Auto cpap is..

[carojae]

I am wondering if a auto cpap machine will adjust and ramp downward if it ramped (while asleep) up too high.
I wake up and my machine is almost always running at high setting. You know, if I open my mouth air comes rushing out. This whole this is annoying and I want to fix it.
I pulled it off the night stand one time and I've been wondering every since if I broke something inside. It does it's job but doesn't seem to want to ramp down.
Does anyone have info on this?

Forgot to add my machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex
Also have humidifier with it.

Jim

[D.H.]

In general, it will (gradually) lower the pressure down to the "floor" as it senses that higher pressures are no longer needed. I'm not sure if it can sense issues specific to "too much" pressure.

[zoocrewphoto]

It sounds like it increased pressure to prevent events, but that level of pressure bothers you enough to wake you up. You can restart it so that it starts down low again. Or wait for it to go back down slowly.

Can you tell us what your pressure settings are? Do you know about sleepyhead? You can use a free program to view your data. And if you post a screenshot of the graphs and the charts on the left side, we can help you make adjustments that will help your therapy and/or your comfort.

[HoseCrusher]

I started out with a ResMed S8 Escape Auto. When I left the maximum pressure at 20 it would frequently go to 20 and get stuck there. I would need to shut the machine off and restart it to get out of this maximum pressure situation. My workaround was to set the maximum pressure just above what I needed and then I transitioned to an S8 Autoset that didn't seem to have the same issue.

[palerider]

I am wondering if a auto cpap machine will adjust and ramp downward if it ramped (while asleep) up too high.

As soon as the machine stops sensing the events that cause it to raise pressure, it will start dropping pressure back down to the minimum set.

I wake up and my machine is almost always running at high setting. You know, if I open my mouth air comes rushing out. This whole this is annoying and I want to fix it.

The first step is to pull the data into sleepyhead and post it, like it says in my sig.

I pulled it off the night stand one time and I've been wondering every since if I broke something inside. It does it's job but doesn't seem to want to ramp down.

unlikely.

[Janknitz]

It doesn’t matter what the pressure, if you open your mouth the air is going to go out your mouth instead of into your windpipe. Path of least resistance. So don’t let that be your criteria for too much Pressure.

[carojae]

Okay, is this the page you guys want?
Just to be clear, I've used a machine for close to 10 years and this is my second machine. What I am asking about is having the machine ramp down on it's own automatically - it doesn't seem to do that now. I am aware I can hit the ramp button and it will restart on low but "I want this process to be automatic". It seems to me that it use to be automatic but I am not sure (guess I didn't fully pay attention to that detail but I don't remember having air blasting every morning before.

Here is a screen shot with my pressures. I've (me) limited my upper pressure on auto to 13 (if I remember right) because it used to push air out the corners of my eyes when it was set at 20; stuff would come out of my ears and I was constantly applying cortisone to my ear canals. The high pressure just raised hell with me so I turned it down and I am happy with the pressure that it's on because there are no extra problems from too much air pressure.

Let me know what more/page you need to see if you want more info. I am still thinking this machine use to ramp down on it's own and wouldn't wake me up every morning because of air blasting in my nasal mask.

thank you guys.

Jim

[zoocrewphoto]

Looks like your machine does ramp down on its own, at least it did a few times. It does take time to go back down. You are probably just waking up while it is high sometimes.

Also, your pressure is set to a very wide range. Much too low to start. If you started at a higher pressure, one that can prevent most of your events, it will be less likely to go as high, chasing events. Your screen shot does show your ahi, but the events chart shows a lot of events. You would probably have more restful sleep and fewer wake ups if you had a narrower range. I would try starting it around 8. That might not be enough, but it helps to see some data after a change and see how it goes.

I also wonder if you are rolling onto your back or if that is REM sleep. It looks like it is low for awhile, and then climbs for awhile, then goes back down for awhile.

[palerider]

What Zoocrew said.

[Julie]

Double ditto.

[HoseCrusher]

Looking at your Pressure graph I count about 18 times the pressure reduced. Some were small and others were larger.

If that were my chart I would raise the minimum from 4 to 5.5 or 6 and expect better results because of fewer pressure transitions.

If you like to play...

You could count the number of events that occurred when the pressure was below 6, normalize those events with the amount of time spent below 6, then compare the number of normalized events that occurred above 6. Theoretically, raising the pressure to 6 would eliminate the events that occurred below that pressure and with less events you should have a more restful sleep.

[carojae]

Looks like your machine does ramp down on its own, at least it did a few times. It does take time to go back down. You are probably just waking up while it is high sometimes.

Oh okay. At least I know it is doing what I thought it should do Waking up with a high pressure on most days made me think the machine wasn't working but I was wrong.

Also, your pressure is set to a very wide range. Much too low to start. If you started at a higher pressure, one that can prevent most of your events, it will be less likely to go as high, chasing events. Your screen shot does show your ahi, but the events chart shows a lot of events. You would probably have more restful sleep and fewer wake ups if you had a narrower range. I would try starting it around 8. That might not be enough, but it helps to see some data after a change and see how it goes.

Glad I posted now. I set the machine myself thinking that the "auto setting" would adjust. Glad to know I should up the low setting.

I also wonder if you are rolling onto your back or if that is REM sleep. It looks like it is low for awhile, and then climbs for awhile, then goes back down for awhile.

What is REM sleep? Can you explain what you mean here?

Thank you guys so much.

Jim

[carojae]

Looking at your Pressure graph I count about 18 times the pressure reduced. Some were small and others were larger.

If that were my chart I would raise the minimum from 4 to 5.5 or 6 and expect better results because of fewer pressure transitions.

If you like to play...

You could count the number of events that occurred when the pressure was below 6, normalize those events with the amount of time spent below 6, then compare the number of normalized events that occurred above 6. Theoretically, raising the pressure to 6 would eliminate the events that occurred below that pressure and with less events you should have a more restful sleep.

Okay, I will try that Hosecrusher. Thank you very much

[carojae]

Looking at your Pressure graph I count about 18 times the pressure reduced. Some were small and others were larger.

If that were my chart I would raise the minimum from 4 to 5.5 or 6 and expect better results because of fewer pressure transitions.

If you like to play...

You could count the number of events that occurred when the pressure was below 6, normalize those events with the amount of time spent below 6, then compare the number of normalized events that occurred above 6. Theoretically, raising the pressure to 6 would eliminate the events that occurred below that pressure and with less events you should have a more restful sleep.

Okay, I will try that Hosecrusher. Thank you very much Also, is the high pressure okay?
*I am seeing the sleep doctor next week....

[HoseCrusher]

Your pressure graph shows that you came close to your maximum pressure but did not reach it. I think it is OK.