[Equipment] Newbie just trying to gather info

[Penetra8r]

Around May, I went in for a sleep study for my sleep apnea condition. I had an appointment to bring in the machine around 3 weeks later, however I never got a call from anyone or a machine so I had to cancel the appointment. I called the med supply and they said insurance never authorized yet... and as time went on, I was losing interest quick... Last week I called the med place and they said they would call me in a few days. Fed up, I called my insurance and asked what the heck is going on and I found out they authorized everything in late June!!! The insurance told me I had a $1,000 deductible and would have to pay 20% after... and right after that call a friend happened to come by my house and tell me about his sleep apnea condition and the machine his wife found on FB for $40. So I started searching on my own and ended up buying a brand new Dreamworks 700 Bipap machine w/ humidifier and Resmed mask. The guy who sold me the unit said a bipap was a better machine and described a CPAP as a blow dryer in your face where a BIPAP kind of cancelled that out...I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing but want to know if theres any literature on how to program this machine. The doctor said I was a 6. Any info will be greatly appreciated Thanks to all

[PaulaO2]

The guy who sold me the unit said a bipap was a better machine and described a CPAP as a blow dryer in your face where a BIPAP kind of cancelled that out

Eh, kinda. 6cmH2O coming down the hose at you is the same no matter what machine it is coming from.

Bilevel CPAPs can be straight CPAP (one pressure) or autoPAP (a range). The difference between a Bilevel and a regular CPAP/APAP is the exhale range. Bilevel and CPAP/APAP can do an exhale of 3 points different then the inhale. Bilevel can do more than 3. Meaning if your treatment pressure is 10, the exhale (what your lungs are pushing against) can be as much as 7 in a CPAP/APAP. Bilevel let's you go lower than 7.

The hardest part of going alone is the mask. What fits me may not fit you. It will be trial and error to find the right one for your face, your sleep pattern, and your needs. Some online suppliers let you return the mask (minus a fee) and try another one.

If you need the manual for your machine, check here:
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-pr...tup-manual

Other links for you:
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Acronyms
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ical_terms

[ajack]

also, make sure you have a sd card in your machine, same as in cameras etc. download the sleepyhead program and get some charts up for the forum to help you fine tune it.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Penetra8r,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you with CPAP therapy, hang in there for more responses to your post.