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RESMED VPAP ADAPT SV FOR maintenance or second hand AUTO-BIPAP PHILLIP RESPIRONICS?
hello. I´m john. i joined this community a while ago but haven´t used it much.
i´m so lost with my sleep apnea. i don´t even use my cpap machine. it never worked for me and there´s no good follow up here. i live in south america. i bougth my machine in the US but never really worked for me nor really have i used it constantly.
i´m not sure if my cpap machine functions properly anymore. i guess i just got used to sleeping extremelly poorly. it´s been years. besides, i´ve got so many more issues that complicate and agravate my sleep apnea and my health itself like chronic acid reflux from a whole buch of digestive issues that even make me feel weak and short of breath sometimes.
i feel my throat is so tight all the time even in the day with a lot of mucus. i don´t know what to do and i´m to tired to think or do anything.
I just had an appt this week with a head and neck surgeon to explore the possibility of maxilo mandibular advancement for apnea. they´re gonna do a study on me to see if the surgery will help or not. I´m 37, thin, but with very little jaw and throat space.
But with all my acid reflux and digestive issues that render my cpap treatment and breathing poor, i don´t know if that will help...
i guess the main point of this discussion (i don´t wanna confuse or bore anyone, i´m sorry) is to ask if i can ship my cpap resmed vpap sv machine to the provider i got it from in the US and have it checked to see if it still works well. i don´t feel it blows enough air anymore, specially when i stop breathing in purpose when i´m awake.
also to ask if anyone can help me find a second hand auto-bipap Philip Respironics PR System One with heated humidifier i was recommended online. I haven´t been able to do it. I´ve looked for it at www.secondwindcpap.com, but they don´t have it.
i know that´s self treating and you´re not supposed to do that (sorry again), but i kind of have to. there aren´t good doctors here. i already saw them all with no good results and travelling to the US is not possible for now. besides, i figure i better try to self titrate than not use any CPAP at all. that´s in case my resmed vpap sv machine is broken.
i´ve been doing nothing for my sleep apnea for too long. i guess you get used to sleeping poorly after years.
thanks.
Views: 1398
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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John, I would give a call, or an email to your equipment provider in the US to see if they can check your machine. I don't see why they can't do that. If you google CPAP repair you may also come up with some resources. You can also google second hand or used CPAP machines and may come up with alternatives to secondwind. I found a number of dealers. You will probably need a prescription. If you are going to titrate yourself the AUTO machine would be your best bet. Hopefully your machine is not broken. Many of us have the need because of lack of support from the medical community, or just because of a desire to be in charge of our own treatment to self titrate. Yes, there are those that don't agree with self titration, but I am not one of them. I manage my own treatment pressures.
Don't be sorry for your post, no matter how long, the content, or the questions. That's what we're here for.
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Permalink Reply by John Serrano on
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wow, you´re so nice. i didn´t expect that. not like when i posted in another forum a long time ago. or other people. not like they were mean, but often i felt like i was the only one who was having trouble with sleep apnea or cpap. everyone seemed so well adjusted and better. i´m glad to know that i´m not the only one although i don´t wish anyone to be like this. also to know that it´s ok to be like this and talk about it. i´m sorry but i can´t get over how nice you are jaja. are you a cpap user and are you compliant?
thanks for your advice, i´ll try to contact my provider and look for those links. when you said the best option for self titrating is the auto machine you mean the one i´m planning to probably buy? the one i mentioned? thanks.
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I have been using CPAP (have also tried Bilevel and AUTO, but prefer CPAP) for a little over 3 1/2 years. I am 100% compliant, including naps. That's the only way to get good results. I couldn't find the exact machine you listed- well I found the machine I think at CPAP.com but it doesn't really tell in the description if it is an AUTO machine though it was listed as an auto machine. I personally did not have good results when self titrating with the AUTO feature on my machine. It kept pushing the pressure up and my AHI kept going up. I knew from my last titration what my pressure should be so I set my CPAP at that pressure (much lower than the AUTO pressure) and had much better results. Other people swear by the AUTO for titration at home. If you know approximately what your pressure should be and get a data capable machine (the one you picked out is) and get the software you should be able to self titrate with any mode. A CPAP would be much les expensive, but don't let me discourage you from buying the machine you want.
The VPAP SV is not manufactured anymore. You can buy a manometer online if you're concerned if the pressure is correct. If you're having other problems I would get it looked at.
I don't know anything about it- does it have an AUTO mode? It's an expensive machine.
Keep us posted and good luck with whatever you decide to do.
