Which machine should I request for greatest flexibility?

Why would you suggest she set her max pressure so low (at 7)?

Julie wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 23, 2020 8:30 pm

Why would you suggest she set her max pressure so low (at 7)?

I would suggest the same as Miss Emerita in this situation.
I would limit the max just to remove potential higher pressures causing sleep problems or discomfort.
Only just for the initial first few nights until we see detailed data.

The OP has already given up on cpap in the past because he just couldn't handle whatever it was he couldn't handle.
The idea with a nice modest pressure setting using EPR is to get him comfortable using cpap with minimal challenges and minimize the risk of running into to the same problems that caused him to quit a while back.

Besides...at this point we have no idea what pressure is needed and these settings might work just fine.
I used a 7 cm minimum with this same machine and it is quite comfortable. It's a very comfortable setting...7 with EPR of 3.

We need sleep data using the cpap machine first to be able to figure out what pressure is needed.
A person has to get the sleep first for there to be any data to evaluate.
Once we have data then we look at it and see what tweaking might need to be done.

Right now the primary hurdle is getting him to sleep using the machine and be comfortable. Worry about tweaking later if it is needed...heck it might not even be needed all that much if at all.

Responses responded to in order:

Pugsy: Thanks much! Very helpful! Turns out I have an old 2 GB SD already in my possession and it is now in the machine. Thanks for telling me that by putting an SD card in, the summary data will be written to the card. I have now changed "Essentials" to "Plus".

Miss Emerita: Thanks for the advice. Earlier I had already changed the settings to minimal settings - the whole reason I opted to buy my own (used) machine so I could do that. But I set it to 4 min and 7 max. EPR is already set to 3. I HAVE to set it really low (4) to start because in the past I did NOT tolerate much pressure at all (seems like even 7 or 8 ) and never could fall asleep... except for ONE time when I had an APAP machine, used during a nap, so probably fell asleep with it at a 4 then was violently awakened a very short time later when it increased a bit.

Pugsy: What or who is an OP??? If you mean me, I am a "she" not a "he."

OP...original poster.
I apologize ...I have no way to know the gender of people. We used to have a choice in the profile to show male or female but that went away a couple of years ago with a software update.

I will try to remember that you are a she but just forgive me in advance if I don't.

And don't feel like the lone ranger...people call me a he all the time and I am very much a she.
Doesn't mean anything one way or the other and I take no offense when that happens because no offense was meant. We have to use some sort of pronoun and he takes 2 letters of typing and she takes 3...
I seem to always default to the male pronoun for some reason....I don't know why.

You won't be able to feel EPR in action with a 4 cm starting pressure because the machine can't drop down below 4.
If you have trouble at 4....at least try 6 or 7 starting minimum with EPR of 3 so you can see what it feels like.
Trust me....using 7 inhale and 4 exhale is actually easier than 4 inhale/exhale with no EPR.

On occasion, I have beeen mistaken for a male.
Of course sexing frogs is somewhat invasive and rather yucky, so I am OK either way.

If anyone's interested - Rene (French) is male, Renee female (as in Renee Russo) - both pronounced the same.

Sorry for the delay in responding.

Pugsy: No offense taken! I usually default to male too - used to be the common and correct practice in writing... Yes, you said in a previous reply about min 7 in and 4 out being easier than 4 in/ex. I made a mental note at the time and I did understand how that could be. But I had to try minimum possible. Turns out I am going to try increasing the inhalation for reasons I will explain below.

Chunkyfrog: As a fellow frog lover (have collected frog stuff since I was 5 and love the real ones too!), we don't want any nasty invasive procedures on any frogs!

Julie: Yes!

So, I have only been able to "experiment" briefly for two nights (separated by migraine problems). Originally I said my main problems were trying to exhale against pressure and aerophagia, while also having other issues like nasal stuffiness and drainage/accumulation from water collecting in nose. I now believe that the nasal stuffiness may very well be THE problem that actually leads to the exhalation AND inhalation issues and perhaps contributing to the aerophagia as well. I do not know what to do about it. The reason I do not know what to do about it is because I know all the recommendations and I've tried and/or am doing all of them! (I had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery in 2002 and a second turbinate reduction surgery in 2015. Saline sinus rinses only help somewhat and are short-lived. I already use Nasacort nasal spray every night in order to get to sleep at all. That too is somewhat short-lived. etc., etc.)

