Best Machine to deal with high Flow Limitations

Had my only 2 night sleep study eons ago.

Have always resisted attempts by my Sleep Doctor to do another Sleep Study.

Because of my history of high flow limitations (even though my AHI is always really low), I turned on the EPR on my S9 AutoSet to its highest setting.

Although my Flow Limitations are still too high, they have been considerably reduced.

Am now considering letting them do another Sleep Study in the hopes that it would result in my being able to switch to a BiPap which could (?) result in my being able to reduce my Flow Limitations even further.

Between Medicare & my secondary insurer, the Sleep Study & the new BiPap would be paid 100% - so I really do not have anything to lose.

I am a ResMed fan, so I expect I would stick with a ResMed machine.

StuUnderPressure wrote:I am a ResMed fan, so I expect I would stick with a ResMed machine.

I'm not sure if there's a question in there, but if so, resmed air10 vauto.

I think you mean the pressure relief to reduce effort in breathing out and calling it flow limitation? If the 3cm drop isn't enough. then a bpap could work for you. I had to move to bpap because of high pressure and ventilation

the flow limitation graph in sleepyhead is obstructive and needs more minimum pressure.

ajack wrote:I think you mean the pressure relief to reduce effort in breathing out and calling it flow limitation?.

why would you think that?

because I think EPR won't reduce flow limit and in my case, because I block on exhale as well, it increased it. But if you have an explanation to how it could reduce flow limit, I'd be happy to take it onboard.

ajack wrote:because I think EPR won't reduce flow limit and in my case, because I block on exhale as well, it increased it. But if you have an explanation to how it could reduce flow limit, I'd be happy to take it onboard.

flow limitations are typically inhalation, raising the EPR could have caused the autosetting pressure to raise, and the increased PS would help overcome the FL.

or you could be right and the OP could be completely confused, though it doesn't sound like it.

ajack wrote:I think you mean the pressure relief to reduce effort in breathing out and calling it flow limitation? If the 3cm drop isn't enough. then a bpap could work for you. I had to move to bpap because of high pressure and ventilation

the flow limitation graph in sleepyhead is obstructive and needs more minimum pressure.

Using EPR does reduce "my" Flow Limitations

Can't remember his name right now, but there is a Nationally known Doctor who actively pushes BiPaps for just that reason.

all the machines pretty much have the same maximum pressure now

BS!! You are really showing your ignorance here.

if your AHI is low it seems as if they have fixed the flow limitations

Flow limitations do not make up part of AHI and flow limitations can occur without being followed by apneas.

why your hang up on flow limitations
AHI is the guideline for fixing the problem

Why your hang up with AHI???

Might I suggest that those of you who are having problems understanding "Flow Limitations" take the time to "search" that subject in this forum.

There are numerous posts that go into great detail about "Flow Limitations"

xxyzx,

the specs are all pretty much the same for max pressure

You are showing your ignorance. Resmed's Airsense 10 machines all have a max pressure of 20. The Resmed bilevel machines generally have a max pressure of 25 and the ASV, I believe, has a max of 30. I would say that is a fair amount of difference.

flow limitation = hypopnea certainly does make part of aHi

Flow limitation is not the same as hypopnea. They are defined differently and they are different. Your flow limitation=hypopnea is total BS. If you can provide a citation for that I would certainly be very interested in seeing it.

xxyzx,

whatever the flow limitation you get hypopnea

I am not sure what you mean by this incomplete statement but I am assuming that you mean that wherever there is flow limitation there will be hypopnea. Not True. Flow limitation by definition is limitation of the inspiratory flow giving flat top to the inspiratory flow curve. Hypopnea is a reduction in the complete breathing cycle. They do not always occur together.

a snore is a flow limitation

A snore is vibratory and a flow limitation is a flattened top of the inspiratory curve. They can both happen at the same time.

WickedLoki wrote:

all the machines pretty much have the same maximum pressure now

BS!! You are really showing your ignorance here.

well, if one counts 20, 25, and 30cm max pressures as 'pretty much the same' :

WickedLoki wrote:

if your AHI is low it seems as if they have fixed the flow limitations

Flow limitations do not make up part of AHI and flow limitations can occur without being followed by apneas.

correct. and are a problem, in and of themselves.

WickedLoki wrote:xxyzx,

whatever the flow limitation you get hypopnea

I am not sure what you mean by this incomplete statement but I am assuming that you mean that wherever there is flow limitation there will be hypopnea. Not True. Flow limitation by definition is limitation of the inspiratory flow giving flat top to the inspiratory flow curve. Hypopnea is a reduction in the complete breathing cycle. They do not always occur together.

again, correct, hyponeas are a reduction in overall volume, FLs are a restriction during inhalation, which means it's harder to inhale, but FLs have no correlation with reduced tidal volume.