What's wrong with having more pressure than you need?

[orange-man]

Being a first time APAP user and running in the 9-10 range 95% of the time, it makes me wonder about the 2 years I spent on a CPAP at 14. What is the side effect have having more pressure than you need? Does it negatively impact sleep somehow? I feel great after just 2 days on Auto so I presume that the lower pressure is part of the reason but it is just my guess.

I know that higher pressures are more difficult to tolerate but if you can tolerate it, does it degrade the quality of sleep in any way?

[GoofyUT]

The real problem with running pressures higher than you absolutely need is that higher pressures have been linked with the induction of central apneas. So, its a good idea to stay as low as you can but at a level that still clears obstructive events. Recent posts here also suggest that higher pressure may evoke a condition known as Complex Sleep Disordered Breathing (CSDB), but I've only read one study on this.

Chuck

[guested guest]

Plus at higher pressures, you use more electric.

[TerryB]

Higher pressure makes swallowing air more likely.


TerryB

[Goofproof]

You will have more leaks.

You can drink a whole quart of iced tea without comming up for air.

Quite a few people, being treated for aprea are being over and under the pressure they need for sucess in treatment. Only those with the machines and software, have the tool to find out. Jim

[There]

My lousy first sleep doctor, when I complained of still not feeling well, refused to do a follow-up study. He wanted sleep diaries "proving" I kept good sleep hygiene (which I did, but he never really looked at). When I asked for a copy of my results, he patronized me, saying I wouldn't understand the complexity of the reports (yup, my master's degree was just a fluke). And, ultimately, all he did was keep telling me that they'd just up my pressure a bit, taking me from 9 to 10 to 11 to 12 cm. Which was funny, because the last time he did it, he wrote the prescription to his techs to *increase* the pressure from 12 cm to...9 cm (Must be more complicated medical stuff that we can't understand). That's when I went to see a new sleep doctor.

This one listened. This one gave me another study. This one studied me on and off the machine AND on two masks (my own, and the Swift, which I'd never tried), to confirm my first results. THIS ONE gave me the actual test results so I could review them myself and see how the numbers changed at various pressures. His staff talked hosehead lingo to me, as if after a year on the machine, I might have a clue. They even let me see the equipment they used. They did NOT freak out when I told them I knew how to adjust my own machine.

And they put my pressure right back to the original 9 cm. Unfortunately, I was also in the early stages of a major depression, so it's hard to say if that helped or not. The real test is going to be the next few months, because I think I'm finally crawling out of the hole (as witnessed by posting here again).

Luckily and happily, I have a follow-up appointment with him next week. I'm going to try to talk him into putting me on a new machine, either one with a smart card so I can track my results at home, or an APAP. Or, at the VERY least, writing me a prescription so I can buy one myself. I'm willing to pay the price, knowing how expensive a bad night's sleep is.

Tina

[Wulfman]

Luckily and happily, I have a follow-up appointment with him next week. I'm going to try to talk him into putting me on a new machine, either one with a smart card so I can track my results at home, or an APAP. Or, at the VERY least, writing me a prescription so I can buy one myself. I'm willing to pay the price, knowing how expensive a bad night's sleep is.

Tina

Tina,

Seems to me that investing in an APAP and software would be much less expensive than to have to make repeated trips to the doctor (and possibly other sleep studies) to figure out how your therapy is working.

Best wishes,

Den

[Snoredog]

absolutely! you might want to read Chuck's other thread APNEA vs HYPOAPNEA, that is a perfect example of what too much pressure can do to SDB events.

1cm too much pressure can increase the number of events you have, depending on the brand of autopap you have, it can create more problems than it solves.

oh, I see you have the SAME brand machine as Chuck, more reason to read that other thread. Resmed machines use 95% percentile, Respironics use 90%, easy to spot.

[rested gal]

Hi Tina!

As neversleeps said in another thread, it's sure good to see you back posting here again.

Sounds like you've found a very good doctor...good in that he doesn't patronize you and is probably open to at least considering your suggestions. The first one you dealt with sounds like a jerk.

I'll bet this second doctor will let you have a trial with autopap. If not, get a copy of your prescription for cpap (doesn't even have to say "autopap" on it, and doesn't matter if it has just a single pressure stated on it) and buy yourself an autopap online. As long as the word "cpap" is on the Rx, you're good to go. That word alone, even if no pressure or pressure range was on the Rx, will let you purchase an autopap from cpap.com.

[There]

Thanks, Rested Gal (AND Neversleeps) it's good to be back!

I had no idea I could use *any* CPAP prescription. Heck, I already HAVE ONE from my last visit. He wrote me a new one to take to that center's DME so I could have my machine adjusted professionally. Gosh, I hope I didn't toss it out, though!

Still, will try the insurance route first, though

Tina