help - sensitive to pressure change ?

[sweetpea Mom]

I have an APAP machine (test rental for now). It's a ResMed Spirit= 2005 model. To make a long story short the doc suggested I move my range from 5 - 11 to 7 - 15. On the 5-11 I felt GREAT !! No wake ups, no stomach pain, just so good to feel human again. Now, with the pressures a wee bit higher, I am wide awake with severe stomach pain (again).

Can someone really be that sensitive to a 2 cm pressure change ???? It seems that I have more air in my eyes with this pressure change too. (I use the ResMed Vista nasal mask). I have been dealing with all sorts of DME cr*p since December.

I am thinking I want to purchase an APAP from cpap.com and be done with the DME. Monitor and adjust my own pressures. Period. But my only concern is: (1) can I print reports if I get the ResMed software ( I love the features of the AutoSet11, so that's the machine I would get) and (2) what about repairs ? Do these machines need repairs very often ?

Would appreciate any advice...........Very frustrated.....sorry

Beth

[rjjayrt]

Machines are usually reliable... You might want to fix your mask leak (more air in your eyes). By increasing your pressure it seems as though you've created a leak. Try re adjusting your mask to rid yourself of the air in your eyes. If you can't adjust the leaks out of your present mask, you might try a Full Face Mask, a different nasal mask or pillows.

[Julie]

Anyone can be sensitive to a pressure change if either the before or after number was "just right" or at the edge of being wrong to begin with. What occurred to me from your post was that your original number "spread" was a bit wider than is considered ideal, and I would have raised the lower one a bit (even if only by one notch) and certainly lowered the upper one to 10 or 12. However now I would suggest you try backing down to 6 (5 does seem so low after all), but lowering the higher number to e.g. 12, and see how that goes. I don't want to go against your MD's advice (he may have just thought 5 was too low also, without taking into acct. how you felt) but if a person feels worse after trying any therapy, it would seem to me that it should be rethunk .

The machines rarely need repairs, and if it comes to that, are rarely "repaired", but are rather swapped for other machines instead. They may be repaired then, but passed onto other patients as "reconditioned", rather than sent back to you (unless, of course, it was your personal machine to begin with.

[Wulfman]

I have an APAP machine (test rental for now). It's a ResMed Spirit= 2005 model. To make a long story short the doc suggested I move my range from 5 - 11 to 7 - 15. On the 5-11 I felt GREAT !! No wake ups, no stomach pain, just so good to feel human again. Now, with the pressures a wee bit higher, I am wide awake with severe stomach pain (again).

Can someone really be that sensitive to a 2 cm pressure change ???? It seems that I have more air in my eyes with this pressure change too. (I use the ResMed Vista nasal mask). I have been dealing with all sorts of DME cr*p since December.

I am thinking I want to purchase an APAP from cpap.com and be done with the DME. Monitor and adjust my own pressures. Period. But my only concern is: (1) can I print reports if I get the ResMed software ( I love the features of the AutoSet11, so that's the machine I would get) and (2) what about repairs ? Do these machines need repairs very often ?

Would appreciate any advice...........Very frustrated.....sorry

Beth

I can tell you from first-hand experience about that 2 cm. change. About four years ago, I decided to bump my pressure up from 10 to 12 on straight CPAP. The first night I didn't sleep very well, however, the second night was better and by the third, I was used to it. With an APAP, the pressures are changing all night long.
Nothing wrong with having an APAP, but be sure you know that using one every night in a range of pressures may have ramifications in the quality of your sleep.


Den

[KatieW]

Yes, you can print reports from the S8 AutoSet II, if you have the ResScan 3.7 software and a card reader. Here is a link to the Clinical Guide:

http://www.internetage.ws/cpaphelp/manuals/ResMed/

[sweetpea Mom]

THANKS to all of you !! It sure helps to have someone to talk to about this....

I appreciate all your advice, greatly, believe me !

Beth