Help!-machine shift(?) while falling asleep-VAuto

[emcee13]

I’m a very new user. My first night was last night... got in 3.5 hours out of 7.5. So not too bad for a first try. I was having an issue where while awake I could breathe normally and not “fight” the machine, but as I started to drift asleep I could feel the machine “shift the rhythm” in a way which would jolt me awake. It almost felt like it was inhaling for me at the wrong time? Perhaps my breathing changed as I drifted off? This happened 4-5 times in a 15-20 minute period every time I started to fall asleep. It was the main thing preventing me from falling asleep. Any ideas? Thank you!

Palerider helped me with the first 3 settings. EPAP should be at 6 but I lowered it for the first night as my ears were getting clogged (small tubes). I was playing around with the Ti and that seemed like a good place for me. I don’t know what trigger or cycle do. I prefer ramp time off.

Settings:
Mode: VAuto
Max IPAP: 25
Min EPAP: 5.4
PS: 3.0
Ti Max: 3.5s
Ti Min: .9s
Trigger: Med
Cycle: Med
Ramp Time: Off

[palerider]

I’m a very new user. My first night was last night... got in 3.5 hours out of 7.5. So not too bad for a first try. I was having an issue where while awake I could breathe normally and not “fight” the machine, but as I started to drift asleep I could feel the machine “shift the rhythm” in a way which would jolt me awake. It almost felt like it was inhaling for me at the wrong time? Perhaps my breathing changed as I drifted off? This happened 4-5 times in a 15-20 minute period every time I started to fall asleep. It was the main thing preventing me from falling asleep. Any ideas? Thank you!

Palerider helped me with the first 3 settings. EPAP should be at 6 but I lowered it for the first night as my ears were getting clogged (small tubes). I was playing around with the Ti and that seemed like a good place for me. I don’t know what trigger or cycle do. I prefer ramp time off.

Settings:
Mode: VAuto
Max IPAP: 25
Min EPAP: 5.4
PS: 3.0
Ti Max: 3.5s
Ti Min: .9s
Trigger: Med
Cycle: Med
Ramp Time: Off

I DO NOT recommend changing TiMin unless you have a neuromuscular disease that makes it difficult for you to inhale.

The machine *does not* 'shift' in any way, it just responds to your breathing, when you start to inhale, it increases pressure by 3cm, when you start to exhale, it drops that pressure.

Given those facts, try and figure out what's happening, is it switching to the higher pressure before you're ready to inhale, or is it waiting too long to switch?

[emcee13]

I DO NOT recommend changing TiMin unless you have a neuromuscular disease that makes it difficult for you to inhale.

The machine *does not* 'shift' in any way, it just responds to your breathing, when you start to inhale, it increases pressure by 3cm, when you start to exhale, it drops that pressure.

Given those facts, try and figure out what's happening, is it switching to the higher pressure before you're ready to inhale, or is it waiting too long to switch?

I will put TiMin back to the preset. Thanks for the heads up.

I’m not exactly sure what it’s doing. I guess it feels like there’s a lag, so?... I inhale and at the end there’s a natural pause, then I feel pressure like a light suction or a pull, and it startles me out of falling asleep. I think it wants me to exhale sooner/quicker? This is only happening as I’m falling asleep so it’s hard to exactly tell. I do know it’s abrupt enough to jolt me awake.

Is there any setting I could change and see if it helps for tonight?

[palerider]

I’m not exactly sure what it’s doing. I guess it feels like there’s a lag, so?... I inhale and at the end there’s a natural pause, then I feel pressure like a light suction or a pull, and it startles me out of falling asleep. I think it wants me to exhale sooner/quicker? This is only happening as I’m falling asleep so it’s hard to exactly tell. I do know it’s abrupt enough to jolt me awake.
Is there any setting I could change and see if it helps for tonight?

Now, dropping pressure (not a suction) before you're ready can be a thing, that's where TiMax comes in, and maybe cycle. TiMax is the max time in seconds, that it will stay at IPAP. You already increased it (as did I) but you can bump it to 4. If you're taking really long slow breaths, the machine might be cycling back to EPAP before you're ready. You can also set cycle to low or extra low so the machine is less sensitive to the end of your inhalation.

[emcee13]

Now, dropping pressure (not a suction) before you're ready can be a thing, that's where TiMax comes in, and maybe cycle. TiMax is the max time in seconds, that it will stay at IPAP. You already increased it (as did I) but you can bump it to 4. If you're taking really long slow breaths, the machine might be cycling back to EPAP before you're ready. You can also set cycle to low or extra low so the machine is less sensitive to the end of your inhalation.

Thank you! I think that’s what is happening. I will definitely try your suggestions.

Also can you remind me what TiMin is supposed be set at? I need to put it back where it was and I don’t remember what the default setting was.

[palerider]

Now, dropping pressure (not a suction) before you're ready can be a thing, that's where TiMax comes in, and maybe cycle. TiMax is the max time in seconds, that it will stay at IPAP. You already increased it (as did I) but you can bump it to 4. If you're taking really long slow breaths, the machine might be cycling back to EPAP before you're ready. You can also set cycle to low or extra low so the machine is less sensitive to the end of your inhalation.

Thank you! I think that’s what is happening. I will definitely try your suggestions.

Also can you remind me what TiMin is supposed be set at? I need to put it back where it was and I don’t remember what the default setting was.

Off the top of my head, I think it's 0.3

[emcee13]

Now, dropping pressure (not a suction) before you're ready can be a thing, that's where TiMax comes in, and maybe cycle. TiMax is the max time in seconds, that it will stay at IPAP. You already increased it (as did I) but you can bump it to 4. If you're taking really long slow breaths, the machine might be cycling back to EPAP before you're ready. You can also set cycle to low or extra low so the machine is less sensitive to the end of your inhalation.

Thank you! I think that’s what is happening. I will definitely try your suggestions.

Also can you remind me what TiMin is supposed be set at? I need to put it back where it was and I don’t remember what the default setting was.

Off the top of my head, I think it's 0.3

Yes, it’s .3

The linked post below is exactly what’s happening to me and you answered it very well for the OP. Really helpful info!

viewtopic/t173578/explanation-needed-fo ... l#p1275520

[zonker]

The linked post below is exactly what’s happening to me and you answered it very well for the OP. Really helpful info!

viewtopic/t173578/explanation-needed-fo ... l#p1275520

just a suggestion, not a command. it's good to keep these sorts of conversations under one thread. makes it easier for the experts to keep track of what they have suggested and what you have tried.

carry on.

[emcee13]

The linked post below is exactly what’s happening to me and you answered it very well for the OP. Really helpful info!

viewtopic/t173578/explanation-needed-fo ... l#p1275520

just a suggestion, not a command. it's good to keep these sorts of conversations under one thread. makes it easier for the experts to keep track of what they have suggested and what you have tried.

carry on.

Just to clarify... everything is still under one thread- which is this one. I linked to the other post only to give an example of what I was dealing with and how palerider helped the OP. But I plan to follow up here of course.