V-Com CPAP Tips & Helpful Hacks

[@LarryManiccia]

Don't pay attention to the haters, Nick. You're doing a great service and providing valuable info to the CPAP community. Keep up the great work!

[@Marcus935OS]

Since the V-Com just seems to reduce airflow, how is this different than just reducing the CPAP pressure?

[@nullbtb]

From what I can tell it doesn’t reduce overall pressure, only inhalation pressure. Your exhalation pressure will stay the same. The discovery the inventor made is that it’s the exhale pressure that is giving the treatment not the inhale pressure (as was previously thought), so by lowering inhale pressure and maintaining exhale pressure you maintain the therapy but improve comfort.

[@youcanthide004]

I bought one of these when they were first released, I absolutely love it. It’s a game changer. It makes the ease and comfort of inhaling and exhaling much more comfortable.

[@DoubtingThomas333]

That's what IHR and EPR is for....

[@Ultrajamz]

What pressure are you at? Wondering if I need it with my low pressure therapy

[@youcanthide004]

@@Ultrajamz generally run at about 15

[@jasonparsons7950]

Dude. Love your videos. I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. I haven't yet tried a CPAP. But your vids are awesome. I wish I could sit with you to help me get started.

[@danboy422]

Nick, i love your videos, really … i tried v-com and Q-lite as suggested and i hardly saw any changes in the noise level with the mini. Not a complain just wanted you to know so you can add and share my experience. Im a very lite sleeper to begin with so the mini is definitely not for me. It seems i am not alone by the number of minis for sale on marketplace etc… additionally, for the benefits of your viewers, you may want to mention that travel CPAP are almost never covered by insurances and are not returnable so it is a gamble if you want to try it. This little experiment will end up costing me roughly $750 cdn minus what i can get for it IF i sell it but i don’t hold my breath lol…. Keep up the good work, learned a lot from ya, cheers mate. And, Merci !

[@russbeard3665]

Nice to hear the innuendo's😆, the added injection of humor helps👍 I'm thinking Nick and the SleepHQ team may be the best thing to come out of Australia since AC/DC🤔?! ...but better because I'm getting better sleep... I always woke up with a hangover with AC/DC🙁

[@CPAPReviews]

Loved the comment mate! Thanks

[@robjgarc]

I ended up stopping using the V-Com; my issues were mouth leak and aerophagia and the V-Com worked great to fix that. I use a mask with the airflow coming from the top of the headgear and so I had to get the short hose to reduce the noise. I feel like if you are a back or side sleeper that doesn't move much throught the night, this set up will work great. I, however, roll around all night and often end up on my stomach. This set up causes the top of my headgear to shift around and wake me up from mask leak and from the tubing getting stuck between the pillow and headboard. I tried hanging the hose directly over where I sleep and that didn't work. Curiously, this doesn't happen with the short hose removed and the V-Com connected to the top of the headgear. Something about the short tube is causing this problem. I was able to remedy mouth leak with a halo chinstrap, but then I found out that the dental appliance that I had been previously using for sleep apnea also stopped mouth leak and so I'm using that. Gear used: Resmed Airsense 11 to heated hose to V-Com to 18" humidifier hose listed in the video affiliate links to Resmed N30i. Hope this helps anyone.

[@Thatsmessedupman]

What kind of dental appliance?

[@brittanylevinson741]

Thanks Nicko. Ordered one. I use Bleep because holy comfortable Batman, but of course anything to reduce exhalation pressure is lovely.

[@Yot359]

thanks for this video! confirms my thoughts abour the vcom maybe able to lower the noise level for a portable cpap im still not sure whats best to get between a V-com or a muffler to use it with my airmini... i would love it if someday please you can do a review / noise comparison of the Vcom, Vs. Breas Q-lite Vs. Breas Q-tube (bigger), Vs. Transcend Micro WhisperSoft (no foam in there, just baffles like a car muffler)

[@hoffmannbeck]

Waiting for same review... airmini +(vcom/qlite/vcom+qlite)

[@dtoro15]

I put my V-Com directly to my machine and then attach the hose. I don't hear anything and it helps with reducing leaks. I turned up my pressure from 10 to 11 and it helped a lot. I don't use a heated tube- never had any issues.

