[Pressure] What setting to use?

[Sleeper999]

Hello, I'm new here (in Adelaide, Australia) and I've just been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and 8cmH2O is my prescription. My AHI was 80 in the sleep study.

A Resmed Autoset S9 is arriving soon. I thought I'd leave it on the 4-20 default setting but wondered if I should change it to 6-12 or something like that?

Any suggestions?

This looks like a great forum - was pleased to find it. Thanks for any help.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Sleeper999,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
You could start out with 4 to 20 for a few weeks and see where your pressure goes, and after monitoring the data created by your machine, then you could set a range. You can get the data-management software here on the board, either ResScan or Sleepyhead.
hang in there for more suggestions, someone will be by to help soon.
Best of luck with your CPAP therapy.

[DreamDiver]

Sleeper999,

Welcome!

You could set it to straight CPAP as titrated, since that's what you've been prescribed, dial in a preferred EPR and see how that works. This a perfectly good way to start too, and most doctors would probably suggest it. Many of us do much better on straight CPAP with some amount of EPR.

But often, initial titration is only a close guess, and it can help to set the machine to auto mode in order to be sure we're at the right pressure for this particular machine.

As you've already sussed, there's no point in spending any time at 4cm since it's not effective therapy when you're titrated to 8cm. Heck, I might even try 7|11 to begin with if these were my initial titration and machine.

For myself, I'd keep the settings I started with for at least a week so my body can get used to the settings. It helps to have several days of data because it takes time for the body to get used to using the machine. Data can vary on a daily basis depending on what you eat and drink or due to the amount (or lack) of physical activity. Averaging the data from at least a week's worth of sleep sessions at the same settings can give you a better concept of how tuned in your settings are and what direction to go next.

I'm not a doctor, so I can only tell you what I would do in the same situation. My ideas may not work in your situation. That said, welcome, and good luck with your new S9!

[Sleepster]

Hello, I'm new here (in Adelaide, Australia) and I've just been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and 8cmH2O is my prescription. My AHI was 80 in the sleep study.

A Resmed Autoset S9 is arriving soon. I thought I'd leave it on the 4-20 default setting but wondered if I should change it to 6-12 or something like that?

I would start with maybe 6-10. If you find you are having problems adjusting lower it to 6-8. Get the free ResScan software here http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...d=99#pid99 and let us know how you are doing once you get started.

[RonWessels]

I would also set the lower bound pressure to somewhere between 6 and 8. In order to get used to CPAP pressures, I would also set the upper limit pressure to around 10 to 12 or so and see how you perform in that range. If it were me, I would eventually (once I get used to the pressure) increase the upper limit pressure to 20. If you actually need that pressure, there is no reason (once you are used to the pressure) not to let the machine provide it. If you don't need that pressure, the machine should not try to provide it, so the upper limit setting is moot.

[SleepinginAdelaide]

Hi Sleeper999, check your PM box

[PaulaO2]

You do NOT want to start brand new with a wide open machine. You want to limit it until you get used to everything.

Set a tighter range, like others have suggested. Something like 6 - 10 or 12. Or set it to 8 while you adjust. After a month or more of getting used to it and all that joy, THEN start messing with the settings.

Do not make too many changes at once.

You're getting a mask, a machine, changing your routine, your sleeping position, a bunch of other stuff. That's a LOT! So set it to a more general range and adjust to it. Once you decide what pressure to start off with, LEAVE IT ALONE. One night of data or sleep is nothing. Sure, maybe you woke up feeling crappy or you woke up feeling great. That's just one night. Add in that you are brand new at it? Set it and leave it for at least a month or until you feel you can handle all this.

[JudgeMental]

Sleeper999.. You have evidently seen a physician and taken a sleep study, I assume, and have been prescribed a therapeutic pressure setting of 8. Well done so far. Follow your Doctors orders, for starters, and not the advice of well meaning folks on this forum until you understand the ramifications of setting up and changing your own pressure settings. Get your new machine set at the prescribed pressure of 8 and leave it alone for several weeks, at a minimum. Maybe longer. During that time I hope you will start feeling better, more rested, and more knowledgeable about CPAP therapy. You have probably had apnea problems for a long time so trying to cure them (there is no cure) in a short time isn't going to cut. CPAP is therapy, not a cure. You are normally hooked for life. You have just gotten your toes in the water and haven't even gotten your feet wet yet. Keep visiting this fine and informational forum and you will be a "pro" in short order. You might be hard pressed to adjust to the pressure of 8 for awhile (days or maybe weeks), so perhaps learning how to use the "ramp" feature would be very helpful for starters. Good Luck

[zonk]

You could set it to straight CPAP as titrated, since that's what you've been prescribed, dial in a preferred EPR and see how that works.

Agree with DD, might add ... finding the right mask is most important and essential for a good therapy
Also if you,re going to use humidifier, finding what settings works best for you is important too

[Sleeper999]

Thanks very much for the most informative replies - I was amazed at the level of help here and very grateful, including to the person who offered to chat with me over the telephone. Unfortunately I have a hearing problem so am confined to text chat.

I suspect a setting in the range of 6-10 with a ramp time of 20 mins and EPR = 2 (easiest mode) or something close to this will do for starters. If I have a problem I'll move to what the doc. suggested.

My apnea was essentially completely eliminated with a pressure of 8 during the sleep study and it's considered a pretty simple obstructive apnea. I didn't snore before I put some weight on so am looking to use the machine to jump start exercise and lose weight.

I see the doc again in 6 weeks so hope to have lots of good data by then.

I'll let you know how it goes, the machine should be here any day now...