Help with comfort settings Phillips DreamStation

[Annie66]

I know how to get into the clinician settings, but im not entirely sure what all the settings mean. My main issue is that I don’t seem to be getting enough air!

[SarcasticDave94]

 Annie66

What is your device currently set to? Normally, if one feels like they're not getting enough air, an increase in pressure setting is typical. You may want to post a sleep report via SleepyHead so the smart guys and gals here can advise with a better idea what they're assisting with. They will also want to know what specific DreamStation model you're using.

Dave B.

[KSMatthew]

I know how to get into the clinician settings, but im not entirely sure what all the settings mean. My main issue is that I don’t seem to be getting enough air!

There might be a couple things happening.

Do you have a range of pressures for your prescription?  It might be that the low limit is too low.

Do you have the ramp function turned on?  If so, you can turn it off.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Annie66,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
If you have ramp on, you can either turn it back, or completely off.

Good luck with CPAP therapy and also with getting used to it, hang in there for more responses to your post.

[Walla Walla]

Go to the private section and look under the members only link. It will tell you how to get the Providers guide which should help describe the settings. Also download sleepyhead by using the below link.

[Annie66]

Hello All!.
My prescription started at 5-15 pressure. I changed it to 6-16. My doctor is rather nonplussed so I generally research and do what I feel is best for me and he approves.
I do think the starting pressure is too low. I have also turned the ramp feature off. Yesterday I  went through the settings and made sure the OptiStart was on and the C-Flex was on. It seemed to make a difference. Perhaps that was the problem.
I use DreamMapper now. Do I also need SleepyHead? Are they not the same thing?
I sleep between six and seven hours per night consistently and always about 5 or 6 API. My sleep study had me at 59 per hour. It just seems that it should be easier and that I should be able to get better results. Call me greedy, but I'd like to have my API score lower. 
I am also concerned (just a bit) that I've been having severe apnea for over twenty years and wasn't aware. I can only imagine what my brain cells have gone through. I also have 0% Delta Wave sleep. I could be an entirely different person breathing when I sleep!
Thanks for all your advice and help. I've been lurking here for months.
Annie66

[Walla Walla]

If you could post your data here with the use of sleepyhead software it would allow others here to give advice.

The software is free and the links are just below. All you need is a SD card which you should have in your machine and a card reader.

[KSMatthew]

Dreammapper is a very limited app, it shows AHI number and hours, but doesn't show the breath-by-breath details that Sleepyhead will show.

The good people on this forum helped me out with a simple setting change that might help you, too.

You have your pressure range set at 6-16. That's a pretty wide range. When the CPAP finds your "sweet spot", it may have taken a long time to get there. I think the actual algorithm differs from brand to brand. They seem to usually start low, then work their way up as needed to minimize A/H events.

In the morning, check to see what the optimum pressure was. Then raise the low limit to a little below that. You have the Dreamstation, so just rotate the info dial to see what the 90% pressure was for the previous night. That's where you spent 90% of your time.

For example: If your 90% pressure is 10, then raise the low limit from 6 to maybe 8 or 9. You'll be starting out much closer to your best setting.

Ideally, you want to get AHI < 5.

I did this, raised my low limit by about 2 (I can't remember the numbers right now), and my events went from around 2.5 to < 1 the very next night.