SO Glad I Insisted on Auto

[Hydrangea]

With having no support from my sleep dr, but feeling air-starved by the fixed Rx of 5 that he insisted was all I needed (since it manipulated the numbers well enough for him to get paid by insurance)... I am SO glad to be able to let the (auto) machine do the work, to tell me what pressure my body is actually needing. 

I know that with the expert wisdom and help on this board, I could have slowly titrated myself up to figure out what is my ideal pressure. But that would've been more tedious and time-consuming than I prefer.

Every time I look at this screen on my machine, I think of how dismissive my dr was when I told him I felt I needed a higher pressure than 5.  And I think of how HAPPY I am to have an Auto that DOES listen to how I'm feeling. <3 

[OpalRose]

Unfortunately, for alot of new folk, they don't find us on Apnea Board until after they've been unknowingly handed a cpap or a brick and sent home with no instruction.    

It's very frustrating that Doctor's and DME's don't or won't take a more proactive role in a patients therapy.

[MitchS]

Congratulations on your good results. Like you, my cpap pressure was set 3cm lower than the optimal pressure. Have you been using Opti-Start?

[RichardVT]

I also realized after the first day of therapy that my prescribed pressure range of 5-20 cmH20 was not enough when my throat would close in certain positions while trying to get to sleep. I am now at 17.2 -18.6 after tweaking a number of times since I began last September.

With the latest tweak, I think I have had one hypopnia in over ten days and that looked like it occurred while I was rolling over in bed. I do get a couple of partial obstructions and a couple of centrals, however, my AHI is typically around .3 now.

[Wrz77]

It was too late for me when I learned about auto. Already had my fixed pressure machine. But at least I didn't get a brick.

But I think there is a way to at least use APAP mode on a fixed pressure DreamStation Pro - Using the A-Trial feature and resetting the number of days BEFORE using 30 days so that it never runs out and hits the usage limit.

I've had consistent 0.x - 1.5 AHIs with variable pressure and I hope to be able to continue to use A-Trial. My machine doesn't display the '90% Pressure' screen though -- but I can still view that in SleepyHead at least.

[Hydrangea]

Unfortunately, for alot of new folk, they don't find us on Apnea Board until after they've been unknowingly handed a cpap or a brick and sent home with no instruction.    

It's very frustrating that Doctor's and DME's don't or won't take a more proactive role in a patients therapy.

I totally agree. It must be just too much of a money-making opportunity.  :-/

Congratulations on your good results. Like you, my cpap pressure was set 3cm lower than the optimal pressure. Have you been using Opti-Start?

I recently turned that on. I haven't noticed any difference. (Although I now have my min at 7, so maybe that's why I don't notice, since my 90% is 8.) But I figure if it *can* be smart and helpful, why not let it!

I also realized after the first day of therapy that my prescribed pressure range of 5-20 cmH20 was not enough when my throat would close in certain positions while trying to get to sleep.  I am now at 17.2 -18.6 after tweaking a number of times since I began last September.

With the latest tweak, I think I have had one hypopnia in over ten days and that looked like it occurred while I was rolling over in bed. I do get a couple of partial obstructions and a couple of centrals, however, my AHI is typically around .3 now.

What great success!!!!

I have my min at 7 right now. A couple times a week, I feel my throat closing as I fall asleep. (Pre-CPAP, that happened multiple tikes each night while trying to fall asleep.) But I don't think I should raise my min if my 90% is 8. But hey, I'm happy with it only happening a couple times a week now.

My machine doesn't display the '90% Pressure' screen though -- but I can still view that in SleepyHead at least.

When I requested the Auto at my CPAP follow-up appt with my dr DME, he said no and he could just put my DreamStation Pro in a trial mode of Auto. I asked him since he felt that was worth a try, why wouldn't he just let me have an Auto. (That's when I realized why your sleep dr shouldn't be your DME.) His note taking person told me (when he had left the room so I turned to her and asked what his game is) it was all about the money. Blech.

The 90% screen isn't on my machine, unless I go into the clinician settings. How about yours? Can you see it in the clinician one, if you have it in Auto mode?

[Wrz77]

When I requested the Auto at my CPAP follow-up appt with my dr DME, he said no and he could just put my DreamStation Pro in a trial mode of Auto.  I asked him since he felt that was worth a try, why wouldn't he just let me have an Auto.  (That's when I realized why your sleep dr shouldn't be your DME.)  His note taking person told me (when he had left the room so I turned to her and asked what his game is) it was all about the money. Blech.

The 90% screen isn't on my machine, unless I go into the clinician settings. How about yours?  Can you see it in the clinician one, if you have it in Auto mode?

Nah it's not there either.

In my case the doctor and DME were not affiliated or owned by the same facility. The sleep study and his office was in the same place though. Just before my initial sleep study I was given a paper that listed about 10 different DME vendors to choose from.