Post
by robysue1 » Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:40 pm
Since you are starting off with no formal titration study, it's worth a week or so of autotiration to figure out where the machine wants to go in order to treat your apnea as well as to allow you a chance to get used to what it feels like sleeping with the machine.
So in terms of settings:
I'd use Auto mode.
I'd set Max Pressure = 20. (You can revisit this setting if you wind up with aerophagia problems.)
I'd turn Ramp = Off.
I'd try starting out with Min Pressure = 7. (That will give you a full 3cm drop when you exhale if EPR = 3.)
I'd set EPR = 3. If that's not comfortable, try EPR = 2. If ' still not comfortable try EPR = 1. If it's still not comfortable, turn EPR off.
If you feel like there's too much air for you to breath comfortably when Min Pressure = 7, then drop the Min Pressure 1cm at a time until you can breathe comfortably.
If you feel like there's not enough air for you when Min Pressure = 7, then increase Min Pressure 1cm at a time until you can breath comfortably.
If you are using a ClimateLine hose, then you might as well start with the Auto settings. If the air feels too warm, too cold, too moist, or too dry to breathe comfortably, you will then need to put the hose controls on manual and make appropriate changes.
If you are using an unheated hose, you might as well start with the humidifier set to about 4 (the middle of the 1-8 settings). If the air is too dry, you can increase it. If the air is too moist decrease it. If you get condensation in the hose, consider turning the humidifier down, running the hose under the covers, or buying a heated ClimateLine hose.
After a week or so of autotitration, you will have the data that you need to figure out what a reasonable minimum pressure to use is. You'll also know whether there is a good reason to limit the max pressure. And you may also be able to figure out whether you want to experiment with fixed pressure mode---while a majority of folks on the forum prefer auto mode, there are some who have a strong preference for fixed pressure mode because there's one less thing to deal with in terms of sleeping with the machine: Pressure changes can wake some people up, although most of us sleep right through them.
Be patient. And good luck! And post here if you have any questions or run into some of the many bumps that new PAPers often hit.
Joined as robysue on 9/18/10. Forgot my password & the email I used was on a machine that has long since died & gone to computer heaven.
Correct number of posts is 7250 as robysue + what I have as robysue1
Profile pic: Frozen Niagara Falls
