Cpap and settings help?????

[Kathi1028]

Okay...I was diagnosed with sleep apnea almost 5 years ago...I started using cpap then and my level was started at a 7...they sleep my sleep apnea was sever..used it on and off. My nose always gets very stuffy and I would feel like I was suffocating and pull off the mask during the night. Now about 6 months ago I switched doctors and she sent me for a new sleep study. I only had to stay the one night. She made me sleep on my back..said she could get better readings that way..although I prefer sleeping on my side. When I went back they hooked me up with a new machine and changed my settings to a 10. Said I quit breathing over 200 times in a 4 hour period. The machine I am using now..with the 10 I have stopped..I am constantly spitting up phlegm..with blood. My nose when I'm sleeping stays clogged 90 percent of them time. I don't know if this has anything to do with the 10 setting or not.. The humidifier they told me since I live in fl..to leave on 0..I pushed that up to a 1..still no relief...Any help??

[Pugsy]

The humidifier they told me since I live in fl..to leave on 0..I pushed that up to a 1..still no relief...Any help??

Just because you live in a typically higher humidity area doesn't mean that your nasal mucosa don't need more added moisture.
Some people need a lot more. When the nasal mucosa get dried out they tend to bleed easily and the congestion is caused by the mucosa swelling up in an effort to keep from drying out.

What machine are you using?

Get some Simple Saline type of nose spray and use it often during the day to help rehydrate the nasal mucosa..and try an increase in the humidifier setting...hard to say what number because I don't know which machine you are using but I would try at least 3.
It may take a couple of days for the nasal mucosa to get back to normal. For me when I had mine get dried out and had your same symptoms (I lowered my settings to 1 for one night) it took me 3 days to get things back to normal.
The increase in pressure blows more air so the drying effect is magnified even more than it would be at a lower pressure but the drying effect can present a problem even at 4 cm...so while the pressure used isn't the main culprit..it sure doesn't help things.

[Kathi1028]

RemStar Pro C...I just pick up any nasal spray then..I've never used one of these...

[Pugsy]

This Remstar Pro C? Though yours may not have the "2" part but this is the only picture of the older model I could find
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... cflex.html

Or this one?
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Respir ... -CPAP.html

Or this one? It might have a darker gray interface. This is the PR System One model...on the bottom of the machine will be be either 450 or 460?. If it is this one the default humidification system uses much less water than the 2 humidification systems in the older machines above. A setting of 1 is not much added humidity at all. I would suggest at least a setting of 3.
Does your long hose happen to have a black end on it where it attaches to the humidifier? If it does you have the heated hose and lots of humidifier options and it will be a 460 model.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -plus.html

[Kathi1028]

Its the third one down..

[Pugsy]

Its the third one down..

When you have time..remove the water tank...and turn over the machine and look for a 3 digit model number...probably preceded by DS or REF...is is 450 or 460?
Does your hose have a black end on it where it attaches to the humidifier?
You have a PR System One Pro CPAP with CFlex...either 450/ or the 460 model which would be called PR System One 60 Series Pro CPAP with CFlex..just ignore the Remstar part of the name..they have used it on every machine they have made for at least the past 10 years.
The default setting for the humidifier in the PR System One 450 model...or the 460 without the heated hose...is the "new humidification system" and it uses a lot less water than the old way of doing things which was heat only.
You may simply need more added moisture to keep your nasal mucosa and sinuses happy. Doesn't matter where you live..people are all different in what their bodies need.

[Kathi1028]

REF 460 P...what do you mean a black end....the hose to my mask attaches to a black end on the machine if thats what you mean..I really appreciate all this help..tyty

[Pugsy]

REF 460 P...what do you mean a black end....the hose to my mask attaches to a black end on the machine if thats what you mean.

You have a series 60 machine which has a heated hose option and the way to tell for sure, for people who don't know, if the hose is the heated hose is that the end of the hose that attaches to the humidifier has a black end that plugs into a little electrical thing at the humidifier / hose connection. The black part is on the hose...that's the black part I am talking about and not the black swivel thing on the humidifier lid.

