S9 AutoSet - Faulty Machine OR Operator Faulty ?

[RogerS]

Thank you Gentlemen, what would we do without a Forum like this!

This is where I'm at:- autostart (smart start) is now Off. The Ramp has been reduced to 10 mins and may soon go to 5. My EPR is set at 3 and I now know it won't operate until the Ramp hit 7 (I'll try to reduce EPR to 2). My Ramp starts at 4.8 and I have a min pressure of 5.8 with a max of just 10 (yes I know that's pretty low).

To switch off or not switch off when getting up in the that is the question. Well, as I sleep alone (sad isn't it) I am going to try just leaving the thing on and hence avoiding any ramp effect.

I'm sure this must have been covered in another thread but I have found leaving the machine to choose it's own high level of pressure brings me problems. If I move to a difficult position the pressure goes up and I am forced awake by that. At a lower setting nearly all my apnoea events are eliminated and I have a better night.

thanks Roger

[retired_guy]

Your sidebar shows you have a set cpap pressure of 9. Is that still correct? If so, the max ramp of 10 won't do anything. But the more important question is are you receiving proper therapy at 9? What is your ahi experience at this time?

You're doing well with modest modifications to your settings. The key to success is to make small changes and that's what you're doing. That said, if it were my cute little machine I would be teaching it the virtues of a small range of pressures. Something like a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 11 for instance. You're right that a wide range can create problems, but it's also true that a nice narrow focus of min/max pressures can maximize therapy. So it's all about avoiding one extreme or the other.

I also believe you will be a happier camper once you eliminate the ramp feature altogether, and just turn the machine on when you mask up, and off when you take the mask off. That's really a nice and simple way to live.

There are those that disagree, and point out that everyone's different. But I'm not different. I'm the same.

[surferdude2]

I'm sure this must have been covered in another thread but I have found leaving the machine to choose it's own high level of pressure brings me problems. If I move to a difficult position the pressure goes up and I am forced awake by that. At a lower setting nearly all my apnoea events are eliminated and I have a better night.

thanks Roger

It has been postulated several times but it bears repeating since new users show up all the time. Depending on how long the events last, sometimes it's better to endure the event than to endure the pressure needed to prevent it since the pressure sticks around long after the event is forgotten. There are also circumstances where the autoset feature goes higher than necessary and actually rouses a sleeper that otherwise would have rode out the limitation without having been flagged with an event. All that applies mostly when first starting treatment since the pressure doesn't tend to bother old time users.

It's good to hear that you're doing well and on your way to mastering this sometimes tricky therapy.

Best regards,

Dude

[BigEars]

Thank you Gentlemen, what would we do without a Forum like this!

This is where I'm at:- autostart (smart start) is now Off. The Ramp has been reduced to 10 mins and may soon go to 5. My EPR is set at 3 and I now know it won't operate until the Ramp hit 7 (I'll try to reduce EPR to 2). My Ramp starts at 4.8 and I have a min pressure of 5.8 with a max of just 10 (yes I know that's pretty low).

To switch off or not switch off when getting up in the that is the question. Well, as I sleep alone (sad isn't it) I am going to try just leaving the thing on and hence avoiding any ramp effect.

I'm sure this must have been covered in another thread but I have found leaving the machine to choose it's own high level of pressure brings me problems. If I move to a difficult position the pressure goes up and I am forced awake by that. At a lower setting nearly all my apnoea events are eliminated and I have a better night.

thanks Roger

You may find leaving the machine to blow will prove uncomfortable when you refit tge mask. If so, try shortening the ramp to 5mins, that way you'll be back at treatment pressure almost at the same time as you fall asleep. I found this worked very well for me.

[Crimson Nape]

My EPR is set at 3 and I now know it won't operate until the Ramp hit 7 (I'll try to reduce EPR to 2). My Ramp starts at 4.8 and I have a min pressure of 5.8 with a max of just 10 (yes I know that's pretty low).

If you are still having problems, consider turning off the EPR. The EPR caused problems for me because my airway would close on exhale due to the pressure drop. It seems I need the back pressure to keep it open. Also, my numbers dropped just by turning it off.