High Air Pressure

I have been using Resmed Airsense 10 Auto for about 5-6 months but so far I haven’t been able to gainfully use it. I have been having numerous issues, the main issue being collecting too much mucus in the mouth after about 3 hour sleep which wakes me up needing to clear the throat etc. I have been using a nasal mask (Fisher Paykel). My sleep therapist tried various adjustments without much success.
Finally I was asked to switch to a Full Face Mask which helped me get over the mucus problem but now I find with FF mask, I wake up after 2 hours sleep with my mask starting to vibrate and I find difficult to withstand the air pressure. Few nights ago I realised that it was definitely due to high air pressure at 15.2
I am aware that the setting for the air pressure is from 4 to 16 and it starts from 4 and gradually increases after the ramping up period.
Could someone tell me if it is possible to bring down the upper level from 16 to say about 10 -11 so that when it gets to that point will become manageable and will not rise to 16.
I have checked all the manuals and researched on internet but I am yet to see if at all it is possible to change this setting. Airsense auto is supposed to adjust the pressure according to ones' need but in my case it looks like it is not doing that.
Please respond with some information on this very frustrating situation.

gaminiw9 wrote:I have been using Resmed Airsense 10 Auto for about 5-6 months but so far I haven’t been able to gainfully use it. I have been having numerous issues, the main issue being collecting too much mucus in the mouth after about 3 hour sleep which wakes me up needing to clear the throat etc. I have been using a nasal mask (Fisher Paykel). My sleep therapist tried various adjustments without much success.
Finally I was asked to switch to a Full Face Mask which helped me get over the mucus problem but now I find with FF mask, I wake up after 2 hours sleep with my mask starting to vibrate and I find difficult to withstand the air pressure. Few nights ago I realised that it was definitely due to high air pressure at 15.2
I am aware that the setting for the air pressure is from 4 to 16 and it starts from 4 and gradually increases after the ramping up period.
Could someone tell me if it is possible to bring down the upper level from 16 to say about 10 -11 so that when it gets to that point will become manageable and will not rise to 16.
I have checked all the manuals and researched on internet but I am yet to see if at all it is possible to change this setting. Airsense auto is supposed to adjust the pressure according to ones' need but in my case it looks like it is not doing that.
Please respond with some information on this very frustrating situation.

Is the actual pressure range set 4-16? Or does it ramp from 4 to something and the pressure range is that something to 16?

A setting of 4 is usually uncomfortable. Also, if you need more pressure than that most of the night, it will go up and down a lot,let events get by, and may tend to go higher than needed as it tries to prevent events. Raising the minimum close to where you need it most of the night will keep it from going up and down as much. Are you okay at 8? If so, try a range of 8-11. See how comfortable that is for you, and also what the data looks like. You may still need to raise the max again later if 11 isn't enough. But a tighter range may be more comfortable.

Press On button and release quickly. Screen lights up.
Press Home and Round Button simultaneously for 3 seconds and clinical menu appears
Turn Round Button until you reach Settings and depress button
Turn Round Button until you highlight maximum and minimum pressures
Press Round Button to select maximum and minimum pressures
Turn Round Button to desired number and depress to set

Also see: http://apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-press ... tup-manual

Yes it is possible to limit the machine from hitting 16
Fairly easy.
Go here and read up on how to enter the clinical setup menu where you can make changes.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

Be sure and use available software to monitor effectiveness of the new limit.
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

gaminiw9 wrote:Finally I was asked to switch to a Full Face Mask which helped me get over the mucus problem but now I find with FF mask, I wake up after 2 hours sleep with my mask starting to vibrate and I find difficult to withstand the air pressure. Few nights ago I realised that it was definitely due to high air pressure at 15.2
I am aware that the setting for the air pressure is from 4 to 16 and it starts from 4 and gradually increases after the ramping up period.

Can you clarify something? It sounds like your beginning ramp pressure is set to 4. It also sounds like you may be using an APAP---i.e. an auto adjusting PAP machine. In that case, what is the minimum pressure set to? The minimum pressure setting is NOT the same thing as the beginning ramp pressure. And the minimum pressure setting is NOT visible in the patient set up menu; you must be in the clinical set up menu to look at and change the minimum and maximum pressure settings.

Could someone tell me if it is possible to bring down the upper level from 16 to say about 10 -11 so that when it gets to that point will become manageable and will not rise to 16.
I have checked all the manuals and researched on internet but I am yet to see if at all it is possible to change this setting. Airsense auto is supposed to adjust the pressure according to ones' need but in my case it looks like it is not doing that.

Have you looked at the data in SleepyHead or ResScan? My guess is that your AirSense IS adjusting the pressure (upwards) in response to events, snoring, and/or flow limitations that you are having, but the machine does not immediately lower the pressure back to the min pressure after the events are over and your breathing has stabilized. Rather, the machine gradually lowers the pressure after your breathing has stabilized and it can take quite some time.

Please respond with some information on this very frustrating situation.

Your main question is about whether it is possible to limit the machine's ability to increase the pressure. As others have pointed out, lowering the maximum pressure can be done through the clinical menu.

Also, there's nothing wrong with turning the machine OFF and then back ON in the middle of the night. On the AirSense AutoSet, turning the machine OFF and back ON should lower the pressure back down to your beginning ramp pressure and restart the ramp period.

And finally, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, it's worth considering increasing both the starting ramp pressure (if you use the ramp) and the min pressure settings by 1cm if you have no problems tolerating a bit more pressure at the bottom end of the range. A higher min pressure often means that there are fewer events that happen, and hence the machine has less reason to raise the pressure in the first place. A higher starting ramp pressure usually means that the mask seal will be a bit more robust once the pressure increases up to the top end of your auto range.