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AirMini settings different than AirSense 10?

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mywifesaysisnore +0 points · over 5 years ago Original Poster

Only less than three months into CPAP usage. I travel 25%-30% and drug the AirSense 10 with me once. I won't do it again and have ordered the AirMini. I think I got a great deal for $679 delivered next day and that included the nasal pillow & a tube brush. CPAP.com with promotion code LABORDAY18. Why does one need a prescription to purchase one of these?

I received the shipping notice today and it states that they have set the pressure at 4cm - 20cm. My AirSense 10 is set at 5cm - 20cm. Why would there be a difference? It looks like I can download an AirMini app and adjust the setting myself. Sleepyhead shows I never reach above 13cm so I don't think the 20cm setting is relevant.

I absolutely love my AirSense 10 Autoset after taking a few nights to get used to it. After only one week of use I noticed a marked difference. I used to have to take a nap in my truck every day during lunch and now I don't feel the need.

Why are threads closed here after such short periods of inactivity? I could have easily added my questions to an existing topic and not created a new one.

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Sierra +1 point · over 5 years ago Sleep Patron

I had a quick look at the technical manual for the AirMini and it appears to be virtually identical to the AirSense 10 in features. I would setup the AirMini to be the same as what works on the AirSense 10. That said your 5-20 or 4-20 sounds like an out of the box setup and is not usually ideal for long term use. A wide range like that can be somewhat useful to establish what pressures you really need, but probably not an ideal setup for the best AHI results.

Having your maximum pressure set too high can lead to some discomfort, but really does not do much to the overall results. Setting the minimum too low can cause some comfort issues, and can also lead to excessive apnea events especially early during the night.

You may want to discuss the settings for your AirSense with your sleep technician to see if they could be improved. What I would look at is the Statistics Tab in SleepyHead, and specifically the 90% pressure. That pressure should be very close to what you could get away with if you only had a fixed pressure machine and not an auto adjust machine. It is also probably very close to what may be an ideal minimum pressure to use. And the maximum pressure could be as little as 1 cm above that. Say for example your 90% pressure average is 12 cm. You could set the minimum at 12 cm and the maximum at 13 cm. SleepyHead will tell you very quickly how good a job that is doing for you. If your machine keeps the pressure at minimum and your AHI is good, the minimum may be too high. If the machine keeps the machine at maximum and you are having obstructive apnea events with the pressure at maximum then it may be too low.

I look at the going to sleep ramp function as a pure comfort feature. It has little to do with your treatment effectiveness, but it can have a lot to do with how quickly you can go to sleep. What I like is to use the ResMed Auto Ramp. I then set the Ramp Start Pressure in the 7 cm to 8 cm range. I also set the EPR at 3 cm, but the Type as Ramp Only. Say you choose 7 cm, then what that would do is give you 7 cm on inhale and 4 cm on exhale until you go to sleep. Then the machine ramps up the pressure to your minimum (say 12 for example), and stops the EPR. At least that is what works well for me.

You can set up both the AirSense and AirMini with the controls on the machine. Here are some links to the manuals which show you how to set up each one.

AirMini Manual

AirSense 10 Manual

Edit: I'm not sure that SleepyHead supports the AirMini, and if so you can monitor what you need for pressures with the AirSense 10 machine, and then just use the same settings in the AirMini.

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mywifesaysisnore +0 points · over 5 years ago Original Poster

Thanks, Sierra.

My 90% pressure is: most recent = 6.52, last week = 6.80, last 30 days = 7.08, and last 6 months = 7.02 although I've only been using it for 67 days now. So are you suggesting I set the minimum to 6 instead of the current 5? I have a 90-day follow up visit in about 2 weeks and will ask my doctor.

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wiredgeorge +0 points · over 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Seems to me if you are paying a doctor, you might want to make these decisions in concert with that doctor and not another patient. Seems like the doctor is actually qualified to make these decisions. If you decide that taking advice and making medical decisions yourself works for you, quit seeing a doctor and save yourself the time and money.

