Need to be retested?

I've been using my CPAP for 8 years with excellent results. However, in the last 6 months I've found myself tired and nodding off to sleep when at work. This leads me to believe that my CPAP is not functioning as well as it should or something has changed and it is not supplying the pressure I need. Should I have another sleep study done or can I experiment with my CPAP levels. My current pressure is 10 cm. I have a Remstar DS100 M series machine and do not know how to change pressure. Can anyone gives me directions or would it be safer to visit my clinic?

strixbubo726 wrote:I've been using my CPAP for 8 years with excellent results. However, in the last 6 months I've found myself tired and nodding off to sleep when at work. This leads me to believe that my CPAP is not functioning as well as it should or something has changed and it is not supplying the pressure I need. Should I have another sleep study done or can I experiment with my CPAP levels. My current pressure is 10 cm. I have a Remstar DS100 M series machine and do not know how to change pressure. Can anyone gives me directions or would it be safer to visit my clinic?

If you're wearing a nasal mask and leaking air out your mouth during the night, that could account for your sleepiness.

Getting a fully data-capable machine and the software would probably be much less expensive than having further sleep studies.

You can often find good deals on http://www.cpapauction.com

You can probably find the instructions here:

http://www.apneaboard.com/CPAP%20Adjustment.htm

However, if you're leaking air out your mouth, increasing the pressure will only leak more air and still not solve your problem. You could try taping your mouth or a full face mask.


Den

Thank you Wulfman, your insight was very helpful. Apneaboard is a superb source of information.

As a very long time CPAP user, I got pretty used to the way I felt, and I was tired all the time. I blamed it on living with teenagers.
After a sleep test a year ago showed basically that I was doing fine, I was more confused than ever. But eventually I got a new machine in January. I am doing so much better! I am not a mouth breather, so leaks were not my issue. For me I believe it was pretty simply getting into the newer equipment and specifically the EPR settings.
8 year old equipment is probably behind the times and time for a new machine. I would definately do that before I would be talked into another sleep study. It's only one night, a small capsule of time using THEIR new equipment and not your's.