Got Bipap instead of prescribed ResMed Autoset machine. Please help me get going.

[marvin2023]

Hey everyone. I was prescribed a ResMed Auto CPAP from my online sleep study doctor, but I unfortunately couldn't afford one so my cousin gave me her machine that she hasn't used in 1 year. She gave me her ResMed Autocurve 10 S which is a Bipap machine.

I have the settings at IPAP: 8 and EPAP:5. I used that for 2 nights and I was getting .1 AHI on the reading which I believe is good but I was waking up so tired and it took me a while to sleep when I typically fall asleep in 5 minutes without the machine. So I'm thinking that reading isn't enough for me to know if my settings are optimal. I did try a pressure of 10 and my AHI went up to around 1.

Overall, I'm noticing that my breathing seems off (tried an Airfit F20 and a Philips Dreamwear - both full face since I tend to breath from my mouth sometimes). Basically I'm feeling like I'm being forced to breathe too fast. That's the best way I could describe it. When setting it to regular CPAP mode (just started testing that a bit ago before making this post), it's feeling like I have to force an exhale. It's very weird. So I put it back to the S mode where the IPAP and EPAP settings can be adjusted. Is it normal for CPAP mode to feel like I can't exhale? I looked online and people mentioned an ERP setting but that doesn't exist on this machine model. When I'm in the S mode, the exhale isn't a problem. It's easier to exhale the lower I go (3 is the minimum).

I'm just not sure where to go from here. I just want to obviously get my settings right and sleep comfortably. If you guys can help me it would be greatly appreciated. I've had years of terrible sleep and just need to get this fixed.

If it helps, attached is the data that was recorded with my sleep study.

[Sleeprider]

Please download the free OSCAR software which will give much better data on the events and therapy. Your AHI is good, but that kind of summary is not going let us identify why you still fee unsatisfied with the therapy. The Aircurve 10 VPAP-S is a good machine, but we're going to need the data to help you optimize and find the problem areas. The feeling of resistance for exhale is a common complaint for CPAP, and you have a lot of settings we might use to help. With IPAP 8.0, EPAP 5.0 that is the same as using a Resmed CPAP at 8.0 pressure with EPR at 3. OSCAR is the answer to your questions, and be sure you have a SD card 4-32 GB to put in the card slot of your machine.

[marvin2023]

Thank you I will use that ASAP and report back here. I appreciate the quick response.