Sensitivity Settings - Update After Nap

Can someone please guide me about changing the sensitivity settings for the Trilogy? The two settings I'm looking at are:

Flow Trigger Sensitivity (currently at 4.0 l/m)
Flow Cycle Sensitivity (currently at 20%)

I want to set the machine to be LESS sensitive. Right now, the machine is on Auto-Trak, but even set to Flow Trigger, the above settings make it trip to inhalation even if I am not really inhaling (it must sense even the slightest thing and it's driving me insane).

Anybody??? Please...I don't want it to seem like I'm begging, but I kinda am.

Edited to add: I reviewed the manual and it doesn't tell me which settings are more/less sensitive -- just the ranges to set them.

This may give some insight on trigger sensitivity.

http://www.aic.cuhk.edu.hk/web8/mech%20vent%20intro.htm

You're begging for help to change your own settings? You owe me an apology.

HoseCrusher wrote:This may give some insight on trigger sensitivity.

http://www.aic.cuhk.edu.hk/web8/mech%20vent%20intro.htm

thanks for this, HoseCrusher. The part about flow trigger sensitivity didn't tell me what I needed, but i bookedmarked the page to read later when I have more time -- I probably will be able to get some good insight from this document.

Guest wrote:You're begging for help to change your own settings? You owe me an apology.

I'm going to say this one time. IF you are somebody that I would respect on this site, come clean and treat me with some civility. Otherwise, if you haven't got anything helpful to say to me, just leave me alone. Until you've walked a second in my shoes, you have no right to judge me or criticize me and I don't have the energy or desire to deal with your attitude.

HoseCrusher wrote:This may give some insight on trigger sensitivity.

http://www.aic.cuhk.edu.hk/web8/mech%20vent%20intro.htm

I looked at this document again, more slowly and carefully this time. If nobody is able to guide me before tonight, I think I will INCREASE the settings as this document leads to believe that the lower the numbers, the more sensitive.

Thanks again, HoseCrusher.

I am at work so I only have a second. You are correct about how to decrease the sensitivity. Increase the flow trigger to make the machine less sensitive. If you are already set at 4 lpm, try 5 or 6 lpm.

The flow cycle sensitivity is used to end the inspiratory cycle. When there is a leak in a circuit, it can be difficult for the machine to end the inspiration. Do you feel like the machine gives you too long of a breath or that it doesn't stop blowing air when you are ready to exhale? If so, you may want to try to shorten the % to something less than 20% but 20-25% is a common setting for the flow cycle.

I will try to post later this evening. Good luck with this. They are minor changes but hopefully they will bring you more comfort.

Pekoepup wrote:I am at work so I only have a second. You are correct about how to decrease the sensitivity. Increase the flow trigger to make the machine less sensitive. If you are already set at 4 lpm, try 5 or 6 lpm.

Thank you! I dozed off on my deck, but came in the house and may try a nap. I will try changing these settings for the nap and see what happens!

Pekoepup wrote:The flow cycle sensitivity is used to end the inspiratory cycle. When there is a leak in a circuit, it can be difficult for the machine to end the inspiration. Do you feel like the machine gives you too long of a breath or that it doesn't stop blowing air when you are ready to exhale? If so, you may want to try to shorten the % to something less than 20% but 20-25% is a common setting for the flow cycle.

Honestly, I am so confused sometimes that I can't say for sure what is going on. It seems that at any given time, one thing or another happens. Sometimes it feel like it keeps pushing air on me when it shouldn't, but others it feels like it cuts the air off before I'm done inhaling. For now, I will leave this setting at 20%, maybe increase it to 25% but won't do anything else with this right now.

Pekoepup wrote:I will try to post later this evening. Good luck with this. They are minor changes but hopefully they will bring you more comfort.

Again, I thank you. You are being kind and considerate and I truly appreciate it.

I just got back from the hardware store. As I was passing the hammer section I thought about sending you one to help with those "fine" adjustments.

HoseCrusher wrote:I just got back from the hardware store. As I was passing the hammer section I thought about sending you one to help with those "fine" adjustments.

LOL -- I hope it doesn't come down to that!!! I think I'm going to give these Flow Trigger Sensitivity changes a whirl with a recliner nap -- I'll report back later!!!

Good luck with the nap! I'm so glad that someone was able to come up with something for you to try. It sounds like it has possibilities.

I made the changes:

Trigger Type to Flow Trigger (From Auto-Trak)
Flow Trigger Sensitivity - 6.0 l/min (upped from 4.0 l/min when previously on Flow Trigger)
Flow cycle Sensitivity - 25% (upped from 20%)

As far as being more normal and in sync before falling asleep, it WAS better. There were a couple times where it seemed NOT to sense my inhalation, but since we're in S/T mode, it's not that big of a deal. And it only happened once or twice before I fell asleep.

I DID wake up a couple times with it pushing high pressure and indicating a high RR.

One thing I have noticed again (and I have mentioned it before), this thing seems to cut off air when I try to inhale myself during a machine generated breath.

Pekoepup -- when you say the machine is Auto Cycling (referring to the higher pressure and those annoying max allowed IPAP pulses from the other night) -- what can be done about this? Is this a maintenance issue on the machine itself?

Madalot wrote:I made the changes:

Trigger Type to Flow Trigger (From Auto-Trak)
Flow Trigger Sensitivity - 6.0 l/min (upped from 4.0 l/min when previously on Flow Trigger)
Flow cycle Sensitivity - 25% (upped from 20%)

As far as being more normal and in sync before falling asleep, it WAS better.

Progress! Woot!

And to Pekoepup: Thanks for coming to Maddie's aide!

I left the Trigger settings changed to sleep on last night. I still woke up a lot, but it didn't seem like it was as often or as WIDE awake as before. The breathing seemed easier too, more sync'd or natural.

I believe several days (or perhaps a week or more) is needed to really know if changed settings help. But the DME is bringing out an AVAPS unit for me to start using tomorrow.

I'll give the AVAPS unit a try and if it seems more comfortable, use it for a few days. If not, I'll switch back to the Trilogy and continue on the alternate Trigger settings.