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Hi
I'm a fairly new user of a CPAP (about 3 weeks I think) Initially I was on a brand new Respironics without a humidifier and a Comfort Gel Blue Full Medium mask.
I ended up with a gorgeous red sore on my nose, put my teeth through my bottom lip and bit my tongue quite well....that's trial and error for you...
Well Thursday I was given a "new" old Respironics System One machine with Humidifier and a new mask - I can't find any details on mask apart from Medium. It doesn't have a forehead strap, it's a light grey plastic frame with a flexible mask insert with three little holes in the mask above the nose and a black strap system.
It was a new machine to me so I slept with the old mask one night, OK, tongue not stiff as a board but still getting problems with bridge of nose. The machine used about 1/3 of the water in the humidifier on setting 2.
Last night I tried the new mask, quite comfortable..
BUT
I was waking up I noticed that the machine seemed to stop "blowing" for a bit, then start again. Then it just stopped blowing, the ramp light was flashing and on the LED screen was a "warning triangle". The water level didn't seem to have reduced either. So there I was lying there thinking what on earth is happening......
Has anyone got any ideas as to what I've done? 
The Sleep Clinic is shut for the weekend so I thought I'd come through to the experts who use the machines.
I've managed to find the online manuals but can't see anything obvious in the troubleshooting sections - to be honest I probably wouldn't know what it's all about yet anyway.
Thanks for reading my waffle, hope I haven't sent anyone off to sleep ;~)
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Wendy, this shouldn't be happening Have you got a card in the back of your machine? If so, download the SleepyHead Software and try to get the stats as to what was happening. Are you on CPAP (one pressure or APAP (automatic pressure). Here's the link to the free software http://sourceforge.net/projects/sleepyhead/
Is this the new mask? If so it's the brand new Amara which is getting good early feedback.
Well I've downloaded the statistics not that they mean anything to me, I am realising I am soo new to this, haven't got a clue whether i'm CPAP or APAP.
It looks like they took the other card that i'd been using in the other machine so I haven't got the data from that. I might ask for a copy, you never know. Oh the mask isn't the Amara as in the picture, I'll see if I can get a photo to upload.
But if anyone can understand these statistics and turn them into English for me. I would be EXTREMELY grateful.
Thank you
CPAP Statistics as of 21 December 2012 |
|||||
| 2 days of CPAP Data, between 20/12/2012 and 21/12/2012 | |||||
| Details | Most Recent | Last 7 Days | Last 30 Days | Last 6 months | Last Year |
| AHI | 1.53 | 1.14 | 1.14 | 1.14 | 1.14 |
| RERA Index | 0.92 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Flow Limit Index | 1.22 | 1.14 | 1.14 | 1.14 | 1.14 |
| Hours per Night | 06:32 | 06:34 | 06:34 | 06:34 | 06:34 |
| Average Pressure | 8.81 | 10.01 | 10.01 | 10.01 | 10.01 |
| 95% Pressure | 11.50 | 11.90 | 11.90 | 11.90 | 11.90 |
| Average Total Leaks | 29.62 | 34.81 | 34.81 | 34.81 | 34.81 |
| 95% Total Leaks | 35.00 | 48.00 | 48.00 | 48.00 | 48.00 |
| First | Last | Days | AHI | Machine | Mode | Pr. Rel. | Min Pres. | Max Pres. |
| 20/12/2012 | 21/12/2012 | 2 | 1.14 | PRS1 | Auto | A-Flex x3 | 4.00 | 20.00 |
| Brand | Model | Serial | First Use | Last Use |
| Philips Respironics | System One RemStar Auto with A-Flex (561P) | P064688451C67 | ||
| Philips Respironics | System One RemStar Auto with A-Flex (551P) | P00415847DCEB | 20/12/2012 | 21/12/2012 |
Sorry for the late reply - busy time... only just got the tree up You're on APAP (automatic) and the AHI is the amount of apnoeas/hypopnoeas per hour = 1.53, which is very good, but you need to make sure your machine is working ok, as the AHI could be low if it's not as it's only getting partial readings if it's stopping. What we really need to find out is the daily reading for last night when you thought it stopped working. Go back onto the Sleepyhead software and click on 'Daily' and you'll then see something like this:-
Take a screenshot of it, save it to your pictures and then upload it on here, and I/We will try to help. If things aren't right you need to contact the sleep clinic on Monday prompt!
