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Bi-pap pressure drops

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Terry +0 points · 12 months ago Original Poster

After several hours, the pressure on my Resmid Aircurve 10 Bi-pap drops significantly. When I turn it off and back on, it returns to the level where it is set and works. Is there a timer or something that causes it to drop automatically?

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

It may depend on how the AirCurve 10 is set up. If it is in Auto pressure control it will adjust the pressure based on the events you have had. One thing you may want to do is download OSCAR. This is a freeware program that lets you produce graphs including the pressure of what the machine is doing over the night. This would let you decide if it is behaving as it should, or if it is defective. Using OSCAR requires a PC or Mac and a SD card reader. There should be a SD card in your machine which is recording the data in very fine detail over each night.

OSCAR is quite helpful in determining if the machine is set up as well as it could be.

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Terry +0 points · 12 months ago Original Poster

I thought about the Auto pressure control, but after the pressure drops, it doesn't come back up when I wake up and move, and in somewhat distress when trying to breathe. It's a Bi-pap, and I have difficulty breathing without it, so it should respond to that difficulty.

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

I would be just guessing what is going on without an OSCAR chart. Here is OSCAR chart of an APAP machine which is in Auto. This is an example from my wife's machine. Notice how the pressure goes down at 3:45 or so in the morning, and then she wakes up. There is a break and then the machine starts again.

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

Another quick check you could make is to see what your minimum pressure is set at. If it is too low you can get the effect you describe. Out of the box the machine is typically set for a 4 cm minimum pressure, which for most people is too low, to the point of feeling suffocating. I normally suggest a minimum of 7 cm, unless there is some reason to go lower. I set my minimum at 9 cm and that feels comfortable for me during the going to sleep period of time.

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Terry +0 points · 12 months ago Original Poster

My numbers are 23 and 11. My breathing is very weak without the machine. The bottom number doesn't auto change like the top.

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

Then I think you would be best to use OSCAR to determine what the actual pressures are during the night.

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Terry +0 points · 12 months ago Original Poster

The Oscar report doesn't show any problems other than reporting nothing after I turned the machine off and then back on.

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

Would you be willing to post a image of the Daily report screen from OSCAR? You just press F12 on a PC with the report full screen and save the file. Then use file explorer to left click and drag the file to an open post here. Start a full width window with the orange Write a Reply button in the bottom left, or it will become impossible to read it due to the width.

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Terry +0 points · 12 months ago Original Poster

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

That is very strange. To be clear are you talking about the period of time from 21:09 to 21:12? - This would seem like the mask was not on, but I am not sure. Don't know how else there could be no flow?

Or, the time starting just before 21:22? - Here there seems to be flow, but the IPAP pressure has dropped to 11 cm suddenly.

I am less familiar with the AirCurve machines, but my first thoughts are that the machine may be defective.

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Terry +0 points · 12 months ago Original Poster

Yes, first it goes to 11 and then stops for no reason.

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Sierra +0 points · 12 months ago Sleep Patron

You could try this link for a Clinical Guide. As I say, I am not that familiar with the AirCurve 10 VAuto. Perhaps you could review the setup portion of the manual to see if there is anything amiss. But, I'm thinking it is perhaps defective. I recall they have a 2 or 3 year warranty?

https://www.oxystore.it/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=37

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