Question - How often do you change pressure?

[Dansworth]

Hi,

I'm new to CPAP, but I've got a question about pressure changes. I'm 31, so pretty young for CPAP. I'm moderate build, maybe could lose a little weight, but nothing significant. It seems my optimum pressure is 14, which again, seems relatively high from what I've read.

As people age, do people require higher pressure? How quick is this process? I got worried earlier that I'll be on max pressure within a 10 years (and maybe that won't be as effective). I may be unnecessarily be worrying... most people may be on the same pressure all their life? I dunno.

Maybe I'm thinking WAY too far into the future, but anyway...

Cheers.

[Julie]

You won't necessarily need to increase pressure unless other things get involved... like weight gain, general age related conditions that can impact apnea in some way... people develop all kinds of things as they age after all, though if you're watchful about your condition using e.g. Sleepyhead and make improvements to your lifestyle and other issues, as well as small changes to your pressures - if shown to be needed on Sleepyhead - you should be fine. And equipment is improving all the time as well. I've been at the same pressure for 12 yrs and I'm decades older than you.

[Gryphon]

I'd change pressures only if I'm not getting the treatment I need from my current settings. Once you have your treatment dialed in, Most people will go years without needing to change their settings.

Pressure needs don't go up slowly like a mathematical scale as we age. We all eventually level off to an ideal number somewhere. People with exceptionally high pressures are rare. If they weren't the CPAP manufactures would have built in higher pressures then 20 for their machines. For example, Bi-PAP machines only go up as high as 25. That's just 5 more than the basic machine and most people don't use Bi-PAP machines.

If your numbers are bad. You'll want to be making changes until they improve. But it depends on what your numbers look like. If they're downright awful then you'd want to make changes quickly and sleep a night and review etc... if they're not bad but you are just trying to fine tune things. then I would recommend making a very minor change then sleeping maybe 4 or 5 nights and then review the numbers again for an average. There a lot of experienced people here that can help you dial your machine in to get the best care possible.

I don't mess with my pressures on my machine much anymore but I've gone to an Auto Adjusting Bi-PAP. I start out each night with an inhale pressure around 11 and an exhale pressure around 8.4. When my machine detects issues it slowly raises the pressure during the night to keep events from occurring. I don't have to worry about my pressure levels overall because the machine helps with the day to day fluctuations, IE: if I'm sick, or congested, or maybe had a drink or am taking some medication that might make my apnea a bit worse.

I was diagnosed in my late 20's. When I was using normal CPAP - my highest pressure was 14.6 while on my back, but around 11 when on my side. right then I knew I wanted an auto-adjusting machine because it's not like I was going to remember to change my settings everytime I rolled over in my sleep.

If you have a Strate CPAP. It's not going to change on its own. I think for most people having an auto-PAP of some sort is the best option. There are users on this forum though who have had better success limiting their machine to act like a normal CPAP, I say this only to illustrate that everyone is different.

I would keep watching your numbers. Read the data from your machine in SleepyHead and see how you're doing. Think of how your feeling. Keep working on your pressures until you feel you've reached a good common ground.

Keep posting here letting us know how things are going.

Rest well,

Gryphon

[ChicagoGranny]

I may be unnecessarily be worrying

You are. Just keep using your CPAP, eat a decent diet and have a moderate exercise program. You will do well. Be happy you were diagnosed young - so many here report suffering for years and doing permanent damage before they were diagnosed and became CPAPers.

[palerider]

I, or rather my machine, adjusts my pressure multiple times a night, to meet my needs.

[LSAT]

Hi,

I'm new to CPAP, but I've got a question about pressure changes. I'm 31, so pretty young for CPAP. I'm moderate build, maybe could lose a little weight, but nothing significant. It seems my optimum pressure is 14, which again, seems relatively high from what I've read.

As people age, do people require higher pressure? How quick is this process? I got worried earlier that I'll be on max pressure within a 10 years (and maybe that won't be as effective). I may be unnecessarily be worrying... most people may be on the same pressure all their life? I dunno.

Maybe I'm thinking WAY too far into the future, but anyway...

Cheers.

You have an autoset machine...if set properly the pressure will change during the night as needed

[kteague]

Not often. My pressure was first optimized at 11 in 2006. Used an auto adjusting machine for a few years but settled in to a fixed pressure that has gone up to 14 over the years and been there for several years. Not everyone has trouble with higher pressures. I'm always amazed when people on here say their pressure is 18 and they're using straight CPAP with no issues. In the event you at some point need higher pressures, going to a bilevel machine might help. I use one. I agree with the previous poster about at some point we level off. We don't just endlessly keep needing more pressure. If and when the time comes, you'll figure it out.

