Question:
I was just started on CPAP at a pressure of 8. What does that mean?

Is that high pressure?    — Kathryn L. (posted on February 23, 2002)

February 23, 2002
My cpap is set at 6 and this is considered low. I asked the respiratory therapist about it and she said "that's all it takes in your case to keep your airway open". Sleep apnea is sleep apnea, whether you need a setting of 6 or 14. It's set at whatever it takes to keep "your" airway open. Hugs, Joy
   — [Deactivated Member]

February 23, 2002
I agree with the previous post. My setting is 11, my husbands is 15. It is the amount of pressure necessary to reach the proper effect of effecient breathing.By the way, I just found out that I cannot use my cpap for approximately 3 weeks post op. My dr says it blows a certain amount of air into your stomach as well and he doesnt want that until the pouch has had time to heal. Makes sense to me. Good luck. I hated my cpap for the first two weeks, but I kept with it and now I love it. patsy
   — PATSY N.

February 23, 2002
A pressure of 8 is fairly low. Mine was just adjusted to 18, which the pulmonoligst told me is pretty high. Just want to echo the previous poster. I did not have a difficult time getting used to it, but I know lots of people do. If you do, stick with it. The first time I had it on all night, in the sleep lab, I felt better the next morning than I had in a very long time. Now I don't know what I'll do without it once I get to a point where I can give it up.
   — garw

February 23, 2002
Mine was 15, my husband's was 10. But our sleep apnea was steadiliy kililng us both. I was carrying more weight proportionally than he was. Who knows? I can sympathize with Gar, as Don was "done" with sleep apnea in 60 days or so, but since our surgeries are a year apart, that was months 13-14 for me and I was STILL using mine, too. We were keeping each other awake with the escaping air, so we started sleeping with them, on, but mask under the pillow. We got the white noise, and had our security thing going, but the blowing air didn't keep us awake. Took us another month or so to let go completely.
   — vitalady

February 23, 2002
That's my pressure, too! I'm glad you asked that question as I was too mad about having to use the CPAP to pay attention to the guys who explained it to me!
   — jenn2002