What happens if you change the pressure on your own?

Guest 22 · Post by **Guest 22** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:59 pm

Changing the pressure from what is prescribed are there any physical consequences that anyone has experienced?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:06 pm

YES!!!

I got BETTER therapy at lower settings.

My sleep doctor prescribed a pressure of 18 cm. I reset my pressure to 10 cm. after less than an hour at 18. Have had an average AHI of less than 1.0 for the last 17 months.

Den

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:08 pm

Oh, I meant I upped it. The prescribed pressure was 8, i changed it to 12. I tried 9, 10, 11. It seemed like I wasnt getting any benefit.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:08 pm

You can blow yourself up!

Just kidding.

Actually, you can incerase the apnea problem by inducing what are known as central apneas ... where your lungs do not exhale. You can also induce air to go down into your stomach which gives you unpleasant gas.

- roberto

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:09 pm

YES!

Went from 7 to 9. Stopped snoring and AHI went down!

Brenda

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:14 pm

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I meant I upped it. The prescribed pressure was 8, i changed it to 12. I tried 9, 10, 11. It seemed like I wasnt getting any benefit.

Have you ever seen your sleep study report?
Did you have any central apneas?
For a lot of us, a pressure of 8 might be a LITTLE low, but it needs to be whatever it takes to keep your airway open.
Not everyone will get central apneas at higher pressure, but it DOES happen to some.
Could you please tell us some more about your therapy.....what you're using, how you're monitoring it.....mask, etc., etc.

Best wishes,

Den

Mile High Sleeper · Post by **Mile High Sleeper** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:17 pm

See http://smart-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/2 ... tings.html

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:23 pm

The nutshell version:
Yes, a pressure that is set too high can possibly make your OSA worse than if you had no CPAP at all.
If you are concerned about your treatment talk to either your doctor or at the very least your DME company. Both should have several options available to safely and effectively optimize your treatment.

Those options could include but aren't limited to:
You may not need to be changed at all - some peoples pressure needs change - others do not.
If your machine is capable of storing data that may need to be read
If your machine does not store data your DME may loan you one for a time based on your request or the may need your MD to request it
Your MD or DME may put you on an APAP for a period of a week or a month or more to see if your pressure needs have changed.
Your MD may want you to go in for a new sleep study if your previous one was a very long time ago or if there are other potential medical factors.

Guest 22 · Post by **Guest 22** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:37 pm

I have remstar pro, my AHI is 8.4. My first sleep study was 2 weeks ago, they called and left a message, and the dme was here within days with the machine and a mask. No discussion, etc. They told me the dr. dont do that. I have a titration study scheduled for next week. At 8 I feel like I am choking, gasping for air. So I kept moving it up until I wasnt choking. Any thoughts, etc? Oh my mask is F&P 431.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:11 pm

You say you have the REMstar Pro? Is this the "M" Series? Are you getting the AHI from the display screen?.....or do you have the card reader and software? Is that 8.4 AHI for one night or an average for a number of days?

Where is your setting now?.....12? If so, I don't think you're in danger of blowing yourself up, yet.

Which setting (if you've reached it yet) feels comfortable?

Den

Guest 22 · Post by **Guest 22** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:19 pm

Yep Remstar Pro off the screen. I bumped it back down to 11 because I feel like my ears are going to blow out. Is that usual? It seemed at 11 I didnt have that problem.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:26 pm

It all depends on the individual. Since I've had mine, I've run it on fixed pressure at 10, 11 and 12. Both 10 and 11 are comfortable to me and seem to do just fine with my "numbers".

It's best to leave it at a setting for at least a week to see how things go..

Keep us informed as to your progress.

Den

DMEdaddy · Post by **DMEdaddy** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:37 pm

Most of us know that Cpap pressures are to be changed only after a physician orders the change. This is the law in most if not all states. Surely, we must not write posts that encourage others to break laws.

Many of us are using downloaded data and solid clinical understanding to set pressures. Perhaps the law should be modified. Bottom line is the law does exist and posting activities in violation of law is not consistent with the high standards of this patient community.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:59 pm

DMEdaddy wrote:Most of us know that Cpap pressures are to be changed only after a physician orders the change. This is the law in most if not all states. Surely, we must not write posts that encourage others to break laws.

Many of us are using downloaded data and solid clinical understanding to set pressures. Perhaps the law should be modified. Bottom line is the law does exist and posting activities in violation of law is not consistent with the high standards of this patient community.

I don't know who you're talking to......but none of my posts in this thread encouraged him to change his own pressure.....I was trying to find out where his settings were and what equipment he was using.

By the way......PLEASE tell all of us which law you're referring to!
I know you can't, because it doesn't exist. If that was the case, insulin patients wouldn't be able to monitor and adjust their own therapy, either.

I encourage XPAP users to monitor their own therapy with whatever method it takes.....software, screen displays, pulse-oximetry, sleep studies, etc.

After my experience with MY sleep doctor, I have no tolerance for people preaching to me about whether I can or can't monitor or adjust my own therapy.....and whether it's legal or not.

Go back to talkaboutsleep.com or sleepapnea.org and keep preaching to them.

Den

Guest 22 · Post by **Guest 22** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:09 pm

I agree with WUlfman and thank you, I feel the same way.

What happens if you change the pressure on your own?

What happens if you change the pressure on your own?

pressure settings