What does my CPAP mean by "Usage"

[gvader]

Hi,

I'm now 2 weeks in to using my ResMed S8 Escape with, thankfully, very few difficulties.

One thing that has puzzled me is the "Usage" reading on the LCD (Patient Menu). I've read the manual but can't figure out exactly what it counts. Currently it displays 16/35, can any of you bright sparks translate that into English?

GV

[flyinpete]

The figures show the number of days used verses the total number of days since it was first set up or re-set.

So in your case the machine was set up 35 days ago and you have used it for 16 of them.

You can get the numbers re-set so it goes back to show the correct figures, but it really dont matter as long as you tell the doctor or nurse it was already 19 days old when you got it.

Peter

[gvader]

Thanks Peter,

Hoped that it might be something less boring than that! Is there anywhere on that machine that can tell me how effective the treatment is or is it only APAP machines that record that? I've had a look at the Clinician's Menu but there doesn't seem to be anything there apart from one entry that reads "Erase: Compliance" and gives the option to reset.

GV

[flyinpete]

As far as I know the only machines that have the patient diagnostic reports on the HI and AI (AHI) that you are looking for are the APAP machines.

This is the reason many sleep centers use the APAP machines as their key tool for monitoring during the patients asessment in the sleep studies. Many centres do not have facilities for sleep studies as its easier to loan out an APAP machine, tell the patient to "see how they get on" and recover the data when they come back.

I know that many people can not afford the cost of an APAP machine, but if at all posible I would BEG, Borrow maybe not steal, but who knows..the money to get one. I have heard that many sleep centres in the UK are switching over to APAP machines as it reduces the overall costs of treatment, and most of all has a far higher rate of patients who stay with the treatment.

You can get an S8 Sprit 2 for a reasonable price, and it will fit with the same humidifier yours has and mask, so you can keep the costs down.

Give Resmed a ring in Oxford, ask them to send you an order form. You can take this to your doctor, and ask them to sign the "perscription" section and send it back to RESMED and they will do the rest.

Peter