breathing and c-flex

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:21 am

I've been on CPAP for just over a month and a half now. It took me a couple of weeks to be able to make it though the night with the mask on but once I got used to that life has gotten a lot better. For the first 2-3 weeks things where really good. I think because I was so tired at first that I sleep like a log (with tons of dreams)

Now that I have been on CPAP for a while I have been having some problems. I find that I wake up during the night and I find that I feel like I am struggling to breath sometimes. I called my CPAP provider and they suggested that the air pressure was not high enough that that I move from 6 to 8. Upon doing that I started having problems with air blowing out of my month and waking me up. After a few nights of not much sleep because of the air out of mouth problem I turned it down to 7. This was better but I still found it hard to breath against the airflow and found that I was waking up feeling like I was being suffocated. Eventually I switched back to 6.

I learned about c-flex recently and talked to my CPAP provider about it. I thought it seemed like it might help me since it sounds like it would be easier to breath with. My CPAP provider said they didn't think it would help since I was at such a small pressure already. Is that true does c-flex not help at low pressure settings?

On the one hand I am very thankful to be waking up with no headaches anymore. On the other hand I am sill often tired and think there is still lots of room for improvement. I would like to be able to get to the point where I can sleep though the night without repeated awakenings.

Any suggestions? Would c-flex possibly help?

-James

Ms Piggy · Post by **Ms Piggy** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:33 am

I will be interested to read your replies, If I tape my mouth I get bloated and if I don't I blow air, I thought I had my tongue "trained" to block that, nothing seems to work for long in this game!
How about the type of machine that just give you the pressure you need minute to minute?

Sleepless in St. Louis · Post by **Sleepless in St. Louis** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:53 am

You're provider might be actually giving you correct information. At that low of pressures, cflex may not really do much good. But, try it if you can, you never know. cflex gives just a little temporary relief and could be just enought to help you. But I can understand their point. You may also be a candidate for a bilevel cpap which gives even more pressure relief when exhaling.

You could move your pressure back up and try taping your mouth. Many of us have done it to solve the problem of mouth leaks as you've described. Some people do not like the sensation of taping, but if you can tolerate it, why not try it?

I have the same issues with mouth leaks with the swift mask, so I've recently moved to the hybrid mask. Still dialing it in, but it just may work for me.

Keep on trying. You probably know that getting it as close to right as possible is worth the time and effort.

Tim

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 10:20 am

cflex may be turned completely off. Hold down the left & right arrow buttons while connecting the power, wait for 3 beeps, then set cflex to setting 2. 8cm is not to hard to breathe against but if it is just enable cflex. You do that by changing it from CPAP mode to CFLE mode. Once you are done, hit the On/Off button.

You may very well be mouth breathing, if that is the case you may have dry mouth from the cpap air pressure escaping via the mouth, then it does nothing for your therapy.

Your options are to consider a full face mask or tape your mouth. chin straps don't really work but you could try one.

byront · Post by **byront** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:05 am

I think you should push for the c-flex and a better machine. Something that will give you more than just compliance data, so you have more information to work with, instead of playing their guessing game at your expense. Your pressure is fairly low, but you could always set the c-flex at two or even three and I believe you would get some exhalation relief and still be able to have your pressure back up to eight where you may need it. I think the c-flex would help you a lot and may even resolve the problem, it's certainly worth a shot. The thing is, if you have it and it works for you - great - if it doesn't, then you can always just turn it off. You should really consider taping your mouth at night, but I am sure that since you are waking up and struggling to breath that taping would not be an option until that is resolved. But, - isn't it nice having gotten rid of those damn headaches! Keep us posted. --- BT

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:29 am

Snoredog,

According to his profile, he has the M Series DS100. According to what I read on that machine, it doesn't have C-Flex capabilities.

JSkinner,

I also agree with byront. See if you can get them to upgrade your equipment to at least the M Series Pro. That machine has data recording capabilities and at some point, you're going to want to know more information like you're asking now.

