Is there a difference between max pressures if they are not reached

The advice I have gotten here recently and at the hospital is to not restrict the maximum pressure from going where it wants to go. Still, they set my maximum pressure to 12, and not 20. I forgot to ask if there is a reason to not simply set it to 20.

So I’m just curious if there is any difference if my maximum pressure is set to 12 or 20 if the pressure never goes beyond about 10.5? I assume that it doesn’t really matter that much, but I would prefer to have it at 20 unless there are any drawbacks.

In your case, it doesn't matter. Raise it to 20 if you wish.

A potential issue is you might find significant mask leakage.

If your pressure never goes beyond 10.5, it absolutely does NOT matter if the max is set to 12 or 20.

An upper bound should be set if there is a compelling reason to set one, such as aerophagia.

Lets say you have the choice of two bathroom scales, one has a capacity of 300 lbs, the other 340 lbs, you weigh 200. Does it matter which one you use?

There is no difference in machine response or anything in that area with changing the maximum limits.
If the machine could go to 100 cm...and the highest you ever went to was 10 cm...wouldn't matter in terms of how the machine does its job if you set it at 10.5, 12 or 20 or 100.

It won't chase leaks by increasing the pressure....it won't go anywhere without a good reason to go there.
Now sometimes what it thinks is a good reason might end up being not so good of a reason if the going there causes more problems than it fixes.
Leaks or aerophagia issues seems to be the most common problem associated with the "going there" and if those issues come up we then figure out the best way to deal with them if they happen.
Cross that bridge if/when we come to it.

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:55 am

If your pressure never goes beyond 10.5, it absolutely does NOT matter if the max is set to 12 or 20.

An upper bound should be set if there is a compelling reason to set one, such as aerophagia.

Lets say you have the choice of two bathroom scales, one has a capacity of 300 lbs, the other 340 lbs, you weigh 200. Does it matter which one you use?

One of my thoughts where that if the max pressure was set closer to the actual max pressure then the algorithm would do adjustments in a way that somehow improved the therapy (over using 20). But if I understand it correctly then this is not how it works – the algorithm doesn’t regard the maximum pressure beyond restricting it when it wants to go higher, but there is a lower maximum pressure set.

Thanks for the responses! I think my therapy is optimized as it is – I’m just curious how things work.

It generally won't' matter in the this case. However, if you should need a higher pressure one night (perhaps because of a cold or allergy) it will go there that night.

My upper level is at 14, though I never seem to hit it.
I turned it down from 20 after frequent runaway pressures woke me too often.
I would prefer to have a slightly higher AHI (average 1.2) than lose sleep.

Chapalauser wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:22 am

A potential issue is you might find significant mask leakage.

Completely and utterly false.

alexander wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2019 8:03 am

One of my thoughts where that if the max pressure was set closer to the actual max pressure then the algorithm would do adjustments in a way that somehow improved the therapy (over using 20).

No.

The only thing a higher max pressure would do is cause the pressure used during the max fit function to be higher. Mask fit always blows at the highest pressure the machine is set for. I have found I prefer to have my minimum pressure set high enough to control almost all of my events. My minimum pressure is 19 and the max is 25, but I seldom go over 19.5. I tried lower minimum pressures, but I found the pressure changes more disturbing than the constant high pressure.

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:55 am

Lets say you have the choice of two bathroom scales, one has a capacity of 300 lbs, the other 340 lbs, you weigh 200. Does it matter which one you use?

Great analogy.

Chapalauser wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:22 am

A potential issue is you might find significant mask leakage.

HUH?? HOW would that happen, if the pressure never goes higher?