Question about C-Flex setting and hyperventilation

[jnew71]

I've seen some posts that insinuated that C-Flex has the potential to cause hyperventilation in a small population of CPAP users. Assuming I didn't misunderstand, what's the reason that this would happen?

[Wulfman...]

I've seen some posts that insinuated that C-Flex has the potential to cause hyperventilation in a small population of CPAP users. Assuming I didn't misunderstand, what's the reason that this would happen?

I have no idea and I don't recall reading those posts. But, I suppose with certain pressure settings (high/low) and a C-Flex setting that may be more than the user's tolerance, I suppose it could happen that their breathing may feel like it was out of sync.

I used a C-Flex setting of "2" for years and finally turned it off a couple of years ago after I experimented and found I could breathe just as well without it. And, my "numbers" got a little better after I turned it off. In hindsight, I wondered why I waited so long to do it.


Den

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[jnew71]

I've seen some posts that insinuated that C-Flex has the potential to cause hyperventilation in a small population of CPAP users. Assuming I didn't misunderstand, what's the reason that this would happen?

I have no idea and I don't recall reading those posts. But, I suppose with certain pressure settings (high/low) and a C-Flex setting that may be more than the user's tolerance, I suppose it could happen that their breathing may feel like it was out of sync.

I used a C-Flex setting of "2" for years and finally turned it off a couple of years ago after I experimented and found I could breathe just as well without it. And, my "numbers" got a little better after I turned it off. In hindsight, I wondered why I waited so long to do it.


Den

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Here's a link to one (you even responded)

viewtopic/t9036/Hyperventilating-on-CFlex.html


Just trying to determine if this is indeed the case with some users, what exactly causes it. If you look at my limited history, I've been having huge issues adjusting, so just trying to get more information. Thanks.

[Wulfman...]

I've seen some posts that insinuated that C-Flex has the potential to cause hyperventilation in a small population of CPAP users. Assuming I didn't misunderstand, what's the reason that this would happen?

I have no idea and I don't recall reading those posts. But, I suppose with certain pressure settings (high/low) and a C-Flex setting that may be more than the user's tolerance, I suppose it could happen that their breathing may feel like it was out of sync.

I used a C-Flex setting of "2" for years and finally turned it off a couple of years ago after I experimented and found I could breathe just as well without it. And, my "numbers" got a little better after I turned it off. In hindsight, I wondered why I waited so long to do it.


Den

.

Here's a link to one (you even responded)

viewtopic/t9036/Hyperventilating-on-CFlex.html


Just trying to determine if this is indeed the case with some users, what exactly causes it. If you look at my limited history, I've been having huge issues adjusting, so just trying to get more information. Thanks.

That was almost NINE years ago!
But, you need to take that thread in context.......and it would appear we never heard back from the OP.
This therapy can be an "adventure in tweaking"......till we get it all ironed out. That's why there are so many options in pressure, exhale relief, humidity, masks, etc., etc., etc. You just need to try different things till you find out what works best for you. If you haven't already......try using the machine when you're watching TV or reading......or at times other than sleeping to get used to it.
And, this is another reason we try to get the users informed regarding getting into their machine settings to be able to tweak their own settings so as to optimize their therapy. You can't rely on the DME staff to "get it right". Most of them probably don't use this therapy anyway and are mostly sales people.


Den

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[Sleeprider]

This therapy can be an "adventure in tweaking"......till we get it all ironed out. That's why there are so many options in pressure, exhale relief, humidity, masks, etc., etc., etc. You just need to try different things till you find out what works best for you. If you haven't already......try using the machine when you're watching TV or reading......or at times other than sleeping to get used to it.
And, this is another reason we try to get the users informed regarding getting into their machine settings to be able to tweak their own settings so as to optimize their therapy. You can't rely on the DME staff to "get it right". Most of them probably don't use this therapy anyway and are mostly sales people.


Den.

That right there is the truth, whole truth and nothing but. Thanks!

[archangle]

I think flex and EPR are one of those things you simply have to try and see how it works for you.

As for hyperventilation, maybe it makes some people exhale and inhale more deeply due to the pressure change.

[jnew71]

I think flex and EPR are one of those things you simply have to try and see how it works for you.

