CPAPtalk.com

Many people's pressure needs change with sleep stage, sleep position, age, weight changes, medication, etc. An auto-cpap machine is able to adjust the pressure to compensate for those changes. A fixed mode cpap machine can not change pressure but instead puts out only one pressure.

An auto machine can be set to operate in fixed mode, should it become necessary. So an auto gives you the most options and would always be advised, if possible.

yaconsult wrote:Many people's pressure needs change with sleep stage, sleep position, age, weight changes, medication, etc. An auto-cpap machine is able to adjust the pressure to compensate for those changes. A fixed mode cpap machine can not change pressure but instead puts out only one pressure.

An auto machine can be set to operate in fixed mode, should it become necessary. So an auto gives you the most options and would always be advised, if possible.

The machine I have is not returnable. So does that mean I will not be able to properly treat my sleep apnea without an Autoset machine?

mzdawn74 wrote:The machine I have is not returnable. So does that mean I will not be able to properly treat my sleep apnea without an Autoset machine?

Not at all. Your Elite is a very good machine.

kaiasgram wrote:

mzdawn74 wrote:The machine I have is not returnable. So does that mean I will not be able to properly treat my sleep apnea without an Autoset machine?

Not at all. Your Elite is a very good machine.

This is all stressing me the **** out! Sorry...but I now I am going to stress over not having an autoset machine. Geez!! Why can't this just be simple..

mzdawn74 wrote:

kaiasgram wrote:

mzdawn74 wrote:The machine I have is not returnable. So does that mean I will not be able to properly treat my sleep apnea without an Autoset machine?

Not at all. Your Elite is a very good machine.

This is all stressing me the **** out! Sorry...but I now I am going to stress over not having an autoset machine. Geez!! Why can't this just be simple..

Dawn, please don't stress out about this. It's not worth it. Auto-adjusting machines are great but not necessary. In fact some people get an APAP only to discover that they are sensitive to the pressure fluctuations that occur throughout the night and they end up putting the machine in straight CPAP mode. My machine is an auto but over time I've narrowed the pressure range so much that I hardly need an auto -- in fact I think I could now do fine with fixed pressure.

Honestly you will be fine. The Elite is a top of the line, full data CPAP machine.

Dawn, don't worry about not having an auto. You can make the machine you have work for you. Having access to the data, which you do, is much more important that having an auto machine. This will allow you to monitor how you are doing and make adjustments as necessary.

I was just answering the general question of what to choose when one hasn't bought a machine yet. The more options, the better - but any machine can be made to work. Although I have an auto machine, because I have the minimum pressure set to 13, it acts like a non-auto machine most of the time.

I have an auto but other then the first week I had it, it is set quite tightly. I had an S8 elite set to 9 when I got the new machine so I let it titrate by setting it 7-20 for a few nights. Now it is set 9.5 to 11. I don't use EPR (or CFlex) because I can't stand the changes - that lasted maybe 1/2 an hour or less.

Your AHI is now around 1 so your Elite is working fine for you. Don't worry about the auto thing. In fact for the next month don't worry about anything. My sleep doctor believed in setting everyone at 7 for the first month to get them used to sleeping with the machine - then he titrated people. The first month was only to get you used to sleeping with the machine.

BlackSpinner wrote:I have an auto but other then the first week I had it, it is set quite tightly. I had an S8 elite set to 9 when I got the new machine so I let it titrate by setting it 7-20 for a few nights. Now it is set 9.5 to 11. I don't use EPR (or CFlex) because I can't stand the changes - that lasted maybe 1/2 an hour or less.

Your AHI is now around 1 so your Elite is working fine for you. Don't worry about the auto thing. In fact for the next month don't worry about anything. My sleep doctor believed in setting everyone at 7 for the first month to get them used to sleeping with the machine - then he titrated people. The first month was only to get you used to sleeping with the machine.

Last night was the worst yet! I was only able to use the machine for an hour and had to turn it off as I couldn't breath. My nose was and still is so congested. I did turn up the humidity level to 2 for awhile, but had to go back down to 1 because the air felt too hot. It felt like I was suffocating. I was also noticing a lot of air coming out of the nasal pillows when I would inhale. I tried changing the pillow sizes and it still was the same. Grrrrr...all of this on top of only 4 hours of sleep again!! Help...anybody please!!!

I am sorry you are having such a terrible time. The best I can say right now is to try to relax, enjoy the holiday or the weekend (forgetting whether you are in Canada or the US), and try not to think about CPAP for a bit. Get some sleep any way you can. You are overthinking this. Your AHI is great, your leak rate is not terrible, and the fact that you don't have an Autoset machine is ok.

Everyone here is different and has their own treatment journey. This isn't a race, it's something that will help you over your lifetime, and you have supportive and knowledgeable people here who want to help you. Relax and be gentle with yourself. Everything will be ok.

Also, treat your congestion as you would if you have a cold or the flu. Maybe you are getting sick and it really has nothing to do with the CPAP treatment. Just take care of yourself and rest. You obviously need to rest, with or without CPAP. This won't all seem so overwhelming when you feel better and are more rested. I wish I could be of more help.

Try cranking up the humidity to maximum and don't heat the hose.

I am subject to allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, etc. and CPAP at low humidity does not work for me. I end up having sinus attacks more frequently. Dry congestion spawns these attacks, which come with a vengeance in reaction to the dryness.

Last night, I cranked up humidity setting from 2 or 3 (varied) to maximum of 5. It took me 4.5 months to effectuate the change. During those months I relied more on prescription meds and home remedies for relief, but now I feel so much better today, did not feel all that dry, dehydrated or foggy in the morning.

A good home remedy/treatment for impending sinus attack or rhinitis is hot steam, hot washcloth on face, etc.

The way I figure things, having heated humidity up to max more closely approximates the soothing hot steam.

Do flush your body with lots of liquids. Use raw honey in hot tea, also.

Also, consider switching away from the pillows to a nasal mask. Pillows do not work for everyone, myself included.

tedburnsIII wrote:Try cranking up the humidity to maximum

You might want to ask her what climate she lives in before you recommend that.

Your profile indicates you live in a dry climate. She may live in a humid climate.

As an aside, OP- I now favor straight CPAP mode over APAP. Sleep better and longer, have better oxygen sats, less desats. APAP, I would conjecture, is relatively new option. You can do fine on straight CPAP when you find your sweet spot. Prescription pressure is excellent starting pressure, covers all bases.

As to humidifier, Sheffey- I wonder if the downside to maxing humidity is less of a downside than not enough, especially when person is congested and has difficulty breathing. Also, consider raising EPR (AFLEX, CFLEX, RESLEX, whatever) to maximum to relieve exhale pressure, if this comfort feature is available.

tedburnsIII wrote:I wonder if the downside to maxing humidity is less of a downside than not enough, especially when person is congested

Once you have been here some more time, you will know that many members have experimented with humidifier settings and found there is a point where increasing the humidity will cause congestion.

Cereal Killer wrote:there is a point where increasing the humidity will cause congestion.

Makes sense.