Newbie Intro

[SarcasticDave94]

Watch for more feedback, but the 4-20 represents default settings. The Doc or whoever is "hoping" the APAP will choose good settings for you. Respironics is known to not be good at this. These DreamStations do need optimized to work or your therapy will not be as good as it can be.

I'd say you will need a minimum of 6 on the low side to prevent air starvation as a normal adult sized person. If you've not done so, mention at least your sleep study numbers to help guide on these pressure settings.

[Sleeprider]

MOST people require about 8 cm to get good therapy. Dave's suggestion of a minimum of 6.0 is very conservative. Choose something in that range, but don't start at 4.0. Be sure to get your setup manual (clinician manual) at the link at the top of the page.

[EngineerBoo]

Well it seems it's "locked" on a 4....I tried pushing the knob to make changes and the only option was the number for the heated tube.  (1-5, I have it on 3)  I wore it for about 20 minutes and didn't feel oxygen deprived but I do live at 7,000 feet so got lots of red blood cells built up.

I guess it changed the pressure starting after 30 minutes but I think I'd rather have it on a certain pressure and just leave it there and try to get to sleep...I know it changing while I'm asleep will probably wake me up.  Should I use the guide and hack into it to set the pressure manually?

[staceyburke]

You can go to YouTube and search for your model and change settings. They have a video for almost any Cpap.

[Sleeprider]

The Philips Dreamstaton is very slow to respond to obstructive events, and requires that the minimum pressure be set near the optimized CPAP pressure. In addition, at 7000 feet, we have seen a lot of members with central apnea issues on CPAP, so it will be interesting to see what you get.

Did you follow this procedure to make setting changes? https://www.apneaboard.com/dreamstation-...structions

[SarcasticDave94]

You do need to access the Clinical Menu to change it from the default settings. The instructions Sleeprider has linked will provide the info on changing pressure settings, etc.

[EngineerBoo]

Thanks...I tried it on 4 for a short while then went ahead and got into the menu and changed the defaults from 4-20 to 6-15. (When I did the mask fit test, it got up to 20 which was way too much for me.)

Notes from my very first night wearing the mask and using a machine for the very first time (I didn't get hooked up during my sleep study):

The mask is great but the breathing noise reminded me of when I scuba dove and you can hear every breath...wasn't sure I'd be able to fall asleep and found myself taking very deep breathes which helped relax me. I turned on our air filter in the room which helped diminish the breathing sound. The machine is so quiet I wasn't sure it was actually on until air started blowing out of the mask.

I think I slept for about 2 hours after dozing off and then I think a pressure change woke me up. It was just after midnight and I was pretty awake so decided to take the mask off and get to sleep, had to get up at 5:30 for work today.

So my results on the app are mask fit 99%, usage 3.03 hrs, AHI 3.3, Avg CPAP pressure 6.6, 90% pressure 8.0. It does have a few other things like total hypopneas 6, Total obstructive apneas 1, and it says Ramp off. I saw the ramp button but it doesn't do anything, should I go into the menu and turn that on? I'm not sure if the changing pressure while asleep will keep waking me up....I may have to just set it to something and leave it like that all night (like the old machines did, I'm told.)

[Sleeprider]

I think you will significantly improve your therapy by setting the minimum pressure to 8.0 (your 90% pressure). This will reduce the pressure fluctuations and put you closer to your effective therapy pressure. A pressure of 8.0 is perhaps the most common pressure I see, and I'm sure you will find it more comfortable.

[EngineerBoo]

I think you will significantly improve your therapy by setting the minimum pressure to 8.0 (your 90% pressure).  This will reduce the pressure fluctuations and put you closer to your effective therapy pressure.  A pressure of 8.0 is perhaps the most common pressure I see, and I'm sure you will find it more comfortable.

Wow I never thought of that....I will do that tonight!  Even though I only used it for 3 hours, I feel more rested today....a little excited about that.

Do I need to turn on the "ramp" setting?

[Sleeprider]

Only use ramp if you don't tolerate the minimum pressure. Most of us that are experienced with PAP do not use ramp. You will have a better mask fit and adapt to pressure faster without it.