What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

flowlimiter · Post by **flowlimiter** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 6:07 pm

Howdy all; second post here. After watching my AHI stabilize around 8-12 on CPAP for weeks (and still feeling miserable), I had another sleep study where they found that all my awakenings and central issues were cured by "higher pressure" on their in-lab BIPAP machine. But of course I have to wait to find out what the pressures are and wait even more to get updated equipment and I don't feel like continuing to suffer for weeks. I figured out how to adjust settings on my existing CPAP gear. It was set to min 4, max 12, CFLEX 3, 90% pressure around 8-9. What would be considered "higher pressure"? As an initial test for tonight I've set it to min 12, max 20, C-FLEX 3. I am cheerfully willing to get a chin strap & crank it up more if need be.

JDS74 · Post by **JDS74** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 6:16 pm

Please don't make such a drastic change in your pressure. Very small increments prevent things from getting out of control.
I know it's hard to wait for the results but it is necessary.

jimbud · Post by **jimbud** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 6:37 pm

I don't think it would hurt you to try 7 or 8 min and 20 max.
That will let you see how high the machine wants to go.
I do not see how you can be comfortable with a min of 4.
Few can.
JPB

I am assuming you have an APAP machine.
Your title and post are a bit confusing.
JPB

Others will be along soon.
Some have much more knowledge than I.
Some not so much.

Good luck.

JPB

Wulfman... · Post by **Wulfman...** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 7:04 pm

flowlimiter wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 15, 2019 6:07 pm
Howdy all; second post here. After watching my AHI stabilize around 8-12 on CPAP for weeks (and still feeling miserable), I had another sleep study where they found that all my awakenings and central issues were cured by "higher pressure" on their in-lab BIPAP machine. But of course I have to wait to find out what the pressures are and wait even more to get updated equipment and I don't feel like continuing to suffer for weeks. I figured out how to adjust settings on my existing CPAP gear. It was set to min 4, max 12, CFLEX 3, 90% pressure around 8-9. What would be considered "higher pressure"? As an initial test for tonight I've set it to min 12, max 20, C-FLEX 3. I am cheerfully willing to get a chin strap & crank it up more if need be.

Are you using software (like Sleepyhead or OSCAR) to monitor your therapy.......or are you getting your info from the LCD?
If you're NOT using software, you're just "dial wingin' ". You would be wise to move your minimum up, but without knowing what else is going on, you're guessing.

Den

.

flowlimiter · Post by **flowlimiter** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 8:20 pm

I currently have the CPAP listed in my signature and am using SleepyHead to monitor my own data. My machine is auto-titrating as high as 9. The recent sleep study used a Respironics BIPAP machine; they found higher pressures successful at clearing up my central events (meaning they just cranked up the pressure from my normal 4-9 auto-titration to whatever "higher pressure" means and watched the results over the next few hours). It was as abrupt as "here try this mask, we're going to higher pressure. Sweet dreams!". I am attempting to mimick what the study did by simply cranking up my CPAP machine. And yes, I'm just guessing. It could be weeks until I have the results of their prescription and it'd be hard to sleep worse than I have been already. At least now I'm in my own comfy bed while I cope with being supercharged.

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 8:28 pm

JDS74 wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 15, 2019 6:16 pm
Please don't make such a drastic change in your pressure. Very small increments prevent things from getting out of control.
I know it's hard to wait for the results but it is necessary.

No, it's not.

palerider · Post by **palerider** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 8:30 pm

flowlimiter wrote: ↑
Sat Jun 15, 2019 8:20 pm
I currently have the CPAP listed in my signature and am using SleepyHead to monitor my own data. My machine is auto-titrating as high as 9. The recent sleep study used a Respironics BIPAP machine; they found higher pressures successful at clearing up my central events (meaning they just cranked up the pressure from my normal 4-9 auto-titration to whatever "higher pressure" means and watched the results over the next few hours). It was as abrupt as "here try this mask, we're going to higher pressure. Sweet dreams!". I am attempting to mimick what the study did by simply cranking up my CPAP machine. And yes, I'm just guessing. It could be weeks until I have the results of their prescription and it'd be hard to sleep worse than I have been already. At least now I'm in my own comfy bed while I cope with being supercharged.

