CPAPtalk.com

clelake wrote:With all due respect... I am desperate for sleep and was brought to tears today when my sleep tech said "it is a common problem and you just have to deal with it"... so I am just asking for help... I don't need the laughs at my expense and/or questions.
I appreciate your understanding.

You've just been given some helpful suggestions, take em, or don't. We can't buy yer stuff or breathe for you. That's all yours to do. good luck.

I appreciate the HELPFUL suggestions.. but if one doesn't have something nice to say.....

clelake wrote:I appreciate the HELPFUL suggestions.. but if one doesn't have something nice to say.....

Yer gonna' do just great here...............

YAY! Thank you. I am looking forward to it. Cute emoji..

clelake wrote:I appreciate the HELPFUL suggestions.. but if one doesn't have something nice to say.....

OK. Let's start with a basic question or two which I didn't find asked or answered......

What is the nature of the problem you're having?
Nasal congestion or too much air to exhale against?
Can you try to describe it?


Den

.

Wulfman... wrote:

clelake wrote:This is the machine I am using..

http://www.apneaboard.com/manuals51/REM ... ctions.pdf

I am on pressure 4 that ramps up to 6.

I can breathe fine prior to putting on the machine...no need for a rinse...

My insurance covers NOTHING.

That's the same machine in the thread I linked to.......which also has the instructions in text format.
And, the same machine pictured in that thread and by "robysue" in this one.

Nothing wrong with the machine other than it's not data-capable.

Again......do you or do you not have the humidifier unit for it?

And this old REMStar does not have any form of exhalation relief. And clelake is having trouble exhaling against the 6cm pf pressure.

Yes, I know to those of you who use high pressures, it seems kind of silly to need exhalation relief at 6cm. But some people do, and clelake appears to be one of them.

Den-
I was diagnosed with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome... not OSA... I was given an APAP machine for a week long trial period, and it helped immensely.. but my insurance doesn't cover one of those.. so NOW I am on an old machine that was donated...but with the same mask that I used with the APAP. My problem is that it feels like I cannot breathe out through my nasal mask...like CO2 is being built up. It isn't congestion.
The machine was set for 4 to ramp up to 6. Hopefully that helps.

clelake wrote:Sorry..

I do not have a humidifier... thank you for your replies..

Clelake,

Your machine has no humidifier, no exhalation relief, and no data.

No wonder you're having trouble.

Now an optional humidifier was available when this machine was new, and it's worth asking the place that lent/gave it to you if they have a humidifier available. Many people's noses need some extra humidification when faced with the constant stream of CPAP air. A heated humidifier may help with some of the congestion issues that you seem to be having.

There's no getting around the fact that this machine does not have C-Flex or any other exhalation relief system. My guess is that the auto you were on before being given this machine did have some form of exhalation relief and that it was turned on. That might explain why it was so much easier to breathe with the auto than this machine.

No data means you only have "How do I feel?" as the guide to whether the PAP therapy is effectively treating your apnea. That's not a big deal is you start feeling better in a few weeks. But if you hit problems during your adjustment period, there's no data to help you, your doc, or us figure out what needs to be tweaked to make your therapy work better.

Is there any chance at all that you can get a more modern machine that at least comes with exhalation relief and a heated humidifier?

clelake wrote:Den-
I was diagnosed with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome... not OSA... I was given an APAP machine for a week long trial period, and it helped immensely.. but my insurance doesn't cover one of those.. so NOW I am on an old machine that was donated...but with the same mask that I used with the APAP. My problem is that it feels like I cannot breathe out through my nasal mask...like CO2 is being built up. It isn't congestion.
The machine was set for 4 to ramp up to 6. Hopefully that helps.

OK. Try this......
Go into the settings and disable the Ramp settings and just set the pressure setting to 4 cm. (or 5 or whatever feels like you can inhale and exhale). And then see how that works.

Do you know what the settings to the APAP were? Were you or the people which provided it monitoring your therapy during the period you were using it?


Den

.

Do you have a copy of your sleep test and prescription? If not you need to get copies of both ASAP.
Do you know what pressure was on your prescription? That should provide a starting point.
Do you know what pressure range was set on your loaner auto machine?
Right now we are all shooting in the dark until we have some more information.

I would have a hard time breathing at a low pressure of 6 let alone 4.

clelake wrote:I don't need the laughs at my expense and/or questions.
I appreciate your understanding.

with all due respect, the laughs aren't at your expense, and the questions help people to find information so they can help you. just making shit up and telling you crap would be no better than the sleep tech... don't you want people to try and understand what problems you're having, and try to give you GOOD help?

Gasper62 wrote:

palerider wrote: otherwise people would suffocate in a few minutes, and that would cut into repeat sales.

Now there's Chardonnay on my keyboard, thanks. Hope it don't short out !

*dusts off hands* my work here is done.

This was helpful...just for contrast...

Your machine has no humidifier, no exhalation relief, and no data.

No wonder you're having trouble.

Now an optional humidifier was available when this machine was new, and it's worth asking the place that lent/gave it to you if they have a humidifier available. Many people's noses need some extra humidification when faced with the constant stream of CPAP air. A heated humidifier may help with some of the congestion issues that you seem to be having.

There's no getting around the fact that this machine does not have C-Flex or any other exhalation relief system. My guess is that the auto you were on before being given this machine did have some form of exhalation relief and that it was turned on. That might explain why it was so much easier to breathe with the auto than this machine.

No data means you only have "How do I feel?" as the guide to whether the PAP therapy is effectively treating your apnea. That's not a big deal is you start feeling better in a few weeks. But if you hit problems during your adjustment period, there's no data to help you, your doc, or us figure out what needs to be tweaked to make your therapy work better.

Is there any chance at all that you can get a more modern machine that at least comes with exhalation relief and a heated humidifier?

I too have trouble breathing at very low pressures. I ramp from 4-18. The time spent at 4 5 6..... used to give me major problems, still difficult but I believe I have gotten used to it. I should have just shifted the pressures up to 6-18.