constant pressure against variable

Hi all

I have been on cpap for over 2 years, pressure set at 12. To this day I still don't feel I'm getting a great deal of benefit, at present I wake up with stiff aching musclesand still feel groggy. I recently had a test machine home for 2 nights and this confirmed the pressure is correct.
Question. Could the constant pressure be causing problems? I feel as if my lungs are always half way inflated whiulst using the machine and I am only breathing in on the upper range. I awaken briefly several times a night and generally sleep between 7 and 10 hours with the machine per night. I never sleep without it.

Question. Could the constant pressure be causing problems? I feel as if my lungs are always half way inflated whiulst using the machine and I am only breathing in on the upper range.

Do you mean only half inflated when you're breathing in, or do you mean still half inflated whe you're breathing out?

It would help if you were to register, add your machine and mask type to the profile (words are friednlier than the pic. because we can tell immediately what the equipment is) and add your present pressure as a comment - then you won't have to mention it each time.

O.

Thanks for that Ozij, I use a remstar with c-flex. I'll try to explain what I mean! When I breathe normally whilst rested I take in x amount of air and my lungs expand y amount. When I am on the machine, after I have breathed out I am left with more air in my lungs than x and my lungs stay expanded more than y. I'm wondering if this is making me uncomfortable and causing me to turn from side to side and waking several times through the night. Don't know if this is important but I generally remember portions of at least several dreams in the morning.

Try to disable the c-flex it bothers some people.

You may also need a bi-level machine. These machines drop you pressure when you exhale, so you don't have to fight so badly against the incoming pressure.

If disabling the c-flex doesn't help, the start complaining isistently to your doc.

12 may be the pressure you need for stopping most of your apneas, but that does not mean you have spend your whole night there.

O.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): C-FLEX

Hi Ozij appreciate your advice, makes no diff what c-flex is set to, on top of other symptons, when I wake up I feel very stiff, aching legs and shoulders etc. Any thoughts?

Roady,
I was thinking of C-Flex only in the context of the breathing problems you described. I noticed you chose not to give more data about your equipment.

You have waited far too long for this therapy to work - you have to make you doctor aware if how you're feeling, and insist he does his job to make you feel better.

I'm surprised any professional would give you "a test machine" and conclude "the pressure is right" based on two nights. I also noticed that in your second post, you did not add information about anything.

You need a good diagosis, that will take into account your general health, and you need good therapy for any problem you have.


O.

Hi O

My apologies for lack of clarity, the machine is a Remstar with c-flex I use a Breeze nasal pillow mask (works really well).

I am in the UK.

When I first got the machine 2 1/2 years ago it was set at 17, the first 2 weeks were great and then it was like someone flicked a switch, I still felt better than without the machine, didn't feel so tired during the day etc but did not waken up that refreshed.

About 6 mths later they did a one night test and adjusted the pressure to 12 as the test machine indicated that thas was the presasure that resolved most apneas.

Two weeks ago the did another test over 2 night, again they informed me that a pressure of 12 was correct. I don't know much about the test machine except that it was set at a min 7.5 and that it would adjust the pressure to resolve any breathing problems. They then downloaded this to a computer and checked the results.

I have tried full face masks but have prblems with leaks etc, the breeze is great however I have to use "tape" to stop my mouth opening.

My health in general is good, not on any medication, slightly raised blood pressure.

The NHS sleep clinic I attend seem to only look at the "pressure required" they don't seem to look at the whole picture

My local Doctor and I have seen several seem to know less about OSA than I do.

Roady

Some machines work on fixed pressure, some self adjust and some are bi-levels.

Some machine's can collect your nightly event data and leak data, and give you details on their screen, some won't. Some will let you see the data on an LCD, some won't. Please try to find out the exact model name of your machine - I assume it is a "Plus" but it may also be a "Pro" or "Pro II"

You will be better able to take care of yourself with a machine that collects your nightly event and leak data (the "Plus" does not).

To answer your original question: some people do better when their pressure is not fixed - that is when their machine varies the pressure within a range. You'll learn a lot if you click on the yellow light bulb ("Our Collective Wisdom") on the top of the page. How did you feel on the test machine?

If you buy a data recording machine (full data capability, including breathing events and leaks) - preferably with software - you will be able to track your therapy, and see what's going on.
If you buy a self adjusting machine (which always records event data and leak data), you may be able to set it to supply less pressure part of the time and go up to 12 only when necessary.

Machine's like that can be bought online, as long as you have an Rx for them.

Do you have your test results in writing - or can you get them?
O.

O

My machine is a the basic plus model, only records usage. I do know that over the 2 nights the leakage was recorded as very low. Over here they are not very forth coming with information and they certainly would not provide test results in writing.

I have tried to think of how I felt over the 2 days, I think I felt slightly better however as I said in the earlier post I do tend to waken several time, a night, albet very briefly.

I have contacted the clinic and am awaiting them phoning me back, I have asked if I can borrow a newer machine which as you suggested varies the pressure according to need. Hopefully they will, as the cost of these machines are quite expensive here and I don't want to buy a machine only to find it makes no difference.

roady

Good thinking, and good luck!
O.