air pressue levels

I've had my CPAP machine for about 6 months now. I was on a pressure level of 8, but I wasn't seeing that much improvement. In the past 3 months or so I've gained about 10 lbs. So I went to another MD for a second opinion to see if I needed to increase my pressure. He said it would be okay for me to increase my pressure to 10. I've been on that pressure for only 3 days or so. I still don't see much improvement. Do I need to increase my pressure more? Is it possible to have the pressure so high it can be dangerous? If so, how do I know if I've reached that point? Any comments and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

lanny28 wrote:I've had my CPAP machine for about 6 months now. I was on a pressure level of 8, but I wasn't seeing that much improvement. In the past 3 months or so I've gained about 10 lbs. So I went to another MD for a second opinion to see if I needed to increase my pressure. He said it would be okay for me to increase my pressure to 10. I've been on that pressure for only 3 days or so. I still don't see much improvement. Do I need to increase my pressure more? Is it possible to have the pressure so high it can be dangerous? If so, how do I know if I've reached that point? Any comments and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

What does the data from your machine say - assuming you weren't sold a brick with no data available, if you were you are like a diabetic without blood testing equipment guessing at their insulin requirements.

Go to the User control panel and fill in the machine and mask you are using (in words not images) That way people can really help you.

I just did. Thanks.

Lanny - have you set up your software, etc. and can you look at your overnight stats? The important stuff would be leak rates, AHI, 02 saturation, and the high pressure(s) the machine went up to to be effective.

lanny - if you have the "Plus" model as you selected in your profile, then software will do you no good. That model will only tell you how often and how long you used the machine.

To get detailed data - events, leak rate, etc - you need the PR "Pro" System One or the PR "Auto" System One. The "Plus" will not give you that information. Even your doctor or DME cannot get that information from a "Plus" model. They may tell you it is data capable but all they care about is compliance data so that your insurance will pay them and they will make the most profit from the sale.

Trying to find the right pressure for you without data is very difficult. We don't know what is happening so it is hard to establish the right pressure. Can you try and exchange it for a Pro or an Auto? Your doctor may have to write a new prescription for you to do that.

I wonder about your machine though, because the humidifier you have chosen in your profile does not work with that machine, I'm not sure, from your profile, what you really have. What does it say on top of your machine and humidifier - exactly?

lanny28 wrote:Is it possible to have the pressure so high it can be dangerous?

Lanny,

No and yes. No, in that we are talking about centimeters of pressures, which isn't that much. There are folks in here that are on pressures as high as 30. However, increasing pressure can, in some people, induce apnea events. As a result, you don't want to increase without getting your doctor's approval, or, if you do it on your own, without having data from your machine.

-john-