Help: CPAP Pressure raising too quickly to abnormal level

[Bossnore]

Hi everyone,

I have a ResMed AirSense 10. My settings are set to 5-18.   

Lately my pressure has been skyrocketing to an abnormal pressure just after my ramp time causing me to choke.  I ramp for 5 minutes to about a setting of 5 and then the machine jumps to 14 in a matter of minutes. There is so much pressure my machine sounds like a rocket ship and I can't breath.  Normally I sleep at a range of 7.  Because of this intolerable pressure lately, I have to turn the machine off and start the whole process over again hoping it will resolve itself.  It never does.  I'm getting no sleep.

I'm not falling a sleep causing the to escalate and I don't think it is a mask leaking issue as I have changed masks and still have a problem.  Do I have a faulty machine???  What can cause it to go from 5 to 14 in a few minutes?  Any suggestions on how to fix?  

Thank you in advance!! 

[Sleeprider]

The Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset typically raises pressure as a result of detected flow limitations. We can minimize flow limits by using the exhale pressure relief (EPR) feature or control how high the pressure goes by limiting the maximum pressure. You are using an extremely wide range of pressure and there is clearly an opportunity to optimize your therapy. If you download the free OSCAR software and install it on a PC computer, laptop, Mac or Linux machine, you can use an SD card in your Resmed machine to see very detailed data and learn how to manage this problem.

My suggestion is to first set the minimum pressure to 7.0 and add in EPR full-time at 3. This will result in a bilevel pressure that starts at 7.0/4.0 and goes to 18.0/15.0 (inhale/Exhale). If needed, we can limit the upper bounds of pressure to a more comfortable level. Using OSCAR to help with this optimization would be a very smart idea.

[Bossnore]

Thanks Sleeprider.  I appreciate your advice.  Sadly my EPR is already on and I am not able to adjust my settings to adjust it to 7. Do you think my EPR setting is faulty.  Is there a way to adjust it?  My only options on this feature is On or Off.

[Crimson Nape]

There is a Clinician Menu area that provides all the CPAP's configuration options. It is not readily available without knowing how to access it. For your CPAP, simultaneously press both the Home button (a large rectangular button below the LCD display) and the Selector knob (to the right of the LCD display) for 3 to 5 seconds. You will notice a display change in the LCD. In order to understand the options in this area, I recommend that you read through the following link and request a Clinician's Manual.

How to request a clinician manual: https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p...tup-manual

Good luck!

[SarcasticDave94]

Welcome to the AB forum.

All good advisements already. Request to supply data-check. How to edit pressures-check.

FWIW not to be derogatory, but I'm fighting to get a therapy machine, admitted it's a ventilator, but it has pressure settings up to 50 cmH2O roughly 3.6 times your 14. Will mine go there? No probably not.

I've been there where you are, thinking these pressures are too hard to handle. OK, we're here to help and are in no way attempting to make light of your issues and concerns. See when I attempted to start CPAP, dopey doc is like here's a PAP at 18, use it and if you fail it's your fault. That was in '14 BTW. I didn't have this forum for help, and doc was busy at the bank depositing his boat payments from the patients he wasn't really helping.

Again I sincerely don't want you to be offended, but 14 is light pressure. You aren't used to it. So to speak, step back and get a nice and deep breath. The 2 that posted already have been helping others for some years. I pass on some helpful tidbits and comic relief. So my honest suggestion, and I'm not indicating you're considering quitting, but many that are issued a PAP will soon consider enacting the quit & denial method in a big part due to little to no doctor support. So do the actions suggested. Now we've crossed bridge 1 and are about to cross bridge 2 where your PAP begins being successful and working with and not against you. Next we cross bridge 3 on optimization. And so on, finally crossing the Bridge over Success River. OK with that?

[Sleeprider]

Thanks Sleeprider.  I appreciate your advice.  Sadly my EPR is already on and I am not able to adjust my settings to adjust it to 7. Do you think my EPR setting is faulty.  Is there a way to adjust it?  My only options on this feature is On or Off.

Now you can: https://www.apneaboard.com/resmed-airsen...setup-info

While you're in there, double check whether EPR is set to 1, 2 or 3. I'm suggesting 3.

[Bossnore]

Thanks everyone! Just got into main menu and my EPR is already on level 3 full time.  I tightened up my range a bit as I believe 4 was too low.  I understand 13/14 pressure is not considered high but I guess it is/was for me and my nasal pillows. Can you tell I'm new to this whole CPAP situation? Just put a SD card in to try to get a OSCAR data for tomorrow. Maybe this will help me figure out what is going on. Ugh, this is hard!

[SarcasticDave94]

Try checking the settings for Mask Type. This setting is supposed to configure the PAP to these mask types, but I have heard a few swap settings to see if it helps the delivery feel better. I'm of the opinion to try things to help you with the initial learning curve.

[Bossnore]

Thanks Dave! I will try a diff setting