Have had the ResMed S-8 Elite with Humidifier about 10 days and haven’t had a lot of success.
I will though.
Ramp time originally 20 min - EPR 3 and a setting of 11cm. A figure of 5 shows on startup.
Wearing the mask produced a feeling of not being able to exhale without exerting considerable extra effort. Also inhaling didn’t give a feeling of getting enough air intake. I’ve had a difficult time understanding the EPR settings. For some reason it just didn’t compute that 3, (the highest EPR) was supposed to provide the least resistance in breathing out until the ramp time expired. .
My Bride of 57 years just informed me that ramp time had nothing to do with EPR. ( By now I should know to give up but I’m somewhat stubborn, hoping I may eventually win one.)
Anyway here is the interesting part. A couple of nights ago I awoke after an hour or so using the mask and felt comfortable in breathing. Not being able to read with the FlexiFit 407 mask doesn’t help my going to sleep promptly. It is my understanding that a longer ramp time gave a greater period of time to adjust to what ever, at the end of that time. By then you are asleep and don’t know the difference. (Sorry this doesn’t make a lot of sense but I don’t know else to word it.) I requested the tech extend the time to 45 min.
Didn’t notice a difference thereafter.  However today, experimenting, I lay on the couch and noticed at the end of the 45 minutes I could breathe much easier and had very little trouble with air coming from the mouth. Something changed that allowed much easier breathing when the ramp time expired.
Some what later I adjusted the ramp time to 10 minutes and started again. This time for some reason breathing was easy from the git go.
The only other variable in this is, that I take 4mg of Requip about a half hour before going to bed.
Don’t know if that might be part of this.
I apologize for the length of this but sure would appreciate your help in solving this puzzle.
Any comments would be appreciated.    

Hi, RJ!

I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes the machine and I breathe together very easily. Other times it feels like it's trying to breathe against me and I feel suffocated. My lungs will even start to hurt. Why this is, I haven't a clue. Sometimes I use the ramp and sometimes not, but it doesn't seem to help or hurt the ease of breathing once it's at full force.

I mentioned it to the nurse at the sleep lab once and she said it has to do with how relaxed you are when you turn the machine on. Not sure I believe that.

rjraymond,

SnoozeHunter may have hit the nail on the head without knowing it when he said that sometimes he uses the ramp and sometimes not.  If you feel you can breathe easier without it, try not using it.  Experiment.  CPAP is not an exact science.  My apnea is extremely severe (pressure 20/17 biflex).  I have to use the ramp.  My machine starts with a pressure of 6 and runs for 45 minutes.  I'm having the same issue.  I know some machines (mine included - Respironics BiPAP Pro 2) allow the patient to adjust starting pressures.  If you have the same machine I do, check the manual.  If not, post your machine make and model and somebody will chime in and let you know if this is possible.  HTH

Sleepy Scott[/quote]

I'm a 15/10 and recently gave up on the ramp feature.  For me it's better to start off strong, rather than feeling like I'm not getting enough air and worrying about when the mask will start leaking.  Now I adjust the mask at full pressure and it lessens the time for me to fall asleep and the surprise leaks in the night.

I guess that if you absolutely need the ramp, you could adjust the mask under full pressure and then hit the ramp button.  Just my $.02 worth again.


_________________
<>< Sleepy Scott <><
Job 7:13-15

I think my problem is solved. To make a long story short, I turned off the ramp last night and had no problems whatsoever. Breathing in or out, felt normal. No fighting it or feeling of having to work at it.
Went to bed at 12:30 , no ramp and a figure of 11 showing on the screen. Guess thats full throttle for me. Woke up about 6:30 surprised, needless to say, with the mask still on.
I don't understand it but what the hey.
Thanks for your help and for anyone experiencing the same feelings I had, I would certainly suggest looking into the ramp time.
ResMed S8 Elite with HumidAire 3i and FlexiFit 407 Nasal Mask.

Lets put my above post on hold a day or so. Just tried to take a nap downstairs and did not  have the same results. Lots of air through the mouth. The downstairs is about 3 degrees cooler that our bedroom upstairs. That might have something to do with it. Will follow up.
 

Maybe the nurse at my sleep lab was right. If you're not warm enough your body might be more tense and make breathing with the machine more difficult.

Beats me.
 Signed off about 12:55. Set ramp to 5 (experimenting).  Humidifier midway, a setting of 3 on my machine. Also used the warmup feature on the humidifier. Allows you to pre warm whatever so you don’t get a cold blast upon startup if using the humidifier.  Was definitely made aware when the ramp had terminated (only 5 min) as I begin imitating Don Ho, remember, Tiny bubbles. (Probably before your time). Except they were not tiny. Felt like I was blowing up a blimp. (Small exaggeration.). Anyway much air from the mouth.
Fought it for about an hour and was just about to give up when things clicked. The mask worked its way into the groove just right, no leakage,  and no feeling of resistance breathing in or out. Remembered turning over a time or two and then the clock showed 8:30. Wow some 7 or 8 hours.

Conclusions: Everything has to pretty much be perfect for a full nights rest.  One of my settings starts off at 5 and peaks at 11cm. I’m not sure what this is but suspect, most important. What I don’t understand I try not to fool with. The ramp allows time to ease into the maximum figure of 11. Some amount of pressure I presume. ( I shall not assume). No ramp time, bam I am full throttle at 11.  I could feel a definite change when we reached the cutoff time for the ramp.  Mask fit properly, top of the list.
Everyone is different. I hope my experiences might give someone a little shortcut into reaching serenity.
Unless I have some humongous revelation I shall put this to rest for awhile. ( What I say, REST. No pun intended.)
Thanks to each one of you for your help.