High pressure people..how do you do it?

[track]

I kicked up the pressure the last few nights so my 95% number was closer to the bottom of my apap number instead of the top number and I tried one night on Cpap at a number 1.5 point above my highest 95% number...thinking I would catch all episodes. The difference between sleeping at 15 cpap and 8 as the low apap is night and day. It's not even the same game. At 8 the stomach air is a relatively minor issue compared to all night at 15. The mask issues of leaking and comfort at 8 or even 10 are relatively non existent compared to what one has to endure at 15. You folks with pressures in the 15 and above range are playing a different game. I don't know how you do it and get a decent nights sleep. My hats off to you. I think everyone should list their pressure in their profile....getting feedback on how a mask seals when your pressure is 7 versus 15 is not even comparable. You people that endure high pressures are "da man"...or "da woman".

[lvwildcat]

hmmm. I've been on a pressure of 15 from the very first night. I have never used ramp because the lower pressure made me feel like I was suffocating. I remember frequently waking up panicked when I had first started because I didn't think my mask/machine was working. Everything was fine;just that the pressure of 15 was so natural to me that I didn't even notice it.

[TGregg]

You folks with pressures in the 15 and above range are playing a different game. I don't know how you do it and get a decent nights sleep. My hats off to you.

I agree. I run 9.2, and one day just to see what it was like, I kicked it up to 12. Holy cow! I've have to bolt my mask on to keep it from leaking. I thought I was kicking butt by being 100% compliant, but that has less to do with anything special about me, and more to do with my low pressure.

[alpha1340]

I had my dme replace my machine shortly after I started because I thought the machine was not blowing the right amount of air after a few hours. Come to find out with the new machine that it was doing the same thing and realized that I was just getting used to the feel of the pressure againist my face. hehe

[shippy]

You people that endure high pressures are "da man"...or "da woman".

Hey Track !!

I don't know if i am da man or not ha! ha! but my prescribed pressure is 16cm's and i gotta tell you it is tough getting the air to go where its supposed to go, with out mask leakage. Some nights i fight it and others i don't notice too much hissing. Depends on the strap setting if i hit it right or not. Still using the uncomfortable Soyala FF mask and leak rates are good, leave the top straps loose and the lower straps pretty tight. I was having some neck irritation from the tight lower strap and i solved this by buying a velcro seat belt (approx. 8 inches long) sheepskin cover from the local Kragen Auto parts store and covered the strap. Sort of a homemade pad a cheek which solved the problem with the sore neck. AHI's are around 2.8 or lower, leak rates around 44 to 52, numbers still running good, can't complain too much about results. Also like lv wildcat said, i don't ramp up preferring instead to take the full blast at startup.

Dale

[track]

Shippy.......

i don't ramp up preferring instead to take the full blast at startup.

That's exactly what I am talking about.....macho-man. LOL

The Soyala face mask may not be the most comfortable but for higher pressures it's the best against leaks. My nose was red until noon the other day but now I put a padded bandaid on it. The neck straps dig into my neck and I was thinking of some sort of padding to use....I was prepared to go to war with my soyala but instead I decided to take the wimp way out so I just lowered the pressure. LOL ...now I on to a new project.....an ace bandage around the throat and chin to the top of the head...homemade chin strap. I bought some poligrip strips to seal the lips and I am going to try a nasal mask. Woooohoooo.....I feel like a scientist in a lab and I am the lab rat.

[shippy]

now I on to a new project.....an ace bandage around the throat and chin to the top of the head...homemade chin strap. I bought some poligrip strips to seal the lips and I am going to try a nasal mask. Woooohoooo.....I feel like a scientist in a lab and I am the lab rat.

Track you little rat ha! ha!

Be carefull man and don't accidently strangle yourself

Dale

[housecoatman]

I have been on 15 since the start. I too, found the ramp made me feel like I wasn't getting enough air so I stopped using it after the first night.

I kind of like the high pressure. Seems to help me breath better.

The only real problem is mask air seal leaks. Some nights are worse than others... don't know why.

Ron

[ZuniWolf]

Greetings!

I started with a pressure of 14, which did no good. My sleep Dr. told me to go up to 16. I don't mind the pressure so much, but do have the problem of keeping my mask sealed. Seems I have to readjust the straps every night. Then I wake up several times a night to reseal the mask.

I have noticed that I get the best seal when I clean the silicone face seal every day and make sure I wash my face thoroughly every night. I also discovered that I was fitted with a "small" facemask initially when I should have a "medium." That change to the larger mask really helped.

The tech at the VA said they have a guy on 28! Seems like they'd have to surgically attach the mask to his face to keep it there.

Jayne

[twillson]

Count me as one of those people that need some pressure just to be able to nose breath. The first thing I did with my CPAP (Remstar Pro II) was to adjust the ramp setting so it started above 8 (I think I settled on 9). That gives me the option of ramping or not ramping.

With some masks, ramping helps get the seal right, and with others it doesn't matter. Same with hot or humid vs cool or dry. I think you should try this because sometimes going to high pressures instantly isn't helpful.

FWIW, I didn't know about this during my titration and so I struggled against choking for hours before the technician started to creep up my setting. All the electrodes, etc were bad enough without having to deal with that!!!! Fortunately, I was HIGHLY motivated at that point (desperate actually) so I was NOT going to give in to the discomfort.

I have learned to put up with aerophagia, and I often wake up with a sore tong because I have done something weird trying to keep my mouth close, but I don't really have a problem with mask leakage related to pressure. If you get the right mask and the right adjustments I find that the silicone often grips HARDER on a higher setting. Of course that depends on a lot of other factors too.

[jasper]

Track, that's a very good idea to list your pressure (could be put under Additional Comments). I've seen so many mask reviews, and not many of them talk about pressure. I also do not use ramp since I feel that I can get the seal right at my final pressure (14 cm) and not have to wake up to readjust as the ramp kicks up.

[track]

All my mask seal at 7 and 8...no problemo..., but when the pressure is kicked up to 14, they all start to leak without some serious adjustment and tightening...it's like I have blown a gasket. It just makes sense when a person is reviewing a mask to list their pressure.

[TonyL]

I have been on 23/18 Bipap since December. Using a Resmed VPAP III with Ultra Mirage Full Face medium. Like others have said cleaning the cushion every day and washing my face just before bed I get great seals. I also do not turn on my machine till I am flat on my back face up seal right first time. I leave the strap settings alone, just use the quick disconnects on mask. My original mask the DME gave me was Large and leaked all night could not seal properly another Clinician after two days listened to me and sized me for medium. now sleep average 8.50 hrs a night.

[sleepymn]

It's good to find you higher pressure users! I just started BiPap with bi-flex at 10-20 inhalation pressure. Some mornings I wake up with my stomach full of air. Any suggestions?
Sleepy in Minnesota

[Guest]

Unfortunately taking in air seems to be one of the not so pleasant bi- products of cpap treatment. All I can tell you is it either subsides over time or we learn to live with it so it not so noticeable after a while. Some say some machines have features that can minimize it.