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Adjusting your own CPAP machine
#31
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-03-2015, 04:33 PM)zonk Wrote:
(11-03-2015, 11:06 AM)jec335 Wrote: There really are many dangers associated with it. What if you increase it too much and cause central apnea to increase? What if you have lung disease or a heart condition? What if you turn it down too much and still have OSA and suffer the consequences of untreated apnea?
First of all, if you've lung or heart disease, you won't hang-out around here, you'll under the care of your physician or/and specialist, and you won't using just CPAP/APAP but rather more sophisticated machine

As for the other two points been raised, no problem with either my 'AutoSet', knows central apnea when see one and doesn't respond with pressure increase . Also, does it all unaided, I only pick a range works for me

Here is a guide may helps choosing the right machine http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_choices
You would be surprised. I would be willing to bet there are people on here that do have heart/ lung disease. Myself included. There is a very large percentage of people with sleep apnea that have cardiac problems. For instance, Afib and OSA are often closely linked.
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#32
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 12:17 PM)stanleydean Wrote: Wow, what an interesting and informative thread! Thank you jec335 for initiating this. I for one will benefit from your postings and from all of the responses. My equipment supplier will not provide any information on changing settings except ramp time settings. With a little digging I was able to find the information. The suppliers resistance to user changes and more so, that of many doctors is, I believe, due to liability concerns.

Again, thanks for starting the discussion and thanks to all who responded. That's what makes this forum so helpful.

Yes, liability is the concern. It is a prescription.
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#33
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 10:50 AM)usertc Wrote: I'm new to an Autopap, which has auto ramping, pressure relief, and automatic climate control for humidity and tube temperature., as well as cellular and wireless service so my data is automatically uploaded to the MyAir site and my dr can look at it and adjust my settings remotely.

I was also told by the supplier how to change certain settings that I could tweak for comfort. I was also given a Resmed pamphlet with my manual with a list of problems and how to change the settings for comfort level.

So some of us that talk about changing settings have been given permission by our drs and instruction to do so. The one thing I do not change is the maximum pressure, but with the autopap, I'm staying well below the maximum anyway.

What do you think of pressure relief?? It drives me crazy.
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#34
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 04:24 PM)jec335 Wrote: What do you think of pressure relief?? It drives me crazy.

I <3 pressure relief!

I (and others) have previously posted links to articles on the correlation of water retention, intra-thoracic pressure, and PEEP or PAP and how it is mitigated by bilevel, and presumably somewhat mitigated by pressure relief. I found that it does help me. I also played until I found the sweet spot for my minimum pressure... by the numbers it looked like that might be 9, but after a month or so at 9, I moved it back down to 8 due to issues with water retention. My sleep doc is cool with my fiddling, as long as I keep him up to date with it.
هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
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#35
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 04:24 PM)jec335 Wrote: What do you think of pressure relief?? It drives me crazy.

I have pressure relief on my hot water heater and I am happy to have it! Oh-jeez Big Grin

Admin Note:
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~ Rest in Peace ~
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#36
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 04:43 PM)DariaVader Wrote:
(11-06-2015, 04:24 PM)jec335 Wrote: What do you think of pressure relief?? It drives me crazy.

I <3 pressure relief!

I (and others) have previously posted links to articles on the correlation of water retention, intra-thoracic pressure, and PEEP or PAP and how it is mitigated by bilevel, and presumably somewhat mitigated by pressure relief. I found that it does help me. I also played until I found the sweet spot for my minimum pressure... by the numbers it looked like that might be 9, but after a month or so at 9, I moved it back down to 8 due to issues with water retention. My sleep doc is cool with my fiddling, as long as I keep him up to date with it.

Pressure relief=cflex, flex in general? Are we on the same page? Usually a comfort setting from 1-3?

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#37
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 05:32 PM)jec335 Wrote: Pressure relief=cflex, flex in general? Are we on the same page? Usually a comfort setting from 1-3?

yeah. EPR for me. The difference was in the lower pressure on exhale. My EPR=3
هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
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#38
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...#pid101860
هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
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#39
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
I'm extremely grateful for the ability to adjust my own machine. Of course, one needs a starting point -- and that's where getting a sleep study or working with someone is a necessary starting point.

After that, I'm a huge proponent of letting people tinker on their own... of course, all at their own risk.

The knowledge, tools, advise, etc., that's available today, can help one greatly in the administration of their CPAP settings.
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#40
RE: Adjusting your own CPAP machine
(11-06-2015, 04:24 PM)jec335 Wrote:
(11-06-2015, 10:50 AM)usertc Wrote: I'm new to an Autopap, which has auto ramping, pressure relief, and automatic climate control for humidity and tube temperature., as well as cellular and wireless service so my data is automatically uploaded to the MyAir site and my dr can look at it and adjust my settings remotely.

I was also told by the supplier how to change certain settings that I could tweak for comfort. I was also given a Resmed pamphlet with my manual with a list of problems and how to change the settings for comfort level.

So some of us that talk about changing settings have been given permission by our drs and instruction to do so. The one thing I do not change is the maximum pressure, but with the autopap, I'm staying well below the maximum anyway.

What do you think of pressure relief?? It drives me crazy.

I don't think I could get used to using a machine without it. I feel very claustrophobic when I try to exhale against the full pressure. I feel fairly comfortable with the pressure relief as long as my minimal pressure is turned up, otherwise I feel like a fish out of water.

I was first diagnosed in 2009 with AHI=39 and had an autopap without pressure relief. I tried for about 6 months to get used to it, but the longer I used it, the worse I felt. I finally gave up and have been noncompliant for 6 years. I've had chronic migraines through most of this and my neurologist finally talked me into trying it again. She said I'll never get the migraines under control until I deal with the OSA. My new sleep study was AHI= 50. I've only had it for a week, so we'll see how it goes. I've been averaging 3 or 4 hours per night on it, but it's been rainout waking me up, so I am fiddling with humidity and temperature settings with my drs permission.
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