You can try 12... it might be too much for you, in which case, back it off to 10.

flowlimiter · Post by **flowlimiter** » Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:37 am

My sleep tracking fitness device (I make no claims to it's accuracy but it will at least show night-to-night variability) says I got the longest uninterrupted periods of deep and REM sleep since I bought the thing. I don't recall waking up during the night (which is highly unusual for me) and I completely thrashed the blankets (which is also unusual for me). AHI still 8, but that includes thrashing the blankets and sleep/wake transitions. Machine stayed at 12 the whole night with a dozen or more times ramping up to 13.5. A third of those ramp-up events immediately preceded a breathing disturbance and what my sleep tracking device is calling a wakeup event; the remainder were during long periods of uninterrupted sleep stages. I'm setting the max pressure to 12 while I get used to 12 and then can adjust from there as I get used to it.

jimbud · Post by **jimbud** » Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:38 am

Looks like you have taken charge of your therapy to the good.
12 is a pretty big jump and will probably take a "some getting used to".
All the thrashing about is most likely mind/body adjusting to that change.
Likely at least some of those events making up the 8 ahi are SWJ.
You seem like the kind of person who does not give up without a fight.
That is the main ingredient for success.
I think you are on the right track.
If something comes up, have questions, ect. let these people know.
They are the best.

JPB

It is recommended to stay on one thread so the experts here get to know your history and do not waste time trying to figure out where you are in your therapy journey.

Not set in stone, just recommended.
JPB

shtlisa1 · Post by **shtlisa1** » Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:45 am

I am so so happy I found this site! I have been on CPAP for 15 years, adjusted well, never had a problem and was glad to upgrade to new machine, RESMED Airsense 10 as it had some great new features compared to my old 7 year old machine....BUT, I was on 7 for those years!! When I opted for the 'new' machine, they sent me home to test it for a week.....I experienced Aerophagia 'terribly'...woke up after 2 hours with horrible gas and nausea.....never happened before......I returned the 'new machine' the next day saying 'forget it' I'll go back to my old one! She talked me into finishing out the week....and set the machine to 13!!!....I went along with the madness, because we tend to trust the 'professionals' and for two months had such dry mouth, one night I ran down stairs and hunted down a lemon to suck on.....I went in to see my doctor and he said sounded like an 'anxiety' attack and wanted to put me on anti-depressants and gave me Xanax!! Used to 'drool' (annoying, but would love it now!!) as opposed to this hell I was experiencing...my cheeks felt weird, like 'full' and was having severe dry mouth and fullness in my lips...….I started 'googling' and had to school myself on the 'salivary glands' and 'ducts, which there are two large glands in the cheeks, and those under the tongue, as well as probably a thousand tiny ducts that distribute saliva, which I've found out is hugely important in 'swallowing', speaking, digesting food, etc.,...…AND read that IF CPAP PRESSURE IS TOO HIGH it can 'actually' block the 'normal flow' of saliva resulting in most of the problems I was experiencing, which were 'weird' to say the least, as well as this was 'taking over my life!! So I called the 'sleep center' and the 'most unhelpful' young lady said..."Oh you have to have a Doctor's prescription to change the settings!! So, of course, my Doctor (who gave me Xanax!) just retired, so I had to choose this 'other' Doctor and wait for appt. ...…...'She' said "Oh no, I don't have anything to do with 'settings' you have to call them"!! She wouldn't even discuss my 'problems', and said 'this is just a 'get to know me visit'!!!!! She just kept saying call them and 'get a new mask!!', I kept trying to tell her it wasn't the mask it was the 'pressure, I then paid another $30 co pay the next day and went to urgent care and that Dr. agreed with me, looked in my mouth and assured me 'it was my CPAP PRESSURE!!... So, I finally called sleep center and told them I was 'gonna shoot myself' and I got them to lower from 13 to 10, the did it from 'their end'.....I went on the on line, Myair.com and got 100% the next morning, then I found 'the guy with the mustache' on this site and was taught how to 'ADJUST MY OWN MACHINE'...…….I turned it down to 8 and slept all night and still got 100% on Myair.com.....Mind you, I was at a 7 for the seven years I had my old machine...Thank God, I found the 'guy with the mustache', I still have fullness in my mouth and cheeks and chew lots of gum and am experiencing 'saliva flow' at last.....and I forgot, I had lost 30 lbs. before I got the new machine, so she set from 7 to 13???? This morning, when I woke, was restful and the machine said 5.5!! as it ramps from 4 and goes up in 45 minutes....Oh and.....called my dentist as well and he said use 'Biotene'...… WE HAVE TO 'SAVE' OURSELVES!!!

jimbud · Post by **jimbud** » Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:54 pm

shtlisa1 wrote: ↑
Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:45 am
WE HAVE TO 'SAVE' OURSELVES!!!

shtlisa, you are so right.
I dumped the DME, found this forum, bought my own machine and equipment and have not looked back.
Bless this forum and it's very helpful members.
Success will be yours.

