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Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
#1
Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Hello...this is new to me. How do you know what to set the max ramp time to? Also, the EPR says, "ramp only". Is this common setting? EPR level is set to off. The only thing the dr.'s office told me was that he wanted me on auto set with a 6-12 range. Can anyone give me advice on the rest? Thanks a lot!
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#2
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
If the EPR is set to "ramp only" that means it is only on when the ramp is on for however long it is on. After that, it is off.

What the ramp does is start at 4 (the min. pressure) and increase up to your lowest pressure, which is 6. Since your lowest is so close, using ramp really wouldn't do you much good.

EPR is the "exhale pressure relief" and it has 3 settings: 1, 2, and 3. Those numbers are the points the pressure drops on exhale. So if your inhale is, say 10, and the EPR is 2, then your exhale is 8.

EPR is a comfort feature primarily. If you feel it is hard for you to breathe out against the pressure when you are falling asleep, then try setting it to 2 first. You may feel, then, that you aren't getting enough air, that you want to rip the mask off and take a breath. In that case, set it to 1. If you still feel that way, turn it back off. Sitting up with the mask and machine on during the day can help to get used to breathing against the pressure.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#3
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Hi G8tr33,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
What Paula said.
Best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy and hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
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#4
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Hi G8tr33
I use Ramp at slightly lower setting than set pressure for 15 minutes, others might don,t use it or even tell others not use it but others are not me. I like Ramp feature as allows starting treatment at lower pressure and pressure slowly increase to the set pressure. There is no such thing as common, everyone is different, matter of trials and errors. What I like, others might hate and vice versa

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#5
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Thanks for all the info! Wow...a little overwhelming! If my inhale is auto 6-12 then it will vary...correct? Would that make it harder to set the EPR? Should I change the setting from ramp only to something else?
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#6
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Ramp is only for when you first turn the machine on. That's the only time it is used. It's purpose is to slowly increase the pressure to get you used to it as you go to sleep.

But since your lower pressure is 6, the ramp is probably not needed. The ramp can't go lower than 4 and it won't go higher than your lowest setting, which is 6. So....not very useful.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#7
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
EPR, however, is for the whole night long. If you look at the EPR settings, you will see, ramp only (which is what it is set on now), something, and full time. The something (which I can't remember the name of) is for after the ramp is off (the opposite of what yours is now). Full time is like it says, the machine is on, so is the EPR.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#8
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
EPR (expiratory pressure relief) explained
http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/html/dev...c=patients

I would not change anything at this stage, follow the doctor recommendation also you have not used the machine yet to figure whats works and what don,t works. Once you clocked heaps of hours on the machine which hopefully you will than you can adjust if adjustment is needed


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#9
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Ok...so here is what I did: mode: autoset, max pressure: 12, min pressure: 6, max ramp 45 min., start pressure: 6 (should this be lower?), EPR: full time, EPR level: 3

Does this all seem ok? unsure of start pressure setting...is this typically lower than bottom number? Would you recommend I change anything? I know I may have to tweak it as I use it.
Thanks for all of the info. I really appreciate you allSmile
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#10
RE: Settings for autset- max ramp, EPR, EPR level
Your settings mean that when you start the S9 it will start applying pressure at 4 cmH2O and gradually increase the pressure to 6 over a 45 minute period. I've never used the AutoSet function but from what I read and have been told the machine will start monitoring your breathing and adjust the pressure up or down depending on what the machine see you doing. In this case the max pressure the machine will go to is 12 cmH2O and the minimum will be 6. I'm not sure what the machine does during the ramp if it detects apnea or hypopnea (plurals?) and has not reached the end of the ramp, my guess is the machine will adjust the pressure up to control the events.

The EPR set to 3 means the exhale pressure will be reduced 3 cmH2O from what the inhale pressure is, so if the machine is feeding you 11 cmH2O on inhale you would have a exhale pressure of 8 cmH2O. Again I'm guessing that if you are at an inhale pressure of 6 the machine would only reduce to 4 as that is the lower limit of the range as I understand it.

The ramp up time is mostly a delay to full pressure so that it is easier for you to go to sleep and the pressure gradually increases. The EPR and the Ramp function is mostly for patient comfort and I would try different setting until you find something you are comfortable with. I would also recommend that you tweak the setting after you have tried the machine for a while.

I have my ramp time set to 5 minutes, it was initially set to 15 minutes but I found it felt like I couldn't breathe for the first 5 minutes of the 15. I also tried it with the ramp off and it felt like I just stuck my head out the car window driving down the freeway when I first started up the machine. I found that the ramp was useful to me and 5 minutes was my magic number and I've been inching the ramp start pressure up gradually. My current settings are Ramp Time 5 minutes, Ramp Start Pressure 7, EPR off, CPAP Pressure 13. I turned the EPR off when I tried a Full Face Mask (FFM) and it felt like the mask was pumping in and out as I was breathing which I found annoying. When I went back to the nasal pillows I forgot to turn EPR back on for a few days and discovered, when I turned it back on, I preferred EPR to be turned off. I think the real trick is not to be afraid to try different settings but you also need to give yourself some time to settle in as well. Some changes you can tell right away are not good (ramp time off for me for example) and other changes or adjustment can take some time to feel out.
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