Stop self adjusting your pressure.

I am new to this board and can not believe how many of you are adjusting your pressure based on your devices software program. This is a very unreliable practice and I strongly encourage you all to discontinue self adjusting your CPAP/BiPAP pressure based solely on the software readouts. The only safe way to know if you need a pressure adjustment is to have another sleep study, and NO, I do not work for a sleep lab (but I am a RT and a CPAP user myself).

Another dangerous practice being discussed on this board is taping the mouth closed to prevent leaking. This too is a bad idea and should be discontinued.

Opinions express by me on this board are not to be considered as medical advice and you should always consult your doctor about any medical conditions or symptoms you may be experiencing.

The only safe way to know if you need a pressure adjustment is to have another sleep study, and NO, I do not work for a sleep lab (but I am a RT and a CPAP user myself).

i know for a fact that my sleep doc will recommend pressure adjustments based on anecdotal evidence from his patients, and in the (sadly, rare) cases where his patients have smart machines, he will look over the reports generated by encore pro...granted, he will tell the dme to make the adjustments, but he doesn't schedule another sleep study first

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP, DME

bear1mdr wrote:I am new to this board and can not believe how many of you are adjusting your pressure based on your devices software program. This is a very unreliable practice and I strongly encourage you all to discontinue self adjusting your CPAP/BiPAP pressure

Clearly you have not looked at the research in this area.

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... /167/5/716

bear1mdr wrote:The only safe way to know if you need a pressure adjustment is to have another sleep study

What exactly is unsafe about changing air pressure. Other than inducing centrals (which the user will certainly quickly detect) I don't understand the danger?

bear1mdr wrote:Another dangerous practice being discussed on this board is taping the mouth closed to prevent leaking.

I agree this can be a bit dangerous if you have lots of nasal congestion, as you may not be able to get enough air. However often it seems to work fine.

bear1mdr wrote:I am new to this board and can not believe how many of you are adjusting your pressure based on your devices software program. This is a very unreliable practice and I strongly encourage you all to discontinue self adjusting your CPAP/BiPAP pressure based solely on the software readouts. The only safe way to know if you need a pressure adjustment is to have another sleep study, and NO, I do not work for a sleep lab (but I am a RT and a CPAP user myself).

Another dangerous practice being discussed on this board is taping the mouth closed to prevent leaking. This too is a bad idea and should be discontinued.

Opinions express by me on this board are not to be considered as medical advice and you should always consult your doctor about any medical conditions or symptoms you may be experiencing.

Why do you say that? Many/most sleep studies are only ONE night in a strange bed and surroundings (and all wired up) and probably the lousiest sleep we've ever gotten.
These machines were approved by the FDA and while they're based on air flow, they're more reliable (IMO) than the aforementioned sleep studies.
Using the software, it's like having a sleep study every night.

I couldn't imagine doing this therapy WITHOUT a recording CPAP/APAP and the software to interpret the data.

You're in for a serious educational "adjustment".

Den

You asked for a reason not to tape your mouth closed so here is one reason that should make sense to most of you.

If you are using a nasal mask with your mouth taped closed and the device malfunctions or the power goes out what will happen? Well, other than the obvious events here's one you may not have though of... you continue to sleep as though your machine is still functioning properly and instead of your exhaled CO2 being flushed from your mask as it should be you re-breath your own exhalation for the entire night. What effect do you think that will have on your SPO2? Get the point?

After six years of higher education in respiratory care and 20 years in the DME industry and having set up, instructed, and followed over 1,000 CPAP/BiPAP patients personally I kind of doubt I am "in for a serious educational "adjustment"."

Opinions express by me on this board are not to be considered as medical advice and you should always consult your doctor about any medical conditions or symptoms you may be experiencing.

You are also very wrong about taping.

I have taped for over a year with no ill effects. If I do happen to get congested, I wake up very quickly and easily remove the tape. And of course should I feel like I have a stomach flu I would never tape.

I get the best sleep with tape. I cannot keep my mouth closed with out it and cannot tollerate a full face mask.

Preach your RT crap somewhere else.

I for one will stick to using a APAP to deterine my pressure. I already know I have OSA and it will take some real convincing to get me back in that torture chamber they call a sleep study.

Jerry

Thank you, I now understand why there are no other RTs on this board. Rude, rude, rude. Sorry I tried to help.

