EPR levels?

After being on CPAP since the end of December I decided to try EPR. I turned it on but I wasn't sure how to set the level so I set it at 1. When I put on my mask it seemed I wasn't getting enough air so I immediately turned EPR off. I was a bit surprised that I had to turn off the level before I turned off EPR. I don't know if I set it incorrectly or if the not enough air was in my imagination but I do need some help here. My normal pressure is a steady 10 and I do not use ramp.

I think my therapy is better without EPR. I think most people here beleive its best if you don't use it. Some people argue that you should compensate by increasing your pressure if you use EPR. i.e if you use an EPR of 1 you should add 1cm of pressure.

~UB

EPR is just a per cm reduction in pressure during exhale.
A setting 1 is a 1 cm drop in pressure during exhale...so if you were normally using 10 cm...then EPR setting of 1 only drops the pressure during exhale down to 9 cm.
You should be able to watch it change right on the LCD screen. Inhale and exhale numbers will change right before your eyes.
It shouldn't make you feel like not enough air is moving but the fact that there is a change from what you have been using for quite awhile now might be perceived as uncomfortable simply because it is a change or it is different from what you are used to. We get used to one thing and any change seems "odd" at first.

And yes, you have to turn the machine off to make a change in EPR.

In CPAP mode, there is also a fast, medium selection if that helps.
Keep in mind that it's a comfort feature. It another option for people that aren't comfortable with continuous pressure.
If you don't need it, that's a good thing.

Thanks for the information. What does the fast and medium setting mean?

After having mine at 3 for over 2 years, I dropped it to 2 and got better stability with my Sleepweaver élan.

Maxie wrote:What does the fast and medium setting mean?

Relates to the amount of time between the inhale and the drop in exhale and thus back up to inhale.
It can be perceived as the machine wanting a person to breathe too fast than they want to breathe or it not responding quickly enough when you want to inhale.
Sort of get out of your normal breathing rhythm if too fast or too slow.

Some people will find it easier to exhale with EPR/Flex/exhale relief turned on when they're just starting. After a while, you will probably not have any difficulty breathing with or without exhale relief.

I used to think that once you're over the hump of being a newbie, you should just turn it off. More recently, I've concluded it's one of the things you should tinker with and see what works for you. Some people find it helps with AHI, sleep, gas, leaks, etc. For some, they're better off without.