(12-27-2013, 01:59 PM)JimZZZ Wrote: (12-27-2013, 10:09 AM)me50 Wrote: How long have you used the auto set at 6 to 16?
me50,
I had the AutoSet at 4/16 for a couple of weeks but would wake up when the presssure moved up from 4 to a higher level. I reasoned that a narrower range (6/16) would lessen the disruption.
It worked! Last night was the first time I had it set at 6/16 and I slept much better. So, I'm wondering if reducing the range to 8/16 would be optimal. Since I'm averaging 9.11 it would seem that 8.0 would not be too high.
I feel unqualified to make these changes so am seeking opinions from more experienced users. Thank you for responding.
Hi JimZZZ,
Because the ResMed AutoSet algorithm always slowly seeks to return to its minimum setting, I think it is usually not good to have the minimum pressure be way too low, like more than 6 lower than the 95% pressure.
I think most who use APAP machines and are closely involved in their therapy prefer their minimum pressure to be set somewhere between 2 to 6 lower than their 95 percentile pressure. A few have reported they feel best (less daytime sleepiness) when their minimum pressure is close to (or even slightly above) where their 95% pressure used to be (when their minimum pressure had previously been set much lower).
If your present minimum pressure setting of 6 is not bothersome to you by being too low (personally, even after just a month of therapy, I would have felt slightly smothered by a low pressure like 6, like I was needing to work a little too hard to take in a breath), then keeping the minimum at 6 for another week or two may be a good idea.
But keep in mind that, on an AutoPAP machine, the setting for minimum pressure is more often than not just a comfort setting which can be raised if a higher minimum would be more comfortable. (That is, unless your individual data shows that central apneas start occurring mostly during the times when the pressure is higher than your median pressure, or something like that.)
Take care,
--- Vaughn
The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies. Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.