Obviously, I am new to this forum and new to this hosehead world. I had a sleep study a week ago, the sleep doctor is sending the report to my primary physician on Wednesday, and then my physician will write the prescription to the DME. My doctor is pretty good (in the past, on different issues) about taking my requests into consideration. I am planning on asking him to write the prescription for APAP, with a heated humidified (long sinus history), but need to know if I should also ask for Cflex...
Thanks in advance for your information!
What is Cflex anyhow?
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C-flex is (I'm pretty sure) terminology used by Respironics. It is the relaxation of pressure by the machine when you exhale. In other words, if you have a normal pressure of 8cm, and if it's uncomfortable for you feeling like you're exhaling against the machine, then a c-flex setting will have the machine lower the pressure when you exhale so it's easier.
Other manufacturers have machines that can also do this and they may call it something else.
Other manufacturers have machines that can also do this and they may call it something else.
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| Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control |
| Additional Comments: original pressure 8cm - auto 8-12 |
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neversleeps
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2005 7:06 pm
- Location: Minnesota
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newgal
Yardbird and Neversleeps,
Thanks so much, that clears it up! I was searching for a definition and wasn't having much luck finding it.
Yardbird, I was specifically thinking of asking for the Remstar APap with Cflex, it seems that is what you have? Any hints? Was that what you started with? Did it work right away for you, or did you have to spend time figuring it all out?
During my sleep study, I got 3 hours of blissful sleep on a bipap with a "Comfortgel" mask, until the sleep tech woke me up and put a chin strap on me because I was mouth breathing - then I had 45 minutes of hell -mask leaks, red puffy eyes, burping, nausea, bloating for the day after the study. The sleep tech said I was "fighting the pressure" -- heck, there was just air blowing everywhere!
Thanks so much, that clears it up! I was searching for a definition and wasn't having much luck finding it.
Yardbird, I was specifically thinking of asking for the Remstar APap with Cflex, it seems that is what you have? Any hints? Was that what you started with? Did it work right away for you, or did you have to spend time figuring it all out?
During my sleep study, I got 3 hours of blissful sleep on a bipap with a "Comfortgel" mask, until the sleep tech woke me up and put a chin strap on me because I was mouth breathing - then I had 45 minutes of hell -mask leaks, red puffy eyes, burping, nausea, bloating for the day after the study. The sleep tech said I was "fighting the pressure" -- heck, there was just air blowing everywhere!
newgal,
My REMstar auto with c-flex is scheduled for delivery tomorrow along with my Swift. I'm on a 5 year old SoloLX CPAP right now. I got the auto for several reasons. I want to be able to get an idea of what my pressure needs are now... 5 years after being diagnosed. AND I can set the REMstar in CPAP mode and still have the c-flex. The machine has lots of flexibility. Some machines that have this relax-pressure-on-exhale don't let you use it if you decide to switch to regular CPAP mode. So for me the decision was largely based on flexibillity. Insurance isn't covering this purchase at all so if it's MY money, I wanted this one.
My REMstar auto with c-flex is scheduled for delivery tomorrow along with my Swift. I'm on a 5 year old SoloLX CPAP right now. I got the auto for several reasons. I want to be able to get an idea of what my pressure needs are now... 5 years after being diagnosed. AND I can set the REMstar in CPAP mode and still have the c-flex. The machine has lots of flexibility. Some machines that have this relax-pressure-on-exhale don't let you use it if you decide to switch to regular CPAP mode. So for me the decision was largely based on flexibillity. Insurance isn't covering this purchase at all so if it's MY money, I wanted this one.
_________________
| Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control |
| Additional Comments: original pressure 8cm - auto 8-12 |
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Colorado Jan
Newgal...get your prescription written as generically as possible, while listing all the features you want. Different DME's offer different brands...you want that prescription to last a long time, etc. (keep a copy of it forever!)
I'd suggest having your prescription written out for an APAP (unfortunately DME's won't give you APAP unless it is specified) and HEATED humidifer (most DME's just give out passover humidifers...cheaper). Make sure your prescription has the pressure (for CPAP) or range of pressures (for APAP) written on it as well.
Then if your DME has Respironics...you'll get that Resp. Auto with C-flex (they don't make one without C-flex). But if they only sell Puritan Bennett...you'll get the 420E (no C-flex feature). If they sell Remstar, you may have a choice of a couple of machines...Etc., etc.
Try on a lot of masks....that's really the most important thing....
Jan in Colo.
I'd suggest having your prescription written out for an APAP (unfortunately DME's won't give you APAP unless it is specified) and HEATED humidifer (most DME's just give out passover humidifers...cheaper). Make sure your prescription has the pressure (for CPAP) or range of pressures (for APAP) written on it as well.
Then if your DME has Respironics...you'll get that Resp. Auto with C-flex (they don't make one without C-flex). But if they only sell Puritan Bennett...you'll get the 420E (no C-flex feature). If they sell Remstar, you may have a choice of a couple of machines...Etc., etc.
Try on a lot of masks....that's really the most important thing....
