New Aircurve 10 ASV machine - help please

[SarcasticDave94]

My ASV can be set to run a Ramp with an EPAP range from 4.0 to my true Min EPAP of 9.6 if ramp is turned on. I do not use ramp BTW.

[mhehe]

Thank you Dave. I may forgo using the ramp as well.

[mhehe]

Sleeprider, my lower ps value may be 3 instead of the 0 that I had indicated.

[SarcasticDave94]

Background on the ramp for me: I tried it at various length (time) and EPAP settings. I was getting poorer overall AHI and it was delaying the therapy that the ASV offers. The "magic" of the ASV is to have that per breath adjustment via both EPAP and PS ranges to tackle whichever type apnea you are dealing with at that moment.

PS I think it took me a week to feel confident enough to throw out the Ramp altogether.

[Sleeprider]

So many people that use these machines have sleep-onset centrals that using ramp means it's harder to get to sleep. If you can tolerate the pressure, it's best to avoid the ramp and let the machine learn your breathing rhythm as you drift off. If you get a pressure support boost, you probably needed it.

[DeepBreathing]

With the S9 VPAP Adapt (and I assume it's the same with the AirCurve) it's possible to start the EPAP at either 4 (and allow it to ramp up) or at the set EPAP or EPAPMin, depending on the selected mode. I assume if you do this there's effectively no ramp on EPAP but PS ramps up.

However like most people I found it works best with no ramp.

[SarcasticDave94]

I may be proven incorrect, but I think on my ASV 10, there is Ramp time and a beginning pressure setting where it starts. As time passes, it moves the pressure up gradually until time expires, handing control over to the set EPAP Min. FWIW I run mine in ASV Auto. I can verify this for clarification. See next post in a few min.

[SarcasticDave94]

OK. Here's what I verified on my AirCurve 10 ASV Auto: Whatever pressure is entered for the ramp, anywhere from 4.0 to X (where X is equal to your "normal" EPAP Min), this pressure increases as Ramp Time passes. Example: Ramp time of 5 min and starting pressure of 4.0; it will gradually increase from 4 to your EPAP min over that 5 minute time-frame of the ramp, then hand off control to normal operational status.

[mhehe]

As you have all indicated, the user and the machine have to adapt to each other. I have the results of last nights session that went very well. I will post the sleepyhead graphs later on. I was on the mask for 7 1/2 hours and the ahi was 0.13! There was only 1 hypopnea event that occurred because (I think) the ps was 0. I have to use the doctors settings right now and they seem to be right on! The zero ramp was good and I did not feel any discomfort. There was one flow limitation event because of a mask leak but the machine handled it well and there were no events noted in the timeline.

[mhehe]

Except for the 1 hypopnea event.