Is (too high) pressure setting a health risk?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
ESJ47
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 7:18 pm

Is (too high) pressure setting a health risk?

Post by ESJ47 » Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:12 pm

I discovered a few days ago that when I turned on my machine, the display indicated a pressure setting of 10, and I know my prescribed setting is 7. Over the previous week and a half, or so, I'd begun experiencing my mouth being blown open several times a night, and getting very dry, and a sore throat that didn't seem to be accompanied by the other symptoms I've usually experienced with any upper respiratory infection.
My supplier didn't seem to register any alarm about it when I told them, including any alarm about the fact that there didn't seem to be any explanation for the setting change.
They asked if my pulmonologist had changed it, and I explained that when I'd last seen the pulmonologist, I didn't have the machine with me. In fact I'd mailed the chip to the supplier to download, and the supplier emailed the report to the doc. This was a month or so ago. When I got my chip back in the mail I re-inserted it, and had no reason to think there would be anything different in the settings in my machine. Now I'm beginning to think they mailed me back the wrong chip. I just got a new one today, and the machine is back at 7, so I'm hoping my sore throat, and the dryness will go away.
I've been using a CPAP since August of 1995, and this is the first time I've had this kind of experience, and it's been really unpleasant. I wonder if anyone else has had a similar occurrence, and wonder, too, if I've done any damage to my throat and my sinuses?

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archangle
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:55 am

Re: Is (too high) pressure setting a health risk?

Post by archangle » Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:25 pm

You may very well have gotten a data card that was programmed with the wrong settings.

Too high a pressure can increase mouth leaks, mask leaks, and other incidental problems. It might make your throat dryer or sore. The pressure might also annoy you more.

For some people, it can increase the number of "central apenas." It's probably not too big a problem at 10 cmH2O.

You mention the data "chip." Is it the size of a credit card or a postage stamp? Does your machine say "Philips Respironics" or just Respironics? You may have the wrong machine in your profile.

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ESJ47
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 7:18 pm

Re: Is (too high) pressure setting a health risk?

Post by ESJ47 » Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:38 pm

Oops! Good eye. It's a Phillips-Respironics. I changed the profile.
And it's postage-stamp size (the chip).

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archangle
Posts: 9294
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:55 am

Re: Is (too high) pressure setting a health risk?

Post by archangle » Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:44 pm

Great. If you're interested, you can use the SleepyHead program to look at the data on the card. Your machine records a lot of data about your treatment.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Also SleepyHead, PRS1 Auto, Respironics Auto M series, Legacy Auto, and Legacy Plus
Please enter your equipment in your profile so we can help you.
Click here for information on the most common alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check for yourself.

Useful Links.