Bipap during the day?

[starente15]

How did you know you needed to use the bipap during the day? Currently my dad is using it at night but is starting to experience what he's calling anxiety. Other times he says it's just that he can't take a deep breath. I can only assume it's anxiety caused by the breathing issues. The doctor prescribed Prozac but he doesn't want to take it. It doesn't seem like there are a lot of other options for anxiety meds. Would the bipap help with this? He said he doesn't want to become dependent on it but I think it's more that he knows things are getting worse if he needs to use it during the day.

 

[dalvin]

He might try this. Anytime he takes a nap or just wants to lay back and rest, use the bipap to give the diaphragm a rest. That little rest for the breathing should help him have more energy the rest of the time when he's moving about

 

[Graybeard]

I'm going to get a second bipap, for sitting at the computer.

 

[Schmidhogan]

I use mine whenever I lie back, which is 80% of the time. Just feels better not to have to fight for breath. Guess I'm dependent on it. Alex

 

[Grumpy'sWife]

Grumpy has what is called a sip and puff for his Trilogy machine. It is basically a hose with what looks like a straw on the end of it that runs from his machine and when he feels short on breath he runs his tongue across the end of it and it puts a short burst of air out. He isn't on oxygen and the difference in his O2 stats is significant. He takes medication of anxiety as needed and he went from 4 a day to just 2 a day. I don't know if this is possible for a bipap machine but I would like that it would be somehow.
Good luck and I hope you find an option that works for him!
~Kaye

 

[Graybeard]

Where can I get info about the Trilogy?

 

[Grumpy'sWife]

GB, Grumpy's came from the VA after he told them no to an invasive vent. It is made by Phillips Respironics. I wish I could be more help.
~Kaye

 

[ECpara]

Graybeard - any medical supply company should have info on the Trilogy for you. Tom was scheduled to get a biPap from them and the Trilogy was the recommended machine. The rep who came out to our house was very knowledgeable.

 

[lgelb]

Don't need a Trilogy just to have sip 'n' puff. A $2 22mm mouthpiece in the end of your BiPAP hose instead of a mask is substantively the same thing.

Star, BiPAP naps will do a lot more for your dad's anxiety than Prozac (which is the last SSRI I would recommend with respiratory/anxiety issues). Air hunger causes anxiety and vice versa. Muscles that are overworking with the effort to breathe add to overall fatigue and poss depression.

Re daytime ventilation, sometimes it is avoided because a full face mask is a significant social barrier, hard to talk, loud. Larry used a cloth Circadiance nasal mask w/ thinner connector hose to machine hose (15mm, less conspicuous) nearly 24/7 for a year. I'd encourage everyone to try that before the FF option. Of course, you can also use a nasal mask during the day and FF at night.

 

[csabados]

Thank you all. I was just thinking the same thing for my mom. She would benefit greatly from taking a bipap nap every day. She is still very active and will not give in to anything until she absolutely has to. I know she is afraid to slow down because she thinks it will speed up the need for help. But on the other hand, I am sure she is pushing so hard so that it will speed up decline.

 

[zoohouse]

Tim is 100% dependant on his sip and puff ventilator (Trilogy) during the day, and BiPap at night. But as lgelb said a make shift sip and puff can be made with a basic bipap machine. I have Tim's first bipap with an external battery set up on a stand, with a goose neck clipped on it to hold the mouth piece near his mouth for showering. That way I don't have to worry about getting his Trilogy wet, or disconnecting it from his pwc. If he does want to take a nap during the day, I put his full face mask on his Trilogy, on a secondary setting for that use.

Paulette