DevilBliss DV54 AutoAdjust CPAP -Help

It's now the middle of the day and i'm feeling really tired. and a bit lightheaded.
Any suggestions? should i keep at it for another day or revert the adjustments back to the previous days settings.

alexchetty wrote:It's now the middle of the day and i'm feeling really tired. and a bit lightheaded.
Any suggestions? should i keep at it for another day or revert the adjustments back to the previous days settings.

Hi Alex,

I would definitely revert back to the previous settings with this one exception:

Instead of changing the pressure range back to 7.5-20 from 8-17, I would change it back to 7.5 - 17 because it seems that capping the maximum pressure has caused the runaway pressures to stop as your 90th and 95th percentile pressures have decreased. I seriously doubt that capping the maximum pressure has anything to do with your difficulties. As Madabear suggested, you might do best with a narrow range but I don't think it is prudent to be making too many changes at once.

I would permanently stay away from the ramp feature as other posters have suggested. Also, using the smart flex feature might be causing your AHI to spike. Again, I don't think it is a good idea to make too many changes at once so simply go back to what you had it on prior to the latest change and let's see what happens.

Regarding the lightheadedness, if it continues or worsens, please consult a doctor to make sure nothing else is going on.

I hope you feel better.

49er

Looks to me as if you are using ramp again. I use the Intellipap auto but have never used the ramp feature. For others who use the machine - isn't "delay" the term for "ramp" on the Intellipap?

If it is you need to turn off "delay". You have it set at 5 for 10 minutes. 5 is too low for delay and too low for a minimum pressure. It will make it feel hard to breathe and could give you a headache and make you feel more tired. You don't need "ramp" or "delay" at all.

This is the first day I have seen "delay" listed in your numbers. Did you just put it on last night or have you been using it and not listing it?

Just a note to 49er and others on this board that try to be helpful. Most of us here are very grateful that there are people more knowledgeable than we are that can help us figure out these machines.
I know in my case I had a sleep study which was sent to my Dr. and the Dr. knew less than I did because I had actually already done some online research. The people at the DME just wanted the insurance money and other than fitting a mask they don't want to tell you anything about the machine because they don't want you to help yourself, they want to keep charging your insurance for inferior 2nd rate equipment. Not to mention that it isn't possible for most of us to continually take off work with our machine and continue to go back and forth with the Dr. or the DME.
I got my original equipment from the DR and DME and found I could do much better with my money, time and resources with the help of a few good people on here.
So from me, thanks for your time and experience.

dieselgal wrote:Just a note to 49er and others on this board that try to be helpful. Most of us here are very grateful that there are people more knowledgeable than we are that can help us figure out these machines.
I know in my case I had a sleep study which was sent to my Dr. and the Dr. knew less than I did because I had actually already done some online research. The people at the DME just wanted the insurance money and other than fitting a mask they don't want to tell you anything about the machine because they don't want you to help yourself, they want to keep charging your insurance for inferior 2nd rate equipment. Not to mention that it isn't possible for most of us to continually take off work with our machine and continue to go back and forth with the Dr. or the DME.
I got my original equipment from the DR and DME and found I could do much better with my money, time and resources with the help of a few good people on here.
So from me, thanks for your time and experience.

Hi Dieselgal,

Thank you for your kind words but I am just paying it forward as I have received so much from this board. And I also greatly appreciate the other folks who have chimed on this thread as they have offered excellent advice.

Regarding the points you made about not having the time to back and forth with a doctor or DME, that would be true even if we had a great one and most of us don't. Boards like this are crucial so we can post our questions and get help very quickly.

49er

PS - I also appreciate Alexchetty keeping us updated as to how he is doing and being very proactive with his therapy in light of his previously mentioning how horrible the medical professionals were that he dealt with.

14October2013
95th Percentile Pressure 12.0
90th Percentile Pressure 11.5
AHI 4.5 --- gone down since yesterday
Pressure Plateau Time 0%
High Leak Flow Time 0%
NRI 2.25
EPI 2
Mask: Full Face Mask

--Pressure at low 7 - high 17
--Delay: 5min
--Delay pressure: 5.0
--Smartflex: 3
--rounding set to 3 for both. - I changed this to 3 (the default value)
--Fourth night with the FULL FACE mask.
--Not so refreshed and feeling tired.

Will turn off ramp/delay this evening.

alexchetty wrote:14October2013
95th Percentile Pressure 12.0
90th Percentile Pressure 11.5
AHI 4.5 --- gone down since yesterday
Pressure Plateau Time 0%
High Leak Flow Time 0%
NRI 2.25
EPI 2
Mask: Full Face Mask

--Pressure at low 7 - high 17
--Delay: 5min
--Delay pressure: 5.0
--Smartflex: 3
--rounding set to 3 for both. - I changed this to 3 (the default value)
--Fourth night with the FULL FACE mask.
--Not so refreshed and feeling tired.

Will turn off ramp/delay this evening.

