bi-pap

janol · Post by **janol** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:47 pm

Are any of you on a bi-pap? Or is there a section for those users?
Thanks--- and hang in there !!javascript:emoticon(':D')
Very Happy

AdmiralCougar · Post by **AdmiralCougar** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:59 pm

LOL I'm on BiPAP, when I'm well enough to use it...

Just trying to get a poll number of BiPAP users?

janol · Post by **janol** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 2:48 pm

Hi Cougar,

No, I just saw that everyone talks about cpap, and mine is a bi-pap.
I have mine set at 11 1/2, but that is all I know about it.

I used to have a cpap, set at 5.
I began to have severe attacks ,very frightening, of not breathing at all, and being "shocked" awake, like when you dream you are falling--- only 1000 times worse. Ended up in the hospital, from blood pressure that soared, because I was so scared.
They finally gave me a new sleep test, and ordered the bi-pap.
I still have these episodes, about 2 per week, but they are very mild compared to the first two, in January.
So, I really would like to talk to bi-pap users.
It is really so much easier to breath out !! I think I trained myself to fight the cpap, and was trying to fight it more and more each night. As this went on for 9 years or so, I was really in bad shape with my breathing.
Thanks for the help--

elliejose · Post by **elliejose** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:19 pm

I am an auto bipap usere and there are quite a few bipap users here. I love it! It is so much more like normal beathing especially for those of us at higher pressures. I really love my auto also because some nights, I may spend most of the night with inhale no higher than 14 --Then other nights when I need the higher pressure - I may spend most of the night 20 -22. And I am so thankful for those nights at a lower pressure, when I can get by with it.

Ask away, with your questions! There are quite a few very knowledgable folks on here (not referring to myself). But Rested Gal and several others can give you some really good advice. Just ask. They are always glad to help. I mention RG because I know she has used a number of machines and currently uses bipap.

AdmiralCougar · Post by **AdmiralCougar** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:56 pm

Well Janol,

to the board. I'm a relative newbie to all things xPAP. I was only diagnosed in August and started using my BiPAP August 14th. I've already had a number of changes to my therapy including pressures. I started with straight pressures of IPAP=20 (Inhalation) EPAP=16 (Exhalation), then they switched me to Auto Min EPAP=13 Max IPAP=25, two weeks ago my Respiratory Therapist lowered the max IPAP to 21 to try and help with the lung pain I was having because the pressures were so high. Then this last Wednesday he had me switch back to straight BiPAP 20/16 to try and help with the Pain and cough I was having with the Bronchitis. I've still been limited to about 1-2 hours at a time on the machine, but the break I have to take to let the pain decrease enough to use it again has gone down, so I was able to get about 4 hours split sleep last night. Much better than the 0-2 hours I was getting before.

Now it sounds like you have Central Apnea? Which BiPAP did you end up with? Now if you do have CA and they didn't prescribe you one that has timed breathing which requires you to take a certain number of breaths and if you don't it forces you to take a breath then I think I'd be a bit concerned. I don't like the sound of your episodes. I would be afraid to go to sleep even with the machine if I had those. I'm not sure what help my newbie self can be but I'm definitely here to listen to you. Keep me posted. And hopefully some others will chime in here as well.

Christy

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:11 pm

Janol, if the machine you have listed in your Profile is the one you have...the older pre-M BiPAP Auto with Bi-flex, that's the machine I use.

I also have an M series BiPAP Auto with Bi-flex.

The setting you mentioned you have your machine on isn't a setting I'm familiar with as IPAP/EPAP settings for a bipap. Perhaps you made a typo?

janol wrote:I have mine set at 11 1/2

Do you know how to access the clinical menu (therapy setup menu) of your machine? You might want to walk through that menu -- not making any changes, just writing down every number, every symbol, every word you see for each menu item.

I'm not a doctor, but I'd be willing to give you my opinion on your current settings if you wish. Doesn't mean I'd be telling you right or wrong as I know nothing about your health. Might give you a few ideas to discuss with your doctor, though.

Please PM me your email address. The PM button is at the lefthand side at the bottom of my post here.

AdmiralCougar · Post by **AdmiralCougar** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:25 pm

rested gal wrote:Janol, if the machine you have listed in your Profile is the one you have...the older pre-M BiPAP Auto with Bi-flex, that's the machine I use.

LOL I swear those weren't at the bottom of the post earlier... OK maybe they were, but I claim sleep deprivation... I sure miss my 8 hours a night I was getting with my BiPAP before I got sick.

Christy

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:29 pm

AdmiralCougar wrote:LOL I swear those weren't at the bottom of the post earlier... OK maybe they were, but I claim sleep deprivation...

They probably weren't. Janol may have filled in her equipment profile later. That would make it appear on a post where it wasn't before. You're doin' fine!