Jan in Colo.
Thanks for the great info!
Colo. Jan,
That is very helpful info re: the prescription. What do I do if my primary care doctor doesn't know what range to put for the APAP (according to the secretary there, he never even refers people to sleep studies, so the chances are good that I already know more than he does - and I am in no way an expert in all of this).
I have, from reading the forum, gleaned that I should probably have my insurance pay for the Ultramirage Full Face Mask, and then purchase on my own dime the Breeze nasal pillows and then some nasal mask ( I can't find it in my notes right now...) I know from reading this forum that I will NOT settle for a "Comfort Gel" (yeah, right! ) mask. I have a list of recommended masks (somewhere in my piles) and as I remember, those listed above seemed to be the most recommended. I know I will need to try them with the DME (with pressure on, laying down, not rushed.) I have no idea who the DME is, or how willing they are going to be to work with me.
One thing I have learned from this forum, is that the information I have going into this, the better off I will be.
Thanks again!
Colo. Jan,
That is very helpful info re: the prescription. What do I do if my primary care doctor doesn't know what range to put for the APAP (according to the secretary there, he never even refers people to sleep studies, so the chances are good that I already know more than he does - and I am in no way an expert in all of this).
I have, from reading the forum, gleaned that I should probably have my insurance pay for the Ultramirage Full Face Mask, and then purchase on my own dime the Breeze nasal pillows and then some nasal mask ( I can't find it in my notes right now...) I know from reading this forum that I will NOT settle for a "Comfort Gel" (yeah, right! ) mask. I have a list of recommended masks (somewhere in my piles) and as I remember, those listed above seemed to be the most recommended. I know I will need to try them with the DME (with pressure on, laying down, not rushed.) I have no idea who the DME is, or how willing they are going to be to work with me.
One thing I have learned from this forum, is that the information I have going into this, the better off I will be.
Thanks again!
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Guest
He will get your sleep study from the sleep lab, which will indicate their findings for the proper setting. That is one of the purposes of a sleep test, to arrive at what setting you need. Not so much your primary physicians choice. You have an option of experimenting with the settings anyway after you try it. If you get a Respironics that takes Encore software, you can download the newest version free....see the other postings on it.What do I do if my primary care doctor doesn't know what range to put for the APAP (according to the secretary there, he never even refers people to sleep studies, so the chances are good that I already know more than he does - and I am in no way an expert in all of this).
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CollegeGirl
- Posts: 1038
- Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:49 pm
- Location: VA
Colorado Jan, one correction to your post:
Respironics=RemStar. The Respironics machine models are "Remstars." So if you have a RemstarAuto, as I do, it's a Respironics brand machine.
Now, regarding the prescription: My DME told me that if I wanted an auto, my doctor had to write me prescription specifically for an "Auto CPAP." Often, if you say APAP, they don't know what you're talking about. At least, my DME didn't. So you want to make sure that's what it says. Also, as for the range - the most wide-open range is 4-20. Your doctor should make your range somewhere around your titrated pressure, and then you can adjust it yourself if that range doesn't work for you (but don't tell the doc/dme you plan on doing this! ) For example, if your titrated pressure is 10, you might make your range something like 6-15.
The easiest way to tell if the range they set IS working for you is to purchase software for whatever APAP you choose (or in the case of the REMStars, software and card reader) and look at your results on a regular basis. If you find you can't breathe at the lowest number of the range, you can increase the bottom number. If you find the APAP is going into "runs" (ie, increasing pressure too far when it shouldn't) you can decrease the upper number after you've had some time to see how you're doing.
Hope that helps.
Respironics=RemStar. The Respironics machine models are "Remstars." So if you have a RemstarAuto, as I do, it's a Respironics brand machine.
Now, regarding the prescription: My DME told me that if I wanted an auto, my doctor had to write me prescription specifically for an "Auto CPAP." Often, if you say APAP, they don't know what you're talking about. At least, my DME didn't. So you want to make sure that's what it says. Also, as for the range - the most wide-open range is 4-20. Your doctor should make your range somewhere around your titrated pressure, and then you can adjust it yourself if that range doesn't work for you (but don't tell the doc/dme you plan on doing this! ) For example, if your titrated pressure is 10, you might make your range something like 6-15.
The easiest way to tell if the range they set IS working for you is to purchase software for whatever APAP you choose (or in the case of the REMStars, software and card reader) and look at your results on a regular basis. If you find you can't breathe at the lowest number of the range, you can increase the bottom number. If you find the APAP is going into "runs" (ie, increasing pressure too far when it shouldn't) you can decrease the upper number after you've had some time to see how you're doing.
Hope that helps.
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Colorado Jan
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Flintoff
you can't really say a fixed time that this much sleep is necessary for all people irrespective of their age or activities they do on a daily basis. I came across this interesting discussion on how many hours of sleep is necessary for different people http://www.globalthreads.com/forum/ShowPost-20218.aspx this is nice some people here have stressed that the amount of sufficient sleep required varies from person to person depending upon several factors like age, acivity, location etc.
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