[@lorenzoishere]

Why did you turned up the preasure?

[@CPAPReviews]

Awesome mate. It's so good for mask/mouth leak!

[@wr9418]

What type of machine do you use? Resmed 10? Thanks.

[@samstinkeringaround8961]

I’m so glad you made this video, I connected my vcom at the mask and the noise was like a hurricane.

[@CPAPReviews]

Glad it helped brother Sam

[@faithjackson5514]

Iam 72 yrs old. I have the bleep and got mine about 3 days ago. My setting are 4 to 8. Plus I have a deviated septum. And my drops and leaks have gone way down. I ac not get help where I live so I went from A full face mask to the bleep and I sleep much better. Thanks Nick, I'll try bumping my minimum up too

[@CPAPReviews]

So great to hear from you! Thanks for sharing your experience

[@bkyle1234]

I use a full face mask by Phillips on a DS2 and found that the V-Comm tends to work better attached to the mask rather than at the CPap machine itself. My pressure is locked in at 13. Turned off Ramp and that helped also. Think this device is going to work out fine,

[@CPAPReviews]

Thanks for your feedback legend. Cheers

[@semiephemeral9]

how so? more comfortable or better results or both? you didn't notice noise at the elbow?

[@billanderson3346]

If this eliminates my need for a chin strap, I will use it. I made the purchase. Fingers crossed that it works.

[@colingrant4690]

Hi Nick, tried your V-com noise hack, Cpap 12-pressure, slimline tube, nasal dreamwear mask, EPR off. When I attach V-com to the top of the mask no noise from the top vent but noise from the front of my mask when I breathe in, got a slimline 18-inch extension as you suggested, and put the V-com between the slimline tube and the 18-inch slimline extension but still get same noise from the front of the mask when I breathe in. If I put the V-com at my Airsense 10 then no noise from the mask. But I want to put the V-com at the mask or extension so I can put in a quick connect before the V-com so I can use the auto shut-off feature and not have to get out of bed to go to my machine to turn it off. Any ideas? Could it make a difference if I got regular-size tubes instead of slimline? Thanks!

[@michaelkilpatrick5331]

Main machine is a BMC Luna IQ with P2 pillows. Very quiet! Received Z2 from you yesterday and tried it last night with the P2 and found it a bit noisy. Halfway through the night I connected the Q-lite muffler and I found it noisier (frog in a drain pipe type of effect). My wife, who has sometimes annoyingly excellent hearing, says she can't hear any noise so it must be noise ducting to my lugholes up the tube (don't get any of this from the Luna IQ). Maybe I'll give a V-Com a try.

[@edgargonzo626]

Will this work for a bleep eclipse mask?

[@slick_kitten]

I can't find the little tube that you mentioned in the video. The link you provided in the description doesn't work. Can you please send another link or source of where I can find this tube?

[@senorcabra8963]

I started using the v-com last week and all my cpap report numbers have dramatically improved. This is great, but my skeptical brain immediately goes to the question; Is it possible the v-com causes the machine to miss events and give a misreading of what's actually happened? Sorry to be the turd in the punchbowl, but there it is.

[@drbell26]

Thanks for the idea. I ordered a Vcom but haven't received it yet. I have a ResMed 11 and wondered how to fit the unit away from the mask. Thanks for the flexi-tube idea. Hopefully, some smart engineer will design a jumper power cable and get rich.

[@drbell26]

I learned a new word due to getting a CPAP "Aerophagia". I found my stomach feels better when I use the Vcom. Still have a slight issue (I think my pressure is 4-15) I'm going to turn down the max pressure a little. I came back to rewatch this video to see what the name of the shorty tube was called so I could use the heated tube that came with my Resmed 11. I've been using the vcom straight off the machine without the heater plugged in. Thanks again for the show and keeping it entertaining.