Best wishes,

Den

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:40 am

Wow! I just learned something, A "M" series without C-Flex, Maybe the new inproved "O" series next year will comeout with the blower left out. It looks like Resmed doesn't have the market on the marketing fools. Jim

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, C-FLEX

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:59 am

[quote="Goofproof"]Wow! I just learned something, A "M" series without C-Flex, Maybe the new inproved "O" series next year will comeout with the blower left out. It looks like Resmed doesn't have the market on the marketing fools. Jim

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:07 pm

If a person is not wearing a full face mask and either of these things is happening, treatment will not go well:

1. mouthbreathing
2. cpap air detouring to escape out the mouth

Either of those things can also cause feelings of suffocation from apneas still happening and/or just the choking feeling of air rushing out the mouth unexpectedly. Treatment air going out into the bedroom is not doing what it's supposed to do. It's not keeping the throat open.

Remedies people have written about using:

A. wear a full face mask. Despite the name, a FF mask doesn't cover the entire face -- just the nose and mouth so you can breathe the treatment air either way.

If you want to continue using your favorite mask and don't want to use a FF mask:

B. try a homemade or commercial chinstrap in hopes that the tongue will maintain an airtight seal inside the mouth if the jaw is kept up.

C. use a DIY (do it yourself) mouthguard to make the tongue maintain an airtight seal inside the mouth.

D. try the NoseBreathe dental appliance to make the tongue maintain an airtight seal inside the mouth.

E. put tape over the mouth, or use something like polident strips to seal the lips.

Links to: Mouth leaks - Air Leaks - Tape - DIY Guard

Everyone's tolerance for pressure is different. Some don't have any problem exhaling against 16 and more. Others find it uncomfortable to have to exhale against as little as 5 or 6. Even if you are prescribed what most of us would call a "low" pressure, if that pressure bothers you while trying to breathe out, that's what matters. C-Flex can make a difference, softening the feeling of the start of each exhalation, even at low pressures.

Some people don't like C-Flex, and some find it causes them to breathe too rapidly. But most who try C-Flex do like the comfort C-Flex can give for exhaling. A person can always turn off C-Flex if it doesn't suit them. I think it's a good idea to get a machine with C-Flex, no matter how low your prescribed pressure.

sludgeporpoise · Post by **sludgeporpoise** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:00 pm

I just started with my cpap program and am using the Remstar Auto M series. My pressure is currently set at 7-15, and it usually stays around 8-9. C-flex is currently at 3.

At this pressure C-flex makes a huge difference for me. It works well enough that a few times I have briefly woken up during the night and thought it wasn't working because my breathing was so natural.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 7:39 am

JSKINNER----go back to your DME and ASK to breathe on a C-Flex enabled machine vs. what you have now. Period. It's that easy. Did I say it's that eaaaasy?

That way you can feel the difference for yourself.

...yet another reason to have physical DMEs....[/u]

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 9:28 am

Anonymous wrote:...yet another reason to have physical DMEs....

RIGHT! One who will give you the cheapest, stripped-down model to begin with, charge your insurance a bundle and then you have to go back and ask for a better one?
I don't THINK so.........

Den

NHBear · Post by **NHBear** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:14 pm

I began CPAP therapy 6 years ago and it was a failure. I would wake up tons of times, and would find my mask on the floor beside the bed. tried a chin strap, multiple masks, nothing worked. Ended up having the UPPP surgery, being discouraged, and ignored the condition for 5 years. STUPID.

I re-entered the world of CPAP with a new study and with C-Flex and Nasal Pillows. For me, the C-Flex seems to be a major difference, even with a pressure of 8. I have slept through the night every night with no incidents of taking the mask off. I am a major mouth breather, have a goatee and tried the polident strips, and they seem to being working like a charm, as weird as it is. My partner thinks I'm not only a little scary looking, but maybe nuts..... The chin strap held my mouth shut, but air still escaped.

Keep the faith, keep trying.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 12:30 pm

C-Flex assists your exhale regardless of the pressure. That's why it was invented and patented. Of course you're not going to feel the same amount of relief on a low pressure simply because you wouldn't need the same degree of relief as if you were at a higher setting.

You should get it. Go back and ask for a demo, or call a Respironics salesperson.

jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 4:35 pm

Thanks for all the great responses. I can tell this forum is going to be a very valuable resource.

I talked to my provider today and am going to be upgrading to an M Series Pro tomorrow. Even if the c-flex doesn't help any (and I sure hope it will) I think the reporting capabilities of the better machine will be worth the added expense.

Now I'll just have to get setup with the necessary software and hardware so I can read the data at home myelf

thanks, -James

breathing and c-flex

breathing and c-flex

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