As for hyperventilation, maybe it makes some people exhale and inhale more deeply due to the pressure change.

Well, I'm apparently one of those that is negatively affected using the comfort settings - I enabled the resistance settings on my machine and never thought that it could cause a jump in my AHI, but my numbers jumped from 5-6 nightly to 15-20 for a solid week. After disabling again, I was back to the 5-6. After reading some of the posts about the Cflex setting, which was originally set by my DME at 3, I disabled it and it has been at 1-2 for 4 straight days. My sleep the last 2 nights has been better. Still baffled by why this is the case as is my ENT.

I still don't know if the setting or even CPAP has anything to do with my daytime hyperventilation/shortness of breath. My ENT seems to think it's psychogenic, which doesn't make sense to me as I've never had issues with hyperventilation before. At this point, we're going to wait and see what happens over the next week or 2 - hoping the improved therapy and sleep help resolve -

[Wulfman...]

I think flex and EPR are one of those things you simply have to try and see how it works for you.

As for hyperventilation, maybe it makes some people exhale and inhale more deeply due to the pressure change.

Well, I'm apparently one of those that is negatively affected using the comfort settings - I enabled the resistance settings on my machine and never thought that it could cause a jump in my AHI, but my numbers jumped from 5-6 nightly to 15-20 for a solid week. After disabling again, I was back to the 5-6. After reading some of the posts about the Cflex setting, which was originally set by my DME at 3, I disabled it and it has been at 1-2 for 4 straight days. My sleep the last 2 nights has been better. Still baffled by why this is the case as is my ENT.

I still don't know if the setting or even CPAP has anything to do with my daytime hyperventilation/shortness of breath. My ENT seems to think it's psychogenic, which doesn't make sense to me as I've never had issues with hyperventilation before. At this point, we're going to wait and see what happens over the next week or 2 - hoping the improved therapy and sleep help resolve -

Which "resistance settings" are you talking about. The newer System One machines have a "Mask settings for System One Resistance Control"......which doesn't apply to masks which are NOT Philips/Respironics masks.

The Flex settings are essentially called "exhale relief". I can't imagine it affecting your AHI numbers that much.


Den

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[OkyDoky]

I looked at another of your posts at a screen shot then. My question is what are your pressure settings? I think you were changing your maximum when your minimum was pretty low. It is the minimum that is most important in APAP mode and that may be why your are having events. Please verify settings or post another screenshot.

[Wulfman...]

I looked at another of your posts at a screen shot then. My question is what are your pressure settings? I think you were changing your maximum when your minimum was pretty low. It is the minimum that is most important in APAP mode and that may be why your are having events. Please verify settings or post another screenshot.

Absolutely! We need to know what pressures you've been using and whether you're changing them. Ranges of pressures can have a HUGE effect on "the numbers".


Den

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[jnew71]

I looked at another of your posts at a screen shot then. My question is what are your pressure settings? I think you were changing your maximum when your minimum was pretty low. It is the minimum that is most important in APAP mode and that may be why your are having events. Please verify settings or post another screenshot.

I never changed my max when in APAP mode - it was always set at 20. After auto-trial, the machine set a static setting based on 90%, but it shows on sleepy head as APAP because it is supposed to readjust every 30 hours (or something to that effect), so it shows as a range of +/-3 from the static pressure being delivered. So, if it was showing 7.5 and 13.5, it was delivering a static pressure of 10.5.


If you read one of my more recent posts, you've seen that I admitted to being anxious about optimizing therapy because of some secondary issues I have that are exacerbated by my breathing and may have been tweaking a bit too much. So, for the past 20+ days, I've been back to trial mode at a range of 7.5 to 20. The only adjustment I've made is disabling the resistance control and Cflex with there being a significant drop in AHI when doing each. I guess the proof will be in the pudding so to speak if I continue to have nights like I've had for the past 4. Again, it makes no sense and it all could be coincidence. I just find it interesting that others have mentioned similar findings, but without a solid explanation.

[OkyDoky]

I'm not very familiar with this type of machine, so what you are saying is that you are off auto trial and it has switched to CPAP at 10.5 with a +/- of 3?