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[Pressure] Air Push Frequency Problem w/ Respironics machine - Printable Version

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Air Push Frequency Problem w/ Respironics machine - richarddoss - 09-02-2013

I changed the humidity level on my CPAP machine and must have inadvertently changed another setting. Now, the frequency with which the machine pushes are increased so that it pushes air at least twice between each breath I take. this made it nearly impossible to get to sleep. What setting do I need to reset in order to to decrease the frequency of air being pushed by the machine (not the volume of air as I know how to set that)? Thanks.


RE: Air Push Frequency Problem - PaulaO2 - 09-02-2013

Not quite sure what you mean. I am going to change your subject line so Respironics users will see this.


RE: Air Push Frequency Problem w/ Respironics machine - trish6hundred - 09-02-2013

Hi richard,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more responses to your post.


RE: Air Push Frequency Problem w/ Respironics machine - jgjones1972 - 09-02-2013

I'm thinking the problem could be that you accidentally turned C-Flex on. This is assuming that it was off to begin with. This is just a guess. Do you know if it was turned on to begin with and can you check to see if it is turned on now?


RE: Air Push Frequency Problem w/ Respironics machine - vsheline - 09-02-2013

(09-02-2013, 02:13 PM)richarddoss Wrote: I changed the humidity level on my CPAP machine and must have inadvertently changed another setting. Now, the frequency with which the machine pushes are increased so that it pushes air at least twice between each breath I take. this made it nearly impossible to get to sleep. What setting do I need to reset in order to to decrease the frequency of air being pushed by the machine (not the volume of air as I know how to set that)? Thanks.

Hi richarddoss, welcome to the forum!

Perhaps you turned on Flex (C-Flex or A-Flex or whatever it is called on your machine). Flex can be set from zero (off) to 3.

The higher the Flex setting, the more the machine lowers the pressure during the early portion of exhalation. The pressure quickly returns to full pressure before we are finished exhaling. At first it feels like we are only half-way through exhalation when the pressure rises, as if the machine were trying to make us inhale too soon. Later, we get used to it and it doesn't bother us.

Flex can be terribly annoying at first, so I think it is best to start with Flex setting of 1, increasing 1 step at a time after we have become accustomed to it. Although the pressure relief is only during a portion of our exhalation, it can help make exhaling easier and can reduce leaks and can reduce the amount of air we swallow.

After treatment on ResMed machines for several years, I had a follow-up titration which used Respironics equipment. I had been used to Exhalation Pressure Relief (EPR) on ResMed machines. EPR does not return to full pressure until after inhalation actually starts. EPR is much more comfortable than Flex. Flex drove me crazy. I absolutely hated that Flex was turned on and demanded that it be turned off so I could get to sleep.

Actually, Respironics had a good reason to design Flex the way it did (returning to full pressure before we have finished exhaling). Apneas are most likely to start immediately after the end of exhalation, and because Flex returns to full pressure before we have stopped exhaling, using Flex does not increase the likelihood of having an apnea.

Although ResMed's EPR is more comfortable, with EPR the pressure remains low at very vulnerable times (end of exhalation and early start of inhalation). EPR can increase the number of apneas we have, unless we are using an auto-adjusting "APAP" model. (An APAP machine with ResMed EPR will sense obstructive events and will automatically adjust the pressure to whatever is needed, automatically compensating for however much EPR is being used, just like it is compensating for changes in sleep position, stage of sleep, etc.)

I think most people consider ResMed EPR a feature which can be adjusted purely for best comfort, even on CPAP machines, but some sleep doctors don't trust EPR and keep the feature disabled. Personally, if I were using EPR on a CPAP model rather than on an APAP model, I would increase the CPAP pressure setting to compensate for the amount of EPR being used.

Take care,
--- Vaughn




RE: Air Push Frequency Problem w/ Respironics machine - Sleepster - 09-02-2013

(09-02-2013, 02:13 PM)richarddoss Wrote: I changed the humidity level on my CPAP machine and must have inadvertently changed another setting. Now, the frequency with which the machine pushes are increased so that it pushes air at least twice between each breath I take.

I see from your profile that you're using a Respironics machine. But which one? Did you change the flex setting?

Quote:What setting do I need to reset in order to to decrease the frequency of air being pushed by the machine (not the volume of air as I know how to set that)? Thanks.

You know how to set the volume?! Are you referring to the pressure setting?