Can I be sure my machine's pressure is accurate?

[Country4ever]

I have gained several pounds since the holidays. I have been blaming that weight gain on several recent returning symptoms.........tiredness, increased appetite, nasal congestion, and my AHI going from 3-4/night to 8-11. I even went up on my pressure a little and it didn't help. My leak rate is low, so I felt I could trust the AHI. But last night I realized that the pressure coming out of the machine doesn't feel as high as it used to. So now I'm wondering if the machine isn't functioning properly and I've not been getting enough pressure all this time.
Is there any way I can somehow test it at home and not have to take it in somewhere?

Also, would an old filter cause this to happen? I've changed the filter, but the old one didn't look bad at all.
Thanks.

[DreamStalker]

Serch the forum for "mamometer" or Google it. You can buy or make your own to test machine pressure ... or you can take to DME to have it checked.

[Country4ever]

Thanks DreamStalker.

[drj130]

Our host has 2 for sale listed here: https://www.cpap.com/simple-find-cpap-p ... eters.html

I know that one of our other members was in the process of making her own.

David

[Pad A Cheek]

Yes PM Bleeping Beauty, I know she successfully designed one that WORKS.

The capabilities of the people on this forum continue to prove that the mind works better when you get enough sleep and can breathe.

Karen

[Country4ever]

I've searched and can't find any posts by Beeping Beauty. Do any of you know of any that would describe how to hook up a manometer?
Thanks!

[LSAT]

I took both of my machines to a local DME that I had not even done business with. They tested both ...it took just minutes. It's a good way to get a feel for a DME's service.

[Arizona-Willie]

Here is a link to the manometer I have ( but I don't use the food coloring ).

It's a good idea to check the machine pressure every once in awhile ... maybe twice a year.

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/fishe ... amber.html

[Julie]

Hi, for what it's worth, I've found that it's not the machine that has the problem if I gain weight, but that the weight gain definitely impacts my Cpap - negatively. If I lose a few lbs (not even 5), I sleep better and feel better. It's the weight, not the machine.

[DoriC]

I've searched and can't find any posts by Beeping Beauty. Do any of you know of any that would describe how to hook up a manometer?
Thanks!

It's BLEEPING BEAUTY, try that.

[BleepingBeauty]

I've searched and can't find any posts by Beeping Beauty. Do any of you know of any that would describe how to hook up a manometer?
Thanks!

Hi, Country. You didn't find me because my name is BleepingBeauty, not Beeping Beauty.

Here are the homemade manometer instructions I followed to make mine last weekend (with props to forum member "derek"): viewtopic.php?p=34083#p34083

I used a rubber stopper instead of a cork, O2 tubing that I already had on-hand (but you could use the tubing made for fishtanks), and I used plain water (without food-coloring). Worked like a charm, and I discovered that both of my machines are blowing the correct pressure at both the humidifier output and at the end of the hose, where it meets the mask.

Hope that helps.

[dsm]

I have gained several pounds since the holidays. I have been blaming that weight gain on several recent returning symptoms.........tiredness, increased appetite, nasal congestion, and my AHI going from 3-4/night to 8-11. I even went up on my pressure a little and it didn't help. My leak rate is low, so I felt I could trust the AHI. But last night I realized that the pressure coming out of the machine doesn't feel as high as it used to. So now I'm wondering if the machine isn't functioning properly and I've not been getting enough pressure all this time.
Is there any way I can somehow test it at home and not have to take it in somewhere?

Also, would an old filter cause this to happen? I've changed the filter, but the old one didn't look bad at all.
Thanks.

As already suggested, get a manometer. I bought a dial manometer from cpap.com

These are very accurate.

Good luck

DSM

PS I understand those symptoms, weight goes up , more congestion - just make sure that if you have GERD or 'Silent GERD' that you have it under control.

D

[Country4ever]

Julie.......I think you're probably right. I was doing so much better in so many ways just a few pounds ago. For me, there seems to be a certain weight where I reach the point of critical mass (so to speak) and it makes a huge difference in my sleep. I guess I wanted to believe instead that there was something wrong with my machine!

BLEEPINGbeauty.........so sorry for the mistake!! Thanks for that link. It looks like a pretty easy project. So it doesn't matter the level of the tubing/wood, etc. Its the difference in the columns of liquid that shows the pressure?
When I worked in ICU and would take CVP readings with a manometer, we'd have to level the bottom of the device with the patient's heart. Didn't know if this would require the same thing (but the bottom of the tubing would be level with the machine).

[Country4ever]

Thanks dsm.........the GERD definitely flares up with the weight gain!
If I could just be put into a coma right before Thanksgiving and be awakened at the beginning of January, I'd be fine.

[BleepingBeauty]

BLEEPINGbeauty.........so sorry for the mistake!! Thanks for that link. It looks like a pretty easy project. So it doesn't matter the level of the tubing/wood, etc. Its the difference in the columns of liquid that shows the pressure?
When I worked in ICU and would take CVP readings with a manometer, we'd have to level the bottom of the device with the patient's heart. Didn't know if this would require the same thing (but the bottom of the tubing would be level with the machine).

No problem. And yes, it's an easy project. (If I can do it, anyone can. )

No, the height of the manometer has no bearing on the experiment. (Just make sure it's standing up fairly straight so you get accurate measurements.) Put enough water in the tubing to come about halfway up each side of the U. Turn on the machine (with a fixed pressure setting, of course) and then mark the board at the height of the water level on each side of the U. Use a cms ruler to measure between the marks. The result will be the pressure at which your machine is blowing.