Need help setting pressure

[jen61]

Okay, so I've been using the Philips Dreamstation for a couple months now at the auto setting. After doing an in lab sleep study a couple of weeks ago, the Dr. who read the report recommends a setting of 16.
I'm on my own when it comes to setting it I guess, and the manual doesn't explain how. Can someone guide me on how to do this? Also should I set a minimum or just a straight "16"...?? Sorry kind of clueless about setting it on my own.
Thanks.

[OpalRose]

Order the Clinicians manual and that will explain how to get into the menu.
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-pr...tup-manual

What has your 90% pressure reading been? I would normally suggest setting a minimum pressure 2cm below the 90% number and 2cm above.

Also, do you know the breakdown of your AHI ......any clear airways? Obstructives, hypopneas?
Would like to see what your Doctor bases the setting of 16 on.

You have been using a wide open range of 4-20, so you should have those numbers after 4 weeks.

Ideally, you should send us a screenshot and someone here can better advise.
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ganization
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...pnea_Board

[jen61]

Here are my statistic from Sleepyhead

[OpalRose]

That's pretty hard to read, but I think it says your 90% number is around 15 to 16. That's seems to also be the number your doctor is using.

Since you are at a low pressure of 4, you should start inching your minimum pressure upwards until you reach at least 12.
That seems like quite a hike, but staying at 4 will not bring the obstructives, hypopneas, and flow limitations in line, not to mention it must be hard to breath with a pressure at 4.

For now, I would change the minimum pressure to 6 or even 7, and watch your data weekly, and inch it up .5cm weekly until you see improvement. If it were me, I would move mine up by 1cm at a time, but you need to do what is most comfortable for you.

So ideally, from what I can see above, your pressure range should be around 12-18, with a 90% pressure of 15+, that's about right.

Next time, follow the links I gave you above and post data from the daily page of Sleepyhead and organize the graphs as shown in the links. That way we can better help you.

For comfort, use one of the Flex settings, either 2 or 3.

[kwhenrykerr]

I would set my ramp to 6 or 7 and my min. pressure to 16 and max to 20.

[Mosquitobait]

The advantage to slowly raising your bottom number, as Opal Rose indicates, is that it gives you time to adjust to the higher starting pressures. I had difficulty falling asleep when I jumped from 6 to 9, so I went back and set it to 7 for 4 or 5 nights and then 8 for 4 or 5 nights. I stopped using the ramp when I had it set at 9 - never needed it after that since I was comfortable starting the night out at 9.

[jen61]

Ok I tried to set it and can't get it to do anything. I pushed the round button on the front along with the ramp button for more than 5 seconds and nothing happened.(I tried several times)... Is there something else I'm not doing right?

[OpalRose]

Are you following the instruction from the Clinicians Manual? After holding both the round knob and the ramp button for 5 sec., it should take you to the provider menu. You have to use the round control knob to navigate the menu.

If this doesn't work, unplug your machine, and then plug it back in to set. Then try again.

[chill]

You also have to be at the top level menu when you do this. I think. That or I am clumsy.

[MitchS]

You also have to be at the top level menu when you do this. I think. That or I am clumsy.

That is right, chill. Or I'm clumsy, too.