What are you settings for the exhale??

I have mine set on 3 and was wondering what others have theirs set on??

I use 3 as well--I've heard from some long time users that they eventually turn the feature off (or down to 1 or 2), but now 3 feels the most natural to me. My first CPAP machine didn't have this feature (I had that one only 4 days before I got my DME to exchange it), and the constant blowing when I exhaled bothered me. The exhalation feature just feels more natural to me.

Ted

I have mine set to 3. That is what the doctor wrote on the script and I have never changed it.

I agree with ted as it seems more natural and gives the greatest relief.

I have been on 3, but recently went to straight cpap to see what happens to the numbers..

2 here.

you CANNOT compare a Remstar with Cflex/Aflex setting with EPR found on the Resmed, totally different animals,

EPR lowers pressure (EPAP) on exhale, so changing its setting without compensating with increased pressure can actually change your therapy delivery pressure.

For example, Cflex only softens the very first part of exhale, EPR drops EPAP by the setting you use, so if your CPAP pressure is 10 and you use EPR=3, it would resemble:

IPAP (inhale) = 10 cm
EPAP (exhale) = 7 cm
EPR=3

another example:
IPAP (inhale) = 10 cm
EPAP (exhale) = 8 cm
EPR=2

Using a different CFlex setting should not impact your therapy pressure at all.

Where EPR becomes sub-optimal is when you have been titrated for example with 10 cm pressure in the lab (they don't or may not use EPR at all, just straight CPAP=10 cm), then you come along with a Resmed machine and set EPR=3, you have in essence dropped your therapy splint pressure by 3 cm.

This can result in more snores and apnea.

If you increased your CPAP pressure by 3 cm then used EPR=3, then you would have a similar result as the lab setting but it may even do a better job at elimination of FL & Hypopnea.

Snoredog wrote:you CANNOT compare a Remstar with Cflex/Aflex setting with EPR found on the Resmed, totally different animals

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Where EPR becomes sub-optimal is when you have been titrated for example with 10 cm pressure in the lab (they don't or may not use EPR at all, just straight CPAP=10 cm), then you come along with a Resmed machine and set EPR=3, you have in essence dropped your therapy splint pressure by 3 cm.

I agree with Snoredog.

If I were going to use EPR with a resmed machine, I'd do as he suggested later in his post...I'd set my pressure higher -- the same number of cm's higher as the number of EPR I was going to use.

Snoredog wrote: then you come along with a Resmed machine and set EPR=3, you have in essence dropped your therapy splint pressure by 3 cm.

Splinting is a only necessary on inhalation.

Snoredog wrote:This can result in more snores and apnea.

But it doesn't because splinting is a only necessary on inhalation.

Snoredog wrote:If you increased your CPAP pressure by 3 cm then used EPR=3, then you would have a similar result as the lab setting

No, you'd be over pressuring by 3cm on inhaling.