Feeling worse on cpap.

[Pugsy]

I changed the machine back to original settings...figuring I'd go back to how I was before the switch,But last night I had numerous events and some woke me up and had 5 hours with an AHI 7.1

So what was that AHI composed of?
3 categories make up the AHI
Central apnea index
Obstructive apnea index
Hyponea index

You really need to get SleepyHead up and running and then learn how to figure out if the events are real asleep events or more related to awakenings....
Start here with a crash course in evaluating sleep breathing vs not asleep breathing...you need to know how once you do get SleepyHead up and running. Watch all the videos.
http://freecpapadvice.com/sleepyhead-free-software

[the baker]

The lower starting pressure of the range is what caused the higher ahi when you tried that.

As for the continued higher ahi, I am betting that another change in the settings happened that you weren't aware of, such as epr. So, the settings may not be identical to what you had before.

I thought about EPR i don't see that in the settings, when I switched the machine back to cpap mode from auto these were the settings that came up. Cpap - A trial off - Ez start off - cmH2o 10.00. That's it.

When it was on Auto it read Auto - Opti start on - ez start off - auto 8.0 -15.0

That's it.. And my doctor still won't return my calls

[Pugsy]

I thought about EPR i don't see that in the settings,

EPR is a term for exhale pressure relief that pertains to ResMed machines only...you are using a Respironics machine so its form of exhale relief is called Flex...either C Flex or A Flex depending on the mode chosen.
That's why you couldn't find EPR but you should see "Flex" as a choice in the menu somewhere...and the first choice would be off or on...once on you get to set the actual setting.

[the baker]

I thought about EPR i don't see that in the settings,

EPR is a term for exhale pressure relief that pertains to ResMed machines only...you are using a Respironics machine so its form of exhale relief is called Flex...either C Flex or A Flex depending on the mode chosen.
That's why you couldn't find EPR but you should see "Flex" as a choice in the menu somewhere...and the first choice would be off or on...once on you get to set the actual setting.

I see the flex..it is in comfort settings there are 2 boxes that say flex- flex off and flex with a number 2 setting. How should that be set???

The flex button that says off gives me 3 options. Off - C flex or C flex+

[zonker]

I see the flex..it is in comfort settings there are 2 boxes that say flex- flex off and flex with a number 2 setting. How should that be set???

The flex button that says off gives me 3 options. Off - C flex or C flex+

that's one of those things, like the humidity or temp setting, that is up to the individual. you might have to try different settings until you find the one that is just right for you.

does the current setting seem good to you?

[Pugsy]

In cpap mode you get the options of CFlex or CFlex +.....the plus one is the newer and smoother forms of exhale relief.
I suggest CFlex +.....and then simply try the different settings including off...and pick the one that feels the best to you no matter what the number is.

In apap mode you get AFlex option which is really nothing more than CFlex + but called something else in the APAP mode (and some machines will also include the CFlex options in apap mode)...it's designed for the auto adjusting pressures and again I suggest try all settings and choose the one that feels more natural to you.

Years ago I tried them and found that I liked AFlex at the setting of 2 the best...but that doesn't mean much. You might like something else and that's just fine too.

[the baker]

I see the flex..it is in comfort settings there are 2 boxes that say flex- flex off and flex with a number 2 setting. How should that be set???

The flex button that says off gives me 3 options. Off - C flex or C flex+

that's one of those things, like the humidity or temp setting, that is up to the individual. you might have to try different settings until you find the one that is just right for you.

does the current setting seem good to you?

I'm not sure the,past few days haven't been good with the settings and the doctors office has not got back to me in 2 days they changed the settings I had a bad reaction..And I'm waiting for them to change them back they never called so I did it myself but something is not right since I had a bad reaction last night compared to how I reacted with settings previously...maybe I missed something

I just tried out all the flex settings I don't feel any difference between them..

[Pugsy]

I just tried out all the flex settings I don't feel any difference between them..

Were you using the ramp feature when you tried them? If you were using ramp then you wouldn't notice any difference because the machine starts out lower and you need to be using at least 6 cm for Flex to engage.

