Bipap?

[Queen Celeste]

I've used cpap for 41 frustrating nights with increased pressure causing many issues.  Dr has suggested bipap.  I need info please.  What am I dealing with here.

[Sleeprider]

hey Celeste! Welcome to the forum. Since you have an Airsense 10 Autoset, you have data, and we could probably help you figure it out. My guess is that the BiPAP won't actually help, unless it is an an adaptive servo ventilator (ASV). If you really want to know what's going on, download #Sleepyhead software (free and runs on a PC or Mac), and post your data using the instructions in the first two links in my signature. It's possible you have complex apnea which affects about 10-15% of CPAP users. Complex apnea is a mixture of both obstructive apnea, which is what CPAP treats, and central apnea.

Would love to help you, but need more information to do so. If my hunch is correct, then your current machine set to 4-10 might be able to help you on a fixed pressure without exhale pressure relief (EPR). A couple minor setting changes might give you some relief.

[Queen Celeste]

I'm not ready to go that route yet. I don't want to jeapardise insurance, and I want to establish a good working rapport with a doctor I just met. I would appreciate some knowledgable information on bipaps.  Thanks.

[Gideon]

There are several different types of BiPaps.  Which type of BiPap you get will impact your therapy. Upload your data as suggested and you will learn what type of BiPap you should get and why.

Really hard to do without data.

[Sleepster]

In the simplest case a BiPAP (more properly called a bi-level machine) delivers two levels of pressure. A higher pressure on inhale called the IPAP and a lower pressure on exhale called the EPAP. These machines, among other things, make breathing more comfortable. If you do get one I suggest you ask for one that auto-adjusts the pressure.

I use a bi-level machine because I swallow air. The lower exhale pressure means I swallow less air. But I have to be careful to not raise the pressure support (the difference between IPAP and EPAP) too high as it induces central apneas.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Queen Celeste,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I wish you good luck with your CPAP therapy and getting the machine that will best serve your needs.

[Queen Celeste]

Thanks to all. A little info on this newbie. I was diagnosed with normal tension glaucoma. Eye Dr said get sleep study. (I said I sleep just fine) Sleep b study = apnea. - go figure. 41 nights of frustration, phone calls, and NO input from professionals and I finally meet Dr. who will deal with me. She says see an ENT and have another sleep study for approval of a Bipap. This 70 year old has managed to avoid Dr's, but I guess it's caught up to me. I've had rhinitis most of my adult life. I suspect it is at the root of the problem.

[PaulaO2]

You still haven't really told us what the problems are.

Like Sleepster said, a bi-level PAP sets a different pressure for inhale and exhale. This differs from "exhale pressure relief" found on most xPAPs in that it can go wider than 3cmH2O

For example, my Autoset has an EPR (that is what Resmed calls their exhale relief; Phillips-Resp calls it 'flex') setting of 1, 2, or 3. If my treatment pressure is 10 and I have the EPR set to 2, then my inhale is 10 and the exhale is 8. The biggest difference it can go is 3, so my exhale can go no lower than 7.

A bilevel can make the exhale difference wider. For example, I could have a treatment pressure (inhale) of 10 but an exhale of 6.

Because of the larger drop in pressure, bilevel PAPs are best for folks who have lung issues or, like Sleepster, because of their intolerance for the higher pressures.