Question About A Flex

[PaulaO2]

Your pressure upon waking will be higher than when you are asleep.

You may also be changing too many variables at once. You changed the beginning pressure as well as started using the A-Flex. Leave everything alone for a few weeks until you can fully tell if it is working. If you keep changing, you'll never know what is working.

I also suggest that now that you are feeling more adept at the machine, that you use one of the software programs and view your data.

[Schnauzers 5]

Oh. How do you know so much? I don't doubt you but how did you know it is higher upon waking? The only place I ever get any info is here. No DME person ever commented on that when I mentioned it. Those guys never say much. They are the most secretive group of people ever. As for software and data, I am not at all knowledgeable about how to even begin to do that. I will change my ramp start back to 7 even though it feels smothering a bit. Then change 16 to 15 because it was 14 and I have gained weight. I am not sure I notice anything much with A flex but if it only helps exhale, I can't see the harm in having it on.

[PaulaO2]

When we are waking up, our breathing changes from our sleeping breathing. This would cause the machine to react and find the right pressure.

Do I know it for a fact? No, not really. I've never had a data capable machine. Others have noted that if they lay in bed and talk a few minutes before getting up, that they have a lot of AHI events. It's not true events, just the breathing pattern as we talk.

It would be interesting though to view the data and see what the machine pressure is the last half hour or so prior to waking.

As for the A-FLex, some people have noted they have higher number of events with it on. Others don't notice a difference in numbers. It truly is just a comfort feature.

If the Ramp starting at 7 feels smothering, use it. I don't use ramp at all anymore because I just could not breathe. I knew I was, I knew I was not truly taking in less air, it just felt like it. I have beaten my claustrophobia but sometimes, it is still there on the edges, ya know?

Changing the topmost number may not make a difference. Do you know someone who is computer savvy? Perhaps they can install the software for you and help you figure out how to view the data.

[mjbearit]

today I had energy and did not nap and got a lot of errand done easily. whooopeeeee.

Now I don't have a data capable machine, but here is what I notice if you don't mind my saying so; a week or two ago you were so down in the dumps and saying how you could hardly move because you were so tired, and now the quote above....HUGE DIFFERENCE! I'm with Paula. Leave things be for a bit and see what happens. Take a week or two to enjoy this new feeling and the reassess whether or not you really feel you need to change anything. When and if you do want to change something, pick one item. Select the humidifier setting, or the AFlex setting, but setting up a machine with no feedback and only the way you feel takes time. Don't rush it or you are going to be going up and down like a yo-yo. Most folks here want their AHI to be as close to 0 as they can get it, and while that is a noble goal, those of us with no data (and since you don't use the data you have, you fall into this catagory too) can only go by how we feel.
I went to bed last night and due to my hip just killing me I was awake by 1:30 AM. So I came out into the living room and performed a little work (I work from home a lot), went back to bed, took some more drugs (pain) and eventually went back to sleep. The surprise was that I slept until sometime around 6:30 AM! Okay, that is really a big accomplishment for me; but the point is that when I woke up I feel great! Now with all that up and down and such throughout the night I bet my numbers would have just sucked if I had a data capable machine, but I felt so good when I woke up and have felt great all day! Okay I did have a 5 minute nap earlier, but I've been chasing grandkids all day... My point is that if you feel good, it is okay to just leave it alone. After all, if you feel okay, you did better than the doctor did!

[Sleepster]

I used my Res Med last night and when I woke I peeked over to see the pressure and it was 15, so I changed it to 16 because if it can be 15 awake it might go up to 16 asleep. Is that bad logic?

Yes.

I weighed less when the other machine was set at 14 for highest.It is set on auto titrating so I thought if I don 't need 16 it won't go that high. I changed settling from 7 to 7.5 because it feels a little too low to start. I also tried the A flex at 2,

Resmed machines don't have A-Flex. PRS1 machines do.

I found the white non washable filter made me hear my breathing in and out so I changed filter to the spongey, one and it is quiet now.

That's just a coincidence. We breathe at different rates. High rates when we're out of breath or anxious, low rates when we're relaxed and rested.

The sponge filter and the white filter are designed to be used together to keep the air clean. Under normal conditions with reasonably clean filters they have no impact on your therapy or the loudness of your breathing.

BTW today I had energy and did not nap and got a lot of errand done easily. whooopeeeee. My humidifier I use on 4 or five. I did not notice any difference when trying A flex awake for a few minutes. but maybe tonight I will.

All A-Flex does is lower the pressure a bit when you exhale.

You are changing things too often.

[Schnauzers 5]

Thank you all for your time and replies. I realize that it takes time to read all my stuff and think about it and then care enough to give such good answers. I feel good just KNOWING now how to change settings even if I don't. Just to read the choices makes me laugh because they , the sleep staff are so secretive and act so all knowing. LOL. I have the key to enter and read choices they wanted me to take time to see the doctor for. It makes me feel powerful in a way, ya know? Funny, just replug machine in and let card stick out in back ( won't work if it is still in ) and hold down two buttons and you're in.

Ok, so I decided I don't like A Flex exactly. I like the steady flow. I like 7.5 to start awake. I even checked my AHIs and they are 1.5 and 1.3 for longer times. I realize I was really complaining about weakness and fatigue. Now without those two drugs in me I feel so much better! No blurry vision and not so weak. Today I was not doing as well. I had cherry juice last night and ate fruits and veggies for dinner and also began on a few good supplements and even probiotics. Welll, it was a bit too much of a good thing and by ( bed at 1:30AM)4AM the urgent bathroom run began. 8AM I was thinking I was going to be housebound all day. No more Ammodium so Pepto Bismal worked after two TBS. Probably dehydrated and not as much sleep made a difference. I gave in at 2:45 and took a nap. For me, it is like going to the movies where I am the star of the movie because I always dream. Kind of fun dreams usually. I think I slept about two and a half hours and the A flex was on #2 then. Oh, and one night I tried the leak alert on, just to see how my pillows fit. How annoying that beep is. BUT no beeps while I slept all night, so my mask must not shift. I know a good torture, as good as water torture......just a nice on off beep every few seconds should drive anybody nuts. LOL Now, if can find a good safe natural diuretic for my swollen ankles, I am on the right track. Thanks again for your care and concern. I will take your advice. It did not fall on deaf ears, or should I say eyes. I hjope this helps others who come here.