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mywifesaysisnore +0 points · over 5 years ago Original Poster

My insurance forces me to go back for the 90-day follow up. If I don't go, they won't pay for the machine. I intend for this next visit to be the last.

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Sierra +0 points · over 5 years ago Sleep Patron

You are running very low pressures and getting good results. If it was my machine I would set it up a bit differently though. I would Use the Auto Ramp feature with a Ramp start pressure of 6 cm. I would leave EPR turned on to 2 cm but set to act during the Ramp Only. And yes I would set a pressure minimum of 6 cm. Maximum could stay at 20 but could be set much lower.

It does look like you are getting quite high snore values. I suspect if you set the EPR to turn off at the end of the ramp those snore values could go down because the exhale pressure will go up to 6 cm, while it currently is at about 4 cm all night.

But discuss that with your doctor and see if they agree and will change the machine for you. But bottom line is that you are getting good results except for the snore values.

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mywifesaysisnore +0 points · over 5 years ago Original Poster

I still need to learn how to decipher the Sleepyhead results. I thought my snoring had been completely eliminated. How does it know if I'n snoring? Does it have a built in microphone? My wife says I don't snore anymore and I no longer wake up with a sore throat from snoring all night. I have the Snore Lab app so maybe I'll record myself and then compare results with Sleepyhead.

My AirMini came today. I strapped it on for a quick trial and the air seems warmer than my AirSense10 and it is a little louder.

Thanks!

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Sierra +0 points · over 5 years ago Sleep Patron

Not totally sure how ResMed measures snore, but it may be a higher frequency flow/pressure variation. It is probably not at a level where it would be audible to someone else, or yourself if you are asleep. Here is what a typical night looks like for me. I often see a bit of a snore when I fall asleep during the Auto Ramp portion of the night when pressure is still low, but after that it is essentially zero.

The AirMini does not use the traditional humidifier, so that may be the reason for the higher temperature.

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SirRobin +0 points · over 5 years ago

@mywifesaysisnore: So does the AirMini work with Sleepy Head?

I was wondering if I could get more feedback from an AirMini user. Following interests me: (italic from their website)

AirMini offers all of the following therapy modes: CPAP, AutoSet™ (with Response option) and AutoSet for Her. Unlike the AirSense™ 10 series, where different devices offer different therapy modes, the AirMini includes all three of these therapy modes.

  • Basically they acknowledge they could put all therapy modes into one machine instead of selling CPAP and APAP devices separately?

Will I be able to use this as a full time machine? While the AirMini matches the performance of the larger AirSense 10, it was designed to be used as a travel CPAP. ResMed has achieved a significant reduction in size, while maintaining the same quality of therapy, through innovations that include ActiveAir™, HumidX™/HumidX Plus, and the AirMini app. If you have additional questions, please contact your home medical equipment or healthcare provider.

  • This does not answer the question if you can use it as full machine or not. What would be the risks? Higher wear and tear?

  • How is that waterless humidifier working for you, mywifesaysisnore?

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Sierra +0 points · over 5 years ago Sleep Patron

I have looked at these machines, but have not been a user. We have a Z-1 travel machine that does not come out of the cupboard due to noise and other limitations. Here are my comments but I also would be interested in actual user thoughts.

"AirMini offers all of the following therapy modes: CPAP, AutoSet™ (with Response option) and AutoSet for Her. Unlike the AirSense™ 10 series, where different devices offer different therapy modes, the AirMini includes all three of these therapy modes."

This is a bit of "sales-speak". The ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet For Her does all three therapy modes. It is just a mode setting change.

Will I be able to use this as a full time machine?

I think a more honest answer is that yes you probably could use it as a full time machine, but with some compromises:

  1. There are many reports that it is more noisy. This may be the result of a narrower diameter hose, a smaller machine, and many also report that the humidifier device adds noise and is located close to your ears.

