights, however, too many events. Friday night 27 per hour, Saturday night 20 per hour (both better than the 55 per hour pre CPAP). Am I correct in thinking that the goal is under 5 events per hour? Not sure what I can do to bring that number down...

Then I started watching YouTubes on cleaning the mask, hose and water tank. Split opinion among friends. One says run don't walk to buy a So Clean. Harvey, our resident expert and long time CPAP user thinks I should save my money. What says the collective on this question?
 
Pat, been using a CPAP for about a year. It has made a big difference in my sleep! I was NOT looking forward to using a CPAP at all, but it has been wonderful. I think you will like it as well.
Cleaning is not a big deal. I rinse the hose and clean the basin maybe once a week, with hot water. I’ve had no problem at all. I’ve never used the commercial cleaners.
 
Pat,

Long time no see but I have been down this road for a long time now thanks to that Harvey character ganging up with Kathy and forcing me to go see the nasty man with the many wires and sensors. (Actually, all thanks to Harvey for doing that. This is not an issue to mess with)

The mask fit issue is a bit of an ongoing battle particularly if you are running at the higher pressures. Like you I have severe Apnea and have spend many hours trying different pressures and even different masks. I have come to the conclusion that if you get it tight enough it will eventually squeeze your head to fit :lol: Seriously though just make small adjustments and be sure not to end up with a sore nose (if you have a full mask) 'cos it takes forever to heal up.

I'm with Harvey. Don't waste a penny on the cleaner scams. A little white vinegar and water will keep the hose and water container (if you have one) clean and safe. You can wash the head set and change your filters. Use ONLY distilled water if you have the humidifier.

I assume you are set up for regular replacement of bits with your insurance/medicare.

One tip I found with the numbers is if you tend to be awake for long periods it messes with your IHI averages. So if you lie in bed in the morning thinking great thoughts... take it off !!


Best to you and Patti. Stay safe. I see your adventures occasionally via Farcebook.

Merv (aka Grumpy)

Not calling my next boat C-Pap.
 
I don't use the heat and don't fill the reservoir so cleaning is just rinse the hose and mask and good to go. One thing I really like about the machine and not running heat and moisture is if I go to bed stuffed up a few hard breaths and everything is pretty much dried out. When I started with it back in about 2008 my study showed sometimes as high as near 100 events. They stopped me and woke me up and put me on the cpap. Pretty sure that problem for so many years caused my heart disease. Had a friend who died from it and that is when I got serious about looking at cpap.
 
I'm a little surprised about your numbers, and the issues the first night. Did a tech meet with you the first time to set the unit up, help fit a mask, etc? After my sleep study had I think 92 events/hr, my numbers from day one of Cpap use started well under 5. I think my machine is set up at 9. I forget the rest of that number, but Harvey would probably know. That number remains today. In fact for several years I was seeing numbers less than 1.0. Now days I see up to 2.5, but usually below 2. The humidity helps in a dry climate, but on the boat I don't use the humidifier. I do have some nasal spray just to moisturize my nose if I need it, but on the boat with the usual humidity it's never been a problem. My home machine, provided by my Insurance carrier is a Dream Machine. I don't care for it. I have several older machines, the Resmed S-9 that I am much happier with. Those are the ones I use on the boat or for travel. The humidifier is an attachment so can be removed. I remove it on the boat unit, and rarely travel even in hotels with the humidifier. If your newer Resmed model is anything like the older ones, I think you have a good unit. Hopefully things will start working out well for you with it. When I first started, I tried the full face mask, and didn't like it. I went to the Nasal Pillows and didn't take long to get use to them. Even today sometimes I have some issues with the nasal pillows being a little to loose when the headband moves, or even have it come off completely. (I toss and turn a lot. lol) But I do sleep much better with it on, than with it off. Regarding cleaning, my tech told me the cleaning units are a waste of money. I use dish soap and warm water weekly to clean my mask, headgear, hose and humidity chamber. I replace my pillows and headgear maybe twice a year, and hose maybe annually. I also have extra hoses, headgear and pillows for my travel machines. I tend to replace my home unit supplies about every six months, then rotate those to my travel machine, so they are probably in use for at least a year. Colby
 
Third night, number is down a bit more, 27 to 20, and now down to 15. The trend is in the right direction anyway, I also did not wake up at anytime during the night. Mask fitting no longer an issue. I just signed up for autoshipment of CPAP supplies from Apria.

Looks like pretty unanimous "NO" on cleaning machine, good thing, I can spend that $300+ on something for Daydream!

I have ordered the 12 volt socket (aka "cigarette lighter") adapter for the CPAP machine to use on the boat and in the Alaskan Camper, and per Colby'a advice, I will turn the humidifier off when running on 12 volt batteries!

Merv, you are a funny guy, and we miss seeing you. Harvey should perhaps change Sleepy-C to C-Pap!
 
Pat,
Here is a site you might like. I order my supplies from here, as cheaper than getting them thru my Insurance provider!

https://www.cpap.com/

Here's another helpful site. In fact I downloaded some software from here that I can generate my own reports from downloading data off the chip that records data from your cpap machine.

http://www.apneaboard.com/

Enjoy. Colby
 
Glad you're getting used to the machine Pat. I use the Air Sense 10 with Respironics Nuance Pro Nasal Pillows. Usually 1-3 episodes per night. I never could get used to the full face mask and have a drawer full of them to prove it! The CPAP has changed my life.
If you're so inclined, I'll send you the code to get into the clinical settings on your machine. Don't tell Harvey!.
 
