Question about air pressure

[Grandma Judy]

I have a question about how the ramping up feature works on the ResMed S9. Originally, my machine was set up (per doctor's prescription) for a 25 minute ramping-up period starting at 4 and going to 12. Yesterday, the DME sent a person to my home to fit me with a full face mask since I was having leaking issues with my Swift FX Nano for her and I was due to get a new mask. I had a prescription from the doctor for a ResMed Quarttro Air for Her. While checking to see if I had any leaks with the machine running, he saw that the ramp setting started at 4. He decided to set it for 6 saying I would feel more comfortable starting at a higher number. I was agreeable since I know how to change the setting if I wanted to do so (thanks to info I read the board.) While falling asleep for the first time with the full face mask, I noticed that I didn't feel like there was as much air pressure as with the Swift FX Nano. At first I attributed it to the fact that I wasn't used to the new mask. But then I got to wondering if he had changed some other setting on the machine that I hadn't noticed. So after a couple of hours of sleep, I checked the pressure reading when I woke up, and it was reading 8.8 and not 12. In the 3 1/2 months I've been using the CPAP machine, I had never bothered to check the pressure during the night because it always seemed fine.

My question is this: If my maximum pressure is 12, is the goal to get to 12 during the ramping period and stay at that setting all night? Or does the pressure fluctuate during the night based on my breathing? The other thing that I noticed is that with the Swift FX, I could feel a lot of air coming from the vent. With the new Quarttro Air, I barely feel any air being vented. I know that is supposed to be a feature of this mask, but I do want to make sure I'm not doing myself a disservice and not getting enough air.

Using the CPAP machine has made a big, positive improvement in how I feel. I have learned so much from this board during the last few months and want to thank everyone for being so helpful.

[palerider]

My question is this: If my maximum pressure is 12, is the goal to get to 12 during the ramping period and stay at that setting all night? Or does the pressure fluctuate during the night based on my breathing? The other thing that I noticed is that with the Swift FX, I could feel a lot of air coming from the vent. With the new Quarttro Air, I barely feel any air being vented. I know that is supposed to be a feature of this mask, but I do want to make sure I'm not doing myself a disservice and not getting enough air.

it all depends on how the machine is set, whether it's in cpap or autoset mode, if in autoset, and a max of 12, it would only hit that if it needs it.

the newer resmed masks do a much better job of diffusing the air instead of blowing it all out in a single stream, but they vent about the same amount as other masks, it just doesn't feel like it.

to see what your pressure has been doing for the last week (to compare to last night) download sleepyhead and import the data from your sd card that's in the back of the machine over the air filter.

read up on the first post in the announcements section for more info

[sc0ttt]

No, the ramp should take you from the starting pressure to the minimum pressure over the ramp time period. Then the machine should vary between the minimum and maximum pressure to eliminate your apneas.

[chunkyfrog]

If you are in apap mode, there will be three pressure settings.
The lowest is the ramp start; the middle pressure is the bottom of the therapy pressure range;
and the highest pressure is the top of the therapy range.
Once you are through with the ramp, your inhale pressure will usually range between the upper two numbers.
If the upper setting is correct, you will rarely reach it, though you could come close.
Your exhale pressure usually runs at the EPR setting lower than the adjacent inhalations.
--Wasn't that fun?

[Sheriff Buford]

The big question is: are you on cpap mode or autoset mode?

Sheriff

[Grandma Judy]

I'm on auto-set. Thanks for the information.