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Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
#1
Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
Hi, I'm new here. Found this forum [which looks to be a wonderful resource] while trying to find out about CPAP pressure.

I have had a loan Resmed 10 for a week. After the first night Mrs H complained about the noise and I was surprised - The pump is inaudible and the exhaust virtually so. It was only last night, banished to the spare room, I realised how the noise is generated. While awake the pressure remains static @ 4 cm. At that pressure opening the mouth merely causes a quiet, controlled discharge of air, but it is set to auto ramp up when sleep is sensed. When it gets near 10 cm the pressure overwhelms my throat muscles and forces air out of my mouth noisily if my lips aren't firmly shut. Obviously I have a nasal mask. Smile At 3 am I did a search and found how to limit the upper pressure to 9 cm and had a bit more sleep.

My question: Is this a good idea and am I disabling CPAP benefits?

Can physio strengthen muscles and diet reduce the flab and the need for CPAP? I'm 70+ BTW about 95 kgs so overweight but not obese.
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#2
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
(07-05-2015, 09:30 PM)Hanrahan Wrote: My question: Is this a good idea and am I disabling CPAP benefits?

Can physio strengthen muscles and diet reduce the flab and the need for CPAP? I'm 70+ BTW about 95 kgs so overweight but not obese.
First of all, whats the model of the machine
[Image: ResMed-AirSense-10.png]
[should say "AutoSet, AutoSet for Her, Elite or CPAP"]

I think, anything you do that can improve compliance and keep using the machine is a good idea
Run the "mask fit" feature, so you can adjust mask fit at set pressure, not at Ramp starting pressure

Chinstrap is a good idea, helps mouth closed and lessen mouth leaks, important when using nasal or nasal pillows mask

Eating healthy foods and doing the right thing is beneficial to your health and well being, but not a cure

Good luck and most important, keeping Mrs H happy
Happy wife, happy life




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#3
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure


It is the "Autoset" and the mask fits well.

I was avoiding the full-face mask, so what does the chin strap look like?
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#4
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
(07-05-2015, 10:58 PM)Hanrahan Wrote: It is the "Autoset" and the mask fits well.

I was avoiding the full-face mask, so what does the chin strap look like?

Hi Hanrahan:

I too am a mouth breather and have tried several chin straps. Finally after trying quite a few I settled on the ResMed "Chin Restraint". It'd small, lightweight and easily adjusted.
You want to be careful and not have it too tight, just enough to hold your mouth closed.
Good Luck and don't give up.
Bompa
Please Take Care, Stay Safe and follow the guidelines to Stay Healthy!  Coffee
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#5
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
Hi Hanrahan,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Sometimes people feel the need to set pressure up a bit if they feel like they can't get enough air and you might try a chinstrap and see if that helps you to keep your mouth closed.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
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#6
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
Yes, you are losing some benefits. How much depends on what your sleep study titration says about such things as events and oxygen levels.

What you need is a chin strap. You can buy one or make a homemade version - just google homemade chin strap. I made a chin strap for my brother using flannel. It worked quite well, but was too hot these last couple of weeks. Now that we have the a/c on, he's comfortable again.

Don't forget to look at videos for homemade chin straps, which will come up when you google. I'm sure the commercial ones are great, and they are covered by Medicare, but bro chose to go back to a full face mask due to the high pressure he uses, so we didn't get that far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkByHPBPwXc
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#7
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
Don't be afraid to change your own pressure. Even though the evil DME will sternly warn you in their documentation not to. For example this is from paperwork my DME gave me: "The level of air pressure you require is commonly determined in your sleep study and then prescribed by your physician. It may not be changed without their permission." Yeah well, oops. I changed mine without their permission. Someone call the PAP po po. You should know the reason why you are changing it though that's a given.
Using FlashAir W-03 SD card in machine. You can download your data through wifi with FlashPAP or Sleep Master utilities.

I wanted to learn Binary so I enrolled in Binary 101. I seemed to have missed the first four courses. Big Grinnie

Stick it to the man, Download OSCAR and take back control of your data!

Thanks Ian. Like I didn't have enough Honey-Do projects to tackle. Mornincoffee
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#8
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
Pretty much everyone in authority looks the other way.

Its essentially a disclaimer; something legal makes them do. If you leave a rope dangling from a branch on a tree in your yard, and someone climbs that rope, even without permission to be on your properly, and falls, guess who gets sued?

But few are so militant as to have an issue when you change your own pressure, as long as you convince them that you know what you are doing. "I was thinking I might change my pressure from 7 to 19, just for giggles" does not instill confidence. "I changed my minimum pressure from 7 to 10 because I was still getting obstructives when the pressure was low and now my AHI went from 8 down to 2" probably would go over just a little better.
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#9
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
(07-07-2015, 07:21 PM)TyroneShoes Wrote: Pretty much everyone in authority looks the other way.

Its essentially a disclaimer; something legal makes them do. If you leave a rope dangling from a branch on a tree in your yard, and someone climbs that rope, even without permission to be on your properly, and falls, guess who gets sued?

But few are so militant as to have an issue when you change your own pressure, as long as you convince them that you know what you are doing. "I was thinking I might change my pressure from 7 to 19, just for giggles" does not instill confidence. "I changed my minimum pressure from 7 to 10 because I was still getting obstructives when the pressure was low and now my AHI went from 8 down to 2" probably would go over just a little better.

I need a way to "like" this post.

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#10
RE: Adjusting Your Own CPAP Pressure
I think that you just found it!!

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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