[@lisaweldy6096]

what is the exact name of the mini tube (I have the Resmed Airsense 11 and use an F30i mask.

[@LizKershaw-f5r]

Hi Nick. I'm on night 3 of V-com, having expensively got one here to the UK from the USA. Seems to be helping with the aerophagia, yay, and it softens the briskness of the flow. As someone else mentioned here, should I reset the mask to full face even though i use a P10, so as not to upset the AS10 algorithm?

[@bigtimereacts]

What is the name of the short tubing?

[@wr9418]

I appreciate all of the work you put into your videos. I'm new to cpap. Struggling with it. I have resmed 10, n20 mask, heated tube. Noise increases with vcom. Would it help to get a nonheated tube? Do plain tubes fit into these resmed10? Thank you so much for your videos!

[@terryb1781]

I hooked up the p10 to the Vcom and dropped the Apap to Cpap. Took out the EPR and dropped the pressure. On Apap I was running 15 low to 17 high. My AHI would run under 1 on Apap with EPR on. But the I suffer from mouth leak and wake up with my mouth very dry. So I put the Vcom on, dropped the Apap to Cpap, dropped the EPR, and dropped the pressure incrementally down to 14. My AHI varies from 1.2 to .5 but still dealing with a mouth that escapes air. Have a full beard thats bigger than Santa but I use tape although that really doesn't work. Still I'm under 2 AHI with a very dry mouth.

[@Thatsmessedupman]

Did you try taping your mouth?

[@josephyap5695]

Hi Nick, I live in Auckland, NZ. Where can I buy the V-com and the little tube? Can I get them from one of the AU online shops? Thanks

[@CPAPReviews]

Hey bro, so V-Com $40AUD, probably worth just buying the QLite that has the mini tube included $40 and shipping is $50 to NZ from Aus via DHL (5 days). It would only be worth it if you're really struggling with therapy comfort buddy

[@A.Martin]

@@CPAPReviews yea I see all these nice deals you offer in Australia (and the US), and the shipping to NZ is just criminal.

[@Paul-AUS]

@@CPAPReviews I just read the Qlite is not compatible for use with a heated tube, Any other ideas Nick where to buy this

[@wotmate]

I've got a BMC machine and put the vcom on the output of the machine... but if I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, I unclip the elbow from the mask, and the air coming out is A LOT louder with the vcom.

[@nickmancini11]

I’ve vcom with the brevida and it felt like sucking through a straw like you said. I’m on APAP as per doctor’s orders for now so at lower pressure is definitely an issue. Maybe I’ll revisit vcomm when i can get to a static pressure.

[@CPAPReviews]

Just increase the apap min pressure up to 6-7 range and it makes a big difference

[@nickmancini11]

My minimum pressure is 6. Maybe I’ll try a 7. I guess i should talk to my doctor first so I’m still in compliance. I want to find a static pressure, but I’ve been hesitant to talk to the doctor because it’s not easy to discuss treatment changes with doctor’s here. I’ve been on CPAP for like 3 months.

[@jdhogfan1]

I was titrated at 16, couldn't handle it for more than a few hours (so much aerophagia), enabled 14-17 apap with the vcom and sleeping like a baby last 3 nights for 8 hours under 1 AHI.

[@CPAPReviews]

@jwdavis1 wow! I love comments like this mate. Makes all the effort worthwhile. Cheers

[@CPAPReviews]

@nickmancini11 i hear ya mate. CPAP mode be a game changer also mate. Just remember that your doctor has never slept with a CPAP before and most of them are rookies (to put it politely!)

[@russelljaszczuk3892]

Where can I get the short cpap tube for the P30i in Oz?

