bipap machine

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smoochiegal

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Lost a loved one
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08/2014
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CA
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Ontario
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Otonabee
Good morning all,
Hubby had a rough night. He was having a hard time catching his breath.
How do I go about getting him a bipap machine?
Doctor prescribed?
What exactly does a bipap do?
Any help would be so appreciated.
Love being able to come here for input.
Cheryl
 
Yes call the clinic/ doctor. Basically bipap assists the breathing so it is less work
But if this is a sudden change you should get him checked make sure he does not have a pneumonia for example
 
The moment I feel fatigued at all, I lie down with the bipap and fall right to sleep.

You don't need a sleep study; just have it adjusted for a PALS. VA adjusted mine too high to where it prevented sleeping. They don't understand ALS. Luckily, my first bipap was set up by a guy with several PALS patients. Laurie Gelb on this Forum guided me on setup for the one from VA. She is wonderful.
 
I do agree that you need to have him checked as pneumonia can be very sneaky in PALS, and it's a very serious condition.

If the issue is the diaphragm and his rough night was about problems breathing when laying down, the bipap will give him a lot of relief. Greg gave a link to a page written by one of our members whose website is a great resource.
 
An ambu bag cannot in any way replace bipap if he can't get one.

It is a manual device, you need the CALS there knowing how much pressure to give for each inhalation as you can push too much air in and cause damage.

They are normally used for emergencies, though I know some have used them to assist with breath stacking.
 
As I said: if takes time to get one or he does not get used to wearing (not uncommon) plus medical advice required for using (explained in the link)
Just trying to help.
 
Cheryl, my husband gets especially short of breath when he lays down (not uncommon). Until your husband gets checked out and gets a bipap, does he have a recliner or wedge or even pillows propped up to elevate him? That may help him breathe a little easier till a better solution is found.
 
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