How much pressure?

[DBolding]

Hi Guys

Just wondering, what pressure setting is your CPAP on?

I have just finished a week with a titrating machine to record my apnea's and to find my best pressure setting, have now been told I need to increase my machine from 10 up to 15. Sounds kinda high to me? What do you think?

[Joe McManus]

Most machines go up to 20 so you're in the upper quarter with 15. Most CPAPers I know are between 10 and 16 so you're not extremely high. Only when it keeps creeping up should you get worried. When nearing the max of 20, they often change you to a BiPAP machine which also sucks air back out.

If the increase worries you, there are techniques to keep it level or even reduce the pressure need. Some OSA patients respond well to... Drumroll... Singing! It tones the throat muscles. Whether or not you're the next Leona Lewis (or sound like a dying cat), regardless of the quality, the quantity of singing can tone the soft palate and reduce the chance of airway collapse.

Weightloss (in the case of OSA due to excess tissue, would not work in case of another cause like a recessed lower jaw) is another option to avoid worsening of the condition you're in. This route (diet & exercise) helped me to go back to just 8cm from 12-13 and keep the AHI index virtually at 0.

Having said that, my Auto machine will compensate for whatever state I'm in so I don't have to worry about re-titration every year.

Do you know of or did the hospital point out anything which may have caused the need to up the pressure by 50%?

[DBolding]

ohh so 15 isn't so bad then :-) was getting a little worried :-) This is the first time the hospital have actually put me on a titration machine to record my data, even though I have been on CPAP for nearly a year now, lol. NHS are graet arnt they :-) lol. Im actually waiting for a prescription which I hope to get this week so I can go buy my own machine, thinking a ResMed S8 AutoSet Spirit II what do you think? I like the sound of that machine as it will let me track my data daily or weekly on the actual machine itself.

[Joe McManus]

Here in the UK the most popular choices seem to be ResMed S8 series and Respironics M-Series machines. Either comes from a quality manufacturer who've been making machines for decades. You can't go wrong either way so indeed it comes down to personal preference for certain bells and whistles.

I read my data with Encore Pro but reading off the machine would be even easier I guess.

[chelseauk]

Hi ya..

mines at auto machine and it wants to run at 17-18 -but 15 is far more comfotable.

So 15 doesn't seem to bad - from what i've read 12-14 is about normal.

[puffin]

Hi my machine is set at a mere 10!