How to test auto

Born Tired · Post by **Born Tired** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:19 pm

Got my Remstar Auto and Heat hose today. Been gone all day so I haven't been able to read all the directions yet. Hoping somebody can tell me quickly how to test to see if the pressure will actually go up. I presumed that if you held your breath it would be the same as if your throat closed off as in an apnea episode. But when I did that the pressure never changed--just stayed at 5--I could have smothered.

It is set for 5 and 12. Maybe that's not the way to test it?

If you held your breathe or plugged the nasal pillows would your auto increase the pressure?

Any words of wisdom?
Thanks,
Esther

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Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:08 pm

Esther,

DON'T DO THAT!!! We don't need Esther turning blue!!!

I really don't know how you would test the auto. Do you have the ability to monitor your results? If you do, you couldl see what pressures the machine was at during the night. If not, I have no idea how else you would know. But I'm sure someone will fill you in who knows more than me (there are many here).

Hope you enjoy it!!! Let us know.

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:31 pm

AUTOS move slowly over time to adjust the mean rate of cms. I doubt that you can just hold the hose closed & watch the pressure rise. It may shift I haven't tried that test.

My advice is to set the lower pressure setting to 2-3 under your titration cms & 2 above as the upper pressure. Re the lower pressure, try 2 but if that feels too strong try 3.

Because of the way the remstar records data you will not find it easy to know what is happing afterwards unless you get a card reader & the software & even then the data display in Encore Pro is not good & needs Derek's extra software to make real sense of the data.

At any point in time the cms on the display is the current mean cms rate.

Cheers DSM

bigcat · Post by **bigcat** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:46 pm

I tied holding my breath, it didn't work. What did work was the fake snore. I could actually see the pressure increase.

Born Tired · Post by **Born Tired** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 8:49 am

Had already gone to bed before you guys had a chance to post. So here's how the night went.

Setting was 5 at the beginning and when I arose.

It did seem like there was increased pressure at times during the night (although I did not try to see what it read--maybe I will tonight). I always wake up multiple times each night (was hoping to eliminate that ).

Very little aerophagia --which was a painful problem before. This is one of the main reasons I could not tolerate straight CPAP even at 7 (although the study showed that I needed 9 during REM ).

Used the heated hose. Did not totally eliminate rain out--still got a few drops in the Aura/Everest nasal pillow loop but definitely much better!!

Woke up actually feeling more rested . Sure hope this is not a placebo effect!!!

bigcat, thanks for the snoring trick. I went back a few mins ago to try it--the pressure started going up after about 3 snores. So now I know that the machine works and that I can tolerate whatever pressures I need which was not the case on straight CPAP.

dsm, I got the software but have to get the reader. Will also download Derek's My Encore. I'm sure I'll need a little help with all of that.

OK, Lori, no more breath holding.

All in all I'm feeling very hopeful.

Thanks for the help.
Esther
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