CPAP Machine Pressure

Hi everyone,

I have a Fisher and Paykel CPAP machine which is about 4 years old. I have been using it with the pressure set at 1-1/2 to 2 but have been reading up on pressures most people have set on different machines and some of them can be considered average if set on 10 to 20! I have had my machine checked by a newly operating Sleep Apnea centre and was advised that 1to 1-1/2 is correct (I don't have much confidence in this statement) How can I find out what my pressure should be set at without going through all the rigmorale and expense of seeing a CPAP doctor? My GP doesn't know much about it.

judypat wrote:Hi everyone,

I have a Fisher and Paykel CPAP machine which is about 4 years old. I have been using it with the pressure set at 1-1/2 to 2 but have been reading up on pressures most people have set on different machines and some of them can be considered average if set on 10 to 20! I have had my machine checked by a newly operating Sleep Apnea centre and was advised that 1to 1-1/2 is correct (I don't have much confidence in this statement) How can I find out what my pressure should be set at without going through all the rigmorale and expense of seeing a CPAP doctor? My GP doesn't know much about it.

Most machines start at a pressure of 4. And most people find that to be too low, as it feels like we are suffocating even if we are not. I suspect that the 1 1/2 to 2 setting is either a pressure relief setting for exhale, or a humidifier setting.

I'm not familiar with your machine, but there are others using it, so somebody will be able to tell you how to view your settings.

If you had your pressure set as a result of having had a sleep study (in a lab or at home) the prescription would be in your doctor's records - by law, no question, and you have every right to it. But if you've never had a proper study for whatever reason (as some haven't), and bought the machine privately but never had it set properly for you, unless your it gives data letting you see whether the pressure has helped you, you may never know, except by whether or not you feel better when using it than otherwise.

There should be a more complete name and model # somewhere on the machine - not the humidifier - so let us know what that is (in this same thread please) and we can give you more help.

judypat, on this web page you'll find a tutorial video on the F&P Icon series machines. It may not be the exact same model as yours but it may very well give you enough info to be able to access the clinical menu on your machine, where the pressure settings are: https://vimeo.com/user5287164/videos/pa ... :thumbnail

If the video doesn't help, check serial numbers, etc. on your machine -- once you know your model name/number you can request a clinician manual by using the link below in my signature box.

We need to know exactly what F&P machine you have...The 1 1/2 -2 setting that you are describing is most likely the humidifier setting. All CPAP machines start at a pressure of 4. The name/model of the machine is printed on the front or on the label on the bottom. Be careful not to turn over the machine with water in the humidifier.

Hi I am new to this discussion with C-PAP machines. I have been on a C-pap machine since 1999 and since then i have lost a lot of weight. I use to weigh over 200 pounds i was 250 pound when in a nursing home since i have my own apartment i am down to 191 pounds. i have been experiencing palpitations i am also in post menopause
I saw the sleep doctor last week she says she is still keeping the air pressure at a 14 and if i can't tolerate it to give her a call. She says the amount of how much i stop breathing while on the machine has gone down a lot
I am using the full face mask because i notice that if i use the nasal mask i do not get the air i need and i develop headaches the full face mask helps me a lot better because i am a tend to open my mouth when i sleep and the doctor agrees with me that the full face mask is good for people who sleep with their mouths open.
I was wondering since i lost weight could the air pressure be causing my palpitations i have had every test done on the heart EKG everything was normal and an echocardiogram everything was normal there too and i wore a heart monitor for two weeks everything normal there it did not pick up the palpitations or skipped beats
I would like to know if anyone has experienced this with losing weight and using the same pressure with the c-pap machine

LSAT wrote: All CPAP machines start at a pressure of 4.

MOST, some start at 3. none that I've ever heard of go below 3 though.

Fisher and Paykel CPAP?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGEyAOQTNPw

sue889 wrote:Hi I am new to this discussion with C-PAP machines. I have been on a C-pap machine since 1999 and since then i have lost a lot of weight. I use to weigh over 200 pounds i was 250 pound when in a nursing home since i have my own apartment i am down to 191 pounds. i have been experiencing palpitations i am also in post menopause
I saw the sleep doctor last week she says she is still keeping the air pressure at a 14 and if i can't tolerate it to give her a call. She says the amount of how much i stop breathing while on the machine has gone down a lot
I am using the full face mask because i notice that if i use the nasal mask i do not get the air i need and i develop headaches the full face mask helps me a lot better because i am a tend to open my mouth when i sleep and the doctor agrees with me that the full face mask is good for people who sleep with their mouths open.
I was wondering since i lost weight could the air pressure be causing my palpitations i have had every test done on the heart EKG everything was normal and an echocardiogram everything was normal there too and i wore a heart monitor for two weeks everything normal there it did not pick up the palpitations or skipped beats
I would like to know if anyone has experienced this with losing weight and using the same pressure with the c-pap machine

Sue, welcome to the forum. it would be a good idea to start a new thread with your question since it's unrelated to the original poster's question. That way you can get more help and your question won't get lost here (and won't derail the OP's question).

Hi I am new to this forum and was wondering what the pressure settings actually mean? is it like psi in tire pressures? whats the actually measurement mean? also my machine starts at 15 and then kicks up to 30 after 20 minutes.

exterminator1985 wrote:Hi I am new to this forum and was wondering what the pressure settings actually mean? is it like psi in tire pressures? whats the actually measurement mean? also my machine starts at 15 and then kicks up to 30 after 20 minutes.

centimeters of water, the pressure needed to push water that many centimeters.

google cmh2o to psi it's not much pressure.