Adjusting to a new CPAP/APAP

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
scouty1014
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:58 pm

Adjusting to a new CPAP/APAP

Post by scouty1014 » Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:12 pm

I had a sleep study about 16 years ago. Since then I have been buying used CPAP machines, adjusting them myself, and using them every night. Per a request from my Dr., I went to a sleep specialist. I explained how I've been doing this for the last 16 years, mainly because of terrible insurance, and he was actually okay with it. The only thing he wanted was for me to buy a newer APAP and set a range so I wasn't self adjusting it. He said if I did an APAP, there wasn't a reason for a new sleep study since we know I have sleep apnea. My question is this: I went from an Escape S8 cpap to a DeVilbiss IntelliPAP APAP. After three nights I went back to my old machine. I set the Devibliss to a range of 10-16 per the Dr's recommendation but what I found was that the machine was kind of dictating my breathing patterns and it kept me awake. For example, if I took a long breath in, it would be blowing out and vice versa. It was super annoying. On the third night I switched it from APAP to CPAP thinking that would give me a consistent blowing pressure like my S8 but that wasn't the case. It was still doing the high and low pressure pattern and so that's when I went back to the steady blowing of my S8. Is this DeVilbiss IntelliPAP Auto somehow defective or is this how these newer machines work and I just need to get used to it.

I've read stuff on this board for years but my first time posting. Thanks for all the help. ~Mark

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zonker
Posts: 11011
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:36 pm

Re: Adjusting to a new CPAP/APAP

Post by zonker » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:01 pm

scouty1014 wrote:
Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:12 pm


I've read stuff on this board for years but my first time posting. Thanks for all the help. ~Mark
welcome to the zoo!

could you download oscar(free software) and post some charts? we'll need to see some data in order to answer your questions.

oscar can be had here-
https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/

good luck!
people say i'm self absorbed.
but that's enough about them.
Oscar-Win
https://www.apneaboard.com/OSCAR/OSCAR-1.5.1-Win64.exe
Oscar-Mac
https://www.apneaboard.com/OSCAR/OSCAR-1.5.1.dmg

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Pugsy
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Location: Missouri, USA

Re: Adjusting to a new CPAP/APAP

Post by Pugsy » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:11 pm

If you are having problems inhaling and exhaling with the DeVilbiss machine it sounds like you don't like what the SmartFlex exhale relief is doing. You probably need to adjust the setting for SmartFlex or even just turn it off.

http://www.devilbisshealthcare.com/file ... 99RevA.pdf

The clinical/provider manual should explain how...you can request it here if you don't already have it.

https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual

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scouty1014
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:58 pm

Re: Adjusting to a new CPAP/APAP

Post by scouty1014 » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:23 pm

Thanks Pugsy for that info. I requested the manual and I see what you're saying about the smartflex. Maybe that's it. I'll check it out. Thanks.

Mark

scouty1014
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2022 8:58 pm

Re: Adjusting to a new CPAP/APAP

Post by scouty1014 » Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:30 pm

Prior to getting that manual, does anyone know how to easily turn off that smartflex?

Mark