Bipap advice

[Mahealani]

I have a Cpap machine and it is hard to use. I don't want to through with a sleep study because i cant leave my house. Has anyone gotten a Bipap without going through with the sleep study? we dont have ALS clinics here either. Hospice will get me what i need, but i needd the "set of numbers" for the Bipap. I dont have a hard time breathing yet, any suggestions?

-mahealani

 

[Miss]

My husband got the BiPap without a sleep study. He had a CPap first. His numbers are 5/10.

 

[Danijela]

The goal with bipap is to flush out Co2, and your settings will depend of how much assistance you require to push the air in and out. I would not like to be guessing the settings as they vary a great deal amongst people. My partner's are 18/2 which seems quite different to Missy's husband's 5/10.

Good luck. Dani

 

[notme]

Is it possible for them to get blood gasses? He's on c-pap--what difficulty is he having with it?

There was debate between the sleep study people for me and with my ALS doc to decide if I needed bi-pap or c-pap. They decided to try c-pap first and see how my blood gasses look.

With muscle/diaphragm weakness, I was told that I should probably BE on bi-pap--both by folks here and my neuro--the pulmonary doc isn't so sure.

They can monitor 02 sats from home while he's sleeping--but that won't help them determine the co2--my understanding is blood gasses will, though. Respiratory therapists are taught to draw blood gasses. I have no idea if they can be done from home--they do need to be kept on ice.

For me, as yet undiagnosed, my sats are ok now on 02 and c-pap--but the daily headaches are certainly not going away--nor is the tiredness-yet I'm sleeping better.

I'm finding that I am waking with a lot of gunk in my lungs and feeling very congested every morning. I'm sure with me it's because I fight to breathe out due to asthma.

 

[Ladyinn]

I am on a bipap without a sleep study. My pulmonoligist ordered it after watching my breathing tests in his office decline and seeing my O2 level low during a regular visit.

I now use O2 with the bipap and the respitory therapist alerts the doctor when she notices a need for a pressure change. She evaluates this thru an overnight oxometer reading done right here at home. This is done every 30-60 days depending on what the doctor orders.

I notice a lot of gunk in my throat with the bipap when it first starts but not enough to keep me awake!

Good luck.

 

[Al]

Mine are 10 EPAP 20 IPAP with FVC of 44% and on Bipap since Jan 05. FVC was 86 when I got Bipap.

AL.

 

[tmasters]

Without a sleep study you can get a bipap when FVC is 50% or below according to medicare criteria.

-Tom