New to cpap

I'm new to cpap I tried a full face mask and now I'm on to a nasal
Mask and I can't stand either one I fill like I'm suffocating all the time with it on I had my pressures turned up I have a apap machine my base pressure at 7 to 20 and I have a resmed equipment and mask I don't fill like something right yet I have not had a lab test done yet only a home sleep study and I didn't even were thing As long has I needed to but insurance won't pay for a lab study so do inneed push for a lab study so we get my pressure fix my home medical company not really helpful helping me find a mask going work for me thanks for letting me vent and suggestions would be very helpful

xxyzx wrote:get rid of cpap
get an auto cpap it will self titrate for you

He already has an apap machine. Did you miss this?

Npkp9432 wrote:I have a apap machine my base pressure at 7 to 20

Npkp9432 wrote: I fill like I'm suffocating all the time with it on

Can you tell us exactly what your settings are?

Are you using the ramp? If so how long?

Are you using the EPR exhale pressure relief? If so at what setting?

Don't know what I am talking about...see the manual.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf
You say you have ResMed equipment so I assume that meant the machine as well as the mask.

Exactly which mask(s) have you tried?

Do a little test for me...take your fingers and put them up along side the bridge of your nose where the mask rests and apply gentle pressure...do you experience any nasal congestion with the gentle pressure? If so, does the congestion clear up fairly quickly once you remove the pressure?

Npkp9432,

Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry that you are having trouble with things.

It would help us help you if we knew exactly what Resmed machine you happen to have. It sounds like you probably have a Resmed AirSense 10 AutoSet or a Resmed AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her, and it also sounds like it is set in AutSet mode since you write:

Npkp9432 wrote:I have a apap machine my base pressure at 7 to 20 and I have a resmed equipment and mask I don't fill like something right yet I have not had a lab test done yet only a home sleep study

So it also sounds like the durable medical equipment provider (DME) set your machine up for a week or more of "autotitration" to try to determine appropriate pressure settings for you.

Although you are having trouble, I do want to let you know that the AirSense 10 AutoSets are good machines and some people believe that using an APAP in your own bed for a week or more gives a much better titration than a one-night titration study in the lab. It's also worth pointing out that we can help you find a copy of the clinical manual for your machine and software to read the data that your machine records. We can also help you learn how to use that data to more quickly identify the appropriate pressure settings to use to control your apnea.

Still, in order for this to work you've got to be comfortable enough to sleep with the equipment.

I'm new to cpap I tried a full face mask and now I'm on to a nasal
Mask and I can't stand either one I fill like I'm suffocating all the time with it on I had my pressures turned up I have a apap machine my base pressure at 7 to 20 and I have a resmed equipment and mask

My guess is that your machine may have been set up to start with a ramp period, and the beginning ramp pressure may be as low as 4cm, which probably explains why you feel like you are suffocating. So check to see if the ramp is turned on and what your starting ramp pressure is. If you don't know how to do that, let us know and someone who owns an AirSense can tell you how to check the settings.

my home medical company not really helpful helping me find a mask going work for me thanks for letting me vent and suggestions would be very helpful

A lot of folks find their DME not very helpful when it comes to helping newbies find a mask that fits them. Let us know exactly which mask you are using, and we may be able to give you some pointers on how to properly fit the mask as well as suggestions on other masks to try.

So I do you have an air sense10 my ramp is off do I need to turn it back on I don't think my home medical company has my machine set up quite right for example and I did not have the Greg Mack sel my machine set up quite right for example I did not have The correct mask selected I know that should not make a difference but using that as an example I well answer a few more of of your questions so you can guide me on the best way use my apap

No you don't need the ramp at all unless you feel the need of it, so the setting levels for that aren't important here.

Do give us your prescribed pressure settings and the new levels they were turned up to so we can try to help.

Tube temperature is 70°
Pressure relief is off
Smart start on
Currently using mirage activa LT mask by res med

Someone asked again my start up pressure is 7 can increase to 20. As I need it

Npkp9432 wrote:Pressure relief is off

That's EPR...try turning it on and try each available setting 1, 2 or 3 to see if it makes it any easier for you to breathe.
You will need to get into the clinical setup menu to turn it on and experiment with the settings.

7 should be giving you enough air flow, I would agree with pugs and try some EPR.
also your lungs don't fully empty with cpap and can be a funny feeling. Just relax as you breathe out and not force it.

Further to the lungs not fully emptying when using cpap. The pressure is an air splint to hold the throat open. As a side effect in doing so, it keeps the alveoli slightly inflated too. I can feel that I don't fully exhale when using cpap.

Depending on the type of machine, this epap, peep or cpap pressure, keeps the alveoli from emptying to a normal state. In a lot of cases where these machines are used, this is a desirable trait.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_ ... y_pressure
Applied (extrinsic) PEEP — is usually one of the first ventilator settings chosen when mechanical ventilation is initiated. It is set directly on the ventilator.
A small amount of applied PEEP (4 to 5 cmH2O) is used in most mechanically ventilated patients to mitigate end-expiratory alveolar collapse.[5] A higher level of applied PEEP (>5 cmH2O) is sometimes used to improve hypoxemia or reduce ventilator-associated lung injury in patients with acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or other types of hypoxemic respiratory failure.