Hi Kath
I understand the busy...
I've done screen shots for the two days this machine was "working", I tried the CPAP again last night with my hubby watching what was happening, and it seems as if it has a life of it's own and is trying to restart itself again and again so I will be camping on the sleep clinic doorstep come Monday morning. At least I know the CPAP is making a difference as I feel absolutely awful today, I'm either fighting something off or it's lack of quality sleep.
So if I don't speak to you before hand, have a great Christmas.
2012 12 20.doc, 500 KB 2012 12 21.doc, 502 KB I've had a look at the attachments Wendy, and the machine was certainly doing a good job of treating you on those nights, so I wonder what the problem is. Your obstructive apnoeas are almost non-existent now which is great - just hypopnoeas mainly. However, there's still a fair bit of snoring going on so perhaps your sleep clinic might raise the minimum pressure to help with this. Definitely get yourself there on Christmas Eve though, and let us know how it goes. Hopefully, they'll be able to view the data from your card or see the problem on the machine immediately.
Hello All
Well I have my 3rd machine in as many weeks!
I called the sleep clinic at 7.30am this morning, and luckily a lovely lady called Leanne answered and said to come on in and they'd sort things out.
Went in just after 8.30am when they officially opened and was seen, I did however feel as if I was meddling when I showed them the printoffs of the "data" and said I couldn't see any data from previous machine, although I was assured that they had the previous data (how I still don't know).
They checked the machine and couldn't find anything wrong with it! Hubby stuck up for me as he watched the machine go round and round in resetting circles so I know I wasn't going mad.
So off again with another machine today, fingers and toes crossed it's all going to work. Double checked that my understanding of leaks and the technician and I were on the same wavelength.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a good nights sleep 
Wendy, welcome, as Kath said your statistics look good anything under 5 for an AHI is good, how do you feel in the mornings? Anymore refreshed than normal? I don't use that machine but the flashing lights don't sound too good, I would get it checked after the holidays. There is a vent in all masks are you feeling air coming from it, from the pressures 4-20 your sleep apnea sounds severe, do you know what your AHI was at your sleep study you may want to ask so you can compare how you are going, for example if you used to stop breathing 30 - 60 times an hour on average you are now stopping breathing 1.53 times an hour which has to be good. This will take time to get used to try to relax and if possible enjoy it.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I've now been renamed Polly Put the Kettle On!!! As i'm waking up my new mask slips and whistles, it's one way of a morning alarm call.
I am feeling a bit more of a human being and getting back to being a morning person again. I do feel a bit more with it and found that when I couldn't use my machine I felt lousy. (I also noticed that this new machine was extremely quiet compared to the one that stopped working)
So will keep on with the trial and error of fitting the mask to see if I can stop sounding like a kettle in the morning 
I've got an appointment in mid January to go through how I've been doing with the Sleep Clinic and as I'm leaning things I am writing a list of questions, eg what was my AHI before compared with now as I think I need to understand this better.
Thank you all so much for your help and I'll be on again in a few days I'm sure.
I've posted my latest daily readings if they make sense to anyone.
Merry Christmas
2012 12 26.doc, 386 KB Glad you got sorted for over Christmas Wendy, and are feeling the benefits of good therapy. I've had a look at your stats and your AHI is very low which is excellent! The low minimum pressure is still set at 4 and if you look at the graphs you'll see that the pressure was very rarely blowing at 4, so the clinic might raise the minimum to see if the snoring that's still going on may decrease. Tread carefully when you mention this though, as many clinicians don't like us viewing our results (they seem to forget it's 'our' bodies that we're interested in getting the best treatment for). Some clinicians love us taking more interest though, so hope yours are like this! Sometimes the snoring happens though through drinking alcohol within 4 hours of bed, certain foods/eating late etc. If you suffer nasal congestion, it's a good idea to try to get the nasal airways as clear as possible. I use Breathe Right strips which can be bought at chemists and some supermarkets.
Regarding the mask slipping - make sure the upper straps are tight enough and if you're using any night-time products on your face that could be causing this, amongst other things, like the vast changes in pressure etc.
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