enough air coming in

[merhaba12]

I am new to using a cpap. I am on air flow 14 but I feel very little air coming in, almost as though I have more air breathing without the cpap. Shouldn't I feel a lot of air coming in with a flow of 14?

[Julie]

A little more info. would help... are you using the ramp feature to get to 14? Sometimes it starts off so low that you're out of breath by the time you reach your scripted number... either setting it to start at a higher pressure or not using it at all can work better, but if you also have the humidifier on a high setting it can feel like you're congested and turning it down will help (a lot of us don't use it at all, or only at certain times of the year).

[-tim]

The defaults on lots of Auto machines start out at 4 or ramp from 4 if they are CPAP. I set my machine to start from 5 and it helped.

[nanwilson]

The defaults on lots of Auto machines start out at 4 or ramp from 4 if they are CPAP. I set my machine to start from 5 and it helped.

Tim
It is not a default...it was set at 4 to whatever by the DME...the same with ramp. It is easy to change, if you don't have the clinicians manual go to apneaboard.com and download it for free. Then if you feel 4 is too low, you can set it higher if need be. Machines that are set wide open...4 to 20 are nuts...if you have an apnea or hypop and you are cruising at a lower setting, then it takes too long for the pressure to rise to combat the apnea. If you take a look at your stats, it will tell you what pressure you park at most nights..your 90% pressure. Then you can set your machine at a shorter range, for example, my 90% is 11, so I set my auto pressure from 10 to 15. Usually 2 or 3 points above your 90% and 2 or 3 ponts below is excellent.
I never use ramp, used it for the first 2 or 3 days I was on the hose and found I could not breath at that low a pressure. But thats just me, you may be different and have problems starting out at your higher pressure.....me, I hate ramp.

[merhaba12]

I have experimented with and without a ramp. I have a 10 minute ramp set to a 6 set by the DME. I requested it be raised from 4. If I don't use the ramp it goes immediately to 14 and I feel too much pressure all at once and again little air. It is easier to exhale at 6.

[Heavylids]

I have experimented with and without a ramp. I have a 10 minute ramp set to a 6 set by the DME. I requested it be raised from 4. If I don't use the ramp it goes immediately to 14 and I feel too much pressure all at once and again little air. It is easier to exhale at 6.

I understand the part about having difficulty exhaling. That takes some getting used to or a until with EPR. But, a setting of 14 and feeling like there's no air coming into the mask makes no sense. There should lots of air if the machine is working properly. Go onto your forum profile and edit your equipment so others will know what machine, mask, etc you are using. Maybe you should really take the unit back to your DME provider and have it checked to make sure it's working properly.

[osako]

During the first few weeks I used APAP, I often felt like I was not getting enough air, even with ramp and EPR turned off and pressures from 11-15. One thing that always comforted me was putting my hand in front of the vent on my mask and feeling the strong current of air coming out. I knew there was enough air even if it didn't feel like it. Keep with it. It did not take that long to get used to and I never have that feeling anymore.

[merhaba12]

I have a Philips Resperonics combo cpap/humidifier. I tried to add it to my profile but the machine was not listed so I put it in the signature line. I'll try the way you suggested. The first cpap I used was a ResMed and the same thing happened. So the respiratory therapist brought me the Philips. Since I still felt very little air, he said it is not the machine. It must be the mask. Since using the full face mask and the humidifier, I wake up frequently with a very dry mouth. I have tried turning up the humidifier to a 3 or 4 and I wake up less often. I will try turning it off. The alternate face masks that the therapist brought looked very uncomfortable. He said most people are not comfortable with that type.

Osako - Your words are reassuring. I feel a lot of air coming out of the vent. So why don't I feel a lot of air in the mask? When I was diagnosed in the hospital the therapist put the same full face mask on me with a pressure ofr 14 and I felt a lot of air coming in.

[Pugsy]

Does your machine and humidifier look like this one (model may be different but they all look the same externally).
If so then in the equipment list you need to look for the grouping of equipment that starts with PR System One Remstar......whatever the model. The PR part..that stands for Phillips Respironics.
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/respi ... -plus.html
The humidifier is simply called PR System One heated humidifier.

If unsure about the model name though it should be plainly shown on the top of the machine, look at the bottom of the machine for a number that starts with DS....
DS 150 and 250 are the basic non data PR System One Remstar Plus CPAP with CFlex

DS 450 is the PR System One Remstar Pro CPAP with CFlex (straight CPAP machine)
DS 550 is the PR System One Remstar Auto CPAP with AFlex (APAP machine)

Dry mouth means air moving in and out the mouth even with a full face mask it can dry things out. The humidifier just can't adequately make up for dryness caused by mouth breathing. Turning the humidifier off will make it worse.
If you don't like the humidifier maxed out or maxed out still doesn't add enough moisture then you may need to use something like Biotene gel to help keep the mouth from drying out so much. Either that or use a chin strap to help limit the mouth from opening as often.

If you happen to have the very latest PR System One machine it may say "60 series" on the machine. Color is dark gray with a little darker gray plate where the older model has a silver face plate.

[osako]

I feel a lot of air coming out of the vent. So why don't I feel a lot of air in the mask?