There are some very good RT's on this board. KansasRT has given us some very good advise. There are several others that also post fairly regular but i'm sorry I can't remember their names. BrianRT is also another I remember and respect.

Jerry

bear1mdr wrote:Thank you, I now understand why there are no other RTs on this board. Rude, rude, rude. Sorry I tried to help.

On the contrary.....there ARE other RTs who frequent this forum.....and they don't come off as "preachers". We very much appreciate their input and participation.

Den

bear1mdr wrote:I am new to this board

Another dangerous practice being discussed on this board is taping the mouth closed to prevent leaking. This too is a bad idea and should be discontinued.

I don't tell people that I tape my mouth anymore, I'm tired of the shudders and the comments. But the one thing that holds true with everyone who disagrees with the practice is their claim that they keep their mouths closed while they sleep. I can't keep my mouth closed when I sleep so I tape my mouth shut - pragmatism trumps theory every time.

John

If you are using a nasal mask with your mouth taped closed and the device malfunctions or the power goes out what will happen? Well, other than the obvious events here's one you may not have though of... you continue to sleep as though your machine is still functioning properly and instead of your exhaled CO2 being flushed from your mask as it should be you re-breath your own exhalation for the entire night. What effect do you think that will have on your SPO2? Get the point?

forgive my ignorance, but what would happen under these circumstances if you were wearing a full face mask or if you were someone who sleeps with their mouth closed without benefit of taping? would you not still continue to sleep as though your machine is functioning properly? (this is an honest question and not a sarcastic response)

btw, i didn't find anything rude in the replies you received

bear1mdr wrote:You asked for a reason not to tape your mouth closed so here is one reason that should make sense to most of you.

If you are using a nasal mask with your mouth taped closed and the device malfunctions or the power goes out what will happen? Well, other than the obvious events here's one you may not have though of... you continue to sleep as though your machine is still functioning properly and instead of your exhaled CO2 being flushed from your mask as it should be you re-breath your own exhalation for the entire night. What effect do you think that will have on your SPO2? Get the point?

Well, won't the same thing happen to those folks who breathe through their noses without taping the lips closed but use a chin strap instead?

After six years of higher education in respiratory care and 20 years in the DME industry and having set up, instructed, and followed over 1,000 CPAP/BiPAP patients personally I kind of doubt I am "in for a serious educational "adjustment"."

Not to denigrate your professional achievements, but it is MY body, MY healthcare. There is no way anyone else can care as much about my well being as I do. Armed with an Auto BiPAP and the software to read the data, why would I want to return to a sleep lab in order to make pressure adjustments?

BTW, my doctor agrees with me. But then, he has had a chance to get to know me and my capabilities. He understands my intelligence and knowledge level much better than someone who posts such generalized statements on this message board.

Susan

sharon1965, you don't find "Preach your RT crap somewhere else." to be rude?

To answer your question (which will likely be the last time I post anything on this board) simply, No. If your mouth is not taped shut and your oxygen level drops you will most likely just open your mouth and stop breathing through your nose which will prevent you from re-breathing your own CO2 through your mask.

errr, bear1mdr, first off, I think you may be on the wrong forum. Maybe you need to head over to sleepapnea.org.

So far, it seems like the folks here have been really nice in their responses to you, but I don't know if I'd count on that continuing given your attitude shown in your posts so far. It would probably be a real good idea for you to read a whole bunch of posts here, including Our Collective Wisdom at the yellow lightbulb above.

We kinda have a philosophy here that we're the ones who are responsible for our therapy......and this has been proven to us time and again by lying/cheating/stealing/putinwhateverputdownyouwanthere DMEs, sleep Dr.'s, RTs, PCPs and other "medical professionals" who don't seem to give a flying fig for us or how our therapy is going. Seems like all they say to us is "Pay us even more $$$$ for a ____" (insert "new PSG, new mask, new fitting, new surgery, new this, new that, etc" that costs us all major $$$$ that we don't really have and can't really afford. And don't get us started about insurance covering it! LOLOL/GRRR). This place is kinda of an AA thingie for OSA, if you can figure out what I mean.

Anywho, welcome to the forum and good luck. You seem to be an RT who actually cares.....and we definitely have some here like that and can use bunches more!!

Kajun