low pressure

[Jeff S]

Hi! I use a REMstar auto with a-flex. Two years ago, I received the manual from this site. My sleep study said I needed a 12 pressure. I found that running the machine at 14 on straight cpap worked best for me. After one year, the machine began to beep to signal a malfunction. My provider gave me another machine of the same type (which I believe was a rebuilt model). Suddenly, I subjectively feel the pressure to be low. My wind pipe still feels stented by the air, and I sleep well (before CPAP I needed to go to the bathroom every 4o minutes!). I have no idea if I am having apneas or not. Should I: a. leave well enough alone b. raise the pressure and see what happens or c. have the machine serviced.
Is it normal for this machine to go bad in a year? Thanks!

[zonk]

You can check the AHI on the machine screen and if the machine is Phillips Respironics System One Auto ...you can use SleepyHead software
Rather than guessing what the pressure ought to be...just run the machine on auto for while. Welcome to the forum

[Jeff S]

Thanks! Can I assume the pressure on the screen is accurate for WHAT IS rather than for what it has been set for?

[zonk]

You need a manometer to check the accuracy of the pressure
Your provider can check for you or you can build your own water manometer
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...=Manometer

[trish6hundred]

Hi Jeff S, WELCOME! to the forum,! and keep checking back in for more suggestions. Best of luck on getting this problem straightened out.

[JudgeMental]

If you are uncomfortable in believing the pressure reading on the machine, then drop by your DME with the machine and let then run a quick "manometer" test. That will give you the "exact" pressure that the machine is producing. You can easily make your own manometer at home with some tubing. Google "how to make a manometer".

[jfmusil]

If they gave you a machine they set it back to the original pressure. Check the pressure setting.

[PaulaO2]

Since you have an autoPAP, the pressure you feel when you are awake will feel less than what you get during therapy unless they for some silly reason have it set for 'straight' CPAP vs APAP mode. When you are awake, you are breathing just fine so you don't need much pressure.