I really can't say. When it happened to me, I was also a bit confused. Looking back on it, I wonder if it was so much easier to breathe with APAP that my brain had to adjust and learn that it did not need to struggle so much anymore. The mind can play tricks, right?. But that is just a guess and I am definitely no expert. No matter what the cause, for me the feeling went away sometime in the first month without me adjusting or changing any of my equipment. Best of luck to you, and remember, it generally gets better from here.

[merhaba12]

Thank you for your posts and clarifying the type of machine. My machine looks very similar to the one in the link you gave me. It says System One. My machine doesn't have any wording at the top ( A Flex, etc). On the bottom of the unit there isn't a DS and number. The only thing I could find was REF 150P. Does this mean I have a DS 150? I can call the DME.

For dry mouth I will try the humidifier at 4 tonight. I never knew I was a mouth breather! To top it off, my dentist said I have been grinding my teeth at night, so she ordered a mouth guard. It will come in next week. I don't know how I am going to get used to a mouth guard and a cpap! Won't the mouth guard keep my mouth open even more? I'll have to wait and see when it comes in. If necessary I will try Biotene gel. Thank you for all your advice.

Osaka - I am comforted that I am doing everything right and that it will get better with time. We'll see how tonight goes!

[zoocrewphoto]

I have a Philips Resperonics combo cpap/humidifier. I tried to add it to my profile but the machine was not listed so I put it in the signature line. I'll try the way you suggested. The first cpap I used was a ResMed and the same thing happened. So the respiratory therapist brought me the Philips. Since I still felt very little air, he said it is not the machine. It must be the mask. Since using the full face mask and the humidifier, I wake up frequently with a very dry mouth. I have tried turning up the humidifier to a 3 or 4 and I wake up less often. I will try turning it off. The alternate face masks that the therapist brought looked very uncomfortable. He said most people are not comfortable with that type.

Osako - Your words are reassuring. I feel a lot of air coming out of the vent. So why don't I feel a lot of air in the mask? When I was diagnosed in the hospital the therapist put the same full face mask on me with a pressure ofr 14 and I felt a lot of air coming in.

I use the same mask. My machine is different, but my pressure range is 11-17. Sometimes, I can feel a little airflow above my upper lip. But most times, I do not feel the actual air flow. I have to put my hand in front of the mask to feel the exhaust.

That said, I have had the machine turn off twice. Once was a humidifier error, and once was a power outage. Both times, I woke up because I felt the reduction in airflow. Strangely, was very easy for me to get used to, and just don't feel it, only the absence if it shuts off.

I did find that the ramp feature had me feeling like I wasn't getting enough air, so I did turn that off after a few days. Since your normal pressure is 14, you might adjust your ramp to start at 10 so that it has a good amount of air coming in, but gives you some time to get ready for the 14.

[-tim]

The defaults on lots of Auto machines start out at 4 or ramp from 4 if they are CPAP. I set my machine to start from 5 and it helped.

Tim
It is not a default...it was set at 4 to whatever by the DME...the same with ramp. It is easy to change, if you don't have the clinicians manual go to apneaboard.com and download it for free. Then if you feel 4 is too low, you can set it higher if need be. Machines that are set wide open...4 to 20 are nuts...if you have an apnea or hypop and you are cruising at a lower setting, then it takes too long for the pressure to rise to combat the apnea. If you take a look at your stats, it will tell you what pressure you park at most nights..your 90% pressure. Then you can set your machine at a shorter range, for example, my 90% is 11, so I set my auto pressure from 10 to 15. Usually 2 or 3 points above your 90% and 2 or 3 ponts below is excellent.
I never use ramp, used it for the first 2 or 3 days I was on the hose and found I could not breath at that low a pressure. But thats just me, you may be different and have problems starting out at your higher pressure.....me, I hate ramp.

Some machines come with a default starting at 4. I think most machines have that as their lowest (is that ok for small kids? I would expect they might need less)
I too hate the ramp and I turned it off.

I also think a narrow range isn't healthy. I don't have any hard facts on this but 20 years ago I was using computers to look at medical data that used to end up on paper chart graphs and something tells me the fixed pressure isn't best. I've since found out the elasticity of the veins seems to be important but non one seems to know why. High constant pressure makes that worse. There are also studies involving cpap and astigmatism that indicates that higher pressures are not good for the eyes and the nerves in the eyes.

At this point, I'm thinking the best policy is "if you don't need the pressure, don't use it"

[Pugsy]

My machine doesn't have any wording at the top ( A Flex, etc). On the bottom of the unit there isn't a DS and number. The only thing I could find was REF 150P. Does this mean I have a DS 150? I can call the DME.

Yep, you have the most basic of machines...doesn't even have CFlex exhale relief.
Only data it collects is hours of use to satisfy insurance requirements. What we call a "brick".
Might want to read this blog page about full data machines and what to do when you realize your machine is a brick.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/
Zero way to evaluate therapy...can't even see if leaks are an issue.

I would be calling the DME alright but it would be to get a machine that offered me data in case I was having problems.
There is easily obtained software that can be used with Models DS 450 and above.

[meraba12]

Of course the DME gave me the cheapest model! I'll ask about the DS 450. Believe it or not I kept the mask on all night last night and got a great night's sleep! I like the ramp setting to 6 because I want to get to sleep before it gets to 14. I really feel a difference of the exhaust at 6 and at 14. Let's hope it continues to get better!