A-Flex anomaly

That very well could be that you have a problem with your machine and others might too. It is a great little machine, but I would definitely talk to Respironics about it or your DME supplier and get them to exchange it or repair it. Mine doesn't do that at all on any setting I have used. I've used them all too

I sent Resperonics a link to this discussion. Let's see what they have to say.

Aflex could not time properly with my breathing. I didn't like it at all and went back to Cflex

Georgio wrote:I sent Resperonics a link to this discussion. Let's see what they have to say.

GOOD LUCK.............
Never had a response from then --- ALSO had negative response with A-FLEX on ALL settings & just went back to C-Flex like my old machine, Maybe just being a OLDFART???

BERT

Captain Midnight: Whoa, "apneic occlusion" ! It's fun just to say out loud...

Thanks for the input. I forgot to try other settings last night, but I'll try to remember to do so tonite.

I'm confused.. You say with A-Flex you set the low end of the range a cm HIGHER than your target? What do you set the high range at, then? In my case, my titrated point is 17. There's just not much room above it.

At this point, I haven't received my card reader yet, so I can't see what my results are. But, my old fashioned sensor (my wife) hasn't complained about snoring, and the cats remain on the bed, so it can't be too bad.

Can anyone tell me what the "90%" reading is, when looking through the LCD values on the M-series? I have been assuming it's 90% of the average nightly high pressures, but it's reading 13.5, much lower than the titrated number of 17.

Thanks!

Ive used a-flex since starting therapy in october, but after reading several threads, tried c-flex last night, i think ive been converted. C-flex was more comfortable, i fell asleep faster and slept sounder. I havent downloaded my smartcard to see if it had any effect on my stats yet.

Georgio wrote:Hose Head, when you go to bed, put your mask on, lay down and take 3 or 4 verydeep long breaths. Inhale for 2 seconds or so. See if you feel a "hiccup" in the middle of your breath. That is what we are experiencing. (This occurs at our ramp pressure of 7).

Georgio

Ok I tried this. I used the auto-on function in the machine. With the the machine off, I put on my mask (which I always do) and then proceeded to take a series of unnaturally (for me) deep breaths. On the second breath, which was the first breath after the machine started blowing air, I noticed that the machine released the pressure about 80% of the way into my deep breath. I guess this is the "hiccup" that you are referring to.

My take on this is that the machine has just started up and it's trying to sequence itself with my breathing pattern. It's likely not programmed for such deep breathing on start-up, perhaps interpreting the deep breath as an uncontrolled leak. In other words, it's likely a feature, not a fault of the xpap.

When going to bed, my normal practice is to allow my respiration to come to rest before trying to put on my mask. That's why I've never noticed this.

I can't see how this should be a concern to anyone. Deep breathing like that is more like what one would experience after running or a hike up several flights of stairs. Who sleeps like that?

This entire thread has really brought out the CFLEX vs AFLEX camps. I've used, and like BOTH of them. I see no reason to change from my current use of AFLEX. Experience of others may differ.

Whatever floats your boat!

I like both C-Flex and A-Flex, but I like A-Flex a whole lot more. I use A-Flex at 3. My pressure range is set for 12 - 20. Stays on 12 most of the time, most nights. I've not felt a "stutter", but then I don't normally breathe very deeply.

having read this thread yesterday I intentionally deep breathed a few times last night, I did notice the stuttering effect and it was disconcerting, I was able to get it to stop by purposefully breathing slower, and more shallow it stopped in about a minute as the machine adjusted.
although having just had my old machine die ( i have been using cflex for close to three years now) and I wanted to try out the aflex.

with the aflex so far my mouth breathing has stopped, ( I believe that this is due to the m-series ramping down when it detects a leak though. ) I am sleeping better with it than with out it, and my ahi is lower, again probably due to the leak issue, but personally I love the aflex.

pressure is 9-12 and aflex is at a 3

I feel like I am breathing again more naturally than before.

+1 for aflex

Brian

Jim writes...You say with A-Flex you set the low end of the range a cm HIGHER than your target? What do you set the high range at, then? In my case, my titrated point is 17. There's just not much room above it.

And I'm afraid, Jim, I've already said more than I know.

I'm a mid-ranger, so your case might require a lower range setting a bit below the titrated pressure. (Wild guessing alert)

My pressure range is fairly narrow at 2.5 cm between lower and higher pressures. For some, this works well, although it's not what the machine was designed for as I understand it. Some prefer a wider range, 5 cm or so (and some like the machine wide open).

Although it's not much consolation, this whole area of optimizing the pressure range of auto adjusting PAPs is a fertile research area. Hopefully, the laboratory gnomes are working on projects to determine some optimum strats at the current time.

Good luck, sir!

Capn Midnight.



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Well A-Flex works great for me also. It is reassuring that the "hiccup" described is common, and not of any concern. My guess is it happens because the unusually long deep breaths that cause it don't occur when you are asleep. It never bothers me.

Georgio