Back Up Rate

Hi -

For those using machines with a backup rate, do you ever get used to those extra forced breaths right as you're exhaling? Kept me awake all night last night. Never could get used to it. I'm wondering if we can skip the backup and just use the machine as a regular BIPAP. I've got to have some sort breathing rhythm if I am to relax and sleep.

lwieland11 wrote:I'm wondering if we can skip the backup and just use the machine as a regular BIPAP.

No, the backup is what is breathing for you because of your central apnea.
Regular bilevel without the backup rate won't do it. It can't. It will just try to wait for you to breathe and you won't and it won't do anything and you will have those central apneas.

There are adjustments that can be made to the timing of the inhale/exhale to make it more in tune with your own rhythm.
You need to get with your medical care team to make those adjustments. There's a lot of tweaking available with the settings to slow down or speed up the rhythm.

The DME has adjusted it twice now. The sleep doc tried dropping the number of breaths to see if that helped last night. Unfortunately, it didn't. These "breaths" interrupt my normal breathing patterns and wake me up. I never got back to sleep. Guess I'll go back to the DME.

What is the backup rate set to? What is your average BPM?
My average BPM is about 16 or so depending on the night and phases of the moon.
That means a breath every 4 seconds.

Setting the backup rate to a very low number relative to your average BPM would mean that it would almost certainly be reacting to a real central apnea. It may be that you are reacting to the suuden pressure increase while asleep and perceiving it as happening during an exhale.

As suggested, check with your doctor as you might need another sleep study to see what is actually happening.

The doctor told me yesterday that they dropped the number of breaths from 16 to 14. Last night, I was so tired, I just slept through everything, the extra breaths, etc. never woke up once, which is very unusual but good. I think maybe upping the exercise might help me sleep through all these things that are keeping me awake and last longer on the machine. Right now, I'm just doing a little over 4 hours a night. I'd like to get at least 6. My average AHI lately is just over 5. My doctor has written me a prescription for Sonata. Would rather not rely on meds for this.