Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
New to this forum and needd guidance on how to adjust the pressure on my DeVilbiss IntelliPAP AutoAdjust machine as I am traveling to Peru in a few days and will be sleeping at altitudes over 11,000 feet (currently live at sea level). My machine is now set at 6 and I believe this is the top of the range. I don't have time to go to doctor and get prescription to change setting then go to the clinician to have it changed. I have requested the manual online thru Apnea Board but am afraid it won't come in time. Can anyone suggest how to adjust settings (and what I should adjust to) should I have issues breathing on my trip? Thanks so much for your assistance!
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
(09-07-2013, 08:34 AM)Kaycee1A Wrote: New to this forum and needd guidance on how to adjust the pressure on my DeVilbiss IntelliPAP AutoAdjust machine as I am traveling to Peru in a few days and will be sleeping at altitudes over 11,000 feet (currently live at sea level). My machine is now set at 6 and I believe this is the top of the range. I don't have time to go to doctor and get prescription to change setting then go to the clinician to have it changed. I have requested the manual online thru Apnea Board but am afraid it won't come in time. Can anyone suggest how to adjust settings (and what I should adjust to) should I have issues breathing on my trip? Thanks so much for your assistance!
Can you call your respiratory therapist and have them walk you through the process? I am not familiar with your machine so I don't know how to tell you how to adjust it.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
Thanks but I already called and they need a doctor's prescription before they will do this and I can't get into the dr before I leave on my trip next week. I guess I should have thought of this sooner.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
Hi Kaycee1A,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more responses to your post and have a nice trip.
trish6hundred
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
I did some digging on the Internet and came up with this table showing absolute atmospheric pressure as a function of altitude.
Source:
Engineering Toolbox
![[Image: PressureVsAltitude_zps3b5b300f.png]](http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii255/cbramsey5898/PressureVsAltitude_zps3b5b300f.png)
It shows the standard absolute atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7 psia ( 0 psig) and is 10.1 psia ( -4.6 psig) at 10,000 ft, a decrease of a little over 31 percent.
Personally, I think you would need to tweak your machine's settings, but don't know how much.
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.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
Thanks Cbramsey for the detailed research! I'm thinking I do need to up the pressure a bit - hopefully I can figure out how to "crack" the secret code on my machine to do this if needed! I am a bit freaked out by all the high altitude stories I'm reading on the net and then add the sleep apnea issue to this!
Thanks again,
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
You have an autoPAP. When you get into the settings, rather than simply guess at where to put it, put it in auto mode with a wide-ish range. I would say 6-10.
Most modern CPAPs auto adjust for high altitudes for up to, I think, 8.5K feet. The user doesn't need to do anything. Higher than that, though, and the dreaded Math is needed.
I searched the forum and found some other threads that discuss this. One said to increase the pressure by .6 for every 1500 feet. I would assume it is for anything over 8.5K.
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...9#pid35669
I would wonder if such a small increase is necessary or worth the worry before hand.
At any rate, if you requested the manual from this board, you should get it relatively quickly.
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
I would put your machine into auto mode (if it isn't already) and give it a range to work in. Your profile says you are on a pressure of 6, so I would agree with Paulo and go for 6 - 10.
I would leave it in this mode even when you get home.
If you have the software etc - monitor it while on your trip and increase it if you have to.
Have a great time! = Green with envy
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
Thanks everyone. I already received the manual (wow! fast service!) and will enlist my engineer hubby to help me figure out the adjustment - I'm going with the suggested range of 6 - 10 as I do have the auto adjust and it's been tested to 9K feet. Appreciate everyones quick responses!!! Machu Picchu here I come!!!
RE: Going to High Altitude - Do I need to adjust cpap?
Be sure to take plenty of pics!!!!!
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.
