I'm thinking of getting an auto-pap. I'm struggling with the cpap and am hoping the auto-pap will better treat my apnea.
Which of the auto-paps are the best?
thank you
Which auto-pap is best?
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
The least expensive also is the smallest and it has many features that the others don't. Software for it is also least expensive very easy to use. LOL
.......................................................................... PB420E
Cheers,
Chris
.......................................................................... PB420E
Cheers,
Chris
Last edited by chrisp on Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
Guest, if you are interested in looking at your own overnight data yourself, then yes... the software and smart card reader are an excellent investment. Personally, since I went the "do it yourself" route, I'd feel as though I were driving in thick fog if I couldn't see what happens in my own treatment.
The more a person understands about what's going on in his own treatment, the more information he can share with the doctor when deciding if something about the treatment (the pressure range, for example) might need tweaking. The machine you're getting Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex is the one I use now. Works very well for me.
The more a person understands about what's going on in his own treatment, the more information he can share with the doctor when deciding if something about the treatment (the pressure range, for example) might need tweaking. The machine you're getting Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex is the one I use now. Works very well for me.
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Guest
Software
Rested gal.... thanks for the info. I feel the same as you regarding "the do it yourself route". I'd rather "see" how I'm doing rather than guess how I'm doing based on how I feel cuz to be honest with you I don't feel too good yet. I read your posting answering a software question for another poster and followed your link to you site. I saw your data results and it looks like it would be very helpful informaiton for me to have.
I also want to thank you for all the great help you provide to all of us. Thank you for sharing you knowledge and encouragement . I know you often include the disclaimer that you are not a doctor but I think you know more than most regarding our condition/disease. THANKS!!!!!
I also want to thank you for all the great help you provide to all of us. Thank you for sharing you knowledge and encouragement . I know you often include the disclaimer that you are not a doctor but I think you know more than most regarding our condition/disease. THANKS!!!!!
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Guest,
Keep the top end of the range on your Remstar auto close to your titrated pressure. In my case I've found this machine has a tendancy climb pressures on you. Did your Doc indicate on the script what the pressure range was to be?
Keep the top end of the range on your Remstar auto close to your titrated pressure. In my case I've found this machine has a tendancy climb pressures on you. Did your Doc indicate on the script what the pressure range was to be?
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
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Guest
apap pressure range
Wader,
I did not see a range setting on the prescription. My cpap script was for 14. My DME ordered it yesterday so when I swap them out I'll have to ask him.
Do know how to get in to the programing and change your pressure w/o having to have the DME do it?
I did not see a range setting on the prescription. My cpap script was for 14. My DME ordered it yesterday so when I swap them out I'll have to ask him.
Do know how to get in to the programing and change your pressure w/o having to have the DME do it?
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
Hi Guest,
Glad you got the prescription. Yes, there is a way to access the clinical menu on the machine. If you will register (free) for this forum, you'll be able to use private messaging for some of your questions.
I agree with Wader that it's best to set the top pressure at, or not more than, a point or so above your titrated pressure. I think that's true of any autopap until you have a chance to see your overnight data. Only exception, imho, would be if a doctor has ordered a home titration trial on autopap with top set wide open.
As for bottom pressure setting, I'd say "the sky's the limit", but that sounds confusing, doesn't it? You can play around with the bottom setting to see what feels comfortable for you. Too low can make you feel like you're not getting enough air, even though you are. I like to keep my bottom pressure up enough to knock out snores - takes 9 or 10 as the lower pressure to do that for me. That's always been a comfortable enough pressure for me anyway, especially with the benefit of C-Flex now.
I have two REMstar autos - the newer one having the addition of C-Flex. Neither REMstar has ever shown any unusual pressure climbs for me. Pressure delivery has been "well behaved" - the same normal fluctuations as when I was using the 420E after a setting adjustment.
Different autopaps act differently for some people, so keeping a leash on them for awhile regarding top pressure is not a bad idea at all. In fact, that's a good idea when first using any new autopap - even one of the same brand you've had before. Good suggestion, Wader.
Glad you got the prescription. Yes, there is a way to access the clinical menu on the machine. If you will register (free) for this forum, you'll be able to use private messaging for some of your questions.
I agree with Wader that it's best to set the top pressure at, or not more than, a point or so above your titrated pressure. I think that's true of any autopap until you have a chance to see your overnight data. Only exception, imho, would be if a doctor has ordered a home titration trial on autopap with top set wide open.
As for bottom pressure setting, I'd say "the sky's the limit", but that sounds confusing, doesn't it? You can play around with the bottom setting to see what feels comfortable for you. Too low can make you feel like you're not getting enough air, even though you are. I like to keep my bottom pressure up enough to knock out snores - takes 9 or 10 as the lower pressure to do that for me. That's always been a comfortable enough pressure for me anyway, especially with the benefit of C-Flex now.
I have two REMstar autos - the newer one having the addition of C-Flex. Neither REMstar has ever shown any unusual pressure climbs for me. Pressure delivery has been "well behaved" - the same normal fluctuations as when I was using the 420E after a setting adjustment.
Different autopaps act differently for some people, so keeping a leash on them for awhile regarding top pressure is not a bad idea at all. In fact, that's a good idea when first using any new autopap - even one of the same brand you've had before. Good suggestion, Wader.
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littlebaddow
- Posts: 416
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:21 pm
- Location: Essex, England
I have been using a Remstar auto with c-flex for about 3 weeks and have found it to be very good - very quiet and much more comfortable than the fixed machine I previously had on loan for 3 weeks that was set at 10cm.
