BiPap Too Loud - Now Spouse Can't Sleep

Hi All:

I am a recently diagnosed "hosehead" (67 AHI; Desat to 61%; 19/13 bipap). I try to wait for my spouse to fall asleep before turning my machine on so she doesn't see my nightly battle and the noise doesn't keep her up.

I started with straight CPAP at 19 with a nearly silent Respironics Remstar Pro w/ C-Flex. The machine was great, but I could not easily exhale against the 19 pressure, even with the C-Flex. Within 3 days, I had a Resmed VPAP III BiPap initially set at 18/12, but after my overnight monitor recorded more than 40 desats of 4+, it was increased to 19/13. With the VPAP III, I could breath much easier, but the train whistle type whining of the machine made it difficult to fall alseep. Even worse, when my wife woke in the middle of the night, she could not fall back asleep due to the noise. I was very disappointed to have had a good night sleep, but then wake up and realize that my spouse spent the night on the couch because due to the VPAP noise. A few days later, I switched back to the Remstar Pro w/ C-Flex CPAP at 19, hoping that I could now tolerate the exhale against the 19--Nope! (Although, my spouse had a good night sleep and didn't evacuate to the couch) Now, I am trying the Respironoics BiPap Pro w/ Bi-Flex, which I find is slightly louder than the Resmed VPAP III, but the noise is a constant level (no whining), even during the ramp. My spouse was able to sleep through the night, but I had to let her fall asleep first and the noise made it difficult for me to fall asleep.

The machines and I are battling ... but I will win--my life depends on it!

What is the quietest Bilevel machine available? Any suggestions are appreciated.

I have to ask, where do you have your machine in relation to your pillow? Many people tend to put it on a nightstand at the side of their bed, which has the machine just about pillow height. This is just about the worst place to put it for both noise and rainout control!

Instead, have the machine low; put it on the floor or a lower shelf of a nightstand so any noise is down around floor level and is being trapped and muffled by the bedding.

Sorry, I have no experience with BiPAP so I can't offer more specific advice on machines.