Adjusting

Slim1950 wrote:I am thinking of returning the machine. I was getting better sleep without it.
I don't see how fiddling with the settings help. I cannot fall asleep with the pressure at it's lowest. I was advised to increase the pressure, but it is an APAP and will adjust to what the machine "thinks" I need.

I do not understand why sometimes I can exhale without difficulty and other times I cannot. It's a mystery to me.

Those are dum-bass thoughts and assumptions......including......that it "thinks"!!!
It's programmed to respond to breathing patterns and events......PERIOD! You may not always breathe the same.

Increase the pressure as you were advised. Apparently you're trying your damnedest to FAIL. WHY???

And, you could always try running it in single pressure ( CPAP ) mode.......if you want to eliminate many of the problems you're having.


Den

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Slim1950 wrote:I don't know why, or what is happening. the longer I use the CPAP, the less I can tolerate it. Last night, I had to quit, removed the mask and went to sleep. I am exhausted. The fatigue I feel is worse than the fatigue I get with the apnea. My focus is gone, I can hardly work.
Thankfully it's a desk job. I told them this is why I quit the machine 13 years ago. And they questioned my commitment.

I don't know what to do.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is called "insanity".
Get and use the Sleepyhead software and you will KNOW what to do.

I wonder WHY they questioned your commitment.......

Your machine is improperly configured and YOU (apparently) refuse to take control of your own therapy.


Den

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Many people have gotten used to breathing with the machine by using it while watching tv or surfing the internet.

You seem to think the machine should be able to treat anything using just the default wide open settings. This is seldom optimal for most people as the machine pressure changes too much and large changes tend to disturb your sleep. The experienced users figure out what pressure they normally need when they are sleeping and set the minimum pressure just below that amount. How do they do this? By using the wonderful, free SleepyHead software to look at the data and see what the machine is doing while they sleep.

To be comfortable using it while awake, you will need to increase the minimum pressure. You can also experiment with the different EPR settings and see what they feel like.

It's easy to find excuses to stop using your machine, but when you do so you are doing damage to your body and your mind. It will catch up with you - it's just a matter of time.

Thanks for the really helpful comments, like dumbass, etc.

I am outta here.

Slim1950 wrote:Thanks for the really helpful comments, like dumbass, etc.

I am outta here.

You've had 10 - 11 years to learn how these machines work. And, now you're making settings with a new machine and don't know how they work (especially when set to a range of pressures).
We've been trying to help you make these adjustments and you're making comments like: "I don't know why, or what is happening. the longer I use the CPAP, the less I can tolerate it."
That makes you sound like a "quitter"........."Oh.....woe is me........"
Take control of your therapy, learn how these machines work........like why when you reset it from fixed pressure to a range of pressures, it ends up at different pressures, and ones which were close to the fixed pressure your doctor had prescribed.
EVERYTHING you've said so far has made it sound like you can't wait to quit.......AGAIN! Read back through your posts if you doubt me.

I was just trying to get you "jacked up" to be more knowledgeable about your therapy and be determined to take control of it.


Den

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Thanks Don.
You need to lose your tone..
You've made some unwarranted assumptions. I will leave it at that.

Slim1950 wrote:Thanks Don.
You need to lose your tone..
You've made some unwarranted assumptions. I will leave it at that.

I don't think so. It seems to be working (to some degree).
I was trying to get you pissed-off enough to decide to take control of YOUR OWN therapy. It's YOUR therapy, YOUR machine, not your doctor's or ours.

The software is free......get it......the machine you have if fully data-capable.......you should be able to see what's happening during the night and WHY the machine is doing what it's doing. The more you work with it, the more you'll understand. Contrary to what you MAY think, we're here to HELP you, along with making sense of it all.
We were all sleep deprived and new to this therapy at some point in time. Some of the forum members have also quit and discovered the error in their judgment and took it up again. Some of the forum members from years ago have worn out their old machines and came back to ask for opinions about the newer machines. Some of them started without software and now use it with their new machines. Many have questions and come to get the answers.

It's "baby steps" and "one night at a time"......getting used to this way of sleeping and breathing.

Keep asking questions, do lots of searching and reading through the archives, including the "CPAP Wiki" link above. There's nothing "new" on the forum. The vast majority of it has been discussed many times before.

Get "mad dog mean" and determined to make it work. The other options aren't good ones (as you should know by now).


Den

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