length of inhale/exhale cycle?

[Brian12465]

Brought my new BIPAP machine home & tried it for the first time last night (ResMed VPAP III) My inhale/exhale pressures are 13/7. One of my biggest problems was that, although the inhale time is set at 2.5 seconds, it forced me to breathe in and out at a more rapid rate than I would naturally. Also, I was unable to take an occasional deep, slow breath (as I often do randomly when lying in bed) because the inhale pressure wouldn't last as long as the breath I was trying to take. Consequently, I would be in the middle of a deep breath and suddenly I'd be fighting against the exhale phase of the cycle. This doesn;'t sound like a big deal, but not being able to have that occasional, random deep breath made my chest tighten up and I felt miserable. I tried ramping up a couple more times but I finally had to give up, put the gear away and go back to sleeping with a BreatheRight strip and the t-shirt with the tennis balls on the back.

My DME clinician tells me that the inhale phase can only be extended by another 1/2 second, to 3 seconds, that the machine can't be set to follow me when I breathe the way that feels natural, and that I just have to get used to the inflexible cycle that the machine sets forth. I'm willing to keep trying but wouldn't an auto-titrating machine be more flexible with my natural patterns and let me have a deep breath now & then?

If so, is there such a thing as an auto-titrating BIPAP? I'm told that they're only available in CPAP mode.

Thanks!
Brian

PS: If you think that your inhale pressure is to high, how can you prove it without having another sleep study? If it is, is there a danger of injury/illness from hyperventilation?

[wolftracker]

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/bipap-auto-biflex.html

it kind of sounds like what you want ... just my .02

Digital Auto-Trak Algorithm Allows this machine to track and react to your natural breathing pattern.

[hrc54]

Hi-

I own a Bi-Pap Auto (with Bi-flex) & since it tracks your breath what exactly is the "rise" time?
I have it set a 3 but, I'm still confused what it is & how it comes into play.


Thanks-Bob