POLL: How Have You Handled The Ramp Setting On Your Machine?

[Goofproof]

My legs weren't broke, so I didn't need a crutch. I wanted full good from my XPAP from the start, my bike didn't have training wheels either.

P.S I started at 14.5 CM, a couple of months after a Quad By-Pass. Jim

[nosenabook]

The first night of using a CPAP, the ramp was set to start at 4 and go up to 12. I don't remember what the timing was. It did not get to full pressure because it was annoying and I turned it off. I never tried again and haven't missed it.

[elena88]

When I had my first machine, (pr system one A- flex auto) the ramp started at four, I set the ramp at forty five minutes.. then darn, here it comes! that dreaded higher pressure, so I would hit the ramp button again.. woo hoo a reprieve.. then forty five minutes go by, and here it comes again, so I would press it again, I would press it three or four times before I fell asleep, and I wanted to find out if I could set the ramp for two or three hours!
I pressed that darn ramp button so much it reminded me of those little drug study rats who are feverishly pressing down levers in a cage to get cocaine!
I was a crazy woman with my ramp button..

Someone on this forum told me to "knock it off" It wasnt helping, and now, I am "ramp free"

[Janknitz]

I was home titrated on an auto machine set wide open 4- 20 cm.

The first couple of nights with a FF mask it was OK, but as soon as I switched to a nasal mask, 4 made me feel like suffocating. They raised my minimum starting pressure to something like 6 which was better, but if the pressure got to be too much at 12 or more, I was reluctant to hit the ramp button for relief because it would drop down to 4.

I learned to do my own settings and set the ramp up to my bottom pressure. Now it's at 9, and I don't think I've touched that ramp button since except to get into the clinician's menu

[kteague]

The ramp was nearly the death of me early on. I, too, was hitting it over and over and over and..... I didn't realize I couldn't sleep because I was suffocating at the setting I was given of 4, so it was a never ending cycle. I had quit using cpap and found my way here and it was suggested I increase my ramp pressure and shorten the time. That was the beginning of my turnaround. I still use the ramp for about 6 minutes. One reason is because when I first lay down I do a lot of coughing and throat clearing, and I don't want that mess on my data. The reason I don't have it set for longer is I fall asleep fast and I don't want to be unprotected during any of my sleep time.

[MidnightOwl]

I never had any problem breathing at the low pressure of the ramp. But I found that I had to adjust my mask at my pressure of 14 when I put it on or it would just start leaking badly as soon as it got up to full pressure and that drove me crazy. And since it took a long time to get the mask adjusted in those early days it never seemed like there was much point in hitting the ramp button when I was finally done. By the time I could put the mask on efficiently I was used to starting with full pressure.

midnightowl

[KatieW]

I'm using apap setting of 11-13, and set the ramp to start at 9, so it goes from 9 to 11 in 5 minutes. I like that time to adjust my mask and get settled.

[jules]

On the old Remstar Tanks APAP's you don't dare use Ramp in an auto mode - it turns the night into a split study. So I have my ramp time at 0 min just in case for some reason during the night I accidentally hit that ramp button.

[Physician]

The choice "never used it" is not listed.

Never used it. Never needed it. With APAP and settings 10-18 it self-ramps in a way.

[mars]

The choice "never used it" is not listed.

Hi Physician

The choice "never used it" is the first choice on the list.

So far it has been polled by 23 members.

I guess something must have gone wrong for you to say it was not listed.

cheers

Mars

[DoriC]

Yep, it's #1 up there. #2- We just used it for a few weeks but it bothered my husband so we turned it off.

[sleepyb]

Just the first two nights. It was set to 5-10 and I couldn't breath at 5. I just turned it on full 10 and after a short bit I had to put my hand in front of the mask to make sure it was working.

[pdean44]

That is interesting how your body adapts. I felt like the pressure was overwhelming when they raised my pressure to 14. I ramped it for the 1st couple of nights. Now I do the same thing I have my hand in front of my face when i fire it up full on 14 to make sure it is running.

[semreka]

the ramp is something related with the gradually pressure increasing at the beginning of your sleeping hours.
Let me give the example about my case...
Due to factory settings , may machine is working in the range of pressure between 4 and 25.
If my min Epap pressure is more than 4 , than I may determine a ramp time , at which the pressure value will be raised from 4 to the determined value gradually .In that time interval.
For example :
if you determine your min .epap as 7 and max. ipap as 14 and your ramp time as 15 min. ( that should be the time period which you spend in the bed before you drift into sleep.)The epap pressure will be raised from 4 to 7 gradually in the first 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes due to predetermined P.S. (Maximum Pressure Supply value ) machine begins to work in the range you specify by entering max.ipap and min. epap values. P.S. value is the value related with instant difference between ipap and epap values.
This explanation is related with Bipap Auto machines.
For Cpap or Auto Cpap machines the procedure is simpler .
If The explanation is clear for you, you can use it to understand the Cpap and Auto cpap machines which has not individual epap and ipap values.

God Bless.

[Jaylee]

I used it a few times then stopped. I don't have any problems with the full pressure right off the bat.