hyperventilation danger?

[Brian12465]

If you've been given a pressure that's too high (13), is there a danger of injury/illness from hyperventilation? I think I feel a bit goofy after the machine gets up to full pressure, but it's hard to tell because I'm sleepy.

[Goofproof]

The Sleep study, should have selected the correct pressure for you, too high of a pressure causes Central Apnea events, too little pressure doesn't provide the treatment patients with Apnea need.

Without a machine that monitors your treatment and the software, You have to rely on their judgement, or their dartboard.

I'm Goofy before and after the machine gets up to pressure, well maybe that's not entirely correct, I'm Goofproof! Jim

[Darth Vader Look]

If you've been given a pressure that's too high (13), is there a danger of injury/illness from hyperventilation? I think I feel a bit goofy after the machine gets up to full pressure, but it's hard to tell because I'm sleepy.

You should consider selecting the equipment you use in your profile so that we know what you use. Some people have mentioned that the Respironics C-flex causes them to breathe differently resulting in hyperventilation. This may be the same for you. I have never heard of anyone injured directly as a result of hyperventilation. Indirectly, they may have fallen and hit something. I have only heard of people passing out from hyperventilation. Of course when they come to they are breathing just fine.

[Brian12465]

Thanks! This should have the updated info. Now I just need to fgure out how to get these smileys to work... Nope, can't drag 'em. What am I missing here?

[brasshopper]

I can't imagine a mechanism by which constant pressure could cause hyperventilation. If you could explain how you thought the CPAP (oonstant) machine could cause hyperventilation, it might be possible to comment.

Breathing is work. Most people believe that breathing with a CPAP is more work - it is certainly more work to exhale against the pressure.

If you have a bi-level pap, of course, it could assist you in breathing, but generally, higher pressure would make if harder to breathe - out - easier to breathe in.

[Darth Vader Look]

Thanks! This should have the updated info. Now I just need to fgure out how to get these smileys to work... Nope, can't drag 'em. What am I missing here?

Just click on them and they will appear as the text equivalent in the reply box but when you click the preview button it should show up as the actual smiley. If you place one or more at the end of your post you will have to add a period after them in order to get them to show up properly.

[rested gal]

Brian, when using your machine (VPAP III bi-level) do you ever feel like it's out of sync with your breathing? By that I mean, does it seem like it often cuts off your inhalation abruptly while you are still trying to breathe in?

If so, there are several settings in the clinical menu of the VPAP III that can adjust the machine to better match your normal breathing pattern. Quite a few DMEs are either unaware of those extra settings or don't take the time to really see if the default settings suit you.

Those are comfort issue settings, so it would be ok to change them to see if some adjustment gets the machine gee'ing and haw'ing with you better. I had to put the "IPAP Max" setting at the longest time (highest number) to make the VPAP III be comfortable enough for me to use, even though I don't take unusually long or deep breaths. "IPAP Max" has nothing to do with the regular IPAP pressure setting, by the way.

"IPAP Max" simply adjusts the time that the machine is allowed to deliver the inhalation pressure WHILE YOU ARE INHALING. If the IPAP Max time is set shorter than your normal inhalation time, the machine switches over to the lower exhalation pressure, even if you are not finished breathing in.

If you were to set the IPAP Max for longer than you actually inhale, it doesn't matter. The machine is going to switch to the lower exhalation pressure no matter what, as soon as you stop inhaling.

An IPAP Max time set too short can make for a bumpy ride with the VPAP III. If the IPAP Max time is set too low to suit how long you normally breathe in, that might be causing you to try to breathe faster in an attempt to "keep up with what the machine is doing." Kind of like the way C-flex enabled in a Respironics machine doesn't suit a few people and causes them to try to breathe too rapidly. C-flex works differently though, and there's a slightly different reason for it not suiting some people...they can just turn off C-Flex if it bothers them.

Let us know if that seems to be what's happening...if the machine seems to be cutting off your inhalation too soon. If that's the case, the IPAP Max timer needs to be set for a longer time. That will be easy for you to do yourself, via the buttons on top of the machine.