Pressure mystery......

[sharonious]

Can someone tell me if this makes sense? Pulmonologist showed me results of sleep study done with bi-pap that showed I had apneas at pressures 7 and 8, but not one at 9, and then they began again at 10 and continued at higher pressures. Logically, it seems to me that pressure on bipap machine (inhale) should be at 9. Not 10 or above where apneas began again. Got bipap yesterday and doctor prescribed setting of 12/7. Nurse was called who confirmed that is what doctor wants. I don't know medicine, but is this logical? If someone knows, it would ease my mind. Thanx.

[rested gal]

sharonius, I have no idea about the mystery, although I do love a good mystery.

I'm no doctor but I'd politely ask for (and if that politeness doesn't work, then insist - absolutely insist) on being switched from the bi-pap they gave you to this machine:

Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex and heated humidifier.

I'd also ask (insist) that the settings on the autopap be put at a range of 7 - 14. And that the C-Flex be set for "3" (the most relief when breathing out.)

Optionally, I'd buy the Encore Pro software and card reader myself, out of pocket, so I could monitor my own treatment. No prescription needed for buying the software/card reader from cpap.com.

We can leave it up to doctors to make educated guesses about machines that they generally aren't very "up" about, and guesses about what pressure to use. Or we can educate ourselves and get the best type of machine (autopap) for making our own educated guesses - with or without further consultation with the doctor. One thing is for sure... no one is more interested in paying the closest attention possible to our own treatment than we ourselves. An autopap is the best way, imho, to go about it for ourselves.

[wading thru the muck!]

sharonious,

My guess is that you just didn't happen to have any during the time you were at 9cm. If you still had more events at pressures above 9cm then the worst case pressure setting would be above 9cm (most likely the 12cm the Doc prescribed). As rested gal suggests, I would ask your Doc if there was any reason you specificly need to use a bipap (and there might be). At the pressures you are talking about the REMstar Auto with C-flex may give you more comfort than a bipap. If he/she tells you that have to have a bipap because that was what you were titrated with, ask him/her why the sleep lab chose to use that kind of machine if there is no reason for you to need it. I've seen some people get stuck in these circular logic explainations that are very frustrating. If you don't get anywhere with him/her please let us know. Or if you do get this resolved to your satisfaction let us know also

[sharonious]

Thank you for your responses. I will print them out and talk to doctor about them. It hadn't occurred to me that I might just not have had any during that one period of time, but it makes sense since I only had 18 the whole night (5 hours of sleep with no 3 or 4 stage sleep). They gave me a bipap because they had given me an old, clunky cpap machine and I struggled with it for four months, suffocating some of the time because I could not seem to exhale very well. BiPap seems to work for that. I tried it for the first time (since sleep study) and had no problem breathing at all. Such a relief Only problem was throat. Doctor did not prescribe water passover or anything for that. I have called and said I can't use machine without help for that, and will hear from them on Monday. Don't know why autopap is superior to bipap. You seem very sure. What makes it better? Thank you again........Sharonious (feeling erroneous).

[Guest]

Like Sharonious I too waould like to know why the autow/cflex is better than a bipap. I am also on a bipap with a very high pressure and would like to know if an auto would help with the pressure thing. Would like to get some
relief from the pressure.