[@samstinkeringaround8961]

I have a ResMed n-20 I think I’m going to try to take the hose off of it and connect it to the vcom put a space in between see if that works

[@lorenzoishere]

I still have leaks and i use only a preasure of 10 cm H2O

[@ParasKPatel]

🤣🤣🤣 I love the Fight Club style editing!

[@samstinkeringaround8961]

Hey uncle Nick, so I tried putting a spacer in between the V comb and the mask over 12 inches and it still like a Vortx. It never cuts off like it normally does not sure why it just keeps blowing air constantly, so I’m out on the V-comI don’t like it. It doesn’t work for me. Without the V-com inplace after the ramp time, the mask gets quiet and feels like there is no air blowing with it in place. It’s a constant air blow not sure why. Sam

[@lepint6671]

I have a Phillips Dream wear mask and I am going to follow your guide, however I am having trouble with the mask causing skin problems as I have some Dermatitis. Some time ago you had a video mentioning Padded Liners. Is there any difference in the few brands available? sorry to be a bother but you have a LOT of videos and I cant find the one I want.

[@kennethbrown5374]

Is there somewhere in Australia where you can purchase a v-com

[@jacqueshooten6731]

Hey Nick I am a little confused on air flow, meaning which end goes to mask and which end goes to hose from Cpap machine since they are different size ends. The V-com instructions don't tell you the flow direction. I couldn't tell from your hack demonstration . Does the Direction of either end matter Meaming large to small or small to large opening from tube to mask?

[@samstinkeringaround8961]

So I tried the method you suggested, it produces still a constant flow, also it pops up on my machine as a massive mask leak. Is this just because it’s a rested 11?

[@CPAPReviews]

Hey brother, it might be worth watching a follow up vid i made - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIqmaHdmoNR_i5Y Let me know how you go. Cheers

[@Thatsmessedupman]

When using vcom with CPAP, do you still have a pressure range set or are you supposed to stay at a constant pressure?

[@transitions-stagesofgrowth8643]

Due to aeropagia i have moved from apap to cpap by following SleepO2. I moved to cpap and reduced the pressure. When Nick recommend the vcom i go one and for the first days it was great. Then for the past week my ahis are good but the o2 drops are low into the 80s. I think from the video that I need to increase from 7.5 to 8.5, but do I stay on cpap or go back to apap?

[@richlargent5665]

Where fo I get a short hose that will fit the climateline hose and running to the f30 mask?

[@michaelcasper2613]

Hey, thanks very helpful

[@DrAlbertoTueme]

Hello! Has someone figured out how to use the VCOM with a N30i and Airmini Resmed?

[@TheDRUM2112]

Nick do you know whats going on with the res med app? thanks mate

[@amyrevis9239]

Where do I find a mini tube

[@hoffmannbeck]

What about using qlite on airmini? It helps with the noise of the airflow?

[@nonstar8182]

Is it ok to use EPR with vcom?

[@bahpapajarmjackson]

Any downside to a plumbers clamp rather than tape?

[@peepers4763]

Tried the V-Com for the first time last night. Worked as advertised however didn’t get enough air flow flow. Felt like I was sucking rather then neutral breathing. Myself I need the CPAP pressure. Less pressure on inhalation was uncomfortable. COPD May be the reason.

[@CraigFoxPinn]

Give it a couple of weeks to get used to it. Some people it’s comfortable day one, others require a week or two.

[@bdonnici]

Can you verify that when using V-Com, the mask setting should be full face even when using a nasal mask? I've seen that directive in threads in the Community - just want to make sure.

[@CPAPReviews]

Yes i'm doing a video on this shortly. I had a chat to Dr William Noah who is the inventor and he mentioned this. I just keep forgetting to talk about it in the vids. Cheers

[@davidgallaher8102]

I've the resmed airsense 10, I've the comfort settings on which I think makes it apap? Is this still worth using?