[Muse-Inc]

Still using the same pressure range since 2009. Average annual AHI=0.01 and average anual reported pressure varies from 12 to 14.

The only thing I can think of that might affect pressure is large weight change (tho 50#s made no change in mine), starting to sleep on back, old age-related increased floppiness of throat and tongue tissue.

[snuzyQ]

We've been using the same pressures for years, despite a dramatic change in our shapes. The "middle age spread" turned into elderly disaster with each of us gaining over 50 pounds. You'd think our respiratory therapists would check out our pressures and effects a little more closely at our annual visits...but they sure haven't. And you know all that wireless data that's out there? Nobody bothers to look. The RTs give the data short shrift when we go in once a year. I wonder if they only look for compliance and AHI...yep...that's good and off you go.

I thought to finally take a look myself, after getting on this forum. Got sleepyhead. Got SD cards and reader. Got the data. Wow. They've really overlooked alot....for years even. And I wondered why I was so tired all the time.

I'd been snoring and more than just a little. And the scoring of events like snores, flow limitations and RERAs looked very messy. Hubby gave me a heads up on this since I've been waking him up on and off with my snoring for awhile now (not good for his sleep architecture). I didn't want to wait a month or two to get it all checked out (not so well) with my clinician.

So, I fussed around on the apneaboard trying to figure a way into my machine. Got the directions. Really simple. Got in and actually raised my minimum pressure one point. Good gracious...I did this on my very own, with no clinician looking over my shoulder and felt just like a kid with a hand in the cookie jar. And the cookie was so good. I'm not snoring anymore...not even one hit. And my events scoring looks like someone kept house. I still have events, but not anything like before.

Got into the hubby's data. There was trouble there. For a long time, too. He was only hitting his minimum pressure once per night - at the start of therapy and his pressures were staying snugged up against his maximum pressure for most the night...night after night...for years!. So, I did a titration on his machine. Raised his maximum pressure by 2 points and raised his minimum a full point and a half to match the lows he was getting before his pressure spikes to maximum. I gave him a 10 minute ramp and an EPR of 2. The results? NO MORE MAJOR LEAKS (can't figure this one out, but I'm happy), far fewer events and a really good night's sleep for him. His pressure never got up to his new maximum (but close). He looks and feels much more rested.

So there you have it. The kid's in the cookie jar and there's no turning back. Pressures finally changed...after 6 years of wingin' it with the pros.

[Midwest_non_sleeper]

I may be unnecessarily be worrying

You are. Just keep using your CPAP, eat a decent diet and have a moderate exercise program. You will do well. Be happy you were diagnosed young - so many here report suffering for years and doing permanent damage before they were diagnosed and became CPAPers.

Ain't that the truth. It sucks to be 39 years old and find out that you have the beginnings of atherosclerosis already - likely from years and years of untreated oxygen desats at night whilst sleeping.

[ChicagoGranny]

It sucks to be 39 years old and find out that you have the beginnings of atherosclerosis already - likely from years and years of untreated oxygen desats at night whilst sleeping.

On the bright side, the body is amazing at healing itself with sufficient oxygenation and sleep.

[Pugsy]

So there you have it. The kid's in the cookie jar and there's no turning back. Pressures finally changed...after 6 years of wingin' it with the pros.

Welcome to the dark side where we just take the bull by the horns and do what is needed.
Feels good to be in charge doesn't it???

The pros have their place in the grand scheme of things but there's no substitute for years of practical experience first hand...and with all the members here...you get more years of practical experience to draw upon than you can count.
It's not rocket science.....most of it is plain old common sense logic anyway.

[Midwest_non_sleeper]

So there you have it. The kid's in the cookie jar and there's no turning back. Pressures finally changed...after 6 years of wingin' it with the pros.

.....most of it is plain old common sense logic anyway.

Careful, in this day and age of "information", common sense is so rare that it may as well be considered a superpower.

[Pugsy]

Careful, in this day and age of "information", common sense is so rare that it may as well be considered a superpower.

Sad but true. Everyday I am blown away by the lack of common sense I see.
Sometimes I wonder how people know to wipe their behinds without help from someone telling them how to do it and what brand of toilet paper works best and how often to do it.

[LinkC]

Never. My S9 auto takes care of pressure changes. I just sleep.