riveter wrote:... Too bad I can't get health insurance due to my sleep apnea (according to two insurance brokers I spoke to).
Do the BiLevel machines go above 20 CM of pressure?
Yeah, that kind of sucks about insurance for us uninsured CPAPers. I can't decide whether this is ironic or not. In October/(November???), that's supposed to change when federal insurance changes kick in. We'll see if it's true for real or if it's "
merely technically" true because nobody will be able to afford personal insurance with CPAP.
In the mean time, consider talking with the
Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office and tell them you can't get insurance due to CPAP. SuperGeeky said that's what he did and was able to find insurance through a federal program with the Insurance Commissioner's Office's help after talking with them, if I remember correctly.
BiLevel machines usually go up to 24cmH20, if I remember correctly. You also get to set an exhale pressure larger than 3 cm difference from your upper pressure limit. They're made for people with higher pressures and those who really need more options for exhale relief than "C-Flex" or "A-Flex". Thankfully, someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
Wulfman's and Kteague's suggestions are usually darned solid. You can always go back to your preferred settings if results aren't forthcoming.
About the Quattro FF leak pressures:
At 17cmH20, your leak rate is compromised if it goes above 49.5L/m.
At 19cmH20, your leak rate is compromised if it goes above 52.5L/m.
(I used Excel to create a leak rate interpolator spreadsheet for any specific pressure on the Quattro Full Face mask between 4 and 20cm based on data from the manufacturer.)
Every time your leak rate goes over 50L/m your therapy is less effective. At 100L/m (in some instances) you may not be getting any reasonable therapy.
