How should I find my appropriate pressure setting?

My machine (remstar c-flex) doesn't have a digital readout. Right now I'm at 6.0 psi based on a suggestion I found on a website based on my age, weight and the circumference of my neck. How do I know if this is the appropriate setting for me aside from trial and error? So far I've been using the machine every night for about a week and don't really notice any difference in how I feel.

Well, 6 is a very low setting - almost too hard to breathe at, let alone be effective for OSA, so you could experiment by raising your low pressure by 1-2 cm for a few nights in a row (one night's not enough to get true results). Most of us seem to average out at around 10, all things being equal and uncomplicated otherwise, but you may not even need that. The upper pressure is not important, except leave it high(er) rather than otherwise so as not to limit the machine's job when it may need to go up.

RyanMW wrote:My machine (remstar c-flex) doesn't have a digital readout. Right now I'm at 6.0 psi based on a suggestion I found on a website based on my age, weight and the circumference of my neck. How do I know if this is the appropriate setting for me aside from trial and error? So far I've been using the machine every night for about a week and don't really notice any difference in how I feel.

Most people get their pressure setting from the sleep dr after having a sleep study. What was the result of yours if you had one? That would be your appropriate pressure setting.

RyanMW wrote:My machine (remstar c-flex) doesn't have a digital readout. Right now I'm at 6.0 psi based on a suggestion I found on a website based on my age, weight and the circumference of my neck. How do I know if this is the appropriate setting for me aside from trial and error? So far I've been using the machine every night for about a week and don't really notice any difference in how I feel.

it is 6cm, not psi, but such pressure will most likely inadequate for you have a moderate UARS (RDI == 28) and mild OSA and, therefore, need higher pressures. I suggest that you install SleepyHead to pull and display your reports here.

However, you also had some lung related issues, right. Have you figured them out?

Answering your question: unless you have titration study in the lab, trial and error is the only way

I just wanted to clarify is your machine on auto with a high and low pressure or is it on straight cpap with one pressure?

OkyDoky wrote:I just wanted to clarify is your machine on auto with a high and low pressure or is it on straight cpap with one pressure?

the latter, i believe.
when i had my sleep study done, i had an AHi of 5.7 and RDI of 28. I had a titration study and the lab tech said i didn't need to bother using the CPAP machine for the study. My ENT doesn't think i need a CPAP but I'm willing to try anything, so I'm self-medicating, so to speak.

I only have medicaid insurance currently, and I'm using my friend's old remstar 2.0. I don't believe it has the digital settings you guys are talking about, or that the sleepyhead software is compatible, but I could be wrong.

I'm going to try 8 cm as my pressure setting for the next few days, that should be safe, right?

Thanks.

Why are you using Cpap if you don't have apnea? If your doctor hasn't found what IS wrong, find another doctor, but don't use machinery to treat what's not broken - that's silly and potentially dangerous, not to mention expensive.

Julie wrote:Why are you using Cpap if you don't have apnea? If your doctor hasn't found what IS wrong, find another doctor, but don't use machinery to treat what's not broken - that's silly and potentially dangerous, not to mention expensive.

Speechless... he does have a mild apnea and moderate UARS. He should replace his doctor for current one is clearly incompetent.

Julie wrote:Why are you using Cpap if you don't have apnea? If your doctor hasn't found what IS wrong, find another doctor, but don't use machinery to treat what's not broken - that's silly and potentially dangerous, not to mention expensive.

Until I have better insurance, I don't have much of a choice of doctors. I've been to a few, specialists and GP and none have been very helpful. My AHI was 5.7, which is mild, so I assume i do have mild sleep apnea, and considering how tired and achy I feel on a day to day basis, I figured it was worth a try. There's nothing else that has been able to explain my symptoms so far.

Ryan, with an UARs like profile and a possibility of not being able to get sleepyhead to work with your machine (forgot what was decided in previous posts about it), you may have to go by more on how you feel. If you tried 6 for a week and didn't notice anything, I would give 8 a shot for a week and see what happens. Make careful notes each day as to what happened so you can have as much observational data as possible.

Good luck in getting better insurance. Recently, the results of a full scale study I had were very similar to yours as I had an AHI of 5.9 and an RDI of 23. There was no question in anyone's mind that I needed treatment, preferably pap therapy.

49er

RyanMW wrote:

Julie wrote:Why are you using Cpap if you don't have apnea? If your doctor hasn't found what IS wrong, find another doctor, but don't use machinery to treat what's not broken - that's silly and potentially dangerous, not to mention expensive.

Until I have better insurance, I don't have much of a choice of doctors. I've been to a few, specialists and GP and none have been very helpful. My AHI was 5.7, which is mild, so I assume i do have mild sleep apnea, and considering how tired and achy I feel on a day to day basis, I figured it was worth a try. There's nothing else that has been able to explain my symptoms so far.

Just because your apnea is mild, doesn't mean it can't affect you big time. My sleep physician acted like it wasn't a big deal although fortunately, she didn't deny that I needed some type of treatment unlike your folks.

Also, all the respiratory events leading to your RDI of 28 sound like they are affecting you big time in combination with the apnea. So yeah, even though I normally am one to to tell someone to consult with a doctor, in light of your situation with horrible doctors, trying a cpap (which you got from a friend, right) is definitely worth a shot as long as you make careful observations about how things are going.

49er

Ryan, last month Den wrote in one of your threads

You'll need a Infineer/Mako DT3500 smart card reader and Encore Pro or Encore Viewer to read your smart card data.

in response to your saying that you had a Remstar Pro 2 C-flex machine.

Since your machine (assuming it's this one: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... cflex.html ) has data available, perhaps you could monitor your therapy in addition to tracking how you feel. The card reader looks pricey but maybe someone on the forum has one they don't use anymore -- worth checking since you're going the DIY route.

49er wrote:Ryan, with an UARs like profile and a possibility of not being able to get sleepyhead to work with your machine (forgot what was decided in previous posts about it), you may have to go by more on how you feel. If you tried 6 for a week and didn't notice anything, I would give 8 a shot for a week and see what happens. Make careful notes each day as to what happened so you can have as much observational data as possible.

Good luck in getting better insurance. Recently, the results of a full scale study I had were very similar to yours as I had an AHI of 5.9 and an RDI of 23. There was no question in anyone's mind that I needed treatment, preferably pap therapy.

49er

Thanks, 49er. Since we have similar stats, I'm curious, how has the therapy been for you so far? I haven't noticed much of a difference but I'm going to stick with it for a while since nothing else has worked for me. Have you noticed a difference? How long has it taken?

Ryan,

Unfortunately, I have not done well with pap therapy but please don't go by my situation since there are many complicating issues. I feel I have nasal obstruction issues that may interfering so I intend to see an ENT about that. I had chickened out on having surgery earlier this year but time to "man up" or in my case, it would be "woman up".

What you might want to do is search the archives as there is alot of information on UARS. I do recall reading about people with UARS who felt immensely better after starting therapy. Unfortunately, there were other people who struggled but at least, hopefully reading the success stories would give you encouragement.

Sorry, I wish had a better answer for you.

49er

Thanks, 49er. Not to worry, I appreciate your response regardless. I will certainly look into UARS as well. Interestingly, I feel like I have a nasal/sinus obstruction of some sort as well, but so far my ENT has given me the all clear. I have only been using the CPAP for a few weeks now, but have not noticed much of a difference. I'm going to stick with it in the mean time and hope for the best. Thanks.