06-28-2018, 06:11 AM
Woken by pressure oscillations
Hi there,
I'm a newbie using the Weinmann/Lowenstein Soft Prism. My machine was set up with pressure 4 - 20. I wake up with leaks and the machine oscillating between 7 and 5 or sometimes 10 - 6 ish . It sounds like its revving up and down and pressure is building and then dropping suddenly in the face mask. It wakes me up.
I'd like to know if this is a normal part of the therapy (I can't imagine it is). What is the machine trying to do? All I can do is turn off the machine and start again from soft start lower pressure.
Any help appreciated.
RE: Woken by pressure oscillations
muscatsleeper,
Welcome to Apnea Board!
Your machine settings of 4-20 are default settings and not optimal for most folk.
A minimum pressure of 4 is often too low and can give you a feeling of being air starved.
Move it up to at least 6cm for now.
You can find software for your Cpap in the Private Files and Links Forum. Download it and use the Attachment feature to post your data here. (see my signature line)
We can better advise once we see what is going on.
RE: Woken by pressure oscillations
06-28-2018, 03:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2018, 03:11 PM by Sleep2Snore.)
RE: Woken by pressure oscillations
Hi Muscatsleeper,
Welcome to Apnea Board!
Trouble with a machine set to 4 to 20 (this is someone not doing their job) is it can hunt for the right pressure and it you put leaks into the equation it can make things worse. So can some things you do when you sleep, some machines can pulse if you have a clear airway event or stop breathing, this is an attempt to start you breathing on your own again, however, I do not know your machine and don't know what its software tells it what to do. I would at least put the low pressure at least to 6 if not 7 but you need to try to get the leaks down a bit, making the mask tighter is not usually the answer. Put it on just tigt enough to stop leaks, start machine (there might be a mask test function) and adjust it so the leaks stop. During the night it might loosen off, but just tighten it just enough to stop the leaks again.
Leaving the high pressure at 20 should be fine, unless it is going to 20, then you have a problem of some kind.
I am NOT a doctor. I try to help, but do not take what I say as medical advice.
Every journey, however large or small starts with the first step.
RE: Woken by pressure oscillations
Seems upping the pressure to min 6 worked a treat. Mask also fits better now. Many thanks