DeVilbiss DV54 Auto Adjust CPAP

[CPAPcub]

Hi,

Just a quick question please - I presently have my machine set to CPAP mode at straight 14 pressure. I've agreed with my doctor to try it on the auto setting between 4 - 20 (I have the new prescription to change the pressures).

Do I have to take it back to my supplier to have it adjusted or is can I do it myself from home? I read about people adjusting their machines and wondered if I could with mine as it's difficult for me to get to my supplier.

Any advice would be very welcome, thanks.

[Wulfman]

Hi,

Just a quick question please - I presently have my machine set to CPAP mode at straight 14 pressure. I've agreed with my doctor to try it on the auto setting between 4 - 20 (I have the new prescription to change the pressures).

Do I have to take it back to my supplier to have it adjusted or is can I do it myself from home? I read about people adjusting their machines and wondered if I could with mine as it's difficult for me to get to my supplier.

Any advice would be very welcome, thanks.

Sure, you can adjust it yourself. I presume it IS your machine......(you and your insurance are paying for it, aren't you?)
The vast majority of us do that on an "as needed" basis. We try to find the optimum settings for our best therapy.


Den

[snnnark]

1. Start with machine off.
2. Press and hold Down Arrow and Ramp buttons.
3. Press on/off button. The fan will start blowing (unless you have the latest firmware)
4. The left and right buttons will take you through the various options. Just change the CPAP to APAP then set the required pressures.

If you are used to 14cm then starting at 4 may be too little pressure for you. Perhaps you could start with 8 - 15.

Good luck

Deon

[timbalionguy]

Where di you come up with 4-20 cm pressure range? If you have been using 10 straight CPAP, I think you are going to find that an extremely uncomfortable range. This machine also has a demonstrated tendency to 'run away' with pressure if the minimum pressure is set too low. If I were you, I would consider starting with a pressure range of 10-20. (Ask your doctor about this). If you find that 10-20 either 1.) results in a significantly higher AHI (give it a few days to 'settle down'), or you find the pressure consistently 'maxes out', raise your minimum in 1 CM steps.

This machine has a slower responding algorithm than many other machines. It also has an odd way of distinguishing obstructive and central apneas. It may be that this machine may not have the best algorithm for your therapy needs. This happened to me (I switched to a ResMed machine, which has not been experiencing runaway pressure, and my average AHI has been lower). But if you do get good AHI numbers with this machine, it is a really nice machine.

[PaJoe]

We started using these machines not too long ago, my wife's machine zeroed in on her pressure rather quickly and I set her lower level close to what her average was, 7.5 and she is doing very well now with 7-12 cm setting. With me, the machine has a much more difficult time so I keep a tighter, almost cpap like window as it always seems to max out but doesn't make things better. I don't know where the cutoff is, but the higher pressures seem to give the machine more trouble. My machine will max out the pressure if I allow it to. From our experience, If my cpap setting was at 14 and working pretty good, I would try 13 or 13.5 to maybe 15 or 16 to see how it worked. Keeping the pressure closer to what you are at now will be less disruptive to your current sleep patterns and you can open the window further as time goes on.

[ashokvank]

Hi,

Just a quick question please - I presently have my machine set to CPAP mode at straight 14 pressure. I've agreed with my doctor to try it on the auto setting between 4 - 20 (I have the new prescription to change the pressures).

Do I have to take it back to my supplier to have it adjusted or is can I do it myself from home? I read about people adjusting their machines and wondered if I could with mine as it's difficult for me to get to my supplier.

Any advice would be very welcome, thanks.

[DHC]

Where di you come up with 4-20 cm pressure range? If you have been using 10 straight CPAP, I think you are going to find that an extremely uncomfortable range. This machine also has a demonstrated tendency to 'run away' with pressure if the minimum pressure is set too low. If I were you, I would consider starting with a pressure range of 10-20. (Ask your doctor about this). If you find that 10-20 either 1.) results in a significantly higher AHI (give it a few days to 'settle down'), or you find the pressure consistently 'maxes out', raise your minimum in 1 CM steps.

This machine has a slower responding algorithm than many other machines. It also has an odd way of distinguishing obstructive and central apneas. It may be that this machine may not have the best algorithm for your therapy needs. This happened to me (I switched to a ResMed machine, which has not been experiencing runaway pressure, and my average AHI has been lower). But if you do get good AHI numbers with this machine, it is a really nice machine.

>>This machine also has a demonstrated tendency to 'run away' with pressure if the minimum pressure is set too low.<<

That has not been my experience at all with the IntelliPAP. Would it be possible for you to post a link (or provide a keyword for searching) so that I can see what was written?

>>It also has an odd way of distinguishing obstructive and central apneas.<<

While different than ResMed's technique, doesn't DeVilbiss use a similar approach to detecting Centrals as some other vendors?

[Emilia]

Not sure where timbalionguy got that information, and it would be nice to know on what research it is based. If it is just opinion, it should be stated. Perhaps our member, Devilbiss Marketing, can shed more light on this subject based on the latest R&D at DeVilbiss as well as the latest updates that were done to the algorithm in August.

I assume the OP's doc wanted the 4-20 range to do a self-titration of sorts and see what the 90th %tile pressure would be. CPAPcub, if you do not have the clinician's manual for your machine, PM me with your email address and I'll be glad to send you a pdf copy.

[sleep_assist]

Hello,

We purchased one of these for my father to help with his sleep apnea. We need to adjust the upper and lower pressure limits, but I am having a difficult time trying to figure how we do this. He needs his upper to limit to be at 15 and the lower limit to be at 7 as prescribed.

If someone could please instruct me on how to do this, it would be great help

Thanks so much!

[Pugsy]

How to adjust the pressure settings on just about any machine can be found here
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p ... tup-manual

Just figure out which model/brand you have and either find the directions if they have the short cuts or better yet request the clinical/provider manual via email and have a copy on your computer downloaded for future use for when you might forget.
Also there's usually a good bit of other useful information in the manual. Instructions on how to request the manual via email is down near the bottom of the page. Just make sure that you request the correct manual.