What pressures?

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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on June 6, 2018 at 0:42

Hi Chris

I think you mean 'APAP' rather than 'acap' and if so, it will have automatic pressures.  It's not really recommended to alter your own pressures, and people only usually do that in desperation if they don't feel they're getting support from their hospitals, but hopefully you are!  It does sound like you're struggling with the mask though and ideally you should have one that isn't causing your nose to block.  Many of us are mouth breathers, but nose breathing is far more healthy.  I do try to nose breathe as often as I can, but it's impossible to control this when I'm asleep so I have to use a full face mask.  I've actually been under an ENT consultant who has verified I'll never be a proper nose breather!

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Permalink Reply by Sleep2snore on June 6, 2018 at 17:47

I hope they set the low pressure up and that it is not left 4 to 20.

I find a lot of people is given machines set up like this and that is not really good.

It is not recommended that you shift the pressures on an NHS machine, the clinic will not be amused.

When I got a new APAP machine they took a guess at what low pressure I would need.

I told them it would not be at that pressure for long.

My last machine was not set at the pressure it was set at when they gave me it either, I told them I shifted it to give me better treatment.  The Sleep Nurse was not happy about it, but her boss didn't appear to be bothered, he just sent her back to ask if I know what I was doing.  Well, I do but I have straight forward OSA and not complicated Apnoea which can be a bit more difficult to treat.

So if you think you do not get enough pressure or your partner say you still snore or you appear to stop breathing, get in touch with the clinic.

If you feel you you are not getting enough air at the low pressure, get in touch with the clinic.

If it is set at 4 and you find it wakes you up when when the pressure rises you need a higher lower pressure.

If you find it hard to breathe out against the machine, you need Expiry Relief turned on.

There are other types of Apnoea, but don't worry about them for now.

Most people are O.S.A. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea with a hint of C.A. Central Apnoea, but unless you forget to breathe, don't worry about it.

If you are a mouth breather I hope they gave you a Full-faced mask or a Hybrid one, though you can get a mouth breathing only mask, but then air will tend to leak out of your nose, so you might need to prevent this.

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