CPAP, Oxygen and BiPap...Help

I am struggling in my cpap journey. Last year I was sent to Mayo for microvascular heart disease. Before I went, I read that lack of oxygen can create heart issues. I asked sleep doc to do overnight oximeter and he did and then put me on 1 ltr oxygen at night; wasn't enough, so he added another and have now been on 2 ltr of oxygen per minute for about a year.

Lately, the past few months, I have intense dreams and awake feeling as if my heart is racing (though it is not racing at all) and like I am needing air. I breathe very shallow when I sleep...and am suspicious I may stop breathing from time to time.

Today I awoke in pain and the doctor diagnosed me with Atelectasis and said I had a partially collapsed lung. I find myself wondering if I am just breathing so shallowly that I am not getting enough support from CPAP.

How do you know if you need BiPap or other interventions? And,how is the complex sleep apnea diagnosed?

I appreciate any thoughts, comments, or ideas. Thanks.

How about filling out your profile with the exact equipment you're using (make/model of machine and mask) and the settings.....pressure, humidifier, exhale relief, etc.

Without some information, we have no idea what to suggest.


Den

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Thanks for that idea Den. I am pretty naive on all this.

I use this machine: ResMed S9 AutoSet™ w/H5i™ Humidifier and ClimateLine™ Tube

I think the pressure setting is 12 (I can't adjust it myself)

don't know what exhale relief is...sorry.

Use humidity and add 2 liter of oxygen per minute. Hope that helps.

prairie wrote:Thanks for that idea Den. I am pretty naive on all this.

I use this machine: ResMed S9 AutoSet™ w/H5i™ Humidifier and ClimateLine™ Tube

I think the pressure setting is 12 (I can't adjust it myself)

don't know what exhale relief is...sorry.

Use humidity and add 2 liter of oxygen per minute. Hope that helps.

No time like the present to learn. We were all in that position at one time.

Exhale relief in your machine would be "EPR". Setting options are 1, 2, 3 or Off.

What specific mask do you use?

If you go up to the User Control Panel, you can add that stuff to your profile so we won't have to keep asking you.

Here's the brief basics of getting into the setup menu. You should be able to just go through the menu and see the settings without changing anything. It would be a good idea to write them down in case you have to reset them back to your current configuration.


ResMed S9 AutoSet & Elite:
Plug in machine and turn the Push Dial until the device is showing the Home position (Home Icon illuminated).
In Home position, press the Push Dial and the Setup Menu buttons down simultaneously for 3 seconds.
The clinician menu will appear.
Select parameter(s) you wish to modify with the Push Dial (push down to select, turn to modify).
When done, select the <<home choice from the displayed menu and the adjustment is saved.


I believe you can download the clinician manual from this link.

http://www.apneuvereniging.nl/forum/pdf ... manual.pdf


Den

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I'm not very good with this stuff, but I will give it a try and let you know how it goes. Thanks.

A doctor will order a Bipap if someone's cpap pressure gers too high that they are having a hard time tolerating it. By switching to Bipap the doc can usually lower the epap (exhale pressure) and still eliminate the apneas.
The other reason for a Bipap is if someone can't get used to cpap even if the cpap is set at a low pressure. Some people do better on Bipap. The insurance will ask for documentation showing the pt tried but could not tolerate cpap.
Finally, if someone has shallow breathing a Bipap can be ordered to help the pt take a deeper breath. Usually the 2 settings (Ipap and Epap) are set far apart (>4) to help the pt take a deep breath. We see this with ALS pts.