BIPAP vs CPAP with C-Flex??

[pikov22]

I'm confused.

I've read that the BIPAP uses one pressure when you inhale and a second, lower pressure when you exhale.

I've read that C-Flex "...reduces pressure at the beginning of exhalation and returning to therapeutic pressure just before inhalation."

Aren't these essentially the same?

(And an APAP adjusts the inhalation pressure only, right?)

Thanks.

[Pugsy]

CFlex (or any of the Flex options) is totally different from the pressure differences available on a bilevel pressure machine.
http://aflex.respironics.com/
The amount of reduction during any of the Flex option settings is flow based (your own breathing force) and doesn't come anywhere close to the reduction that a Bilevel machine will offer.
Heck, even the Respironics BiPaps offer BiFlex exhale relief.

With the BiPap the difference between inhale and exhale can be just a couple of cm or as much as 8 cm.
CFlex at 3...doesn't mean 3 cm drop at all.
Now Resmed's EPR is a per cm reduction per setting but that is not the way Respironics Flex settings work. It's very possible that the pressure with a Flex setting of 3 wouldn't not even drop 1 cm depending on the force of a person's breath.
Couple of threads with prior BiPap and APAP discussion and how they work
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81886&view=unread#unread

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71017&p=655822&#p655822

On the ResMed AutoSet...EPR will reduce both the exhale and inhale pressure so both will auto adjust. Not just inhale.
ResMed's EPR relief is much more like a bilevel machine inhale/exhale difference than Respironics Flex relief.
Even the EPR is still not the same as the timing for breathing as with bilevel timing. It's close but it is not the same.

[pikov22]

CFlex (or any of the Flex options) is totally different from the pressure differences available on a bilevel pressure machine.
http://aflex.respironics.com/
The amount of reduction during any of the Flex option settings is flow based (your own breathing force) and doesn't come anywhere close to the reduction that a Bilevel machine will offer.

So why do they bother with C-Flex?

Under what conditions would a person want/need that reduction?

[Pugsy]

So why do they bother with C-Flex?

Under what conditions would a person want/need that reduction?

Because any of the Flex relief options can offer a more comfortable breathing experience.
I couldn't tell much with CFlex myself but AFlex made it seem like I wasn't exhaling against much pressure at all. I loved it.
Some people don't need/want it. Some people like it...."it" being any of the Flex relief options.

Now that I am using the bilevel machines...I find that I like BiFlex.
Back when I was using AFlex I turned it off once as an experiment. I had horrible night's sleep. I did not repeat that experiment. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67883&p=631376&hili ... mb#p631376
See the report and you will see why.

It's all about whatever feels good and let's us sleep better. The idea being if the respiration is easier and more "natural" like then we get to sleep easier and stay asleep and it results in better sleep overall which hopefully will mean we feel better.
If I have a choice between easy and difficult......I choose easy every time.

Just because the various Flex forms of relief don't cause a marked reduction during exhale that doesn't mean it isn't comfortable at all. It's more of a rhythm thing which is quite comfortable once you find the right rhythm.
I have discovered that a setting of 3 tends to make me want to breathe a little too fast....a setting of 1 is a bit slow but a setting of 2 on AFlex...I barely noticed the 10 cm exhale pressure when I was using the APAP.

[pikov22]

So why do they bother with C-Flex?

Under what conditions would a person want/need that reduction?

Because any of the Flex relief options can offer a more comfortable breathing experience.

So if I think I'm comfortable, I should just ignore Flex (beyond what my ProStar is set for?

Thanks.

[Pugsy]

So if I think I'm comfortable, I should just ignore Flex (beyond what my ProStar is set for?

Yes. If you are comfortable that's the main important thing.
The whole idea for any exhale relief is to offer additional comfort (if needed or wanted) so that a person feels at ease with breathing and sleeps well.

I can do without it...but I like breathing with it better. More comfortable, sleep better equals feel better the next day.
Even on my BiPap...I like the BiFlex relief in addition to the pressure reduction that bilevel offers. Makes the breathing transition between inhale and exhale just a little smoother. I could do without it but why do without something that feels good? There's no real point IMHO. Some people look at any exhale relief as a pacifier or crutch and people should just "suck it up" and grow a pain of you know what because that's more macho..or whatever. I don't look at it that way at all. I look at it as something that enhances the overall quality of my sleep and when I sleep better I feel better and feeling better is/has always been my number one goal. If it feels good...do it. If it doesn't feel good..don't do it.