First night with CPAP

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Cagee
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 12:15 am
Location: Missouri
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First night with CPAP

Post by Cagee » Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:59 am

AirSense 10 Elite, using nose pillows. Feels difficult to exhale. First night of CPAP use and just want to make sure I don't error. What different aensations will I have to become accustomed to? Should exhaling feel.like that? With the resistance. Any help is welcome and appreciated.

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LSAT
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Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:11 am
Location: SE Wisconsin

Re: First night with CPAP

Post by LSAT » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:35 am

Your machine has a feature called EPR which is Exhale Pressure Relief.....is yours ON and if so..what is it set at?

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Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: Fisher & Paykel Vitera Full Face Mask with Headgear (S, M, or L Cushion)
Additional Comments: Back up is S9 Autoset...... Buckwheat hull pillow

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Pugsy
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Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: First night with CPAP

Post by Pugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:42 am

Welcome from another Sho-Me state cpap user.

You probably don't know about some stuff on your machine and you are probably going to get asked some questions that you need to go find the answers in the machine.

Here's the manual..download and save and read up.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

First question besides the EPR question.
What pressure settings are you using?
And is ramp turned on?
Which nasal pillow mask?

When you have time...add your equipment to your profile like I have mine below.
wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile
It helps us help you faster and better.

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Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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Ron AKA
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Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:36 pm
Location: Canada

Re: First night with CPAP

Post by Ron AKA » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:02 am

Cagee wrote:
Wed Apr 11, 2018 1:59 am
AirSense 10 Elite, using nose pillows. Feels difficult to exhale. First night of CPAP use and just want to make sure I don't error. What different aensations will I have to become accustomed to? Should exhaling feel.like that? With the resistance. Any help is welcome and appreciated.
Inhale and exhale should feel very free and easy. I would suggest a couple of things. First, like others have suggested, make sure your EPR is turned on, and set at 3. It reduces pressure on exhale. On my AutSet I can turn it on and off with the normal patient menu but I can't adjust the setting. You need to go into the Clinical Menu to do that. Here is a link that shows you how to get into that menu.

AirSense Clinical Menu

In the clinical menu you can turn EPR on and off, and set the level.

When you are in there, I would also turn Auto Ramp on. When you turn it on, it lets you set a Ramp Start pressure. I would suggest a setting of 6 cm of pressure. Auto Ramp keeps the pressure constant at that setting until you fall asleep, and then it ramps up after you are asleep to the treatment pressure. The default for this pressure setting is 4 cm which for many people is not enough pressure and they feel starved for air or like suffocating. So set what works for you. Too much air, reduce it, too little increase it. For comfort I think it is one of the most important pressures to set, and is often overlooked by the sleep techs.

Good luck with your treatment.

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Pugsy
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Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: First night with CPAP

Post by Pugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:24 am

Oh....I forgot to ask...what size nasal pillow are you using?

Once I get some answers to the questions presented I have some ideas that might help you out but until I know what pressures and settings you are using and the nasal pillow size I would be just guessing and I don't like guessing.

Some people like to guess and make suggestions just guessing...I don't.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.