Just as a point of reference. I went up to the mountains of Colorado last fall hunting, with a c-pap (no heated tube, no humidifier) running on a 12-volt marine deep cycle battery. I was curious to see how many nights it would last. I was then 7 nights and never had to recharge the battery, and it was still checking fine when we left. With the heated hose and the humidifier, I would expect it to only last a couple of night. YMMV....
 
colbysmith":1kq26e6g said:
I'm a little surprised about your numbers, and the issues the first night. Did a tech meet with you the first time to set the unit up, help fit a mask, etc?
Click to expand...

No, I never saw an Apria tech for any instruction. The box with the CPAP just showed up on the step of my front door. But after the Apria gal helped me get it going the first night with the telehelp video chat, it has worked fine, I got the mask fitting down the second night after watching a YouTube video. The machine was completely set up to appropriate defaults based on the report from the titration study (the second overnight stay at the sleep clinic). So far, the adjustments I have made have been to increase the humidity a notch and turn off ramping. My pressure is a quite high 16, which is why the doc recommended the full face mask, but he also said a nasal pillow could be considered, and I may do that a bit down the line.

Tonight, as a dry run for the boat and camper, and for better or worse, I am going to turn off humidity and heat, leave the water tank dry, and use the standard (unheated) hose.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's report!
 
Quick report, events per hour dropped yet again, now down to 11. Running dry with no heat or humidity OK, but not as comfortable and the sound of the machine changed on exhale, louder than when running with humidity. Don't know why.
 
colbysmith":2eo79h6g said:
Pat,
Here is a site you might like. I order my supplies from here, as cheaper than getting them thru my Insurance provider!

https://www.cpap.com/

Here's another helpful site. In fact I downloaded some software from here that I can generate my own reports from downloading data off the chip that records data from your cpap machine.

http://www.apneaboard.com/

Enjoy. Colby
Click to expand...

I had seen cpap.com and several other sites when I was looking for the 12 volt adapter. I bought it from thecpapstore.com, same price as cpap.com.

Thanks for the link to the appneaboard! I created an account and posted a question there and already have a couple of replies! Is the software you are using OSCAR? That appears to be the favored software, and there is a Linux version (YAY!) which is great because I don't have a Windoze computer.
 
No to Oscar. I am using Sleepy Head I believe for one of my machines and then a different software for the other. I can’t remember that softwares name off the top of my head.
 
I use a Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset too. Last night my events/hour was 0.1. Here's a couple things I've found useful.

1. I turned off ramp-up and set pressure to a constant 7. It was originally set to start at 5 and ramp to 15, and I'd wake up with my cheeks fluttering in the wind.

2. I was talked into a full mask when I started, but when it was making sores on my cheeks I tried a Wisp Nasal Mask, which was a significant improvement. I've thought about trying the nasal pillows but I've had such good luck just with the nasal mask I haven't pursued that.

3. I like the HumidAir Heated Humidifier. I'm convinced most of my problem with apnea was caused by my nose getting fully plugged overnight. The humidifier has almost eliminated that, though I often have to wake up in the night to wipe condensation out of the mask. If there's a humidity control I haven't found it.
 
colbysmith":2t4jeed5 said:
No to Oscar. I am using Sleepy Head I believe for one of my machines and then a different software for the other. I can’t remember that softwares name off the top of my head.
Click to expand...

Sleepy Head is now abandoned by the developer, and OSCAR is a "fork" from the Sleepy Head code. I could not get it installed in Linux, "too many unmet dependencies," which is frequently an issue with Linux installs, and I did not want to waste a lot of time. I could not get the Windows version installed in Linux under WINE, error was "could not initialize a Qt platform plug-in," whatever that is. I finally dusted off my antique MacBook Pro, and installed the Mac version, success.

I will shortly be uploading screenshots of my last two days to apneaaboard.com. Apparently there are people who look at the screenshots and can give you advice. Night before last I was down to 5.7 events per hour, but last night back UP to 8.8, so my graph looks good for five days, at least the line is descending, and then heads in the wrong direction on day 6...
 
I am a little confused (Normal) as to why some of you apparently need additional software etc to get results and updated advice.

I have annual appointments with the Doc who prescribed the machine. My result history is on a removable micro-card (also updates directly by modem to the Doc) So when I see them, I get a complete run-down, discussion, updates on equipment, and any changes in settings are done on the computer and downloaded to my machine via the modem.

Also wondering how you manage with only the nose pads. That only works for me if I use a chin strap to keep my mouth shut (Yes Harvey, I tried the duct tape already). My system runs at 17/11 and could probably be used as a dinghy inflator or supplementary bilge pump.

Expecting Harvey to chip in and extoll the virtues of BiPap (Twin) vs CPap (Single)
 
Having the software allows me to see the reports without a doctors visit. Knowing the machine codes to change prescription settings allows you to be in control of your own health. That being said if you are under health insurance or need cpap for professional reasons (FAA, DOT), one best not make prescription changes. However having the software to provide reports is handy as every year when I need my DOT physical for driving bus I can email my doctor that rather than sending the chip bam and forth. The nasal pillows has come off a few times due to my tossing and turning but that is rare. The headgear adjusted properly seems to hold it on fine. Keeping my mouth closed when sleeping appears to be easier than when I’m awake. :mrgreen: Colby
 
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