JPB

flowlimiter · Post by **flowlimiter** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 6:41 pm

Dropped down to min pressure of 10. After adjusting blankets and getting an upper cervical spine adjustment, I had a pretty good night of uninterrupted sleep with very few wakeups (per my fitness gadget). Overall AHI still 8, but mostly SWJ and an episode of heavy breathing with pauses (marked as CA by my machine) with one physical "fidget" around my transition to REM sleep (all per my fitness gadget). I used to require a ton of blankets to stay warm; after starting PAP therapy I find I stay warmer and thermo-regulate better. We'll see if that was a fluke or a new behavior pattern.

LSAT · Post by **LSAT** » Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:33 pm

shtlisa1 wrote: ↑
Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:45 am
I am so so happy I found this site! I have been on CPAP for 15 years, adjusted well, never had a problem and was glad to upgrade to new machine, RESMED Airsense 10 as it had some great new features compared to my old 7 year old machine....BUT, I was on 7 for those years!! When I opted for the 'new' machine, they sent me home to test it for a week.....I experienced Aerophagia 'terribly'...woke up after 2 hours with horrible gas and nausea.....never happened before......I returned the 'new machine' the next day saying 'forget it' I'll go back to my old one! She talked me into finishing out the week....and set the machine to 13!!!....I went along with the madness, because we tend to trust the 'professionals' and for two months had such dry mouth, one night I ran down stairs and hunted down a lemon to suck on.....I went in to see my doctor and he said sounded like an 'anxiety' attack and wanted to put me on anti-depressants and gave me Xanax!! Used to 'drool' (annoying, but would love it now!!) as opposed to this hell I was experiencing...my cheeks felt weird, like 'full' and was having severe dry mouth and fullness in my lips...….I started 'googling' and had to school myself on the 'salivary glands' and 'ducts, which there are two large glands in the cheeks, and those under the tongue, as well as probably a thousand tiny ducts that distribute saliva, which I've found out is hugely important in 'swallowing', speaking, digesting food, etc.,...…AND read that IF CPAP PRESSURE IS TOO HIGH it can 'actually' block the 'normal flow' of saliva resulting in most of the problems I was experiencing, which were 'weird' to say the least, as well as this was 'taking over my life!! So I called the 'sleep center' and the 'most unhelpful' young lady said..."Oh you have to have a Doctor's prescription to change the settings!! So, of course, my Doctor (who gave me Xanax!) just retired, so I had to choose this 'other' Doctor and wait for appt. ...…...'She' said "Oh no, I don't have anything to do with 'settings' you have to call them"!! She wouldn't even discuss my 'problems', and said 'this is just a 'get to know me visit'!!!!! She just kept saying call them and 'get a new mask!!', I kept trying to tell her it wasn't the mask it was the 'pressure, I then paid another $30 co pay the next day and went to urgent care and that Dr. agreed with me, looked in my mouth and assured me 'it was my CPAP PRESSURE!!... So, I finally called sleep center and told them I was 'gonna shoot myself' and I got them to lower from 13 to 10, the did it from 'their end'.....I went on the on line, Myair.com and got 100% the next morning, then I found 'the guy with the mustache' on this site and was taught how to 'ADJUST MY OWN MACHINE'...…….I turned it down to 8 and slept all night and still got 100% on Myair.com.....Mind you, I was at a 7 for the seven years I had my old machine...Thank God, I found the 'guy with the mustache', I still have fullness in my mouth and cheeks and chew lots of gum and am experiencing 'saliva flow' at last.....and I forgot, I had lost 30 lbs. before I got the new machine, so she set from 7 to 13???? This morning, when I woke, was restful and the machine said 5.5!! as it ramps from 4 and goes up in 45 minutes....Oh and.....called my dentist as well and he said use 'Biotene'...… WE HAVE TO 'SAVE' OURSELVES!!!

You should be starting your own post instead of popping up in the middle of flowlimiter's post about bipap machines. Causes lots of confusion.

What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?

Re: What would be "high pressure" for BIPAP?