changes in CPAP pressure

DrDroopy · Post by **DrDroopy** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:28 pm

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how I will know if I the CPAP pressure is too high? I've managed to lose about 20 pounds in the past five weeks and anticipate that I will lose a good deal more (Weight Watchers core program). How will I know, short of an expensive trip into the sleep clinic, if the pressure setting becomes too high or if (fantasy of all fantasies) I might be able to do away with CPAP altogether?

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:06 pm

You will need an auto adjusting machine to determine if your pressure requirements change... or another sleep study.

DrDroopy · Post by **DrDroopy** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:49 pm

So there isn't any such thing as a FEELING of too much pressure?

SnoreNoMore2005 · Post by **SnoreNoMore2005** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:28 pm

Droopy, when I had too much pressure with CPAP, my chest was sore in the mornings, I often felt like I wasn't getting enough air, and I would wake up exhausted but then start to feel better as the day wore on. I was experimenting with CPAP pressures of 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. I kept thinking I might need more pressure to feel better.

Then I got an AutoPap. Turns out my 90% pressure was 9.

If you're unsure of what your correct pressure should be, an Autopap machine and software will be the best investment in your own health you will ever make.

SnoreNoMore2005

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:06 pm

DrDroopy,

Could you please give us some more information about your machine (make/model), current pressure setting, how long you've been on it, etc.
If your machine has software and detailed sleep information (download) capabilities, it would be of help to determine what your present therapy is doing for you.
Without a little more information, wading thru the muck! put it pretty well.

Best wishes,

Den

Kyla24 · Post by **Kyla24** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:27 am

I went for my one month follow up with the sleep doc yesterday and he suggested putting me on an auto pap for two weeks because I had lost 10 lbs and he thought that the pressure (17) was too high for me now. I also had to go down to a small mask (full face) because the size of my face had changed and my mask wasn't sealing anymore.

Good job on losing 20 lbs though!

DrDroopy · Post by **DrDroopy** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:51 am

Thanks -- this forum is always so helpful. I use a Remstar Pro 2 with heated humidifer and the dreaded comfort curve with the smallest size interface. I have fairly low pressure to start with -- it starts at 4 and ramps up to 8. I will pull my card out of the Remstar and take it to the DME to get it read. So it will take me awhile to get back to you with the data.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:05 am

DrDroopy,

Glad to hear you've got a machine that captures data. Make sure when they download the data to get the "details" and not just the summary (which is basically sleep hours).

Good luck.

Den