AirCurve 10 ASV pressure settings for pillows vs full face

[MichaelWD64]

EDIT: Added new post with OSCAR and pulse-ox F50 data here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=186391&p=1436695#p1436695


Hi,
I've been using full-face for obstructive and central apnea for 7 years. Am well treated, it's working. But sometimes I feel claustrophobic with the full face mask.

My wife got on CPAP recently and she is using nasal pillows, not a full-face mask. I tried hers and like it, so ordered one for me. Her machine is not bilevel, so her settings won't work for me.

I am adept at changing clinical settings on my machine. My full-face mask settings are WAY too high with pillows. What would you recommend I change to to try with pillows? If I get in the ballpark, I can figure out from use what to use exactly. I've changed the setting to Pillows.

Currently for full-face I'm using

Min EPAP: 14

Max EPAP: 15

Min PS: 0
Max PS: 11

Thank you,
Michael

[ChicagoGranny]

My full-face mask settings are WAY too high with pillows.

How do you know that? Were you breathing through your nose and mouth when using the FFM?

Be sure to change the mask setting to pillows - page 15 - https://www.respshop.com/manuals/37212_ ... n_menu.pdf

OSCAR can be a great help in finding the best pressure settings. Do you use it?

[MichaelWD64]

I can tell my Mask settings are too high for Pillows because it feels too high, like I wouldn't be able to sleep and I have trouble breathing out. Also my wife said it seemed way too high compared to hers.

I mostly breathed through my nose with full face, but sometimes my mouth and nose. Breathing just through my nose isn't a problem.

I changed the Mask setting from Full Face to Pillows before posting. I've edited my post to add that.

I use SleepyHead, which OSCAR is based on.

I can probably fine tune this using how it feels plus SleepyHead data but I need a reasonable setting for pillows to start with.

Is a Full Face setting supposed to work for Pillows? I would think they'd be different pressures.

Thank you.

[palerider]

I am adept at changing clinical settings on my machine. My full-face mask settings are WAY too high with pillows. What would you recommend I change to to try with pillows?

I'd recommend *the same settings*, since that's what you need.

[palerider]

I can tell my Mask settings are too high for Pillows because it feels too high,

"Feelings" are usually wrong.

I use SleepyHead, which OSCAR is based on.

Sleepyhead is *DEAD*, killed by it's creator. Plus it has a number of bugs that have been fixed in OSCAR.

Is a Full Face setting supposed to work for Pillows? I would think they'd be different pressures.

Yes, there's no such thing as "full face settings" vs "pillow settings". In other words, you think incorrectly.

[ChicagoGranny]

I mostly breathed through my nose with full face

Then your pressure settings with the FFM would be the correct settings for nasal pillows.

Also my wife said it seemed way too high compared to hers.

Don't judge one person's pressure needs by what another person needs.

If you could start using OSCAR, and post a Daily Details chart of a FFM night in this thread (Don't start another one.), some ASV users could take a look and give you some more detailed advice.

BTW, you don't have the correct machine in your equipment profile.

[MichaelWD64]

Will try that.

And I've updated my gear in the signature line. Good call.

I think that even my settings for full face were too high. I recently got a new machine and wasn't comfortable using it since I got it. I was very comfortable with the old one. I'm going to call my equipment provider and see if they changed (upped) my settings from my old machine.

Then if I still have trouble, I'll get Oscar and post some data.

Thank you.

[ChicagoGranny]

Do you still have your old machine? Unless they are kaput, most of us keep our old machines for backup.

[MichaelWD64]

Yes, my old one gives the error of "past motor life", but works. I checked it a couple hours ago, the settings were the same they put for me on the new machine.

For some reason that pressure is now uncomfortable for me with mask or pillows.

I think it might be because I've just become a lot healthier over time. I got on CPAP when I was nearly dying, had just quit smoking after 30 years. Am a lot better now after not smoking and using CPAP for 7 years.

I have recording pulse ox, my O2 is fine with the lower pressure I'm trying with pillows.

Will talk to provider today, see what they say.

Thank you.

[robysue1]

I think that even my settings for full face were too high. I recently got a new machine and wasn't comfortable using it since I got it. I was very comfortable with the old one. I'm going to call my equipment provider and see if they changed (upped) my settings from my old machine.

Learn how to get into the Clinical menu. Then you can change your own settings without the need to play phone-tag with a DME that most likely doesn't care.

Then if I still have trouble, I'll get Oscar and post some data.

If you want to do dial wingin' on your own, you need to get Oscar and download the data regularly.

Here's the thing: Your perception of the problem---the pressure setting is too high for your comfort---is important. And it is possible that a small reduction in minimum pressure by 1 or 2 cm might be enough to fix the comfort problem. But the question then becomes whether that small pressure reduction winds up letting too many events happen during the night. Oscar can tell you that quite quickly---far quicker than playing phone-tag with the DME and the doctor who prescribed the machine can.

[MichaelWD64]

I think that even my settings for full face were too high. I recently got a new machine and wasn't comfortable using it since I got it. I was very comfortable with the old one. I'm going to call my equipment provider and see if they changed (upped) my settings from my old machine.

Learn how to get into the Clinical menu. Then you can change your own settings without the need to play phone-tag with a DME that most likely doesn't care.

Then if I still have trouble, I'll get Oscar and post some data.

If you want to do dial wingin' on your own, you need to get Oscar and download the data regularly.

Here's the thing: Your perception of the problem---the pressure setting is too high for your comfort---is important. And it is possible that a small reduction in minimum pressure by 1 or 2 cm might be enough to fix the comfort problem. But the question then becomes whether that small pressure reduction winds up letting too many events happen during the night. Oscar can tell you that quite quickly---far quicker than playing phone-tag with the DME and the doctor who prescribed the machine can.

Thank you.

I can get into the Clinical menu. That's how I changed what I was talking about in the first post.

My provider here (we moved last year) is more solid than some I've heard about.

Thank you.

[MichaelWD64]

If you could start using OSCAR, and post a Daily Details chart of a FFM night in this thread

Installed OSCAR, ran it, and started a new post with OSCAR and pulse-ox F50 data here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=186391&p=1436695#p1436695

I started a new thread because I have more info to add and it would get confusing here if people read the new post but not the top one.

Thank you.