Thanks for posting your results, alexchetty. Yup, definitely turn off the ramp/delay to see if that improves things.

I am sorry you are feeling tired and not refreshed. How is your dizziness?

49er

Slight dizzyness.
Going to see a GP in the next hour. I think I may have a post nasal drip which could be the cause of the dizzyness and nausea.
Will post the doctors diagnosis in about an 2 hours.

alexchetty wrote:Slight dizzyness.
Going to see a GP in the next hour. I think I may have a post nasal drip which could be the cause of the dizzyness and nausea.
Will post the doctors diagnosis in about an 2 hours.

Please do.

I hope you feel better.

49er

That was a real long doctor session.
New doctor, first time I've visited him. I needed a different view!

Doc says I'm suffering from stress! gave me something for the dizziness and nausea and some anti-depressants!
Clopamon T - for the dizziness and nausea
Trepiline 10 - for the anxiety!

Back to the CPAP:
-Going to turn off ramp/delay tonight!

alexchetty wrote:That was a real long doctor session.
New doctor, first time I've visited him. I needed a different view!

Doc says I'm suffering from stress! gave me something for the dizziness and nausea and some anti-depressants!
Clopamon T - for the dizziness and nausea
Trepiline 10 - for the anxiety!

Back to the CPAP:
-Going to turn off ramp/delay tonight!

Hi Alexchetty

I am unclear if you agree or disagree with this doctor. Can you please clarify? Thanks!

Understand the prescription for the Clopamon T but since Trepinline 10 seems to be another name for Amitriptyline, an antidepressant, unclear as to how that would be helpful. But perhaps I am missing something.

Additionally, did the doctor imply that stress was causing the dizziness or did he have any other explanations as to causes? Was he familiar with sleep apnea and issues that could arise from that?

Thanks!

49er

I sort of agree with the doc that i may be suffering from stress.
and I agree with the prescription for the Clopamon T - which i will take.
I'm not sure whether I want to be taking a sedative/anti-depressant while on the CPAP treatment, even if the prescribed dosage is only 10mg/day (adult dosage is 75,5mg/day).

So for now, I'm going to treat the nausea and the pain, but stay away from the Trepiline 10 and Zopivane, until my CPAP results stabilizes.

Zopivane is the other drug he prescribed to take with the Trepiline 10, just before bed.

alexchetty wrote:I sort of agree with the doc that i may be suffering from stress.
and I agree with the prescription for the Clopamon T - which i will take.
I'm not sure whether I want to be taking a sedative/anti-depressant while on the CPAP treatment, even if the prescribed dosage is only 10mg/day (adult dosage is 75,5mg/day).

So for now, I'm going to treat the nausea and the pain, but stay away from the Trepiline 10 and Zopivane, until my CPAP results stabilizes.

Zopivane is the other drug he prescribed to take with the Trepiline 10, just before bed.

Sounds like a great plan.

49er

15October2013
95th Percentile Pressure 12.5
90th Percentile Pressure 11.5
AHI 7.0
Pressure Plateau Time 0%
High Leak Flow Time 0%
NRI 2.00
EPI 2
Mask: Full Face Mask

--Pressure at low 7 - high 17
--Delay: off
--Delay pressure: 5.0
--Smartflex: 3
--rounding set to 3 for both.
--Fifth night with the FULL FACE mask.
--more refreshed, still have a headache (left side, almost in the eye socket, where the nose and forehead meet. right in that corner.) Doc says it is sinus, related!

Medication:
Clopamon T [1 twice daily before meals] - for nausea
Nucopain [1 3xdaily after meals] -for pain
Nozer [1 daily] - acid reflux

alexchetty wrote:15October2013
95th Percentile Pressure 12.5
90th Percentile Pressure 11.5
AHI 7.0
Pressure Plateau Time 0%
High Leak Flow Time 0%
NRI 2.00
EPI 2
Mask: Full Face Mask

--Pressure at low 7 - high 17
--Delay: off
--Delay pressure: 5.0
--Smartflex: 3
--rounding set to 3 for both.
--Fifth night with the FULL FACE mask.
--more refreshed, still have a headache (left side, almost in the eye socket, where the nose and forehead meet. right in that corner.) Doc says it is sinus, related!

Medication:
Clopamon T [1 twice daily before meals] - for nausea
Nucopain [1 3xdaily after meals] -for pain
Nozer [1 daily] - acid reflux

Hi alexchetty,

Glad you are feeling more refreshed although I am sorry you still have a headache. As an FYI, many people have found rinsing sinuses with a netipot very helpful. Have you considered doing that?

I would also like to know if your doctor has explained if the meds have any effect on your apnea or not, particularly the clompamon and Nozer.

Since you are feeling more refreshed, I would wait to make changes, particularly since you just started taking meds. I know your AHI is 7 but I think for now, you need to go by how you feel. Also, as posters have noted, the Devilbiss AHI can be higher than other machines so if you were using another one, your AHI would very well be in the ideal range.

49er