So, should I try the Auto setting?

[Roboski]

I have this wonderful new Phillips Auto machine, but using it at my traditional fixed setting (8.0). I have gone into the clinician's menu and tried the auto setting (4-12) for a couple of nights. AHI was a bit higher (in the 5's), but I did not notice anything and I am still alive. Do you folks think I should keep trying the Auto setting just for the heck of it? Is there an acclimation period? Or, am I playing with the proverbial fire and I should just wait until I have my yearly checkup with the neurologist next month? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated as always!

[ChicagoGranny]

going to use Sleepyhead

I think you need to get moving on this so you can analyze what results you get at different machine settings. Or maybe you will see the results are so good that changes are not necessary.

tried the auto setting (4-12)

Many of us feel like we are suffocating with pressures below 6 or 7.

[Wulfman...]

I have this wonderful new Phillips Auto machine, but using it at my traditional fixed setting (8.0). I have gone into the clinician's menu and tried the auto setting (4-12) for a couple of nights. AHI was a bit higher (in the 5's), but I did not notice anything and I am still alive. Do you folks think I should keep trying the Auto setting just for the heck of it? Is there an acclimation period? Or, am I playing with the proverbial fire and I should just wait until I have my yearly checkup with the neurologist next month? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated as always!

It's YOUR therapy and YOUR machine. You can try what you wish.
However, I'm curious as to why you'd pick a minimum setting so much lower than your normal one.
Are you using software (Encore or Sleepyhead) to monitor your therapy? (Or are you getting your info from the LCD screen?)
Never mind.......I saw CG's quote of your lack of software use.
If you're not using software, you really NEED to......especially with a range of pressures.......to SEE what's going on.
You didn't say what your "normal" AHI was with fixed pressure.
If you're going to experiment, I'd suggest setting your minimum where your fixed pressure was......8 cm.


Den

.

[OkyDoky]

Get Sleepyhead. This site will help you. https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead

With lowering your lower pressure to 4 you probably have some events happening before the machine reacts to them. The top pressure isn't a major concern unless the pressure changes wake you up. The machine will not go higher than you need.

I would set the lower to 6 or 7 like Chicago Granny said or even 8, especially since you have been on a straight 8 pressure. The top can be left at 15 but you need to monitor the results on Sleepyhead to see the results for several days to determine how you are responding.

[robysue]

I have this wonderful new Phillips Auto machine, but using it at my traditional fixed setting (8.0).

And how have you been feeling while using it in traditional CPAP mode? And how does the data look?

I have gone into the clinician's menu and tried the auto setting (4-12) for a couple of nights. AHI was a bit higher (in the 5's), but I did not notice anything and I am still alive. Do you folks think I should keep trying the Auto setting just for the heck of it?

I'm reminded of an old saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If you are getting restful, restorative sleep and you're feeling good during the daytime and your numbers look good, there is NO point in experimenting just for the heck of it.

On the other hand, if something is broken, you do need to fix it. So if you are NOT getting very good sleep or if you still have most of your daytime symptoms in spite of CPAPing, then experimenting with APAP mode might be worthwhile.

[palerider]

If you are getting restful, restorative sleep and you're feeling good during the daytime and your numbers look good, there is NO point in experimenting just for the heck of it.

I'd like to offer the view that many times, people aren't getting as good a sleep as they could, but they don't realize it could be better.... like the long slow leadup to apnea problems... there was perhaps years of declining energy, sleep, etc... but most don't realize it till it's really bad.

a little tinkering could result in feeling even better. or just prove that things were good already.

[Roboski]

Thanks to everyone who posted back. A few notes: 1) As to the low-end pressure of 4.0, that's what my machine defaulted to when I switched to Auto mode, and I implicitly trusted that my machine knows best. Silly rabbit. 2) I downloaded Sleepyhead and imported my SD card data. Still need to learn how to interpret the data, but I can say that my AHI spiked after I woke up and was drifting in and out of sleep between 4:45 and 5:30, when I finally got my carcass out of bed. Is that normal? Did what I just say make sense? I know I need to read the tutorial, but at first glance what should I be looking at amid all the numbers and graphs? Thanks to all again!

[palerider]

Thanks to everyone who posted back. A few notes: 1) As to the low-end pressure of 4.0, that's what my machine defaulted to when I switched to Auto mode, and I implicitly trusted that my machine knows best. Silly rabbit. 2) I downloaded Sleepyhead and imported my SD card data. Still need to learn how to interpret the data, but I can say that my AHI spiked after I woke up and was drifting in and out of sleep between 4:45 and 5:30, when I finally got my carcass out of bed. Is that normal? Did what I just say make sense? I know I need to read the tutorial, but at first glance what should I be looking at amid all the numbers and graphs? Thanks to all again!

yeah, the machine doesn't know anything, it's just that 4 is the factory default for minimum, like 20 is for max.

pugsy's pointers, the first post in the announcements section is a great place to start when getting a handle on sleepyhead.

[borowik]

ofcourse you can try auto settings and then changed it for what you need

[palerider]

ofcourse you can try auto settings and then changed it for what you need

that's not a very helpful response, you know.

[ChicagoGranny]

Still need to learn how to interpret the data

You may want to post a screenshot or two to get some expert user opinion - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104876&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=30

[ChicagoGranny]

that's not a very helpful response, you know.

+1

[Tatooed Lady]

ofcourse you can try auto settings and then changed it for what you need

that's not a very helpful response, you know.

My guess is this was posted as a blind answer to the topic, not to the specific challenges and questions posted in the thread...still doesn't help the OP much, but isn't inaccurate or dangerously misleading.

If you want to try apap with minimal change to start, you could put the low end at around 6 or 7cm, with the upper end at 10. Not much different from your straight 8, so it shouldn't interfere with your sleep much. It also is a tight enough range that the machine can adjust from one end to the other as needed pretty quickly. If you find through SH or other software that the machine constantly is at (in this case) 10, then you can raise the top end a couple cm to see how high it wants to go to prevent events.

I tend to tweak things sometimes just to see if there is a better way. Not that I necessarily think something is wrong. It's helped me to learn what works well for my numbers, AND what is more comfortable for a good night worth of sleep.

[Sunbrst62]

My experience with PR auto is that it might take several days of therapy for the auto mode to settle in and accurately give a usable reading.
I echo those statements above re: setting minimum well below existing set pressures.
Autos are great but they can be problematic such as raising pressures as a result of aging mask and headgear.
I have gone back and forth with my 560, after much experimenting I have come to the conclusion that AHI results are skewed to show lower events in auto mode vs set pressure. Just a result of having experience with EA in a clinical setting and looking at my personal results.
Good to be here, thank all of you for your great info!

[palerider]

Autos are great but they can be problematic such as raising pressures as a result of aging mask and headgear.

please explain.