VPAP Spontaneous Triggered & Cycled Breaths

[SarcasticDave94]

Wow, Matt00926,

Are you a teacher? You're doing an awesome job on educating my elementary class. Kudos.

not a sarcastic post...

[airbusA346]

Airbus:

While you are awake, is the device itself comfortable? When you try to breathe in, does it trigger a breath/inhalation properly in sync with your breathing?

Another reason for possible machine triggered breaths, aside from breathing below the set backup rate, is that the "trigger sensitivity" is too low and so the machine does not sense you trying to take a breath, so the machine does it for you. This is just a possibility, and the setting may not need adjusting. But, while awake if you do breath in, and nothing happens, then trigger definitely does need adjusting. This is harder to tell if it's happening when you're asleep, well, because you're asleep lol.

If the inhalation portion feels too short, meaning you are trying to inhale but the machine cuts out, then you can lower the cycle sensitivity or increase the Ti Min setting (or both).

Depending on the severity of your scoliosis, especially if you have a kyphosis curve as well, this would in effect be called a chest wall disorder, which is an extrapulmonary (meaning it's a mechanical problem, not your lungs themselves) restrictive disease because the curvature compresses the lungs in a way that makes them difficult to expand properly. That process overtime causes issues with ventilation, hence the retention of CO2.

The only reason I know the above is because I suffer from that exact condition .

When I'm awake I wouldn't says it uncomfortable or comfortable, but last night was only my 3rd night of using it.

The sensitivity is set to medium and always seems to pick up when I'm inhaling/exhaling.

One problem I was having last night was when I was lying on my back and exhaling I was making a snort/snore sound, even when I was awake.

Triggered breaths was only 5% last night too.

[Matt00926]

What is your respiratory rate while awake and using the machine? It should show on the screen.

Do you sleep on your back? (Supine sleeping is known to make sleep apnea worse, and also respiratory function in respiratory patients, as it generally decreases one's vital capacity due to the diaphragm being compromised.)

[SarcasticDave94]

FWIW back sleeping as Matt states can increase AHI numbers. It can be doubly bad for people like myself with apnea and COPD.

[airbusA346]

What is your respiratory rate while awake and using the machine? It should show on the screen.

Do you sleep on your back? (Supine sleeping is known to make sleep apnea worse, and also respiratory function in respiratory patients, as it generally decreases one's vital capacity due to the diaphragm being compromised.)

Not sure... Can't read the screen when I've got my mask on.  Need glasses and FitLife steams up.

On ResScan resp rate is between 20-35 in the first 15-20 minutes.

I sleep on both sides and back.  Start on left or right side, then go on my back then on the other side from where I started.  Then back on my back and other side.  I do that throughout the night.

[Matt00926]

Can you post an image of what is happening during a typical night? From res scan.

[airbusA346]

Can you post an image of what is happening during a typical night? From res scan.

From Sunday...

                     

[Matt00926]

Yeah you are spontaneously breathing at or below 15bpm...that's why you are getting the timed backup rate almost the entire night. If it's comfortable it doesn't really matter, the machine doing most of the work for you isn't a bad thing.