[the baker]

I just tried out all the flex settings I don't feel any difference between them..

Were you using the ramp feature when you tried them? If you were using ramp then you wouldn't notice any difference because the machine starts out lower and you need to be using at least 6 cm for Flex to engage.

No ramp engaged, I just set the flex type and number and turned the machine on.. I tried it with each flex setting. But I didn't use it for to long maybe I need let it run for a few minutes to start to feel a difference

[Pugsy]

No ramp engaged, I just set the flex type and number and turned the machine on.. I tried it with each flex setting. But I didn't use it for to long maybe I need let it run for a few minutes to start to feel a difference

Since you were using cpap mode...that CFlex...I am not surprised you didn't notice much difference.
I was the same way when I tried CFlex but to my surprise when I tried AFlex I noticed a difference.
Each person has their own way of sensing things and if you couldn't tell a difference within 3 to 5 minutes...then you just couldn't tell any difference. I was that way when I tried CFlex...and figured since I didn't feel any difference..I just didn't use it.
Then later I got a machine that offered AFlex in auto mode (my very first machine didn't even have AFlex in auto mode) and when I tried AFlex I really liked it. Go figure.
Exhale relief is considered a comfort feature. You use it if you like it and it makes you more comfortable but it hurts nothing at all to choose to not use it. No big deal one way or the other.

It's there if you need it and want it but you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

There's a big YMMV sticker with all this CPAP stuff....one person's treasure is another person's trash kind of thing.
You get to decide what something is for YOU....be it treasure or trash and it really doesn't matter how it might rate with someone else.
I might love something and the next person hate the same thing I love. Means nothing.
Heck I know husbands and wives both on cpap and each one will have their own unique personal wants and needs that are totally different from their spouses.

[the baker]

So after 3 days of not hearing back from the doctor....I decided to take matters into my own hands and explore the clinician settings on the machine.

After having a bad experience using the auto cpap function i took Zoocrewphotos advice and raise my starting pressure, i used the titration report from my sleep test..I set it to 10/15 and activated the exhale relief.

I had a hard time adjusting to the new breathing sensation with auto function as opposed to the straight air of the cpap alone.
I felt like I was breathing very fast and I tried to slow it down ( later the SH program showed respiratory rates in the high 20's )
In the end I only got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep but my AHI for that time was only .4 and SH showed it was only 1 obstructive event of 17 seconds in duration

I'm going to disable the exhale relief in hopes of slowing my breathing down.
Plus tonight I'm using my heated tube for the first time hope it help with my dryness

And I know if I had just gotten a few more hours sleep I'd probably be feeling better today.

My goal is to continue doing good and in 2 weeks my doctor returns i hope I'm feeling good and can tell him why.....

[Wigsplitter]

I know I definitely felt better after the first night. I stopped using my machine for about a week and I started to feel really bad again. there is definitely a learning curve, and getting used to this is hard. have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea?

[the baker]

I know I definitely felt better after the first night. I stopped using my machine for about a week and I started to feel really bad again. there is definitely a learning curve, and getting used to this is hard. have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea?

I've been trying to get used to my machine for over 2 weeks, hoping I start to feel better soon

Yes I have hypopnea

[palerider]

I had a hard time adjusting to the new breathing sensation with auto function as opposed to the straight air of the cpap alone.

The 'feeling rushed' is because of the exhale relief (*flex) which raises pressure a little towards the end of your exhalation, and some people feel like the machine is rushing you to take another breath.

It's not rushing you, it's just getting ready for your next breath... ignore it, breathe at your own pace.

Starting your auto settings with your old minimum pressure is a much better idea that starting with lower minimum pressure like your doctor did.

Keep at it with the 10-15... Tonight should be better.

Try putting the mask on a while *before* bed, and get used to the different way it feels... remember, just breathe the way you want to, and ignore what the machine is doing. In the end, it follows you... just remember that.

[the baker]

Last night was the first time using the exhale relief ( I didn't like it) all the other nights it was off I didn't even know it existed.. I'm going to try it off tonight