CPAP Not Working Right?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
helsink
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CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by helsink » Tue Feb 09, 2016 3:04 pm

Howdy folks!

A quick question for the forum. I've been using my Philips Respironics One Auto 560 for several years now without an issue and it has been literally a life saver!

But recently I noticed that the pressure my unit generates starts at 4.0 cmH20 when I turn on the machine (where it was likely set by the mfg) and then it literally stays there all night long without change (much).

In the past, the pressure would ramp up after a while (hard for me to say "when" it would ramp up because I typically fall asleep within a couple of minutes). I know that the pressure would go up much much much higher in the past, because I have woken up before in the middle of the night to experience really high pressure.

However, recently, and I mean the last few days, maybe few weeks, the pressure has hovered around what feels like (low) 4.0 cmH20 all night long.

I called up the outfit which sold me the CPAP machine and they read the stats that my machine sends them every night, and they said the machine stayed between 4.0 and 5.0 cmH20 but went no higher.

I feel like I'm not getting the pressure I need. Do you think that something went wrong with the machine? Is there something I can do to diagnose and/or fix this myself?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance!

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Julie
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Post by Julie » Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:24 pm

You've used the machine for "several years". Are you not due for a new one on your insurance? Machines don't last forever, and most insce. co's will replace them after 5 yrs.

helsink
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by helsink » Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:29 pm

Well, I would like to try to understand if what I have is broken, before I spend hundreds (thousands?) on a new one...

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chunkyfrog
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by chunkyfrog » Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:42 pm

What make and model is your machine?
Hopefully, there is data available to tell what is happening.
Just going by what you feel may be misleading, as we can get so used to our pressure
that it seems like much less.

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palerider
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by palerider » Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:43 pm

helsink wrote:I feel like I'm not getting the pressure I need. Do you think that something went wrong with the machine? Is there something I can do to diagnose and/or fix this myself?
what's your AHI? if you don't know, download sleepyhead and check, maybe there's nothing wrong with the machine, or maybe it's registering huge leaks and not increasing pressure because of it.

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Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

helsink
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by helsink » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:20 pm

Hi Palerider - AHI is between 5 and 6 per hour. I don't think there are any leaks - I'm not doing anything different. I was talking to a technician last night - I had lost quite a bit of weight recently - they said perhaps the weight loss has an effect on the pressure (in other words, I'm having less "events" and therefore need less pressure). They said maybe go get another sleep study to see if the machine needs to get adjusted.

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Julie
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by Julie » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:38 pm

If you use SH, you may not need a new study - it gives lots of info (free).

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palerider
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by palerider » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:52 pm

helsink wrote:Hi Palerider - AHI is between 5 and 6 per hour. I don't think there are any leaks - I'm not doing anything different. I was talking to a technician last night - I had lost quite a bit of weight recently - they said perhaps the weight loss has an effect on the pressure (in other words, I'm having less "events" and therefore need less pressure). They said maybe go get another sleep study to see if the machine needs to get adjusted.
that AHI is pretty bad, (though 'acceptable' for most doctors) again, get sleepyhead, look at your data, post some screenshots here. and tell us what kind of machine you have, (look on the back, or bottom for a REF number)

if you WANT to go back for a sleep study (kaCHING $$$) that's entirely up to you.

https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

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Krelvin
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Re: CPAP Not Working Right?

Post by Krelvin » Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:16 pm

helsink wrote: They said maybe go get another sleep study to see if the machine needs to get adjusted.
Wonder what their response would be if you asked them if they were going to pay for the new sleep study to make the adjustment?

Most likely not, time to take control of your own therapy, get software to read your data that provides more that just recap numbers and see for yourself how you are doing.

You can make minor changes over time yourself and see how that helps.
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
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