Need help changing BIPAP settings

[mrmark01]

That's a pretty high EPAP and not much pressure support (that 3 cm difference between EPAP and IPAP).
Do you have any sort of lung condition going on that might need to be dealt with?

And yes, I understand that reducing EPAP so that you can exhale easier and thus actually use the machine even if the therapy wasn't quite optimal would be a better choice than not using the machine at all.

It's the difference between EPAP and IPAP that makes the breathing against the EPAP pressure easier. So the more difference there is the greater the exhale relief to make it easier to exhale. 4 or 5 cm difference is more comfortable than 3 cm. You might try EPAP of 12 or 13 and see if that offers much relief.

Are you able to pull the data off the machine so that you can evaluate your therapy with the proposed change?

Thanks, 13.2 seems to be the magic number on the epap side. I worked it down to that in increments. Also a small change ont he IPAP side. from 18. to 17.4

Will see how it works tonight. seemed good while I was testing it. crossing fingers for a great night sleep.

[mrmark01]

That's a pretty high EPAP and not much pressure support (that 3 cm difference between EPAP and IPAP).
Do you have any sort of lung condition going on that might need to be dealt with?

And yes, I understand that reducing EPAP so that you can exhale easier and thus actually use the machine even if the therapy wasn't quite optimal would be a better choice than not using the machine at all.

It's the difference between EPAP and IPAP that makes the breathing against the EPAP pressure easier. So the more difference there is the greater the exhale relief to make it easier to exhale. 4 or 5 cm difference is more comfortable than 3 cm. You might try EPAP of 12 or 13 and see if that offers much relief.

Are you able to pull the data off the machine so that you can evaluate your therapy with the proposed change?

Do you mean like hook up a data cable? no I don't have that... only thing I have is the results menu choice.

[Pugsy]

Yes, I meant the cable so you could use the software available but if I remember correctly the data on the LCD screen is probably good enough for you to be able to make sure that the changes didn't make any huge difference in therapy.
Those aren't all that big of a change and I doubt if they would make a huge difference. Even if it makes a small difference it would be a better compromise than not using the machine at all.