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Hi all
Well it’s been two weeks and a few days since starting properly with my APAP treatment. As I have mentioned I have the Resmed Autoset Spirit II (http://www.resmed.com/en-uk/products...?menu=products ) with a Puritan Bennett Breeze nasal pillow mask (http://www.puritanbennett.com/prod/P...SPT&S2=&id=233 ).
I appreciate that, in view of the length of time I have been diagnosed as having apnoea and have been using the machine, I know bu**er all compared to the long term users however, I thought a quick review of the kit and my progress may be of use to newcomers.
The Spirit II is way ahead in technology compared with the two loan machines from the sleep clinic. It’s very quiet which, as you are trying to get to sleep, can’t be a bad thing. It has a mask leak test function, which enables you to get your mask adjustment and fit spot on rather than the trial and error method. You also have to set the machine to the type of mask you are using. I was advised on the setting by Resmed but there are a number of posts on the forum regarding this point so I will not drone on here.
When its time for bed switch the power on, put the mask on and in seconds the machine detects your breathing and switches on the air automatically. The ramp function builds up the pressure in 5 minute increments (mine is set to fifteen minute).
The machine monitors your breathing and adjusts the pressure according to your needs and displays the pressure at which it is operating
Unfortunately the handbook does not tell you how to monitor your readings for the night, week, month and year which is I find a damn cheek as you have bought the machine and obviously want to make use of all it’s functions.
Thanks to a link supplied on the forum by chelseauk which gives instructions on the sequence of buttons to press, you can now access these menus.
You can display the hours the machine has been used but most important your AHI’s and HI’s per hour each night, leakage rate and the pressure at which the machine operated through the night. The link I have mentioned goes into this in a bit more detail.
The mask is very comfortable. It suits me as I am a side sleeper but it also allows you to comfortably sleep on your back. It came with three sets of different nasal pillows.
It is a bit strange to start with as the nasal pillows intrude into your nose but it only took a couple of nights to get used to it. A downside is the torrent of air which continually escapes through the exit hole. If it comes into contact with your pillow, quilt or wife the deflected air sounds twice as loud. The quietness of the machine is offset slightly by this mask noise. I like this mask but cannot recommend it if you are prone to colds (see below).
I was surprised how easy I got used to all the equipment and fuss. I suppose I resigned myself to the fact it had to be done for both my health and that of my wife.
I cannot fault the machine especially as I can now access my nightly readings.
The readings are really encouraging. I was diagnosed with 76 AHI’s and hour, now, according to my machine results I am only getting a combination of AHI’s and HI’s of 7 to 10 an hour, the max pressure the machine reaches is between 7 and 14 and some nights it reports there has been 0 mask leaks, I am well chuffed.
I wake up once or twice a night but each morning I feel as if I’ve had a good night sleep. I have stopped snoring, don’t feel drowsy during the day or early evening and, am told, I am not so tetchy. I can even get through meetings at work now.
I hope this all bodes well and I can continue making progress, lose a little weight and get my readings even lower.
I am very sorry to see some members of the forum are not settling to their treatment and getting the same benefits as I have.
I cannot thank all you guys for the information you have posted on this forum which has been so helpful and of course Joe for taking time to run it.
I hope I can contribute something useful as my treatment continues.
There is always bad news. For two nights I have not been able to use the machine because of a bad cold. My nose is clear enough to breathe through but has been blown so often it is raw and, even though I can tolerate a little discomfort, I just cannot use the nasal pillow mask. I tried but it was too painful. This is why I cannot recommend my mask to cold sufferers.
Unless anyone can offer some advice on how I can overcome this problem I think I will have to buy a different mask for when I get a cold.
Best regards
Andy
Well it’s been two weeks and a few days since starting properly with my APAP treatment. As I have mentioned I have the Resmed Autoset Spirit II (http://www.resmed.com/en-uk/products...?menu=products ) with a Puritan Bennett Breeze nasal pillow mask (http://www.puritanbennett.com/prod/P...SPT&S2=&id=233 ).
I appreciate that, in view of the length of time I have been diagnosed as having apnoea and have been using the machine, I know bu**er all compared to the long term users however, I thought a quick review of the kit and my progress may be of use to newcomers.
The Spirit II is way ahead in technology compared with the two loan machines from the sleep clinic. It’s very quiet which, as you are trying to get to sleep, can’t be a bad thing. It has a mask leak test function, which enables you to get your mask adjustment and fit spot on rather than the trial and error method. You also have to set the machine to the type of mask you are using. I was advised on the setting by Resmed but there are a number of posts on the forum regarding this point so I will not drone on here.
When its time for bed switch the power on, put the mask on and in seconds the machine detects your breathing and switches on the air automatically. The ramp function builds up the pressure in 5 minute increments (mine is set to fifteen minute).
The machine monitors your breathing and adjusts the pressure according to your needs and displays the pressure at which it is operating
Unfortunately the handbook does not tell you how to monitor your readings for the night, week, month and year which is I find a damn cheek as you have bought the machine and obviously want to make use of all it’s functions.
Thanks to a link supplied on the forum by chelseauk which gives instructions on the sequence of buttons to press, you can now access these menus.
You can display the hours the machine has been used but most important your AHI’s and HI’s per hour each night, leakage rate and the pressure at which the machine operated through the night. The link I have mentioned goes into this in a bit more detail.
The mask is very comfortable. It suits me as I am a side sleeper but it also allows you to comfortably sleep on your back. It came with three sets of different nasal pillows.
It is a bit strange to start with as the nasal pillows intrude into your nose but it only took a couple of nights to get used to it. A downside is the torrent of air which continually escapes through the exit hole. If it comes into contact with your pillow, quilt or wife the deflected air sounds twice as loud. The quietness of the machine is offset slightly by this mask noise. I like this mask but cannot recommend it if you are prone to colds (see below).
I was surprised how easy I got used to all the equipment and fuss. I suppose I resigned myself to the fact it had to be done for both my health and that of my wife.
I cannot fault the machine especially as I can now access my nightly readings.
The readings are really encouraging. I was diagnosed with 76 AHI’s and hour, now, according to my machine results I am only getting a combination of AHI’s and HI’s of 7 to 10 an hour, the max pressure the machine reaches is between 7 and 14 and some nights it reports there has been 0 mask leaks, I am well chuffed.
I wake up once or twice a night but each morning I feel as if I’ve had a good night sleep. I have stopped snoring, don’t feel drowsy during the day or early evening and, am told, I am not so tetchy. I can even get through meetings at work now.
I hope this all bodes well and I can continue making progress, lose a little weight and get my readings even lower.
I am very sorry to see some members of the forum are not settling to their treatment and getting the same benefits as I have.
I cannot thank all you guys for the information you have posted on this forum which has been so helpful and of course Joe for taking time to run it.
I hope I can contribute something useful as my treatment continues.
There is always bad news. For two nights I have not been able to use the machine because of a bad cold. My nose is clear enough to breathe through but has been blown so often it is raw and, even though I can tolerate a little discomfort, I just cannot use the nasal pillow mask. I tried but it was too painful. This is why I cannot recommend my mask to cold sufferers.
Unless anyone can offer some advice on how I can overcome this problem I think I will have to buy a different mask for when I get a cold.
Best regards
Andy