follow up doc visit - should I ask for APAP?

[betsy946]

Hello everyone. I've been using CPAP for about 6 weeks - co-workers say I look like I've been to a spa - hubby says I'm much easier to live with My memory and mood is improving greatly. I have Remstar Pro M Series (rent to own per DME) and 2 masks - one nasal pillow and nasal mask.

In a couple of days, I have a follow up visit with GP - I was wondering if I should ask for an APAP - no, I do not have data -at the DME, I have to deal with a delivery person, and I've gotten sick of chasing him down to ask even the simplest question, or have a problem. I want to buy the softwear and card reader, but the kicker is that in January, I will be required to change insurance companies, (teacher insurance), DME I want to go with uses Apria.

This seems like a good time to make a change - from what I understand, the APAP will make it easier to breathe against the air - is there any other difference? That would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

Best wishes everyone.

[jules]

if you really have the Pro, you have data - you need to find out how to get to it however

[ZIFF]

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[Wulfman]

I agree with Jules. If you have the Pro model, you have a good, data-capable machine. You just need to get the Encore Viewer and card reader to see what's happening during the night. In the meantime, you can get some of the information from the LCD screen.
APAPs (Autos) are fine......they have their good points. One of which is that they can be run in CPAP mode. I've seen the stories of too many people who think that they HAVE to run them in a range of pressures.....and, many times they get mask leaks and snoring........and, because they have their machines set for a wide range of pressures, their pressures go all over the place......which makes them very frustrated with their therapy. In many ways, the "KISS" principle works better.

It sounds like you're doing very well with what you have.

Den

[Paul56]

I like my APAP and right now have it set for a range of 10-15.

I started out with the range set 8-11. I bumped the upper number when I found the machine was bouncing against the 11 limit but capped the number to 15 as I did not want the machine maxing out to 20. I've been slowly raising the lower number. Basically I've been making a small adjustment then gathering data for a while to see what the effect is.

I think I am getting better results with the machine set for a specific range rather than wide open... particularly having that lower pressure number high enough such that most events are taken care of and the machine does not have to raise the pressure too much to take care of those events the lower pressure cannot.

I was advised by some of the folks here to make changes slowly and to set a narrow range. That was very good advice and has been working for me as the results are very encouraging.

Easier to breathe against? Perhaps when the pressure is sitting at the lower end of the range. My Resmed has the EPR feature to provide exhale relief from 1 to 3 (pressure) lower than what the machine is providing. When the machine is dealing with an event the EPR is turned off... then turned back on once the event is over. I have not yet experimented with that feature as I'm still working on slowly getting my range dialed-in.