Question about Pressures

Lori · Post by **Lori** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:45 pm

I have been on a CPAP machine for almost 18 months. I have noticed that as I've been able to get more sleep, that my pressure setting doesn't seem to be high enough sometimes. If I lay on my back, for instance, I often can feel my throat close & I gasp & wake up & have to turn on my side. My pressures during my titrating test for two weeks ranged from 7 to 19. My dr. had my machine set at 8. How do you know how much to have your machine pressure increased without taking another sleep test? I didn't sleep well in the lab & will never go through that again. My dr. finally had me do the testing at home for additional data after two miserable sleep lab experiences.
Thanks for any help. I am new to the Wichita, KS area & don't have a dr. here yet.
~Lori

loonlvr · Post by **loonlvr** » Sat May 14, 2005 10:34 am

It would be nice to have aa auto machine with software so you could download it on your computer and see what the machine was doing.

Lori · Post by **Lori** » Sat May 14, 2005 1:19 pm

That would be great, but I don't have insurance right now & can't afford to buy a machine on my own. I will have insurance in a month or so & will check into it, but I'm guessing pre exisiting conditions probably won't be covered.

I have also read some information that APAP's are dangerous to use if you have asthma?? Is this true? I suppose I just need to find a good dr. here in Wichita who can steer me in the right direction.

I was wondering if anyone else had this experience with their CPAP not being set high enough. The numbers are all in my sleep test & I thought the dr. would have set it a bit higher since I had many episodes where I needed a higher pressure than 8. I suppose he was being cautious at first, but I have no way of seeing him again since we have moved.
~Lori

twistedcherokee · Post by **twistedcherokee** » Sat May 14, 2005 6:23 pm

My doc told me that I needed 7 cfm on my side and 15 on my back. He told me to put a tennis ball in a t shirt with a pocket and wear it backwards to keep me from getting on my back. Seems to work. May try that.

Toby

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 15, 2005 3:39 pm

Thanks for the tennis ball idea. I don't often sleep on my back much because I will gasp & wake up, but I can see where maybe the tennis ball would prevent me form getting that far. I never seem to have trouble on my sides at all with the pressure setting at 8. I just wonder if the setting were to be higher if I would have trouble then sleeping on my side because of the incresed pressure??
Sigh~this sleep apnea stuff is confusing!
~Lori

twistedcherokee · Post by **twistedcherokee** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:50 pm

I raised my pressure untill my wife said that I slept with even breathing. Was 8 which for my altitude is only 7 (cheap machine no altitude compesation), I boosted the pressure 1 at a time until I slept. I would raise it 1 for a week, my wife would say its better but I still made noises and uneven breathing. I am at 11 now and find myself sleeping all night and feeling rested, my wife says that I am still making noises but my breathing is even.
Did you say that you don't own your machine? They charged me when I picked up my rental about 40.00 less than if I would have bought it outright. Mine is the F-P HC220LE and has a heated humidifier. 399.00.

Toby
And no ins.

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Sun May 15, 2005 8:59 pm

Here is a secret Lori. You wont save any money with insurance. The copay alone will be more than a good auto costs if you buy online. Example. The machine comes with a hose . With insurance you get to pay for it. Like $60. So your copay is 10, 15? Same with humidifier chamber. $300 for a $100 mask. Filters, cpap. Pay all of 500-1000 and you own it or get nickle & dimed by the DME till you have paid thousands with your insurance. Do the math first to be sure.You will be surprised how they rip you off.

Maybe you ca still make a claim and save us and you and your insurance some cash .