My AutoSet Experience

[ScrappinMom]

I have been an cpap about 6 months now. I initially felt somewhat better, but despite getting good numbers, (the past 3 months average is AHI 3.3; AI .4; Hi 2.9) I've only had a handful of days that I've felt GREAT. And recently feeling worse. So, after awakening Friday night from a 16 second apnea, feeling as if I was suffocating (well, I guess actually I was for those 16 seconds), I decided to try using auto mode. I have never before awoken during an apnea. Scared me almost to death!

Depsite having an AutoSet, I have been using it straight cpap, set at 8 (as determined by my $3000 titration ). So, Saturday night I started my AutoSet experiment. Here's results from the past 3 nights:

2/27
Set at 8-11
95% 10.8
Max 11
AHI 2.4
AI .1
HI 2.0

2/28 Bumped max to 13, as I had hit the previous night's max of 11 a few times.
Set at 8-13
95% 11.0
Max 12
AHI 1.4
AI 0.0 Woo Hoo!!!
HI 1.4

3/1
Set at 8-13
95% 12.6
Max 13
AHI 3.0
AI 0.1
HI 2.9

I noticed on my Rescan that each night, after I'm asleep about 1 hour, it almost immediately climbs to about 9.6, and never drops below that all night. I spend most all the night between 10 and 12.
I am already feeling better! I know 3 nights is just a brief snapshot, but obviously my titrated 8 was way off!

Any thoughts from the experts? Thanks!

[Hawthorne]

I'm not an expert and I don't use a Resmed machine, BUT, I do know that a person's titration can be way off!

I use my Respironics machine in auto. My last sleep study ("retitration" after 5 years on cpap) said pressure 9 cm. With my auto set at 10.5 to 13 cm, I spend most of my night at 10 cm and a small portion of the night at 12 cm. (my 90% being 12 cm of course). I hit 13 cm once in a while.

I sleep and feel much better with the auto and, given that my "retitration" was terrible, I'm not surprised! I hardly slept at all! I think they just guessed at a number. Actually, when they got my AHI to 4.2, they just quit, I think. With my current settings, I am getting an AHI below 1 almost every night!

[JeffH]

If you didn't get awakened by the auto, then sounds like you have found your solution. If you are waking up, then I'd set the cpap to 11 and see how you did. Ain't Doc S&*^@$*Z a bad dream?


JeffH

[ScrappinMom]

I hardly slept at all! I think they just guessed at a number. Actually, when they got my AHI to 4.2, they just quit, I think.

Hawthorne, I think that might be what happened to me, also. I slept horribly, and they probably got my AHI down to what they deemed "acceptable" and quit.

If you didn't get awakened by the auto, then sounds like you have found your solution. If you are waking up, then I'd set the cpap to 11 and see how you did. Ain't Doc S&*^@$*Z a bad dream?

JeffH, the auto is not waking me. In fact, I've slept better the past 3 nights than I have in a LONG time, with fewer awakenings. Yes, Dr &*$% is awful. And, to think, if I hadn't found my way here, I would have a stupid Escape from those morons. And, get this...as I'm leaving my pulmnologist (whom I love) a few weeks ago, I see on the window "Sleep Medicine" in addition to the pulmonology/critical care... WT????? How come I never knew that??? I could have saved myself SO much anguish. I will be giving him "what for" when I got back! LOL!!!

[DreamOn]

Great results, ScrappinMom! So good to hear that it's making a difference in the way you feel too! I really enjoy reading about everyone's experiences here. It'll be interesting to see what your results are over a longer period of time.

I also think that my titrated pressure was way off. I slept less than 3 hours that night. Unfortunately, I don't have an APAP machine. I shudder to think how we'd be doing without this forum!

~ DreamOn

[ScrappinMom]

Great results, ScrappinMom! So good to hear that it's making a difference in the way you feel too! I really enjoy reading about everyone's experiences here. It'll be interesting to see what your results are over a longer period of time.

I also think that my titrated pressure was way off. I slept less than 3 hours that night. Unfortunately, I don't have an APAP machine. I shudder to think how we'd be doing without this forum!

~ DreamOn

Thanks, DreamOn! I too am interested to see how this turns out. I am very hopeful so far.