Does anyone know if using a CPAP when you no longer need one, or need a lower pressure, has any bad effects?

I've been using mine since shortly before surgery, and for a long time I felt SOOOO much better. But lately, I've been really tired a lot, and realized today that after not using my CPAP for two nights I'm feeling better. More focused and more awake. Now, I realize it could be totally unrelated, but it got me thinking...

I do have to go see my sleep doctor again next month and will talk to him also, but wondered about this.

I also found that I was sleeping terrible. I found my mouth was sooooo dry in the morning. So, I put my mask on, in the day time, and laid down. Soon, I found the cause of dry mouth. THE PRESSURE WAS WAY TOO HIGH!!!! It kept opening my mouth. Before the weight loss, 14 was a good pressure for me, but down some and it was not. I tried to get it changed, but the doctor wanted to see me and then I had to go for another sleep study. SO, I looked on Ebay and someone was selling the instructions of how to change your CPAP settings. Of course, this is a very well guarded secret to keep you going back and spending more money with doctors and sleep institutes. SOOO, I order that and reset my pressure at 10 and it was like night and day!!! I was so amazed! I couldn't believe the difference. That was at about 30 pounds down, now at 60 I think I need to do another adjustment to it. I don't know why they can't let you know how to adjust these things. It IS our bodies and I think we know when something needs changed and shouldn't have to pay up the yingyang to do so. Hope that all made sense.

It did, thanks. My Dr did lower the pressure in January without a new sleep test, so I'm hoping he'll do so again. He said he probably wouldn't have me do another test until I'm down at least 100 pounds. Luckily my insurance covered it and will again.

Deanna,

Do those instructions work with all C-Pap machines or just your brand? Mine is from Respironics, the Remstar Plus. I would be happy to pay you for a copy if the instructions would work with mine. I remember that I needed pressure changes as I lost weight a year ago and it's a 44-mile round trip to my sleep lab and you have to meet with the physician each time. Thanks.

Serena,

No need to pay for it. I had a respironcs viruoso LX and that is the instructions that I have it for. I do have a Remstar now though and I saw the guy change my pressure. You unplug your machine. Hold down the two middle gray buttons and then plug it back in while holding these down. That should take you into your menu to change your pressure. I have not tried to change mine on this machine as of yet, so I don't know what happens after you get in the menu, but I will go do it right now and see what happens and get back to you.

It seems that if you hold down on the two buttons in the middle and then plug the machine in, a few seconds go by and the machine unlocks. There is a little icon on screen that shows a lock that is unlocked. I think the first numbers you see are the ramp numbers. push the left gray button and go to the cpap pressure you want.. Mine was at 10 and I could not make it go any higher, but could lower it down by two points a button push. I have a humidiefier on my machine, the humidifier button and the ramp button are the two that make the pressure go up or down. When down, press the on/off button. Hope that helps.

Deanna,

I can't thank you enough!! Just think--it won't be long before we can kiss our Remstars good-bye for good!

I know....wont that be great!!! Did you try it? Did it work???

I haven't yet. I have to leave now for a chiropractor's appointment and I'll try when I get home. I'll report back. Thanks.

Hey Jack - nice to see you!

I've now gone 3 nights without the Cpap, and I really feel a lot better then I was. DH says I'm snoring a little, but not much and not all night. I do find it a little harder to fall asleep without the hose, but once I fall asleep I really do better.

The other night I had a pulled muscle and all I wanted to do was go to bed. After showering, I just got into bed and forgot to put the mask on. I fell asleep and did wake up a lot during the night, but I didn't wake feeling like I was dead, or clawing my way out of the bed trying to get air. I did put it on about 4 a.m. and then did not wake back up. I still think I have a little ways to go before completely going off of it.

Deanna,

It worked!! I was a little anxious about doing it myself (I kept imagining getting a lecture from the sleep doc if I messed it up) so I enlisted help from a techie friend. What a relief! Thanks again!

Oh great!!! I know what you mean about being scared!!! I was too when I did it on the first machine, even though I had the instructions to do it. I only knew how to change the Remstar because of the fact that when they came to set up the new machine, they asked me what pressure I was at, and I told them 10, so he changed it right there in front of me. SOOOO glad it worked for you and hope that you can sleep better now!!

Thanks for the tip on adjusting the Remstar machines. It worked great on my Remstar Plus

You are soooo welcome. I don't think we should be out in the dark on these machines. We are the ones who have to use them, we should be able to adjust them to make them the best for us.