Poll on using Exhale Relief (mainly on Respironics & Resmed)

I use A-Flex at 3, and have for the 7 months I have been on PAP. Haven't really thought about changing it because it works just fine the way it is. The reason the flex was prescribed for me is that during titration I had problems exhaling at first - and they had to adjust the machine so I could.

nobody wrote:I voted for CFLEX because that's what I used. I tried the AFLEX for a while and hated it so went back to CFLEX.

I started with CFlex 3 and tried AFlex, did not hate it as nobody did, just did not like it. Now I am CFlex 1 and I may turn that off. The Flex settings (or EPR) does make things easier when you first start with xPAP!!!

I use c-flex set at 1. It was originally at 2, and I changed it to 1 and it seemed that my numbers were a little better. Thinking of going without it at all. Maybe my numbers will be perfect then

I use EPR 3 and am doing well with it. AIs are 0 - 0.3 and AHI is around 5.
I can understand how pressure relief may not work for some.
But don't understand those who say pressure relief is bad and not "real therapy".

psychomamma wrote:Thanks to Dori (see above) -- I have now finally been able to sleep at night because I turned my C-Flex off. I was still trying to exhale and the machine would start breathing into me! Now that I have it turned off, I can breathe in my natural rhythm, which is a short inhale and a very long exhale. I would have never thought of this on my own, but it works great.

LIsa...

Lisa, you and my honey would make beautiful music together. You described exactly his breathing pattern too, short inhale and longer exhale, so on flex he couldn't complete his exhale. Glad it's working for you. It was a good feature at the beginning when he was just getting used to the whole process and needed some exhale relief.

When I first started out I also used EPR with a setting of 3. I have since turned it off and am happy without it

I honestly don't need any of it feel comfortable exhaling.

But for me, the gentler the transition from inhale to exhale...the less air seems to end up in my stomach. So I use "A-Flex 3" to minimize the morning "gas attack".

Total Noob here - 4 nights under the mask. I'm using A-Flex on setting 2. Seems to be working so far...

Is there any proof or studies that have shown that treatment at the same pressures is more effective without exhale relief than with it? I here a lot of people make that claim on this board but I haven't seen anything other than unscientific opinions. Is there any difference in effectiveness of the resmed or the C-flex or the A-flex

I started with an EPR of 2 but found I just didn't need it and my results were much better without it. Last night was my fourteenth in a row with an AI of 0.0, my AHI's are usually in the low 3's (3.0 - 3.3) and I'm under pretty high pressures ...... last night was 18.2 but I''m usually in the high 16 - 17's on an FFM with a leak rate averaging less than .20

Is there really a lessor requirement to 'air splint' our throats open upon expiration? I wouldn't have thought so, but then again in High School I skipped Biology for Physics since I was convinced at the time it was more important to learn how to shoot pool than discover why girls were built differently.

track wrote:Is there any proof or studies that have shown that treatment at the same pressures is more effective without exhale relief than with it? I here a lot of people make that claim on this board but I haven't seen anything other than unscientific opinions. Is there any difference in effectiveness of the resmed or the C-flex or the A-flex

From my own inital start (on C-Flex) & getting used to cpap, I found it a great help but after a few months tuned it off for a while then reverted to C-Flex of 1 & was comfortable with it. There does appear to be an element of 'if you are told it is good & works, then it will' but in balance I would believe most people found C-Flex / EPR a great aid to facing up to the therapy & not really needed after about 6 months.

DSM

This has been a very interesting discussion. I have used a ResMed machine with straight pressure of 8 for nine years. I was just given a Respironics M Series as a replacement. The new machine has C-Flex. I can get use to the change in air pressure, but I (and my wife) find the varying noise levels pretty annoying after nine years of constant pressure. When I am exhaling, the machine (and thus the room) goes very quiet. Do others have this problem? Is this the case with all machines that have exhalation relief or just the M Series?

From my own inital start (on C-Flex) & getting used to cpap, I found it a great help but after a few months tuned it off for a while then reverted to C-Flex of 1 & was comfortable with it

If I had the pressure settings of some of the people that use cpap I wouldn't consider exhale relief. I mean who needs any relief when your pressure is 7 or 8 or 9. I am in the low to mid teens and that's with side sleeping...it's a whole different ball game there.

A-Flex at 1.

Captain_Midnight wrote:CFLEX for 2 yrs, then AFLEX for 1.5.

For me, AFLEX (setting 2) is just perfect. I see no reason to try any different product or even a different setting. Current AHI averages < 0.5

Others report varied experiences with AFLEX.



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Dude, those numbers are to die for!