Just FYI, it's OK to use one post for two topics.
The Trilogy is a portable BiPAP. It has an internal battery so you can go out with it, and move around the house with it. It comes with a humidifier so that the air is easier to breathe.
A BiPAP is a machine that delivers one air pressure for breathing in and a lower one for breathing out, so you don't have to work as hard to breathe. PALS usually have a "target volume" set so that the pressure adjusts to keep the amount of air that you move constant.
Like any machine used in health care, the Trilogy is not "set and forget" and often it is set wrong to begin with. So usually some tweaking (something I frequently help with here) is needed at the beginning to get it right and along the way as ALS progresses.
What you may not always hear at the clinic, but what I preach here, is that every PALS/their CALS should know how to adjust settings, if only for emergencies, and feel comfortable in doing so, for both comfort and safety.
It can seem pretty freaky to wear a mask and have air blowing into it. There are many types of masks, some for the nostrils only, some that cover the whole nose and others that cover the "full face." There can also be big differences even within the same type of mask, so again, you might try a couple of masks before finding the one that's right for you. Getting the right size and letting the suction determine the fit, instead of overtightening, are both key.
Spending the time to make BiPAP work is worth it because it extends both quantity and quality of life, and therefore is part of every published guideline set about treating the disease.
Let us know when you get it and we will support you however we can.
Best,
Laurie