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Pugsy wrote:I can't imagine them doing fixed bilevel mode with 8/20. Talk about blowing you up like a balloon....
With your history..I would bet on auto adjusting mode.

Now that your panic has subsided..if you are bored you might enjoy reading how I came to be on bilevel myself. [url]]

Don't get in a panic when you read about Resmeds way of pressure support when in auto mode. Theirs is fixed and not roaming like Respironics. For your history of aerophagia...having the machine maybe keep the pressure support lower and only increase as needed would likely decrease the aerophagia probably a better than a fixed pressure support for your situation. It would be what I would want to use if I was in your situation.
I don't have aerophagia problems though. I just like the comfort that the difference between EPAP and IPAP offers..much more like normal breathing. First time I ever tried it....took me 30 seconds to say "I gotta have one of these" All explained in my little thread there.

Yeah, Im relaxed now because I thought I might be getting my pressure reduced and lately, Im fatigued as it is. Kind of made me panic when I realized what was probably going down. What I really need is maybe 10.5 to 11 IPAP, but without the stomach pain. If I can get that, Im probably back to normal overnight. I tolerate 10.5 or even 11 in C-Flex or A-Flex no sweat, but not in full pressure. I can almost tolerate full pressure at 10.5, but that stomach pain creeps up on me within four or five days, always. I dont get the stomach pain with 10.5 C-flex or Aflex. But like I described, it does not get the job done.

The respironics auto bipap in auto mode, you can increase or decrease the EPAP/IPAP pressures in what increments? .5 cm of water like with a PR System One APAP?

Yes...adjustments to pressure are in 0.5 cm increments for all the settings.

Pugsy wrote:Yes...adjustments to pressure are in 0.5 cm increments for all the settings.

Im home free then. I can probably increase it to 10.5 or 11 IPAP and then get that 2 point EPAP, which would drop me to 8.5 or 9. I should be feeling good again then.

When you set up your machine...that 2 cm default difference is tied to the EPAP minimum...not the IPAP maximum...so if you end up seeing more events than you want with EPAP of 8.. then you would increase EPAP just a little and the 2 cm default while awake thing gets added to the EPAP. In auto mode the IPAP maximum it just a maximum that is there..sort of like the APAP maximum...it may or may not ever be reached.

I used to see 18 cm when I used APAP fairly regularly. I rarely hit 16 cm now. Do give the settings time to settle in. My AHI initially on Bilevel was around 2 to 3 with a few above 4..but over time without changing a thing the AHI has trended downward. I really need to update my thread about his occurrence. The other day I counted the days in April where I had less than 1 AHI....2/3 of the nights were under 1 and the rest was between 1 and 2 and 1 night with 2.6 I think.

Also remember the clear airway index...we don't treat those events so if your AHI is showing a few CAs..then you need to sort of back those numbers out of the AHI.