When Inhale pressure goes much higher than Exhale pressure

When Inhale pressure goes much higher than Exhale pressure
Hi, I have an auto BPAP (Respironics) and a Quattro Mirage mask (a medium, was told at last titration study that I should wear a small and will be getting a small from my DME after waiting a month).......................I don't think the mask size is related to the following but lack of air might be related, wanted to know what members think might be the reason for the following:

My machine is set from 20 I to 11 E and I have a usual two number gap between I and E; I start off at night with a pressure of 13 I 11 E and sometimes or quite often wake up with as much as a 4 point I-E range showing on my LCD monitor; for example when I woke up today, an 11.3 E and a 15.0 I was showing.

I wanted to know what possible factors could be the cause of this wider range, what might be happening while I'm sleeping regarding my apnea, if it could indicate a lack of air in the room or any other environmental situations.

Thanks to all who answer

Rivers wrote:When Inhale pressure goes much higher than Exhale pressure
Hi, I have an auto BPAP (Respironics) and a Quattro Mirage mask (a medium, was told at last titration study that I should wear a small and will be getting a small from my DME after waiting a month).......................I don't think the mask size is related to the following but lack of air might be related, wanted to know what members think might be the reason for the following:

My machine is set from 20 I to 11 E and I have a usual two number gap between I and E; I start off at night with a pressure of 13 I 11 E and sometimes or quite often wake up with as much as a 4 point I-E range showing on my LCD monitor; for example when I woke up today, an 11.3 E and a 15.0 I was showing.

I wanted to know what possible factors could be the cause of this wider range, what might be happening while I'm sleeping regarding my apnea, if it could indicate a lack of air in the room or any other environmental situations.

Thanks to all who answer

1. It is not anything to worry about.
2. It is the way the machine is setup and is a good thing.
3. I don't have time to esplain it right now.
4, Search the forum for how bipaps are setup to learn more.
5. If it was lack of air in the room - you wouldn't have been able to send this smoke signal.

In harmony with what GumbyCT said, that machine is meant to work within a range between a minimum pressure and a maximum pressure. The gap between your inhale pressure and your exhale pressure can change during the night on that machine within those set limits, and that is fine. At first the machine starts out with a small gap, but as it does its thing during the night, the gap increases. Some run that machine in a way that allows as much as eight centimeters of pressure difference between inhale pressure and exhale pressure.

It is possible to limit the allowed gap between those pressures by changing a setting in the machine. If someone was being startled awake by too much of a difference between the inhale pressure and the exhale pressure, for example, maybe then there would be a reason to limit the gap. But other than that, it makes sense to me to allow some range of difference so that the exhale pressure can remain low while the inhale pressure can increase to address hypopneas and flow limitations.

My understanding is limited, but from what you say, it sounds to me like your machine is doing exactly what it is supposed to do.

If you want more details, the following thread is related. In my opinion, "rested gal" and "-SWS" are particularly knowledgeable when it comes to such matters.

viewtopic/t36782/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=36631

TY jnk,

That was very helpful!

Bob