Should I go out and buy the software and card reader?  I am not sure if the military will give me either but I will ask when I go back for my appointment on the 19th.  But if they don't, will it be worth my money to purchase the reader and software?  Thanks for your help.


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Machine: Respironics Series M Auto CPAP with C-Flex and heated humidifier
Mask: Ultra Mirage Full Face

Hi jones0169 and welcome!

Your machine (I have the same one you mention in your siggy) can display the overnight average pressure, AHI and leak right on the display screen.  If you can't see these numbers then ask your provider to unhide them for you (they are hidden by default).  

This is quite often enough information, you can check if your mask is leak is excessive and/or if your AHI is in the normal range (<5 is typical for adults).

Do your doctors (military?) have a card reader and software to download the smartcard for you?  If they do and you are handy to them, ask them to download the card every 7 sessions for a few weeks or months.  The card only carries the most recent 7 sessions, plus summary information for longer periods.  (When a new session is added, the old one is dropped so it is always the most current 7 sessions.)

If your doctors do not have the card reader and software and/or you're not handy to them (can you mail them the cards?  They can give you spares) then you might consider the purchase.  But first, I would suggest you look at the display each morning and see if your AHI is acceptable and your leak is not excessive.  If you are not having any problems with either of these numbers then the dump of the card will interesting but that's about all -- the details show hour-by-hour statistics of your pressure changes, AHI and leak.  

You didn't mention your current pressure range.  If your min/max pressure is more than a 4-5 point spread, the details from the card can be very helpful in fine tuning your therapy to a single pressure or a very small min/max range.  There are exceptions, but for many people a larger range will not provide effective therapy.  Some doctors start people out with the auto 'wide open' - 4 cmH2O thru 20 cmH2O - and then begin narrowing the range based on the 'numbers' either on the averages or from the detail dump.

So it really depends on how effective the therapy is going for you, as to whether the investment would be useful to you.  If you are waking up during the night or in the morning and your mask is really leaking, this would likely cause a high AHI on the display.  You don't need software to tell you to get your mask seal under control If you're not waking up a lot (with leaks or other reasons) and your overnight average leak and AHI are doing well, the card details are probably of little benefit to you.

Hope that helps.  Blessings,
--pseudonym

I am sure glad I found this forum becuase before I was given a CPAP, I couln't even spell CPAP....  OK, the see the overnight stuff so I guess it is still hidden.  Is the "hidden" settings on the machine or the card to change them?  I am in the Army.  My primary care manager does not have the ability to read the card but at the sleep clinic they have the ability but said I had to make an appt after a month and to bring them the card.  The appts there are hard to come by... actually I got a call today cancelling my 1 month appt and I have to reschedule.  I will have to check with them to see if they will accept my card by mail to send me the data.  My pressure range is 10-14 cm H20.  I do wake up a couple times at night but leaks really haven't been much of a problem.  When I do wake up I just hit the ramp button and go back to sleep.  It sounds like I need to see if they will get me the card reader and software especially if the card only holds 7 days of data.  Thanks for all your help.


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Machine: Respironics Series M Auto CPAP with C-Flex and heated humidifier
Mask: Ultra Mirage Full Face

Hi jones0169,

Just to clarify, 7 *sessions* of data not 7 nights.  Certain interruptions during the night and/or naps with the machine create a new session.  It's not a big distinction but an important one if you are expecting 7 nights of detail and don't get it

When I first started with my doc and DME (who are an hour away from me), I got several cards and mailed them in after 7 sessions, then inserted a new card and continued recording.  They'd read the first card and send it back to me plus copies of the detail reports.  This worked fine as I was going back to my doc every few weeks for finetuning the pressure prescription anyway.

Eventually it was just easier for me to have the card reader and software, now I am the one that reads the card, and I am the one that provides copies of the reports to both my doc and DME.  My appointments are six months apart now and I can email PDFs to both, so I send them all the data collected in one shot, a couple of weeks before my next appointment.  

If you've got just the regular MDs trying to care for your SA, it sounds like it would benefit you to get a card reader and software.  You can buy them over the 'net without a prescription.  These are usually not provided to patients even without using the insurance coverage, but don't take my word for that, do ask, the military might do it?  Otherwise it will be out of pocket expense for you.

You'll need the Encore Viewer software plus the right kind of USB smartcard reader.  A few months ago someone here found a good package deal on them, do some searches on this forum and you can probably turn it up should you need to buy them yourself.

I got my reader separate from two-factor (dot) com (can't post commercial links here, so type it in), it comes from Hong Kong and takes a few weeks but is considerably cheaper than the ones sold here in the US (about $30 shipped, the ones here are $65 and up).  The Encore Viewer software is around $130 as I recall, but again there may be deals.  Do some searches on the 'net...

The more you can learn about your therapy the more likely you will be able to partner with your docs for quality care of your SA and ongoing health.  Having the machine details can really help in this regard.

Blessings,
--pseudonym

Thank you so much for your assistance.  I will be working with my doctor and see if I can get them to provide it to me.


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Machine: Respironics Series M Auto CPAP with C-Flex and heated humidifier
Mask: Ultra Mirage Full Face