Last night was my second "experiment" night and I played with settings of the humidifier, climate tubing, and minimum pressure. I discovered that the "auto" settings for the humidifier are not adequate, so bumped that up a couple on manual. Toward the end of my hour of experimenting, I did increase the minimum pressure up a little, then up to 5, then up to 6, then back down to 5. By that time, even though I had used Afrin decongestant nasal spray in one side (I do not want to get addicted to nasal spray again!), I was too stuffed up and too bloated to continue "trying" last night. If I am able to "try again" tonight, I will be trying with the new settings for the humidifier and the minimum inhalation of 5, and may increase that. Last night, I did feel myself starting to drift off to sleep a few times , but I was awakened feeling as if I could not breathe, which may be because the inhalation pressure was inadequate to overcome the nasal stuffiness.

The nasal stuffiness is going to be a HUGE hurdle!

What mask are you using?

How long does the congestion last after you remove the mask?

Airfit N30.

I basically STAY congested unless I sit up for awhile. That's true even WITHOUT a CPAP mask and device, but I'm sure they make it somewhat worse. When I lay down, my nose plugs up, at least the side that is "down" when laying on my side. Nasacort usually keeps things manageable for the first part of the evening to allow me to get to sleep (that is without any CPAP), but one side is always stuffier than the other especially if I am laying on that side. Of course, back sleeping just makes the sleep apnea significantly worse so I don't start out that way even though I end up that way.

Sounds like some nasal cycle stuff going on. Google "nasal cycle".
I get it sometimes myself...woke up with the right nostril side totally blocked yesterday morning and yes...it was the side that was down.

Your mask doesn't touch the bridge of the nose area...sometimes when masks put pressure on the nasal bridge area it causes congestion.
I can't use any mask that touches that area of my nose for that reason.
That's why I wanted to know if your mask touched that area.

I have congestion issues all the time. But it was made worse trying the CPAP machine. Yes to the nasal cycle, but it shouldn't completely close off, but it does... long before asleep. I don't know how to solve it short of another surgery. Have had a cold for a few days so have not been experimenting. Interesting to hear about your experience with a mask touching the bridge of your nose. I did pull out my old Swift FX mask to try, which I THOUGHT had been fairly tolerable as far as masks went, but I discovered very quickly that I definitely don't like it nearly as well as the N30.

UPDATE: I did some research on nasal congestion and CPAP use. I may have previously read over similar things to what I ran across this time, but since I was looking for a specific purpose this time, the information stood out. Full-Face-Mask. I never considered them ever before, both because I didn't ever consider myself a mouth breather and because I wanted as minimal a mask as possible. However, what I read recently caused me to re-evaluate. It is true that I do not predominantly breathe through my mouth, even when congested. But it is possible/probable that I unconsciously do ever so slightly part my lips when nasally blocked to allow air to flow through both avenues, at least to a degree. I would have to say that in trying PAP therapy I do have to consciously fight to keep my mouth TIGHTLY closed so as to not have air rushing out, and that may also be contributing to my inability to fall asleep with PAP therapy. Thankfully, as I'd hoped, I found that there is a full face version of the N30 - the F30 - which I ordered and received today. Due to the lateness of the hour and the fact that I failed to clean and prepare my machine to try using tonight, I probably will NOT give it a whirl tonight. But hopefully tomorrow night I will. I do hope this proves to be the answer that will ultimately help me to successfully fall asleep with PAP therapy. Time will tell...

Oh, and I have an unrelated question: I have a used machine. Is there a way to find out how many hours it was used by the previous owner?

You can tell how many hours a machine was used by looking at the "run hours" (as I recall), the total number of hours that the machine has been used. It's in one of the menus. Then you can subtract the approximate number of hours you've used it, and you'll have a pretty good idea how much the machine has been used.

reneevanv wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 09, 2020 7:47 pm

I have a used machine. Is there a way to find out how many hours it was used by the previous owner?

Please fill out your equipment profile - https://www.cpaptalk.com/ucp.php?i=prof ... pment_info

Then, your equipment will show at the bottom of every post you make.