  2. The machine requires special masks and does not accept the universal mask standard. Your only choice is a special ResMed N20 or P10. This is a big risk as your needs for a mask may change over time, and as new and better masks become available, you will not be able to use them.

  3. The machine does not have a SD card to store detailed data like the standard AirSense 10 AutoSet does. That means you will not be able to use SleepyHead to monitor your results. That is a show stopper for me.

  4. The humidifier seems to just recycle your own moisture from your exhale. I suspect it is not as effective as a real humidifier, is noisy, and has to be replaced every 30 days as an ongoing cost. There is a bit of a myth about using a standard humidifier in that you have to take special distilled CPAP water with you when you travel. This is not necessary at all. Just use ordinary tap water and then rinse your water container out with vinegar when you get home. Your humidifier acts like a distillation unit and you only get pure evaporated water to breathe in.

  5. The AirMini does not accept the ClimateLine heated hose which makes temperature control and humidity control automatic while avoiding "rainout".

And, the final big factor that has kept me from seriously considering it, is that portability of the standard machine is very good. Once you add in your mask and power supply there is not much difference in the weight and size of the standard machine compared to the portable machine. The standard travel case for the AirSense 10 is very good for traveling and attaching to a rolling carry on bag. A CPAP is classed as a medical device by airlines and it does not count against your carry-on and personal item count.

I suppose there is some convenience in having a dedicated travel machine as you would not have to pack up the normal machine when you travel. But, packing it up is probably a 5 minute job at most.

Just my thoughts as a non user.

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SirRobin +0 points · over 5 years ago

Thank you for your detailed feedback!

I am just a bit "traumatized" by the DreamStation which I currently use on trial; quite bulky to transport and pretty much eats up my whole nightstand. The DreamStation's bag doesn't give me any assurance it would protect the machine on any voyage.

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Sierra +0 points · over 5 years ago Sleep Patron

With humidifier the AirSense 10 is about 2" less in width, and 2" less in depth that the DreamStation with a humidifier, so the footprint is less. However the AirSense is higher. My wife uses a ResMed S9 which is lower and she can put it in a drawer of the night stand and close the drawer. I can't with the A10, but the footprint is less.

The DreamStation has a removable humidifier like my wife's S9. At first blush that looks like an big advantage -- leave the humidifier at home when you travel. But the stuff all has to fit in the same bag, so you save a little weight but the package size stays the same. DreamStation does offer an optional travel case that is smaller and is not big enough for the humidifier, and I believe comes with a smaller less powerful power supply, but I believe it is another $150 or so and does not come standard with the machine.

On that note the A10 has a removable humidifier but that has the same smoke and mirrors benefit. It only saves about 1" in length, and again you have to use the same bag. And on top of that you have to buy an option cover to use the machine without the water container. Simply not worth it.

The standard included travel bag with the A10 is very good. There are separate compartments for the machine, humidifier, hose, and at the front another compartment for the power supply and mask. We ended up with two of these bags and my wife now uses one with her S9 machine, and has abandoned the bag that came with her S9 machine package. She modified it slightly, but it works fine, and secures better on a wheeled carry on travel bag. Here is a video that gives you a bit of a look at what it is like. The heated hose fits in the back just like the standard hose they show in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuUOc4DB4f4

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mywifesaysisnore +0 points · over 5 years ago Original Poster

So I've taken two trips with the AirMini now. Its a winner. I typically travel with a roller carry-on bag and briefcase. The AirMini fits inside my briefcase. I will never again take the AirSense 10 with me on a plane! The Mini is a little louder and the chamber that holds the humidifier disk sits right about jaw level??? I don't use the humidifier on either machine so I might try to cut out that bulky section of tube that holds the humidifier disk on the Mini.

I am sleeping better than I have in years...both at home and on the road. Went to the sleep doctor yesterday and they said "see you in a year".

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