It looks like this
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-sys ... -tube.html

The heated hose feature is an option and your machine might not have that option...but if the long hose has a black end on the hose like the picture above..yours does.

The reason I am trying to determine which hose is that with the heated hose you have additional choices in the humidity delivery and the air temp coming to your mask. Independent choices. Without the heated hose you only have one option.

Just wanting you to be able to understand what your machine can and can't do so that maybe you can make things more comfortable.

[jamiswolf]

Hi Kathi,
I lived in Florida for a few years and was surprised that the relative humidity can get fairly low on occasions. So indeed, you may need more humidity. Make small changes and let your body get used to it.

And regarding your pressure and your side-sleeping propensity...once Pugsy gets you all dialed in with software to monitor your apnea, you may be able to ease that pressure down bit.
Good luck,
Jamis

[Kathi1028]

no I don't have that type hose...

[Kathi1028]

Thanks Jammi...its set on a 10...I tried using my old machine and it was on a 7..I think if I can figure out how to set it back thats what I'm going to do..my husband said I didn't snore one bit with it set on the 7..then if I have to go up from there. I was really upset when i went in to get my machine..the prescription said for them to set it at an 18....I told him no way was I taking that home on an 18 that when I was in the drs office he had told me a 10..so thats what he set it on.Where do you have your humidifer set at???

[Pugsy]

Okay, you don't have the heated hose. That's fine. Just needed to know what he had to work with.
I would try a setting of 3 tonight..see how it does. You are using the new system one humidification system in the default mode and it simply doesn't add much moisture in that mode. There's some sensors involved and they try to prevent rain out but the end result is less moisture being delivered.

Your 460 machine is a full efficacy data machine and there is easy to obtain and use software available. Check out my signature line.
I will send you a private message in a couple of minutes with a link for the provider manual so you can get into those settings.
Please if you are going to lower the pressure...take the time to get the software and use it so we can make sure that the lower pressure is doing it's job. If you have problems with the software just let me know. I have heard just about every problem imaginable with either SleepyHead or Encore so we can usually get things sorted out.

When you have time you might add your equipment to your profile like I have mine.
This would be the machine to choose.....PR System One 60 Series Pro CPAP with CFlex
This would be the humidifier to choose....PR System One 60 Series Heated Tube Humidifier...even though you don't yet have the heated tube (long hose). It's the only choice that works with your machine.
If you don't know how to add your equipment to your profile
wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile
Please use the text option though...the icony images are tiny and we can't see model name easily.

[Kathi1028]

I'm going to get back with you tomorrow when I try to read up on all this...gonna leave it off tonight until I get this thing where I want it...I'm on vacation this week so I'll have time to really get into it...thanks so much for all your help...you really seem to know about all this...
Thankyou and Ill talk to you tomorrow...Kathi

[jamiswolf]

Thanks Jammi...its set on a 10...I tried using my old machine and it was on a 7..I think if I can figure out how to set it back thats what I'm going to do..my husband said I didn't snore one bit with it set on the 7..then if I have to go up from there. I was really upset when i went in to get my machine..the prescription said for them to set it at an 18....I told him no way was I taking that home on an 18 that when I was in the drs office he had told me a 10..so thats what he set it on.Where do you have your humidifer set at???

Hi Kathi.
Experienced cpap users regularly access the clinician Menu and change their own pressure. We generally don't recommend this for beginners. And you think you're having problems now...at 18cm you would be pulling out your hair. That must have been your pressure setting flat on your back.

I use a bipap machine for moderate apnea with settings of 9/13 and I use my humidifier with no heat. Blowby humidification is the phrase used around here. I live on the Oregon coast with a cool humid climate. When I lived in New Mexico and just starting cpap, I used a heated humidifier (don't recall setting) and every morning I was congested till noon.

The problems you are having are common and solvable...so hang in there.
Jamis

[jamiswolf]

Kathi,
I re-read your earlier posts and wanted say that your plan to turn the machine down to your previous setting of 7 seems ok. I didn't mean to imply otherwise...I was just speaking generally. You can get a copy of setup manual here:

http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p ... tup-manual
J