Need Intellipap Setup Help

I posted this under a different subject last night and some suggested that I start a new subject about my new Intellipap, just looking for some suggestions.

This is my first post on this forum, I have been reading your post about great doctor/patient relations and it all seems odd to me. I had a sleep study in early 2000 went back for my follow up to pick up my new CPAP machine. I asked the nurse as she was handing me my machine, what is next, when do I come back. She looked at me and said that I was done, go home and use your CPAP. So for the last 9 years I have pretty much been on my own trying new headsets learning about humidifiers, yes I used my CPAP for 5 years before I ever knew what a humidifier was. I have been having trouble for the last year or so so I started researching on this site the new APAP machines. I decided to call the Hospital where I had my original study, I told the nurse what I was thinking and the first thing that she said to me was that APAP was not for me my response was how do you know that. She said quote, most insurance companies will not cover an APAP. I told her that I was really not interested in what my insurance would cover all that I really cared about was a good night sleep. She then wanted to schedule me in for another sleep study but at that point I just wanted hang up. So I ordered an new Intellipap and feel like I am starting over. I am reading through the posts and trying to learn all that I can about the proper set up for me. When I was tested in 2000 they sent me home with a setting of 13 on my Goodnight 420a so that is where I started on my settings for the INtellipap. First night I had a AHI of 5.5 with my settings 5 low 15 high which turned out to be a nightmare. Second night I set my low range at 10 and my high range at 16, AHI went down to 3.5. Kept it there today we will see how I do tonight.

Good for you! Looks like you made an IntelliGENT decision to but the IntelliPAP. Sounds like you are definitely on the right track.

Sorry to hear of your negative experience with your health care provider. These days, they seem to think that we thing they are 'God'. And they think of us as 'meat for the pot'. Very sad. But it is great you stood up for what is right!

Keep up the good work!

Tonight will be my forth night on the new machine, the only settings that I have changed from the factory defaults are the high and low limits. The only thing that I understand or think that I understand are the high and low pressure setting, I will list the rest of my settings below. The first night I had my high setting on 15 and my low setting on 9, the machine stayed at 11.5, my AHI was 5.5. The second night I changed my low setting to 11 and the high I left at 15 the pressure stayed at 12.5 and my AHI was 3.5. The third night I left the settings the same and my AHI was 5.5 and the pressure stayed the same, 12.5. I know that every night can be different and it will take some time to get reliable data so I will be patient. What I don't understand is what all of the other settings are and what they mean that is why I will list them below and wait for some feedback. I will list them as they scroll through the menu.

Autoadjust High Limit: 14 Low Limit:11 Delay: 20 Minutes CMH: H2O Usage Threshold Apnea: 10% Apnea Duration: 10 Sec Hypoapnea: 50%

Hypo P Duration: 12 Sec Auto: Enabled Mask Fix Check: Enabled Notification: Enabled Low Back Light: Enabled Heat: 7

Any advise would be appreciated

erictnjc wrote:
Autoadjust High Limit: 14 Low Limit:11 Delay: 20 Minutes CMH: H2O Usage Threshold Apnea: 10% Apnea Duration: 10 Sec Hypoapnea: 50%

Hypo P Duration: 12 Sec Auto: Enabled Mask Fix Check: Enabled Notification: Enabled Low Back Light: Enabled Heat: 7

Any advise would be appreciated

Here goes!

'Autoadjust' is the current therapy mode, the other choice being straight 'CPAP".

High limit
Low limit You already know what these mean.

Delay: 20 minutes - The length of time from when you first turn on the machine to when it will automatically adjust. This machine does not have a 'pressure ramp-up' feature like many machines do, except maybe in CPAP mode.

CM/H2O - This is the units used for pressure. The other choices are milibars and hectoPaschals, which are used in other countries.

Usage thershold - The number of hours the machine has to run to be considered a complete 'night'. Default is 4 hour

The following are the 'definitions' the the machine uses to determine when an event happens. The ability to tweak these values are pretty much unique to the IntelliPAP. In general, leave these at their default values. Here are the individual values:

Apnea: 10% This means the 'tidal' (Volume between inhale and exhale) flow has to fall to 10% or less of its normal value (but not zero) to be scored as an apnea. If the flow drops to zero, it is scored as a NRI (NonResponsive Event), and is likely a central apnea. 10% is default.

Apnea duration: 10 seconds - The number of seconds one has to be in an apnea before the machine considers it an apnea. 10 seconds is default.

Hypopna: 50% - The amount the amount tidal volume has to decrease for the machine to consider an event a hypopna or flow limitation. 50% is default.

Hypopna duration: 12 seconds - The length of time that tidal flow has to be limited for the machine to consider the event to be a hypopna. I think 10 seconds is default, so your doctor apparently wanted this set slightly different.

Note that for an event to be scored an apnea or hypopna, both the limitation value and the duration has to be met. For instance, an apnea is recorded only if flow drops below 10 percent for 10 seconds or more.

Auto on/off: These settings tell you whether the auto on or off are enabled. Auto on will turn the machine on after you put on the mask and take a few breaths. Auto off shuts the machine off if you hose, etc. should become disconnected while you sleep.

Mask fit check: If your mask leaks excessively for too long (forget the time values), the machine will sound an alarm.

Notifications: Turns on or off informational messages in the display.

Low back light: If enabled, the display backlight dims after a predetermined time. Disabled, I think, by default.

Heat: 7 - The current heat level of the heated humidifier. Range: off, or 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest). This is also shown in the display during normal operation, and is front panel adjustable by the up/down buttons.

In addition, you should also have a hose length value, with choices of 6 or 10 feet.
There also might be a choice for display language.

Hope this helps!