OK, I need help understanding my CPAP Machine.

[WaseemN]

Hello All CPAP users,

I have been using a CPAP for about 5 years. And my Respiratory Therapist was not helpful. I hate the condition I am in, I hate not knowing what I need to know.

But that is why we have CPAPTalk. I am using the Resmed AirSense 10 machine.

So question A) Does the CPAP machine needs “tune up”? I mean does the “mechanic” need a check the engine, tires, and change the oil to use a car metaphor? Do I need to worry about making sure that the pressure is being delivered, that the parts are all in good working condition. I change the filter regularly, but past that, I have no idea. New masks arrive, and twice a year I get a new tubing, and a water reservoir. What else? (Other than cleaning)

B) this all came from last night’s report. I scored 63 out of a 100, the lowest score I have received in 5 years, my score is usually 100, or 99 sometimes 89 if the mask seal is not as good as it can be. The reason why the 63 is because I got 36 out of 70 for sleep time, but I know I went to bed at 10:30 PM, and woke up at 5:45 AM, that is more that 7 hours by 15 minutes. Why only 3:34 hours registered. No power outage that I could detect, everything was normal this past night. This is not normal to me. I make it a point to get a minimum of 7 hours, sometimes 8?

Is my machine going bad on me? I only had it since 10/2017. How do I take it to the “mechanic” for a tune up? Specially that I am out of town?!

Is there anything to be alarmed about?

C) Is there a way I can check the time on the machine, it may be a clock issue. I am in a low cellular signal area, it barely gets a tiny single bar, and I think this might be it, but I have been getting the reports for every night on the AirSense app.

D) I am considering getting a battery backup for my machine. I understand that I can run the machine through the battery when the battery is plugged into AC. Is that true? If and when the AC goes out the battery kicks in. But then I need to turn off the humidifier, so I’m still studying this option.

Thanks for any insight in to this anomaly of my AirSense 10 machine.

[Julie]

Hi, welcome, relax!

We need to know some things so we can help. Is your machine an auto (look at the full name... I don't think what you said is correct) and if it's an auto, what are the pressure settings (not e.g. ramp setting, but pressure)? Do you have insurance (most co's will allow new machines after 5 yrs, so you need to know about that too, but if you don't have insce, there are ways to get machines - sometimes refurbished well - without insce. Are you in the U.S. (or Canada)?

Machines don't need tune-ups, but things can go wrong of course, so tell us if something's not working right and we can help there too.

Are you using MyAir to 'score' your treatment? There are much newer, better programs that tell you a LOT more about your therapy and have options for tweaking it.

Don't concern yourself with batteries, etc. for the moment.

So... a little more info, a little less anxiety, and please stay in this thread so we can all keep track and try to help.

[D.H.]

My first question is whether the hours you slept that night was significantly different than usual?

If that's the case, it's possible that some of your sleep time was recorded in the prior day or the subsequent day.

[ChicagoGranny]

I am using the Resmed AirSense 10 machine.

1. This tells us nothing.

2. MyAir is close to worthless.

3. Please read the first three posts in my signature before proceeding further. The first two are at the top of the forum index page.

Welcome! We are here to help you. But, how do you eat an elephant? One small bite at a time.

[WaseemN]

Hi, welcome, relax!

Thanks Julie, I have since taken a breather, and calmed down. Here are the answers and some more information:
<<< Is your machine an auto (look at the full name... I don't think what you said is correct) >>>
My machine does not have Auto in its name! It just is the AirSense 10 CPAP. I am reading the name off of the machine on the lower right hand corner near the humidifier reservoir. Once I empty the reservoir I’ll look at the back more closely.

<<< what are the pressure settings (not e.g. ramp setting, but pressure)? >>>
I am not sure, but I heard 23 and 27. The machine was set up and given to me already set up.

<<< Do you have insurance >>>
I do, this is my 2nd machine, I got October 1st 2017. I had another ResMed Dream Something machine before this one.

<<< Are you in the U.S. (or Canada)? >>>
Yes, Texas USA.

<<< Machines don't need tune-ups, but things can go wrong of course, so tell us if something's not working right and we can help there too. >>>
Thanks, I just got this very low score that day, and the timing of my sleep was way off. I don’t have good cellular reception so I thought maybe the on-board clock got out of synch.

