Sudden wakings - have you solved this?

[echo]

JNK, you are truly a refreshing addition to this forum.. Not like those OTHER troublemakers (I"m not naming any names )

I don't know who does it or how it's done, but could this be put in "Our Wisdom" -- maybe as its own heading called something like "The Basics About Machine Settings"? I think it would end up being perfect if you could also add target levels (AHI should be < 5 & 0 is best, etc.).

If you want to add to the collective wisdom, it's easy: go to our-collective-cpap-wisdom.php?articleadd=1

I myself tried to add an article in there from some of Slinky's excellent posts... but that was over a week ago and they haven't put it up yet... I'm assuming they're too busy with the new site stuff! ...or it got lost

As for target AHI, that's easy! 0.0

Edit: Marsha, have you read this article already under our collective wisdom? I think it may answer some of your questions regarding pressures and settings and AHI... our-collective-cpap-wisdom/changing-CPA ... ssure.html

[mkirkwag]

Well, one night isn't much of an indicator, but my leak rate was only .3 last night, so my best guess from what you all said is that the maximum pressure needs to be increased. I didn't have any of those jerking awake incidents, but I did wake up with a headache, so something isn't working. Does anyone happen to know how to raise the pressure? It's set so I'm not supposed to be able to do it.

You still haven't told us which machine of filled in your profile. From the leak rate you quoted, I'm guessing a ResMed "something".

Some of them can be found at this link.

http://www.cpap-supply.com/Articles.asp?ID=130

Den

I really did. Isaid, "It's a REMstar Auto M Series with C-Flex."

[mkirkwag]

So the part where I said

Sorry - you're right. I get resmed on the brain. It's a REMstar Auto M Series with C-Flex

didn't count?

I get that the faux confusion is funny - intellectually - but I'm so exhausted and depressed I just want to weep. If ANYONE knows how to raise the pressure on the REMstar Auto M Series with C-Flex[ and would share that information with me, I would be most grateful and possibly regain a sense of humor.

[echo]

Try these instructions http://www.cpap-supply.com/Articles.asp?ID=130
1. unplug the power cord from the back of the CPAP machine
2. lift the LCD cover and press the two buttons closest to the back of the CPAP machine
3. while pressing the two buttons, plug the power cord into the CPAP machine

You'll hear two beeps and then you'll see the word setup in the lower right corner of the LCD screen. When you select setup you'll be in the clinician's mode where you can adjust every feature of the CPAP machine, including the pressure setting.

It's only for the CPAP but it should be similar for the APAP. The menu options will be a bit different than the CPAP, obviously.

Maybe someone else can post the full instructions...

[Wulfman]

So the part where I said

Sorry - you're right. I get resmed on the brain. It's a REMstar Auto M Series with C-Flex

didn't count?

I get that the faux confusion is funny - intellectually - but I'm so exhausted and depressed I just want to weep. If ANYONE knows how to raise the pressure on the REMstar Auto M Series with C-Flex[ and would share that information with me, I would be most grateful and possibly regain a sense of humor.

OK......my bad.......I went back through the posts and see it now.
Hopefully, I can redeem myself with the following.....

Den



Menu for M Series Auto

1. Hold down the <- -> buttons while plugging in the power on the back, wait for 2 beeps, release buttons.
2. Press the + key. <- -> buttons move to next field, -/+ keys decrement/increment
3. Check the following field(s):

-Therapy Mode = (CPAP/Auto)

-Auto:Max = (default=20.0cm)

-Auto:Min = (default=4.0cm)

-C-Flex Setting = 2 (options are off, 1, 2 or 3)

-AutoRamp Time = (options are 05 to 45 min)

-AutoRamp Pressure = cm (4cm->AutoMin)

-Mask Alert Feature = On (On/Off)

-Auto Off Feature = Off (On/off)

-Split Night Time = Off (off, 120, 180, 240)

-Show AHI/Leak Feature = On (On/Off)

Press On/Off button to exit.

[JeffH]

I don't think you are listening and have your mind made up as to what you think you need to "fix" your problem. I can relate.

I spent the most miserable 6 months of my xpap experience "thinking" I needed more pressure. I was wrong. What I needed to do was fix my mouth leaks and then the Rx'ed pressure was just fine for me.

Now, go do what 'ya gotta do.

JeffH

[mkirkwag]

Thanks, Den. Very grateful.

Jeff, I appreciate the the thought, but I've taped my mouth in the past to make sure I wasn't getting any leaks - and done virtually everything anyone else has done to assure same. I'm well trained in keeping my mouth closed. My leak level is running .3 to 1.0 - very low compared to when I was mouth breathing. What I've been told is that anything under 30 is "normal" - by that measure, I have almost none. When I saw that 37 number that I mentioned in an earlier post, I considered the possibility that I'd gone back to mouth breathing, but then remembered that I'd failed to turn off the machine a few times, and cleared the numbers. The past few nights have returned to my previous low leak level, noted above. If the two choices are that I have leaks, either from mouth breathing or holes, or that I need a different pressure, then I think it's come to needing a different pressure. Since it's an automatic machine and it's been running at the high end of my range ( My average 90% pressure is 13.6, up a point and a half from what it was before I went off on my wanting a different mask tangent in which I ended up discontinuing it altogether), I'm assuming that my pressure needs to higher, no lower. Make sense?

[mkirkwag]

Try these instructions http://www.cpap-supply.com/Articles.asp?ID=130
1. unplug the power cord from the back of the CPAP machine
2. lift the LCD cover and press the two buttons closest to the back of the CPAP machine
3. while pressing the two buttons, plug the power cord into the CPAP machine

You'll hear two beeps and then you'll see the word setup in the lower right corner of the LCD screen. When you select setup you'll be in the clinician's mode where you can adjust every feature of the CPAP machine, including the pressure setting.