I'm glad you think we're nice. We have a bunch of new people with various problems getting used to using the machine
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the machine i have, the RESMED VPAP ADAPT SV, is a machine that works kind of like an auto machine, but it´s not an auto, although it also works with a range of air pressure. it´s designed to treat central and complex sleep apnea which i´m supposed to have (central and obstructive). it can also be set to work as a plain cpap, but as i said, i´m not sure if it´s blowing the air pressure that says on the screen. maybe it is, i just don´t feel i sleep any better maybe because of my whole reflux/mucus problem or due to the fact that i´ve never used it for long. the longest it´s been 3 months. i used to swallow air when i used it before, which showed me the machine blew enough air pressure. not anymore. so, what did you mean when you said that with a data cabpable machine i should be able to self titrate? what´s a data capable machine? downleading the data to a computer so i keep track of my apneas? no my machine doesn´t do that. it´s the model before the one that has it. i asked my provider. so i can´t do that. is it necesary to self titrate, or can you do that whith how you feel? other thing is that the pressures can barely go up when i change them on the screen with the buttons. i remember i used to be able to raise them higher. i´m gonna look into this and i´ll tell you what the highest pressures it lets me set it at are. thanks.
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Yes, you can self titrate according to how you feel. I would not make changes any more often than once a week. You may have gotten used to the pressure and that's why it doesn't feel the same. I'm not sure, but I think that machine should let you set an IPAP of 25 and an EPAP of as low as four in AUTO mode. If it's acting as bilevel too,you may have to change both numbers up at the same time- it may be programmed to keep a certain amount of pressure support (not sure if that's the word), or a certain amount of pressure between IPAP/EPAP.
Is this the machine where you can also set a back up rate for respiratory rate?
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oh my God. I didn´t understand half of what you wrote. I´m sorry.
change both numbers up at the same time? pressure support?
my machine doesn´t have a bilevel mode.
back up rate for respiratory rate? what is that?
i guess i´ll just write my provider to find out all of this. thanks.
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John, never mind what I said, I reallly have no clue how your machine works.
Have I suggested getting the clinical manuial from www.apneaboard.com?
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thanks so much. i already wrote to them asking for my machine´s manual.
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Hi John,
first of all I would like to caution you about the GERD acid reflex. I had it for over 12 years and took the Prilosec daily for the same lenghtm first as a prescription and then over the counter. This year I had a Gastroscopy test where they go down with a tube to check your esophagus and stomach and found out that I have erosion of the esophagus and stomach, I am now taking Protonix which prevents acid from forming too much. Luckily it is not too late where it would cause me to have surgery or even cancer which it can happen. i advise you to have a doctor check you and prescribe a good proton acid inhibitor that you same as me may have to take for the rest of your life.I also use Resmed VPAP Adapt SV machine which at the time I got it 5 years ago in Chicago noone had heard of it, it was prescribed from the Mayo Clinic and they meant to give me a great machine. Even here in Chicago can not trust where you go for a night sleep, it seems that is all for the money. Recently i had major health issue and met a Pulmonologist that seems to know what to do and I will try with him. My machine is set at pressure 10, I would not suggest to try to adjust it yourself because you can do more harm than good. Can you go to do a night sleep in a hospital and perhaps bring your machine there, maybe some one may know what to do. I also had trouble with the mask, if you do not have the correct mask the machine will not work well for you. After I was on a "Hybrid Mask" and then my supplier could not get it anymore I tried the Resmed Mirage Liberty and I like it a lot. It does not leak air like the other one and i do not feel to sleep all day long like before I did this treatment.
If you have the original copy of the prescription you will see what pressure was recommeneded for you, of course things change and you may need a differtn pressure but be careful in making adjustments yourself!
I don't know if I was much help but your comment sound it like you need help both for your acid reflux and the VPAP machin.
Cordially
Francesco
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- Hey John, just to follow up what is going on with your reflux and your treatment?
- Did you you get your machine checked out? Are you using it? How do you feel?
- Keep us posted, please, it's nice to follow the progress of someone dealing with problems. We all learn something.
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hi. i already wrote you another new message. i hadn´t seen this one. i never go into this website for i always expect this website to e mail me when someone replies. i am not sleeping with my cpap. i had to go to the psychiatrist cause i was so depresed from severly poor sleep. they want me to take antidepresants but i don´t want to. will that help me to sleep or fall asleep like they say?
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John, I haven't read your whole history but I assume you were diagnosed with sleep apnea otherwise you wouldn't be on here. The depression is probably a by product of not using CPAP. It was for me. I was diagnosed with depression put on double the theraputic dose of antidepressants, on most sleeping pills including Valium, Xanax and Seroquel sometimes all at the same time and they still didn't work, just made me worse because the tried to fix the symptoms not the cause. I'm not saying they won't work for you but be careful, they say the are not addictive but in reality the are as you will probably get side effects. If you have SA, antidepressants are probably the worst thing for you. One of the side effects is insomnia (defeats the purpose). My last bit of advice is listen to your body and your brain, I wish I had of a lot earlier.
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