exhale prob on cpap

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:35 pm

I have the REMStar Pro 2 with C-Flex and am using a ff mask. My perscribed pressure is 15.

When on CPAP and relaxed I dont exhale all the way. I only seem to be emptying about half my lung cap each breath. I also wake up several times a night with a cramp in my solar plexus area (the breadbasket area just under the breast bone, incase I spelled it wrong)

Is this because I'm doing something wrong? and can fix..or is it just something that will adjust over time? or just something I'll have to learn to deal with?

popcorn machine · Post by **popcorn machine** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:57 pm

What setting is the c-flex on?

Jerry69 · Post by **Jerry69** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:00 pm

damac100 wrote:I have the REMStar Pro 2 with C-Flex and am using a ff mask. My perscribed pressure is 15.

When on CPAP and relaxed I dont exhale all the way. I only seem to be emptying about half my lung cap each breath. I also wake up several times a night with a cramp in my solar plexus area (the breadbasket area just under the breast bone, incase I spelled it wrong)

Is this because I'm doing something wrong? and can fix..or is it just something that will adjust over time? or just something I'll have to learn to deal with?

Damac, if you are like me, you lie there listening to the sounds of the mask and trying to time your inhales and exhales with the sounds, but you are creating the sounds with your breathing. Most disconcerting. You don't hear this when you finally get to sleep, so it must be that you are doing some of the same sort of things when you say you are not exhaling fully. You are listening, listening, and altering your natural breathing rythim. You've got to STOP THAT, STOP THAT! He says, as he does the same thing.

Jerry

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:32 am

pop: I have no clue what the c-flex number is. I read the docs that came with the machine and went thru the setup options but the c-flex setting doesnt seem to come up like it's supposed to. I also just recieved my card reader today but dont have the software yet so cant check there to see if it's listed, yet.

Jerry: I did do that listening thing the first night on cpap. it was annoying as heck lol but got the hang of ignoring it pretty quick. I just dont exhale all the way unless I focus on forcing it out completely..which I do when I wake up in a half panic feeling like I'm suffocating.

I'll force exhale for a few deep breaths then be ok to go back to sleep for about an hour.

side note..my poor nose has just about been scratched off. I'm thinkin about having a nosectomy or nosiotomy or what ever it'd be called. I wonder, if I had no nose, would I be in danger of drowning if out in the rain?

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 1:37 pm

I finally found my C-Flex setting!!

I dont have one

It turns out that C-Flex has to be perscribed to be turned on and I wasnt subscribed C-Flex so I'm running straight CPAP at 15cm.

I'm definatly gonna be talking to my Doctor about this when I see him end of next month.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 1:47 pm

Does your machine have the blue "c-flex" sticker on it? If it does you have c-flex. Unless you we given an old machine it should have c-flex.

LDuyer · Post by **LDuyer** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 2:35 pm

damac100 wrote:I have the REMStar Pro 2 with C-Flex and am using a ff mask. My perscribed pressure is 15.

I have a hunch the c-flex will work for you.
But if it doesn't, see the doctor again.
I use a bipap, with inhale/exhale pressure settings of 18/14.
I recently tried an auto cpap with c-flex, and unless it wasn't working properly or set correctly, it didn't work for me. I had the same exhale problem you described, but it was so bad I couldn't tolerate it for more than a couple of minutes. Inhale was ok. I suppose I need the greater relief for exhale, perhaps because of the high pressures. But then again, I haven't the foggiest idea what I'm talking about. lol
It's good that you're noticing what's happening.

Good luck!

Linda

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:39 pm

[quote="wading thru the muck!"]Does your machine have the blue "c-flex" sticker on it? If it does you have c-flex. Unless you we given an old machine it should have c-flex.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:47 pm

damac100 wrote:Yep, it has the blue sticker and is a REMStar Pro 2. When I cycle thru the setup options, it doesnt show C-Flex option at all and the booklet that came with it says 'may not show on all machines, C-Flex only available if perscribed' or something every like that... so I am assuming it's a perscription clearance issue.