It's only for the CPAP but it should be similar for the APAP. The menu options will be a bit different than the CPAP, obviously.

Maybe someone else can post the full instructions...

Sorry I didn't see this when I thanked Den. Thank YOU, too.

[JeffH]

Thanks, Den. Very grateful.

Jeff, I appreciate the the thought, but I've taped my mouth in the past to make sure I wasn't getting any leaks - and done virtually everything anyone else has done to assure same. I'm well trained in keeping my mouth closed. My leak level is running .3 to 1.0 - very low compared to when I was mouth breathing. What I've been told is that anything under 30 is "normal" - by that measure, I have almost none. When I saw that 37 number that I mentioned in an earlier post, I considered the possibility that I'd gone back to mouth breathing, but then remembered that I'd failed to turn off the machine a few times, and cleared the numbers. The past few nights have returned to my previous low leak level, noted above. If the two choices are that I have leaks, either from mouth breathing or holes, or that I need a different pressure, then I think it's come to needing a different pressure. Since it's an automatic machine and it's been running at the high end of my range ( My average 90% pressure is 13.6, up a point and a half from what it was before I went off on my wanting a different mask tangent in which I ended up discontinuing it altogether), I'm assuming that my pressure needs to higher, no lower. Make sense?

What shape is your nose in? Do you have a deviated septum? Do you get much congestion?

What started me thinking I needed more pressure was a badly deviated septum and was getting worse. Had that fixed in '07 and xpap has worked much better.

Just another thought...

[mkirkwag]

Huh. Well, I don't *think* I have any nose problems, except the self-inflicted one. I got myself addicted to Afrin and haven't been able to wean off. I've got it down to half strength, but haven't been able to go lower, and sometimes the relief doesn't last all night, so yeah, sometimes I do have congestion. It hasn't seemed directly related though, mostly because if I feel congested the mask comes off anyway.

[JeffH]

Huh. Well, I don't *think* I have any nose problems, except the self-inflicted one. I got myself addicted to Afrin and haven't been able to wean off. I've got it down to half strength, but haven't been able to go lower, and sometimes the relief doesn't last all night, so yeah, sometimes I do have congestion. It hasn't seemed directly related though, mostly because if I feel congested the mask comes off anyway.

I think you have your answer. This will probably work better when you get completely off the Afrin. That stuff is really bad news.

Sounds like when the afrin fix wears off and the congestion comes back, then you wake up.

[roster]

Huh. Well, I don't *think* I have any nose problems, except the self-inflicted one. I got myself addicted to Afrin and haven't been able to wean off. I've got it down to half strength, but haven't been able to go lower, and sometimes the relief doesn't last all night, so yeah, sometimes I do have congestion. It hasn't seemed directly related though, mostly because if I feel congested the mask comes off anyway.

Waggie,

After you finish with the Afrin what do you plan to do to address congestion? Here is something I wrote for colds but it works for about any type of congestion: viewtopic.php?p=160144#160144. Of course skip the Afrin in the recipe.

BTW, I have seen people write that they were successful with an "Afrin wean" by weaning one nostril at a time.

Good luck,

[mkirkwag]

Thanks! I hate to admit it, but I've done the Afrin wean this way several times. This is the first time it hasn't worked. Assuming that I ever do get off it - and I think it's unlikely at this point - there's nothing I need to do about congestion. The congestion is caused by addiction to Afrin. I'm just lucky that it only happens at night.

It's true that I wake up if I get congested, but I don't wear the mask at that time. It does usually last for 8 hours, though. I'll go read your cold thread as soon as I finish this.

OK, so here's a stupid question. I reset my machine and saw that the top pressure is set at 20, and thought, crud - the pressure was already plenty high enough. Then I thought, well maybe that's the default. Does anyone happen to know if that's the default setting?

My 90% average pressure didn't shoot up last night, so if I did reset the pressure it probably didn't fix anything. Too soon to know for sure, but that's my guess. Plus my leak rate shot up to 20, so I was doing *something* bad - probably huffing like a steamship.

[Wulfman]

Thanks! I hate to admit it, but I've done the Afrin wean this way several times. This is the first time it hasn't worked. Assuming that I ever do get off it - and I think it's unlikely at this point - there's nothing I need to do about congestion. The congestion is caused by addiction to Afrin. I'm just lucky that it only happens at night.

It's true that I wake up if I get congested, but I don't wear the mask at that time. It does usually last for 8 hours, though. I'll go read your cold thread as soon as I finish this.

OK, so here's a stupid question. I reset my machine and saw that the top pressure is set at 20, and thought, crud - the pressure was already plenty high enough. Then I thought, well maybe that's the default. Does anyone happen to know if that's the default setting?

My 90% average pressure didn't shoot up last night, so if I did reset the pressure it probably didn't fix anything. Too soon to know for sure, but that's my guess. Plus my leak rate shot up to 20, so I was doing *something* bad - probably huffing like a steamship.

That was noted in the instructions I posted for you (further up this page). The Autos usually come with their minimum pressure set to 4 (as low as it can be set) and the maximum is set to 20 (as high as it can be set).......unless a person has a knowledgeable sleep doctor that knows something about the Auto machines.

Den

[mkirkwag]

You're right - you did tell me that. Apologies. I was practically asleep when I did it and didn't read carefully. That's my excuse and I'm standing by it.