The 90% figure and your beginning pressure setting

Out of curiosity, I'm wondering what the range difference is between what ones 90% figure is and what the minimum setting is on ones machine. For instance, my machine for the 90% figure is: 9.5 and the minimum pressure is set to: 4

Would you share yours?

All the 90% pressure figure means is that you spent 90% of the night AT or BELOW that pressure.

A minimum pressure of 4 cm is WAY too low for any meaningful type of therapy. It's close to having no therapy at all.

You didn't say what your max pressure is set to, but if you were to move your minimum pressure to 6 or 8 or 9, it'll more than likely change your 90% number assuming that your max is set to 12 or 15 or some higher number.
AND, it'll likely change from night to night if you're monitoring with software so you can see more than just what's displayed in your LCD screen.

Den

My pressure is set to 6-10. My 90% varies from night to night.....it has been 7,8, and 9. I agree that the minimum of 4 is low. I feel as if I can't get enough air at that pressure.

Wulfman... wrote:All the 90% pressure figure means is that you spent 90% of the night AT or BELOW that pressure.

A minimum pressure of 4 cm is WAY too low for any meaningful type of therapy. It's close to having no therapy at all.

You didn't say what your max pressure is set to, but if you were to move your minimum pressure to 6 or 8 or 9, it'll more than likely change your 90% number assuming that your max is set to 12 or 15 or some higher number.
AND, it'll likely change from night to night if you're monitoring with software so you can see more than just what's displayed in your LCD screen.

Den

My MAX pressure is at 20. I was aware of what the 90% means. Now then, the reason why I'm asking this is because of how I have happened to come into possession of a CPAP machine. I am a retired vet and with a disability. I was to have a sleep study with the V.A. but they are currently five years behind and so in order to catch up, they sent me a letter telling me to just come in and be issued a machine and to go home and see what happens...I kid you not! I have an Respironics Auto C-flex M-series machine. All they did to set it up was to take it out of the shipping box, set it up on the table before me, hook up the mask and have me try it on and then packed it up again and sent me on my way. How do you like that for a sleep study? So, getting help from them now is like pulling teeth. I have learned how to get into the machine and set it but since I don't know that much about this, I therefore ask questions here on this forum. Thus my current question. I've been on this now for one week and my 90% reading is 9.5. I know that when I first hook up at night, I'm gasping for air till it gets up to a higher reading. So, should I set the minimum to say 8.5? What?

I would love to get the software for my machine but don't know where to get it from. I checked one site and found it listed but it said unavailable. So, there you have it. Any other suggestions?

Dgrendahl wrote: I was to have a sleep study with the V.A. but they are currently five years behind and so in order to catch up, they sent me a letter telling me to just come in and be issued a machine and to go home and see what happens...I kid you not! I have an Respironics Auto C-flex M-series machine. All they did to set it up was to take it out of the shipping box, set it up on the table before me, hook up the mask and have me try it on and then packed it up again and sent me on my way. How do you like that for a sleep study?

Actually, they did what recent studies recommend: When you can't give a person a sleep study, send them off with an automatic machine... So don't feel too bad about that. And they did you a machine that most users either rave about, or wish to have...

Thus my current question. I've been on this now for one week and my 90% reading is 9.5. I know that when I first hook up at night, I'm gasping for air till it gets up to a higher reading. So, should I set the minimum to say 8.5? What?

Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea, given that you feel then bottom of the range is too low.

Theoretically, you'll still be spending most of your time at 9.5 or below - so it shouldn't change your 90% pressure recommendation...

By the way, some of us have found that a narrow range helps us sleep better, since we seem to be waked up by the pressure changes. Others however do better with pressure that adjusts to their sleeping position.

O.

Dgrendahl wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:All the 90% pressure figure means is that you spent 90% of the night AT or BELOW that pressure.

A minimum pressure of 4 cm is WAY too low for any meaningful type of therapy. It's close to having no therapy at all.

You didn't say what your max pressure is set to, but if you were to move your minimum pressure to 6 or 8 or 9, it'll more than likely change your 90% number assuming that your max is set to 12 or 15 or some higher number.
AND, it'll likely change from night to night if you're monitoring with software so you can see more than just what's displayed in your LCD screen.

Den

My MAX pressure is at 20. I was aware of what the 90% means. Now then, the reason why I'm asking this is because of how I have happened to come into possession of a CPAP machine. I am a retired vet and with a disability. I was to have a sleep study with the V.A. but they are currently five years behind and so in order to catch up, they sent me a letter telling me to just come in and be issued a machine and to go home and see what happens...I kid you not! I have an Respironics Auto C-flex M-series machine. All they did to set it up was to take it out of the shipping box, set it up on the table before me, hook up the mask and have me try it on and then packed it up again and sent me on my way. How do you like that for a sleep study? So, getting help from them now is like pulling teeth. I have learned how to get into the machine and set it but since I don't know that much about this, I therefore ask questions here on this forum. Thus my current question. I've been on this now for one week and my 90% reading is 9.5. I know that when I first hook up at night, I'm gasping for air till it gets up to a higher reading. So, should I set the minimum to say 8.5? What?

I would love to get the software for my machine but don't know where to get it from. I checked one site and found it listed but it said unavailable. So, there you have it. Any other suggestions?

Snoredog wrote:

Dgrendahl wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:All the 90% pressure figure means is that you spent 90% of the night AT or BELOW that pressure.

A minimum pressure of 4 cm is WAY too low for any meaningful type of therapy. It's close to having no therapy at all.

You didn't say what your max pressure is set to, but if you were to move your minimum pressure to 6 or 8 or 9, it'll more than likely change your 90% number assuming that your max is set to 12 or 15 or some higher number.
AND, it'll likely change from night to night if you're monitoring with software so you can see more than just what's displayed in your LCD screen.

Den

My MAX pressure is at 20. I was aware of what the 90% means. Now then, the reason why I'm asking this is because of how I have happened to come into possession of a CPAP machine. I am a retired vet and with a disability. I was to have a sleep study with the V.A. but they are currently five years behind and so in order to catch up, they sent me a letter telling me to just come in and be issued a machine and to go home and see what happens...I kid you not! I have an Respironics Auto C-flex M-series machine. All they did to set it up was to take it out of the shipping box, set it up on the table before me, hook up the mask and have me try it on and then packed it up again and sent me on my way. How do you like that for a sleep study? So, getting help from them now is like pulling teeth. I have learned how to get into the machine and set it but since I don't know that much about this, I therefore ask questions here on this forum. Thus my current question. I've been on this now for one week and my 90% reading is 9.5. I know that when I first hook up at night, I'm gasping for air till it gets up to a higher reading. So, should I set the minimum to say 8.5? What?

I would love to get the software for my machine but don't know where to get it from. I checked one site and found it listed but it said unavailable. So, there you have it. Any other suggestions?