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So, I just purchased my first CPAP. Airsense 10 Autoset Card to Cloud.
Set up question, vendor just sent email that they are setting pressure to 4-20cm. My prescription is 12. Should I leave this or make adjustments right off? I plan on using ramp up and EP.
I'm trying N30i and P3i masks. I also got heated hose.
Any recommendations appreciated, I have no idea what I'm doing.
I'm praying for success and a hopefully smooth introduction to CPAP. My sleep lab test was horrible in my opinion.
I also have to download OSCAR and try to figure out how to use it.
Thanks!
The factory default pressure setting is 4 to 20, so your vendor hasn't done anything!
I would suggest you take advantage of your auto-adjusting machine by bracketing the 12 your doctor recommended, and use a setting of 8 to 16. In addition, I would suggest using the EPR feature set to 3, full time. Finally, you may want to use the Ramp feature to give a slightly lower starting pressure; I would suggest starting at 6, with the time set to Auto. With the time set to Auto, the pressure will stay at 6 until the machine detects steady breathing - presumably indicating that you are asleep. Many people find that after a while - a few weeks - they can turn off the Ramp and start at the set minimum pressure.
After a few days, post an OSCAR screen shot so that we can help you evaluate your progress.
01-24-2023, 08:24 PM (This post was last modified: 01-24-2023, 08:26 PM by Melman.
Edit Reason: more info
)
RE: Newbie setup questions
If you plan to use EPR at 3 you need to set your minimum pressure to 7. Leaving the max at 20 for now is OK. The machine won't go that high unless it's needed. Download and install free OSCAR on your PC from the link at the top of the page. It will allow you to see detailed data and post it here. We need to see data from your therapy to give meaningful advice. you will need a 8-32GB SD card and a usb card reader for you PC if it doesn't have a slot. You have an excellent machine. See the links below for how to organize and post your data.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Gosh, you're off to a good start! Did you sleep most of the time you were using the machine? How do you feel today -- any more rested yet? Don't worry if you're not yet feeling benefits; that can take a while.
Your AHI and leak levels look great!
You have an active flow limitation graph. Flow limitations are just what they sound like: limitations in your airway that are short of hypopnea or obstructive apnea levels. They may originate in your nose, in which case there's not much the machine can do about them. Or they may originate in your pharynx, where soft tissues may sag some during sleep. The way to treat the latter kind of FLs is to use as much EPR as you can. You get a pressure boost when you inhale, which helps overcome the limitation.
The FLs may or may not be interfering with sound sleep, but it makes sense to try reducing them to see how that goes. So, I'd suggest that you increase EPR to 3.
The FLs are also sending your pressures up and down. (The ResMed machines respond briskly to FLs.) That may or may not be interfering with sound sleep. So that's another reason to try EPR of 3.
I would recommend turning the ramp off now, since for the most part your pressures are pretty low. If you leave it on, be sure to set the ramp pressure to 7. Also be sure you raise your minimum pressure to 7; on the chart you've posted, your minimum is 4. With a minimum of 7, you'll get the benefits of EPR of 3 all night long.
01-29-2023, 12:54 PM (This post was last modified: 01-29-2023, 12:56 PM by IAWH.)
RE: Newbie setup questions
Thank you for the response.
I slept fair. I don't know if I'm waking because of sleep position, the CPAP being strange or an event? Sometimes when I awake my breathing is shallow and pressure seem low. Others I wake and I need a deep breath.
I feel ok, about the same as any day.
More questions after day 3. I felt like I actually slept even better, more REM but my numbers got worse, AHI. All I changed was min. pressure from 4 to 5. Maybe should be 6 like you said? Maybe turn off ramp up feature? Go back to settings from day before?
Day 3 attached.
Also, I do have EPR at 2 but I have no problem on exhale.
Questions:
What is "Response" setting?
I have humidity at 3, seems ok. I don't have dry nose or mouth waking.
I also have heated hose, set to 77 degrees. My question is I like cool air to breath and it seems too warm. My body even feels hot sleepinhg since starting therapy. My room temp at night in winter is 60-63.
I'm used to dry air, I'm in AZ.
Your AHI is still good. You had a few more central apneas -- those are pauses between breaths of 10 seconds or more -- and they may just reflect some brief wake-ups during the night. Plus CAs are notoriously variable; you may have none one night and a fair scattering of them another. I'd recommend not drawing any conclusions from just one night with new settings.
I would recommend turning the ramp off. After another night or two at your current settings, I would also recommend a minimum of 7 with EPR of 3. This is less to make you comfortable with exhaling and more to see what the effect on your flow limitations might be.
By all means turn the heat off in your hose to see how you like that. Hose settings are very personal; some people like a lot of temperature and humidity and others don't.
I agree completely Dormeo. Take a look at your pressure chart and compare it with the flow limits. When you have flow limits the machine increases the pressure. A more restful nights sleep if your pressures reman constant with out the spikes.
