New Guy!, Needs guidance!

renfrow515 · Post by **renfrow515** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 12:38 pm

Howdy,
My name is Warren and I am new to the world of the cpap. I have had my set up for a little over a week. I have the Remstar+ with cflex, an F.P. HC 150 humidifier with ambient tracking! (Pretty fricken fancy name for a hot plate eh?) and a comfort gel mask. Right now I am set at 9 cm. This feels good when I first go to sleep but later in the night I wake and feel like the machine is not working. The cflex was set at 3 and I turned it down to 1. This seemed to help a bit, but I keep waking with the same feeling.
It feels like my breathing gets shallow and the cflex option has trouble equalizing. I have thought about having my Dr. upping the cm scrip or turning the cflex off altogether (not unless anyone here can tell me how to do this)
One thing that I have figured out is to put my gear on the floor by my bed vs. the nightstand. I like my humidifier set warm. After a few times of waking up to the sounds of gurgling, well you know.
And as of now the mask seems to be Ok.
So if any of you seasoned veterans can help a brutha out? All suggestions, comments, ideas, and forms of mentoring would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Warren

biggziff · Post by **biggziff** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 1:40 pm

I have found that I don't really need the ramp anymore and I could probably turn off the cflex thing now as well. I do notice that when I wake up it seems like the machine isn't even working.it is..I'm just used to it.

ProfessorSleep · Post by **ProfessorSleep** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 1:48 pm

Same here. I don't have a machine with CFlex, but it seems like you wouldn't need it. My machine is at 8 and by the time I wake up I can't feel it at all. I do still ramp, though, but only for for a couple of cms.

Good luck to you, Warren - you've come to a great place!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 3:19 pm

I don't even deal with the ramp. Also since I have started treatment, I am getting the agita quite frequntly!

allen · Post by **allen** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:04 pm

I don't ramp, either. (On Resmed it's called "settling," I think.) I got over feeling that I was fighting to exhale after only a couple of nights. At this point, I'd prefer to fight exhaling just a little, just to have a sense that something is going on after I'm masked up.

Usually, the only way I'm sure that the unit is working is by checking the exhaust holes of my mask. Oops, do let me add that I know it's working when the mask leaks!

Allen

nnewell · Post by **nnewell** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:12 am

I use a RemStar Plus set at 10 and I stopped using the ramp feature within a few days of starting my treatment. I have been using my CPAP for about a year now and one thing that I have learned is to talk to your MD/ DME before changing your settings. You can things out of whack before you know it. Also, you might look into a snuggle hose if you have a lot of rainout. Putting your equipment on the floor will only hinder this issue as the cold air on the floor will cool down the air in the hose much faster. I would insulate your hose, move it up off the floor and you might even be able to turn down your heater setting.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:28 am

I like my humidifier set warm. After a few times of waking up to the sounds of gurgling, well you know.

Hi Warren, welcome to the board and the wacky world of cpap!

#1 best solution to preventing condensation in the hose, imho, is this:

Aussie heated hose (heated cpap tube) at sleepzone.com.au

A lot of us are using that with our heated humidifiers. Works great!

Patrick A · Post by **Patrick A** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:48 pm

Welcome Warren,

Hang in there be glad you are only set at 9, my unit is set at 20 /6 ramp I have a humidifier but haven't had to use it Yet knock on wood.

Apneaat22 · Post by **Apneaat22** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:03 pm

With the ComfortGel I noticed the same thing, that it seemed when I woke in the middle of the night it wasn't even on. As soon as I would open my mouth I would find different though as the air would come rushing out. I am on 11 cm so I am a little higher but not much. I have switched to a Swift mask due to the fact that I couldnt stand the comfort gel and on that the pressue seems to be a little higher to me. So yes, I think the feeling does happen to quite a bit of us. I see it as a good thing as you are getting used to it.

Congrats on your road to recovery

Apnea@22

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