I've double checked thru the Encore Pro 1.5 and MyEncore and the pressure is alwase shown as 15 constant.

It would show 15 even with cflex working.

But when you cycle through the options what options are you getting?

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:00 pm

I just now tried it again to make sure I didnt have my head "up and lodged"

I hold down the 'ramp' button until the screen changes, and I get number of hours, then ramp start, then user alarm and finally LED.

In the setup instructions in the booklet that came with the machine it says, about the C-Flex setting "Note: This setting will only appear of C-Flex was prescribed for you." so I've been assuming that it'll simply be a matter of convincing the Doc that I need the option.

Did I miss something or do something sideways?

neversleeps · Post by **neversleeps** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:02 pm

Maybe you should check in EncorePro to see that the Device Type is set correctly.
Make sure your card is inserted in the cardreader.
Get into EncorePro.
Open the patient home page.
From the menu on the left side, select Create Prescription.
Then select Device Prescription.
Then under Device Type, what exactly does it say?
You can hit the arrow on the right to see your choices.
Choose the option that lists With C-Flex.
Then hit NEXT and select VIA SMART CARD.

Then just follow the prompts until you're done.
Then put your smart card back in the machine and see if the cflex option comes up...

I don't know if this will work, but it's worth a shot!!!!

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:11 pm

HA!!

In the machine type area of the original perscript was "none".

I changed it to REMStar Pro 2 w/ C-Flex!

I also increased ramp time a bit cause I never fall asleep within the 15 min time originally set up lol.

I put the CPAP preasure at 15, which is my 'scripted pressure...was that proper? or is that the C-Flex pressure?

neversleeps · Post by **neversleeps** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:17 pm

damac100 wrote:HA!!

In the machine type area of the original perscript was "none".

I put the CPAP preasure at 15, which is my 'scripted pressure...was that proper? or is that the C-Flex pressure?

NONE???? Those dirty dogs!!!

Yep, 15 for the CPAP pressure is right.

C-Flex can only be adjusted on the machine itself (now that you've got it setup to be listed as one of your options). 3 will give you the most relief upon exhalation. 1 is the least.

Let us know how it works out!

damac100 · Post by **damac100** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:32 pm

First of all, THANKS!! all y'all for squaring me away on this. I've been having a bugger of a time with inner ear equalizations and cramps and soreness in my solar plexus area. I'm trying to convince myself right now that I'm sleepy enough to go to bed so I can try out the C-Flex

Second, It's most likely not a "them" what did this. I tend to tinker with stuff, alot. I'm willing to bet it was set up right and proper in the beginning and I fiddle farted around with stuff enough to send it sideways.

Anyhoo, thanks muches

Happy New Years everybody! (when it gets here, of course )

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 11:21 pm

You need to go through Setup again, when it says "CPAP" on the LCD, press the UP/Dwn Ramp button to toggle it so it says "CFLE", then it should prompt you in the next field with the Cflex setting, options are 1, 2 or 3 (I suggest 2 for starters).

With your pressure at 15cm, I suggest enabling a Ramp, to do this you input a low Ramp pressure (it can be anything from 4cm to your 15cm, I suggest 6-10cm if your new at this) and the high Ramp pressure is your titration pressure of 15cm. Then estimate the time you think it takes you to fall asleep, and set the timer, if your just starting out set it to 30-45 minutes. Pressing the On/Off button exits the setup.

The way this works when enabled, you turn on the machine it goes to 15cm, press the down Ramp button it drops to the lower pressure for the programmed time increasing by .2cm every 5 minutes until timer expires.

This will help you get to sleep faster.

exhale prob on cpap

exhale prob on cpap

Re: exhale prob on cpap

Re: exhale prob on cpap

Machine	Mask