any suggestions for CPAP?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:29 pm

I plan to get one for my mom, but not sure which one will be good to start, CPAP, B. my mom always has bad sleep. she snore and frequently wake up because of breathing stop. And also, where is a good place to buy? Thank you very much.

BTW: is the IPAP/EPAP changeable by user after received the BiPAP?

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:43 pm

Has your Mother had a sleep study-if so they will recommend/prescribe a machine. Where do you live???

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:38 pm

No, she is not in USA, so i had to fax the prescribe. Actually the doctor is not helpful in the machine model. So i want to know which model will be good to start with, CPAP or Bi-level. Thanks.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:51 pm

If I were your mother and would not be able to have a sleep study, then I'd get a Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex and heated humidifier.

If I had to guess at a pressure to set, I'd do this:

Set the machine to operate in AFLE mode (autopap with C-Flex)

Set the pressure range for 6 - 15

Set C-Flex at "2".

Be sure the "ramp" time is set for 0:00.

Set the heat on the humidifier on 1 (lowest) or 2. If I didn't like the humidification, I could simply not turn on the humidifier.

I'm not a doctor...but that's the way I'd start using cpap if I could not have a sleep study.

The mask is going to be extremely important. If possible, it's best to have three masks to start with so you can switch masks from night to night. Switching masks will help prevent the face or nose from getting sore. The different masks will not be pressing on the same areas of the face.

The three masks I'd get:

Respironics ComfortLite 2 (be sure it has "2" in the name) with nasal pillows size medium and large, and the "simple cushion" size medium and large.

ResMed Mirage Activa - size "Shallow".

ResMed Mirage Swift - it comes with all three sizes of nasal pillows.

If your mother cannot breathe through her nose and must breathe through her mouth, then skip all those masks and get her this "full face" mask, which will cover the nose and mouth so she can mouth-breathe easily:

ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - size Small Shallow, or...if she has a big face for a woman, get the Medium Shallow.

Good luck!

P.S. If money is no object, the Respironics BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex would give her the varying (as needed) pressure range of an autopap AND the exact adjustable pressure relief of a biPAP when she exhales -- both at the same time.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:43 am

That is very helpful.Thank you very much.

crelison · Post by **crelison** » Sat May 13, 2006 12:18 am

rested gal wrote:

If I had to guess at a pressure to set, I'd do this:

Set the machine to operate in AFLE mode (autopap with C-Flex)

Set the pressure range for 6 - 15

Set C-Flex at "2".

Be sure the "ramp" time is set for 0:00.

Set the heat on the humidifier on 1 (lowest) or 2. If I didn't like the humidification, I could simply not turn on the humidifier.

Hello

I appreciate all the helpful information I have been able to gather from this forum. It has been a great deal of help for me to learn more about CPAP and how to make the most of my therapy.

A couple of years ago, I developed severe asthma, and didn't respond to any of the treatments or medications that had been prescribed. The results from my sleep study indicated I was having 45-45 apneas each hour, and that oxygen levels were dropping down as low as 54%. My CPAP setting is 13. For the last couple of months using just straight CPAP, I have been able to reduce my Asthma related issues approx. 70 percent!!! My insurance is Kaiser HMO and after 2 months of fighing with the DME (even with the Polmonologist agreeing I would benefit with an upgraded machine) the DME will only approve the basic CPAP machine. As a result of reading this forum, I decided I would rather pay out of pocket and upgrade to the autopap w/ c-flex, to hopefully maximize my CPAP therapy.

I have been able to set up the follow the instructions posted here in the forum to set up my Remstar but don't understand why I would want to have the ramp setting to 0.00 if if I have the machine set in the AFLE mode.

I also ordered the Encore Pro Software and Smart Card reader (usb). I have an old laptop running windows 98 so I'm the software will run with Win-98. I would prefer to use my Power Mac G-5 computer and use Virtual PC for MAC XP Professional. Has anyone else been able to use the software w/ virtual PC on the Apple Computer?

Thanks again for all the GREAT information!
Chuck

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat May 13, 2006 8:00 am

Hi Crelison,
On the Respironics Remstar Automatic machines, in automatic mode, the ramp does not function. A non-zero number on your ramp in automatic mode (both with and without C-FLEX) means the machine is set for a split night study. It will keep you on a pressure of 4 for as many hours as the non-zero ramp indicates, and will only start giving you therapy after those hours have passed.
Which is why, for automatic therapy purposes, you want your ramp on zero.

As for running Encore Pro on a virtual PC in a Mac - someone once posted that the major problem is the hardware problem - getting the virtual PC on the Mac to identify and read the card reader.

Welcome, and good luck!

O.