The suggestion about top pressure sounds sensible. My prescription was wriiten for 11cm and I ordered from cpap.com, who set the pressure range 4cm to 20cm, which I assume is the just about the widest range available. It came with all of the manuals, so I have access to change it.
I've not (yet) got the software so I don't know how high it's going, but I'm guessing I'd have been woken up in the night if it were going too high? I find going to sleep at 4cm very easy, and when I wake up in the morning, it seems to be running at between 5cm and 7.5cm. I think Ill wait til I get the software and card reader before fiddling with the pressure settings, so I can see where it's going in between!
The suggestion about top pressure sounds sensible. My prescription was wriiten for 11cm and I ordered from cpap.com, who set the pressure range 4cm to 20cm, which I assume is the just about the widest range available. It came with all of the manuals, so I have access to change it.
I've not (yet) got the software so I don't know how high it's going, but I'm guessing I'd have been woken up in the night if it were going too high? I find going to sleep at 4cm very easy, and when I wake up in the morning, it seems to be running at between 5cm and 7.5cm. I think Ill wait til I get the software and card reader before fiddling with the pressure settings, so I can see where it's going in between!
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steve7548
autopap
I just got a Remstar Auto CPAP, so reading this thread has been very helpful. I also have the Encore Pro Software and a smart card reader. The first night, I set the machine with a floor of 7 and did not limit the upper pressure. (My sleep lab titrated pressure is 11; the sleep study was done in last month.) On that first night, according to the software, the Remstar Auto almost immediately increased the pressure to 17 and, for some period of time during the night, the pressure was at 20! According to the software the average pressure for that night was 17.9, and I had an AHI for the night of 1.7 (which is obviously good), but the higher pressures were uncomfortable. The next night, I limited the upper pressure to 14 and, again, almost immediately, the autopap increased the pressure to 14 and stayed there most of the night; the average pressure for the night was 13.9, and AHI was 4.7 (obviously not as good as the first night, but not as uncomfortable either).
I wonder what is going on with this machine that causes it to zip up to close to the highest pressure setting and stay there most of the night. I am using the Activa nasal mask, and I do have difficulty breathing through my nose--when I first put on the mask, I feel like I am smothering, but that feeling passes after a couple of minutes. I wonder whether my nasal breathing problems could some how be triggering the machine to set the pressure high. I was titrated with an Ultra Mirage full face maks and I've tried using it and other full face masks, but have had no luck being able to control the leaks.
I wonder what is going on with this machine that causes it to zip up to close to the highest pressure setting and stay there most of the night. I am using the Activa nasal mask, and I do have difficulty breathing through my nose--when I first put on the mask, I feel like I am smothering, but that feeling passes after a couple of minutes. I wonder whether my nasal breathing problems could some how be triggering the machine to set the pressure high. I was titrated with an Ultra Mirage full face maks and I've tried using it and other full face masks, but have had no luck being able to control the leaks.
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wading thru the muck!
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- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Steve,
Perplexing, isn't it. I would suggest try using the Full Face and set the auto to cpap mode at 11cm. See what your AHI is then. In my case my suspicion is the pressure issues are related to the mask, or leaks and not OSA. If I come to any further conclusion I will post it here.
Perplexing, isn't it. I would suggest try using the Full Face and set the auto to cpap mode at 11cm. See what your AHI is then. In my case my suspicion is the pressure issues are related to the mask, or leaks and not OSA. If I come to any further conclusion I will post it here.
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
Pressure Hikes
I'd also be curious about what the Remstar Auto thinks it sees by the way of flow limitations and snore for you two. Can you by any chance vertically line up sleep-events on the overnight chart that just might be triggering those pressure hikes? Also, do you spend time in a "big leak" state, and might those moments line up with pressure hikes?
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steve7548
autopap
SWS:
Thanks very much for the reply. In my case, the increases in pressure don't seem to correlate with any apneas or hypopneas; the pressure chart shows that the pressure quickly ramps up close to the highest available pressure and stays there almost the whole night; the pressure chart is almost a straight line at the highest pressure. The software shows no major mask leaks during the night.
I suspect that maybe what is happening is the following. Because I have difficulty breathing through my nose, the software built into the Remstar Auto "reads" that difficulty breathing as a flow limitation and thus almost immediately increases the pressure. If I am right, then the flow limitation as sensed by the machine would continue the entire night--because the nasal breathing problems continue the entire night--and, as a result, the pressure never drops.
It obviously defeats the purpose of an autopap if the pressure stays at the highest level for the entire night; as I understand it, one of the principal advantages of an autopap is that the overall pressure average is less than what you would get by running a CPAP at the titrated pressure.
Thanks very much for the reply. In my case, the increases in pressure don't seem to correlate with any apneas or hypopneas; the pressure chart shows that the pressure quickly ramps up close to the highest available pressure and stays there almost the whole night; the pressure chart is almost a straight line at the highest pressure. The software shows no major mask leaks during the night.
I suspect that maybe what is happening is the following. Because I have difficulty breathing through my nose, the software built into the Remstar Auto "reads" that difficulty breathing as a flow limitation and thus almost immediately increases the pressure. If I am right, then the flow limitation as sensed by the machine would continue the entire night--because the nasal breathing problems continue the entire night--and, as a result, the pressure never drops.
It obviously defeats the purpose of an autopap if the pressure stays at the highest level for the entire night; as I understand it, one of the principal advantages of an autopap is that the overall pressure average is less than what you would get by running a CPAP at the titrated pressure.