Getting a Respironics Dreamstation auto pap

I'm getting it Tuesday apparently. So from what I can tell I can still use sleep head software right? Any recommended initial humidity settings or anything else as far as setting it up? I know they want me to start with min of 4 and Max of 20.

Any other suggestions would be great.

Anyone use the dream mapping app too?

USMCVet wrote:I'm getting it Tuesday apparently. So from what I can tell I can still use sleep head software right? Any recommended initial humidity settings or anything else as far as setting it up? I know they want me to start with min of 4 and Max of 20.

Any other suggestions would be great.

Anyone use the dream mapping app too?

Congratulations on getting your machine! I have been quite happy with my Dreamstation auto PAP. I found that 4 is too low for the minimum - I always felt I wasn't getting enough air. More experienced members will be along with better suggestions, but from what I've read here, most people prefer a starting minimum of at least 6. I have mild sleep apnea and my current range is 6 to 10.5.

Humidity determines your comfort level. I have the heated hose and typically leave both the hose and humidity settings at 3.

Yes, you can use Sleepyhead. I get a lot of useful info from it. DreamMapper wasn't as useful for me. Best of luck to you.

You may have already heard from other members that your PAP machine should be at a lower level than your head, and you can avoid rainout (humid air condensing in the hose and running into your face or nose) by using a heated hose and/or using a hose cover to keep the hose warm.

USMCVet wrote:I'm getting it Tuesday apparently. So from what I can tell I can still use sleep head software right? Any recommended initial humidity settings or anything else as far as setting it up? I know they want me to start with min of 4 and Max of 20.

Any other suggestions would be great.

Anyone use the dream mapping app too?

That pressure range will surely be a "problem".

Be sure you get a copy of the Provider Manual. If you need one, PM me and I'll send one to you.


Den

.

Thanks everyone so far! I just downloaded the clinical manual which was surprisingly really easy to find online.
Once I get machine I'm supposed to call sleep place and set up appt in 30 days. I assume then they will officially give me settings. I'm definitely not opposed to making some changes before then if needed.

USMCVet wrote:Thanks everyone so far! I just downloaded the clinical manual which was surprisingly really easy to find online.
Once I get machine I'm supposed to call sleep place and set up appt in 30 days. I assume then they will officially give me settings. I'm definitely not opposed to making some changes before then if needed.

As Den noted re: pressure range problem .... you should strongly consider using a min pressure of 8.

What is a pressure range problem?

USMCVet wrote:What is a pressure range problem?

If it's too wide, there can be inherent problems.
If the minimum is too low, it can take too long to reach an effective pressure.
If the user has many flow limitations and/or snores and few hypopneas or apneas, the pressure can run up further than what it needs to be. Sometimes pressure increases can squash flow limitations and snores and sometimes they don't. Much can depend on the user's nasal structure and how it contributes to either flow limitations or snores.


Den

.

Wulfman... wrote:

USMCVet wrote:What is a pressure range problem?

If it's too wide, there can be inherent problems.
If the minimum is too low, it can take too long to reach an effective pressure.
If the user has many flow limitations and/or snores and few hypopneas or apneas, the pressure can run up further than what it needs to be. Sometimes pressure increases can squash flow limitations and snores and sometimes they don't. Much can depend on the user's nasal structure and how it contributes to either flow limitations or snores.

.

Wulfman Den is entirely correct (as usual).

I set my apap pressures up using the wisdom from this fine forum (my doc was fine w me experimenting, btw).

I put the minimum at my titrated pressure, and the max about 2 or 2.5 cm above that. Worked well, but I did need to twiddle with the pressures over time, as the min needed to be slightly increased as I unconsciously learned to relax more, thus needed slightly more pressures as the months went on. Having a lower pressure too low means that you get to experience frank occlusive apnea before your machine algorithm decides to up the pressure, and so on until breathing normalizes. It's best to start at therapeutic levels.

The value of an apap over a cpap is that under certain situations, you might need a slight boost in pressure (say you have a cold, a glass of vino, or just sleep in a funny position).

Too high of a max pressure means that your machine could chase snores or any event that does not give proper feedback that too much pressure is unnecessary. Personally, I like a very narrow min/max spread. My ahi is consistently 0.2 or 0.3, so I know this works for my case.

It's been over 10 years, however I still recall a veteran member of the forum writing that leaving an apap range wide open (4-20 inches) is a "prescription for failure". One day, the folks who design apap algorithms will learn this absolute fact.

Good luck determining your therapeutic pressure range.

.