New mild apnea CPAP user

[Sleeprider]

All of your concerns and discomfort have a solution, but you must understand and control your therapy. While the Autoset is designed to respond to your breathing needs as you sleep, the settings must be optimized to fit your needs. Leaving a machine at the factory defaults is a sure way to fail, and your doctors will not do this for you. Your machine has settings for minimum and maximum pressure, modes that affect the machine's response rate, and an exhale pressure relief (EPR) that can reduce pressure during exhale. Managing pressure and EPR are the keys to minimizing AHI and increasing comfort, including aerophagia which is why your stomach is full of air. It can be done, and we have trained thousands of new users like yourself to manage and optimize their own care. The first step is yours to take. Download the #Sleepyhead software, and learn what settings are currently on your machine.

You can enter the settings mode and record the Mode, Minimum Pressure, Maximum Pressure, and EPR settings so we can help. https://www.apneaboard.com/resmed-airsen...setup-info Take the first step, and we will help you take the next one.

[terriergal]

All of your concerns and discomfort have a solution, but you must understand and control your therapy.  While the Autoset is designed to respond to your breathing needs as you sleep, the settings must be optimized to fit your needs.  Leaving a machine at the factory defaults is a sure way to fail, and your doctors will not do this for you. Your machine has settings for minimum and maximum pressure, modes that affect the machine's response rate,  and an exhale pressure relief (EPR) that can reduce pressure during exhale.  Managing pressure and EPR are the keys to minimizing AHI and increasing comfort, including aerophagia which is why your stomach is full of air.  It can be done, and we have trained thousands of new users like yourself to manage and optimize their own care.  The first step is yours to take.  Download the [url=http://OSCAR Official Download Page ----> CLICK HERE ./]SleepyHead[/url] software, and learn what settings are currently on your machine.  

You can enter the settings mode and record the Mode, Minimum Pressure, Maximum Pressure, and EPR settings so we can help. https://www.apneaboard.com/resmed-airsen...setup-info Take the first step, and we will help you take the next one.

Thanks - we will look into it and see what we come up with.  I think he looked at one program already and maybe we were confused but I hope to get him to join here so he can help me with this and ask questions directly.  It's a busy week though.

I took a nap on my massage table with my mask going down through the face cradle hole. It helped a bit.  I may try sleeping like that the first part of the night at least.  But it makes my face puffy and my nose feels stuffy after a while from the pressure of the face cradle.  We will see.

I did find a Medical And Therapy body positioning system I might try.  It might work better than the massage table for face down resting, also for times when I have a migraine.

[Domino]

I'm terriergal's husband; you didn't say exactly what images you wanted from the SleepyHead software, so I've attached a screenshot of the main stats screen.

Also, here are the requested settings (plus a few) per the admin screen on the device:

Mode: AutoSet for Her
Minimum Pressure: 4.0
Maximum Pressure: 20.0
Start Pressure: 4.0
Ramp Time: Auto
Climate Control: Auto
EPR: Off

[Domino]

Sorry; hit the browser back button and somehow caused a duplicate post...

[mesenteria]

I have the same problem on my end with duplicates when I back-page out, my normal practice.  I have learned to wait a full 8 seconds after each of the back-page stages until I get back to the main forum thread page.  It's a pain, but I'll get instant duplicates, and even got a triplicate a week back, if I don't take a good long pause between clicks.

[Fats Drywaller]

(off-topic) Depending on what browser you use, there's probably an easy way to avoid the back-page bug. Whenever I follow a link from a page that I'll want to return to afterward, I use the browser's "Open page in new tab" and I have the preferences set to always go to a new tab automatically (rather than opening it in the background). When I'm finished on that new page, I close that tab and I'm back where I started. I use Macs, so usually "Open page in new tab" is simply command-click, but in Firefox or any other Mozilla-based browser it can also be done from the contextual menu (right-click or [Mac] ctrl-click, or click-and-hold-for-a-second if you have that enabled), which also has "Open page in background tab". On other OSes the keys are different but the Firefox contextual menu is still there.

[terriergal]

What other screen shots or data do you need from my machine?

[Gideon]

follow the "organize" link in my signature.  And get all the charts on 1 page.  The highlighted charts are the common important ones and we hane been known to ask for others when needed.

Fred

[SarcasticDave94]

Welcome to the forum. I am going to give you some "magic words" that usually work in focusing a physician's attention. They are "abandonment of care" and that is the last thing a physician want to hear, especially if you file a complaint with the state medical board. Another course of action is to speak with your insurance company and ask for their assistance. One call from an insurer sometimes works wonders as they are the ones paying most of the freight.

Might I suggest you download [url=http://OSCAR Official Download Page ----> CLICK HERE ./]SleepyHead[/url] software, install it and learn to use it. By posting your data, forum members can provide specific suggestions based on their experience. Many of our members can give you detailed instructions how to enter the "clinician mode" and change your own settings based upon the data you provide.

Look at the black bar at the top of the page and you can find a "CPAP Setup Manuals" menu item to assist you to download the correct manual to help you change your settings. Follow the instructions for the ResMed A10 (with pictures) link. But, you need a starting point so you may wish to load the software before making any changes to the settings.

Stick with it. Getting the right mast, settings, and acclimating yourself takes time. It is a journey and the key is to view it as a continuing process. Do not give up.

Best of luck. A better sleep tonight makes for a better tomorrow.

I agree, this is a nice attention getter. When they respond, if you do NOT have them yet, get your PSG report(s) and the script then fire them. terriergal welcome to AB and honestly, you DESERVE far better medical care that you've received thus far. Suggest exit stage right sooner rather than later.

[Sleeprider]

Terriergal, the most useful information comes from the daily details tab as described in this link http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ganization

The summary statistics show us your machine is set to the default settings of 4-20 cm with EPR off. Your 90% pressure has been nearly 11cm so the requested chart will show us why the pressure is rising, and the relationship of events. Overall your AHII is low, but you are not comfortable, and in particular you are complaining of air ingestion.

I already know that you will need EPR to be comfortable, and using that feature will also help reduce flow limitation, which is the most likely reason your pressure is rising. I will suggest some new settings based on your results, and what I know has worked for others in your situation. The fact you have an auto CPAP does not mean it does not need to be setup to optimize your therapy, and yours was taken out of the boxand given to you. That isn't much help. Here is how to enter settings mode https://www.apneaboard.com/resmed-airsen...setup-info

I recommend:
Minimum pressure 7.0
Maximum pressure 12.0
EPR On
EPR Full Time
EPR Setting 3
Essentials change from On to Plus to enable more features on the user screen.

These will produce lower pressures than you have been experiencing, and should not increase AHI. The starting inhale pressure is higher, but the exhale pressure is still 4.0 cm and this should help with aerophagia. Give this a try and let me know what yout think, and post a chart when you can.