[@A.Martin]

Took me a few times to pause on that Donald Trump artwork you flashed on the screen

[@CPAPReviews]

Old mate hung like an elephant

[@manuelstodomingojr3473]

Fantastic hacks. Following your lead on removing the sound abatement foam in my Dreamstation Go, the machine became a bit noisy. To the point that it bothers my wife. Can you make a video on how to do your magic hack on a Dreamstation Go? Thanks

[@GK-vj9dz]

i did nicko's foam removal on my 2 system one 560 machines. they now sound like a 747 at takeoff. i guess it is what it is. i doubt that device he shows in this vidya (the exterior foam in chamber thing) would make a difference, as the noise is coming from the machine itself. one of the 560s has very low run hours. i'll hold onto it, in case someone comes up with a good sound abatement device for inside the machine. i've moved on to the resmed 10 for nightly therapy.

[@manuelstodomingojr3473]

@@GK-vj9dz thank you for your input.

[@transitions-stagesofgrowth8643]

Did I understand that with a nasal mask I need to set the machine to face mask?

[@peteyb9763]

Does anyone know of how to get this in canada?

[@robertwilcox3679]

Is the V-comm beneficial with an ASV machine?

[@CPAPReviews]

Hey bro, i don't think they've fully tested it with ASV just yet

[@poeterritory]

Is this available in Australia?

[@CPAPReviews]

Yeah i have them in the Pro community mate. It's $15 for the month but big discount compared with importing them from the US. Cheers

[@araydog]

I have a mirage fx mask. It does not work with it. The newer masks it’s awesome. The stretchy ones

[@rmbeavers]

Questions from a noob. 1) I've heard V-Com cannot or should not be used with an EPR (i.e. Resmed 10). Is that true? 2) I have a DreamWear mask, so I understand that the V-Com should be installed not at the top of the head location, but instead I should get one of those mini-tubes that you displayed at 4:30. Will that not defeat the purpose of the heated tube?

[@lazlo09]

Im in the same position but with resmed 11 and i think that the mini tube wotn affect much since its fairly short and at the end of the heated tube meaning the air passed a long heated tube already when it hit the unheated mini tube. I would expect that a rainout wont occur in such a short tube.

[@guaripolo69]

I tried it for 3 nights, my problem is mask leaks, and just made my AHI go to the 30s and woke up with headache all 3 days, and just generally felt like i did before cpap. Was told this only works for cpap and not really apap, is thay true?

[@lorenzoishere]

The VCOM is mostly for mouth leaks not mask leaks. Try usin another mask.

[@CPAPReviews]

wow, i haven't seen anything like this in the 50+ profiles i've reviewed. The vast majority see improvements in AHI and those who don't on subtle changes in therapy efficacy?

[@guaripolo69]

@@CPAPReviews when I get my airsense 10 back from getting fixed I will try again and upload the data to sleephq and maybe see if I can get a bit more insight on what may be going on.

[@guaripolo69]

@@CPAPReviewsit did however help with the leaks, but seemingly at the cost of my pressures just getting lowered? I don't know really what happened

[@pbrian9527]

I did not enjoy vcom with P10 pillows. Seemed like less IPAP and normal EPAP.

[@CPAPReviews]

Similar experience for me

[@karanmathur1672]

Vary nic purdcta

[@jorisbonson386]

LOL at the naked Trump

[@claywilson9842]

I took a nickel drilled holes put in hose end....made sure no fragments.... v hack

[@stusue9733]

Wouldn't it change your sleep data? Though I guess you dont care so much what the numbers are, more how you feel in the morning...

[@CPAPReviews]

It's a fair comment mate and one that i'm investigating. It's certainly not changing the respiratory flags but could it potentially change the way other data is recorded? Potentially yes. Cheers

[@loveRN9]

That’s a complete crap! You lower the pressure with that piece and decrease the cpap efficacy. You are just a promoter of thet gadget that make millions in sales because people believe you.

[@jasonparsons7950]

Dude. Love your videos. I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. I haven't yet tried a CPAP. But your vids are awesome. I wish I could sit with you to help me get started.