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CPAP Pressure Set At 6
#1
CPAP Pressure Set At 6
Hello again everyone,

Well i am using my CPAP now for two weeks and having no problems with it as such. I did wake most nights with the feeling that the pressure was quite fast. I was back with my consultant today and he said i did really well on it and there was plenty of data recorded.

As it was on auto pressure of 4-18, these past two weeks, my consultant prescribed a constant pressure of 6 today. He will review me again in three months and told me just keep doing what I'm doing. I sleep with it all night but as i told him i did wake a lot, I use it also if i nap during the day. He said i must remember i am in the early stages of using CPAP and am getting used to it, so it takes time for to feel the full effect, maybe 6-8 weeks.

Is 6 a pressure most people are prescribed? What is the difference between a constant pressure and an auto pressure, how do doctor's decide between constant or auto for treating sleep apnea? Could this pressure of 6 change over time?

Would appreciate any of your thoughts and thanks for all the replies i received from you recently.

Best Wishes
Sweet Birdsong Smile





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#2
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
Well, 6 is my STARTING pressure. When I actually have apneas, it goes up to 10. It all depends on what data you are getting. 6 seems overly low - I can't even breathe with it lower than that, but hey, I'm a newbie and lack a lot of experience for myself much less others.
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#3
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
Besides your consultant telling you that you did really well; did he explain what the data said?

Did he tell you what your 90% pressure was, or what your AHI readings were? Did he give you a breakdown of your apneas?

I can't say why your consultant would put you on a straight pressure of 6. A prescribed pressure is based on your data. That is why it's important for you to download SleepyHead software and take the time to learn what your numbers and pressure readings are. It's hard to advise you on pressure settings without seeing your data.

I will say that I believe your pressure should be set at a range, but a starting pressure of 4 is too low. At 6, you may do a little better, but you need to take charge of your therapy.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#4
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
Yes as the others have indicated, 6 seems to me to be a little low for most people. By setting it at 6, your doc is suggesting that your apneas are controlled 95% of the time at a pressure of 6 or less. Since we really have no statistics for you we can't say that isn't so, but I would be happier if he had left you on a nice tightly controlled range of min 6, maximum 10 for instance.
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#5
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
(05-27-2015, 02:00 PM)OpalRose Wrote: Besides your consultant telling you that you did really well; did he explain what the data said?

Did he tell you what your 90% pressure was, or what your AHI readings were? Did he give you a breakdown of your apneas?

I can't say why your consultant would put you on a straight pressure of 6. A prescribed pressure is based on your data. That is why it's important for you to download SleepyHead software and take the time to learn what your numbers and pressure readings are. It's hard to advise you on pressure settings without seeing your data.

I will say that I believe your pressure should be set at a range, but a starting pressure of 4 is too low. At 6, you may do a little better, but you need to take charge of your therapy.

Hi there and thank you for your reply.

I didn't ask anything about the data, i am sorry now that i didn't but i will make sure next time i ask him. I am going to download sleepyhead, that way i will learn my readings as you say. I did think he said my AHI came down a little. I am with him a long time so if i have a problem i will go back to him.

Is it difficult to download sleepyhead? Now that my CPAP is set on a continuous pressure of 6, will removing the SD card make any difference to the setting? I would imagine the consultant has set the right pressure having looked at my data, that's why i was wondering why some pressures are set at a continuous number and others are set at an auto setting.

I will see how i get on with 6 and thanks again for your thoughts.

Best Wishes
Sweet Birdsong Smile

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#6
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
(05-27-2015, 02:24 PM)Sweet Birdsong Wrote: Is it difficult to download sleepyhead? Now that my CPAP is set on a continuous pressure of 6, will removing the SD card make any difference to the setting? I would imagine the consultant has set the right pressure having looked at my data, that's why i was wondering why some pressures are set at a continuous number and others are set at an auto setting.

No it's not difficult to download or use. Here are some links to get you started.

Sleepyhead Download:
http://www.sleepfiles.com/SH2/?TestingVersions

Sleepyhead Beginner's Guide:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...2#pid73182

SleepyHead Basic Data Interpretation:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...9#pid73189

Good Luck!

Crimson Nape
Apnea Board Moderator
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#7
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
(05-27-2015, 02:11 PM)retired_guy Wrote: Yes as the others have indicated, 6 seems to me to be a little low for most people. By setting it at 6, your doc is suggesting that your apneas are controlled 95% of the time at a pressure of 6 or less. Since we really have no statistics for you we can't say that isn't so, but I would be happier if he had left you on a nice tightly controlled range of min 6, maximum 10 for instance.

Hi there and thanks for your reply,

It maybe he thinks it's enough for now. Next time i see him in August, i will ask about my data. I'm just wondering why a fixed pressure has been set rather than auto. Also most of my events were Hypopnoea's during my sleep study, so that may have something to do with it. During my sleep study i had 4 (1.5) Apnea events hand something like 22 Hypopnoea events. Total AHI was 7.6

I am going to download sleepyhead for me to learn about my readings.
I'm sure he has made his decision to set it at 6 having taken all my data into consideration. Whether this pressure will change over time i don't know, but i will be under review regularly.

Thanks for your thoughts

Best Wishes
Sweet Birdsong Smile
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#8
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
(05-27-2015, 01:59 PM)Mosquitobait Wrote: Well, 6 is my STARTING pressure. When I actually have apneas, it goes up to 10. It all depends on what data you are getting. 6 seems overly low - I can't even breathe with it lower than that, but hey, I'm a newbie and lack a lot of experience for myself much less others.


Hi there,

That's why i was asking the difference between a constant pressure of 6 rather than auto pressure. Maybe some doc's prefer to set at one number.
I don't know much about it either, I too am a newbie! It may well be that i had a lot more Hypopnoea events than i did Apnea events. That might be why it's at a low setting.

Best Wishes
Sweet Birdsong Smile

(05-27-2015, 02:32 PM)sgearhart Wrote:
(05-27-2015, 02:24 PM)Sweet Birdsong Wrote: Is it difficult to download sleepyhead? Now that my CPAP is set on a continuous pressure of 6, will removing the SD card make any difference to the setting? I would imagine the consultant has set the right pressure having looked at my data, that's why i was wondering why some pressures are set at a continuous number and others are set at an auto setting.

No it's not difficult to download or use. Here are some links to get you started.

Sleepyhead Download:
http://www.sleepfiles.com/SH2/?TestingVersions

Sleepyhead Beginner's Guide:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...2#pid73182

SleepyHead Basic Data Interpretation:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...9#pid73189

Good Luck!

Many Thanks for your help.

Best Wishes
Sweet Birdsong Smile
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#9
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
If it works, then that's what you need. I need a min of 8 and my 90% varies from 11-16. I also have large lungs.
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#10
RE: CPAP Pressure Set At 6
(05-27-2015, 03:05 PM)2PAPs Wrote: If it works, then that's what you need. I need a min of 8 and my 90% varies from 11-16. I also have large lungs.

Hi there and thanks for your reply.

Hopefully it'll do the job if not it can always be increased i suppose!

Best Wishes
Sweet Birdsong Smile
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