Below you will find a conversation between myself and j n k. J n k thought it would be good for me to share this. In addition, I would like to share what the end result turned out to be.

Today I went to the DME and had them look over the machine. I told them the problem I was having and they found what was causing it right away. Turns out the Respiration and Inspiration Rates had been set too low and was causing a very sudden and rapid breathing pattern. They made the adjustments and had me try it out right then and there. Oh how wonderful it felt. I can hardly wait to sleep tonight.

Hi Pam, As far as I know, if you are using a Respironics bilevel, for pressure-transition comfort you either use Bi-Flex, or if you aren't using Bi-Flex you use "Rise Time," to smooth out the transitions. High mask leak can make it difficult for the machine to get in sync with you. Also, GERD trouble, specifically a compormised LES, can make it hard for that brand of machine to sync up sometimes.

If your DME is game, you may want to try how a ResMed brand autobilevel, the Auto 25, feels to you. Some patients find that brand syncs up with them better, because it uses a different way of matching a patient's breathing. Personally, either brand syncs up with me OK, but I have heard others say the ResMed does better for them because of how it senses the transition from IPAP to EPAP. Your DME may want to give you access to Bi-Flex if they haven't, so you can experiment with what feels most comfortable to you. If Bi-Flex doesn't do it, and rise time doesn't do it, I say it is time to try a ResMed, given your situation.

Don't be afraid to post these kinds of questions in the main area. Many people can learn from your questions and from the answers you will get. Should you choose to do that, feel free to copy the wording of my answer to the thread as well.

Hope that helps.

jeff

To: j n k

Jeff,

Wanted to ask a couple of questions. I thought I was on my way, but now messed up again. When the DME lowered the pressure on my BiPap last Friday, something apparently goofed up. Not sure what, but your comments to Claudette were so good I decided to see if you might have some thoughts.

Basically, before the adjustment to lower the pressure a notch, the machine smoothly transitioned the IPAP and EPAP, now it is sudden and harsh making my mask bounce. Also, it seems as though rather than breathing with me, it is breathing the way the CPAP did that I was on before with c-flex. I've even held my breath to see what happens and it continues to breath in and out.

Would you have any thoughts on this? I don't want to go into the DME looking like an idiot.

Thanks,

Pam