<<< Are you using MyAir to 'score' your treatment? >>>
Yes, this is the only one I am aware of...

<<<There are much newer, better programs that tell you a LOT more about your therapy and have options for tweaking it. >>>
Please do tell, I am interested in a better app.

<<< Don't concern yourself with batteries, etc. for the moment.>>>
OK, will table it for know.

<<< So... a little more info, >>>
I hope I gave you enough!

<<< a little less anxiety, >>>
YES! Thanks...

[Julie]

Hi - there's a Respironics (not Resmed) Dreamstation machine, but I think the majority prefer Resmed machines (of which there are loads of models, yrs, etc). Do you know what you were put on plain Cpap instead of an auto? And unless you're not telling us something, those pressure nos. can't be correct - 7 and 20 are far more likely (as would be 5 and 15 for instance). So please find out about those... don't forget there are other settings for other features on machines, like the ramp feature that has its own settings, and (possible- don't know your machine well enough) exhalation relief for those who have trouble exhaling against whatever pressure they're on, and settings for the humidifier.... so see if you can find your orig. prescription or get it from your MD (yours by law) and let us know more (sorry to be a bore).

Good that you have insce, whether or not it'll pay for a new machine yet... there are ways of getting others cheap without insce tho'.

And I don't know if your machine would be compatible with the new software (Oscar - an upgrade of Sleepyhead) but if it is - look at the info top of the pg (Announcements) and read away) and/or look at info in sig. lines of Pugsy and Palerider for more.

[LSAT]

If your machine says CPAP in the lower RH corner under AirSense 10, then you have what we refer to as a brick. Very little usable data. It is a fixed pressure machine.

[WaseemN]

My first question is whether the hours you slept that night was significantly different than usual?
If that's the case, it's possible that some of your sleep time was recorded in the prior day or the subsequent day.

Hello D.H.
Oh yes! It was significantly different. I make it a point to get 7 hours of sleep, and that was the case since I got my current machine back in 10/1/2017. I usually get the maximum points MyAir app gives me for the time I sleep. But that particular night it was way below my normal, and I was perplexed because I went to bed that night, and I work up 7 hours later in the morning of the next day.

It was a shock to me when I saw my low score because MyAir gave me 36 out of the 70 points for time. Now I know it’s only a measure but it give me a track record that I can follow.

Thanks

[zoocrewphoto]

My first question is whether the hours you slept that night was significantly different than usual?
If that's the case, it's possible that some of your sleep time was recorded in the prior day or the subsequent day.

Hello D.H.
Oh yes! It was significantly different. I make it a point to get 7 hours of sleep, and that was the case since I got my current machine back in 10/1/2017. I usually get the maximum points MyAir app gives me for the time I sleep. But that particular night it was way below my normal, and I was perplexed because I went to bed that night, and I work up 7 hours later in the morning of the next day.

It was a shock to me when I saw my low score because MyAir gave me 36 out of the 70 points for time. Now I know it’s only a measure but it give me a track record that I can follow.

Thanks

He's trying to find out if you slept during the same time frame as normal. You said you slept from 10:30 t o 5:45 am. Is that the normal time that you go to sleep and wake up? Resmed machines can have the time changed, so if it thinks that noon is during your sleep period, it will count part of the sleep as one day and part of it is the next day. It is a possibility if you don't normally sleep those particular hours. Since those are normal hours for most people, it is unlikely that the clock is offset by that far. So, there may be some other problem.

You may want to turn it off, unplug it, thenplug it in and let it reboot. Sometimes, they can produceweird data and a reboot will fix it. If it seems to be having problems often, then it may be time to look into getting a new machine.

[ChicagoGranny]

Please do tell, I am interested in a better app.

You overlooked this ---->

3. Please read the first three posts in my signature before proceeding further. The first two are at the top of the forum index page.

[Barbee]

Compare your machine stats to your MyAir stats and see if they match. If they do, and you’re sure you slept longer ..then your machine could have a problem. If they dont match up, then chances are your cell service was too sketchy for MyAir to work properly.