M Series Auto Bipap setting help, please

Hi everyone,

I wonder if someone can help suggest some setting changes to my Respironics M Series Auto Bipap w/Biflex. I've been using the Bipap for a year now, since my last sleep study. Settings are currently 11/14 with Biflex at 2. I'd like to try an auto setting for a week or so to see if I'm even in the right range anymore, but not sure what I should set it at. Any suggestions? Thanks for any help!

If it were me, and I'd been using the M BiPAP Auto at EPAP 11 / IPAP 14, Bi-Flex 2, I'd give these autotitrating bilevel settings a try:

Auto Bilevel (Auto-titrating bipap mode)
Max IPAP 20.0
Min EPAP 10.0
Max Press Sup 8.0
Bi-Flex Setting 2
Autoramp time 0:00
Mask Alert Feature OFF
Auto Off Feature ON
Split Night Time - Off
Show AHI/Leak Feature ON
Patient Reminder OFF

IPAP won't actually start at 20. EPAP will start at 10. IPAP will start only 2 cms above EPAP, so IPAP will start at 12. Both EPAP and IPAP can vary throughout the night.

Below are links to a couple of my old posts, explaining my understanding of the "Max Press Sup" setting. That's the setting that determines how far apart EPAP and IPAP are allowed to range from each other. They can never get closer together than 2 cms, but IPAP can climb as far as 8 cms upward without dragging EPAP up unnecessarily along with it...if you set Max Press Sup for as much as it will allow. The most allowed for that is 8 cm.

Maximum Pressure Support setting -- like two dogs yoked together on a leash.

That setting is called "Max Press Sup" in the M series BiPAP Auto.
It's called "PS" in the older non-M series BiPAP Auto.
Same thing.

viewtopic.php?t=22099
Jul 14, 2007 subject: What is 'Max Press Sup'

viewtopic.php?t=15666
Dec 08, 2006 subject: Question for BiPap users - UPDATED 12/14/2006

Oh, RG, you are truly a blessing to this site -- thank you! I'm going to use those settings tonight and keep my fingers crossed and nostrils open and hope to find a setting that will give me the therapy I seem to be lacking. Almost 3 years on C/Bipap and still not quite there. I've GOT to get this right before I lose the last of my remaining poor brain cells.

cascade wrote:... Almost 3 years on C/Bipap and still not quite there. I've GOT to get this right before I lose the last of my remaining poor brain cells.

I don't want to discourage you, but this isn't like having tonsils taken out. You change over time, your needs change over time, you learn to live with the need to adjust and adapt. But that's the great news. You will learn. It's almost second nature for you now. But it does come with time. So, hang in there.

As to worrying about those few remainging brain cells.... Unfortuantely for me, my wife says I graduated from Space Academy a LONG time ago! So, she is certain that I must at least be a Space Captain by now ... !!

So, which is worse ... getting older and forgetting stuff, fighting through bad sleep and forgetting stuff, or just forgetting stuff. I wish I knew. I fear it's all three for me!

But don't worry. Actually, you will find as you make those adjustments and get back to good sleep your memory should improve some as well. Of course, you might need to try some memory games to help. It's simple things that can help. For example, when we go out to eat I always ask the names of the wait staff. Then I use those names everytime I talk with them. I always apologize if I mangle a name. I don't worry that I might get it wrong. I will. I'm human. But this does two things. It helps me remember how to learn and remember. And it makes my interaction with others much more personable. Everyone wins.

So, simple things can help your memory.

rested gal wrote:If it were me, and I'd been using the M BiPAP Auto at EPAP 11 / IPAP 14, Bi-Flex 2, I'd give these autotitrating bilevel settings a try:

Auto Bilevel (Auto-titrating bipap mode)
Max IPAP 20.0
Min EPAP 10.0
Max Press Sup 8.0
Bi-Flex Setting 2
Autoramp time 0:00
Mask Alert Feature OFF
Auto Off Feature ON
Split Night Time - Off
Show AHI/Leak Feature ON
Patient Reminder OFF

IPAP won't actually start at 20. EPAP will start at 10. IPAP will start only 2 cms above EPAP, so IPAP will start at 12. Both EPAP and IPAP can vary throughout the night.

Below are links to a couple of my old posts, explaining my understanding of the "Max Press Sup" setting. That's the setting that determines how far apart EPAP and IPAP are allowed to range from each other. They can never get closer together than 2 cms, but IPAP can climb as far as 8 cms upward without dragging EPAP up unnecessarily along with it...if you set Max Press Sup for as much as it will allow. The most allowed for that is 8 cm.

Maximum Pressure Support setting -- like two dogs yoked together on a leash.

That setting is called "Max Press Sup" in the M series BiPAP Auto.
It's called "PS" in the older non-M series BiPAP Auto.
Same thing.

viewtopic.php?t=22099
Jul 14, 2007 subject: What is 'Max Press Sup'

viewtopic.php?t=15666
Dec 08, 2006 subject: Question for BiPap users - UPDATED 12/14/2006

These are basically the same settings that my doctor had my new Bipap machine set at.