Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

[Pressure] Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
#1
Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
Good morning,


I have started my therapy a couple of weeks ago, I am still fine tuning EPAP and IPAP on a Respironics BIPAP Pro and I a have a couple of questions. Overall everything is OK except waking-up rather early in the morning (6 hours per nights). Average AHI of 1.68 over 15 days so not bad  

1) I have just noticed from my OSCAR charts that EPAP operating level is always 1cmH2O over the set-up level (see attached screen capture). Is this normal?

2) I returned last night from a week at sea level to home at 2,400 meters (vicinity of Mexico city so not that cold) and I really struggled with very dry mouth and sinus despite my humidifier. It seems humidifier adaptive mode does not work very well for me, water level did not decrease much.

I really enjoy Apnea Board. Great source of info.   


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
Congratulations on starting therapy for your apnea! I'm sure the experts here can offer you some guidance about your settings.

But first, could you tweak your chart a little bit so all the important information is visible? Turn off the pie chart (Preferences ... Appearance) and the calendar (little triangle to the left of the date). Then scrunch your graphs a little so that the whole flow rate graph is visible. You can do that by grabbing the gray horizontal bar that separates the graphs.

About the dry mouth: this may not be related to the humidifier but instead reflect mouth breathing. But if your machine has a fixed humidifier setting you can use, you could give that a try.
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
The dryness could also be because of your altitude change of nearly 8000 feet.  As you know the air at altitude is drier/less humid than at sea level.

I would like you to increase your PS to 3.5 to see if the hypopneas will come down a little while keeping an eye on your central apneas.
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
(01-02-2020, 12:43 PM)Dormeo Wrote: Congratulations on starting therapy for your apnea!  I'm sure the experts here can offer you some guidance about your settings.

But first, could you tweak your chart a little bit so all the important information is visible?  Turn off the pie chart (Preferences ... Appearance) and the calendar (little triangle to the left of the date).  Then scrunch your graphs a little so that the whole flow rate graph is visible.  You can do that by grabbing the gray horizontal bar that separates the graphs.

About the dry mouth: this may not be related to the humidifier but instead reflect mouth breathing.  But if your machine has a fixed humidifier setting you can use, you could give that a try.

Thank you Dormeo. Revised chart attached.


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
(01-02-2020, 12:51 PM)bonjour Wrote: The dryness could also be because of your altitude change of nearly 8000 feet.  As you know the air at altitude is drier/less humid than at sea level.

I would like you to increase your PS to 3.5 to see if the hypopneas will come down a little while keeping an eye on your central apneas.

Thank you. I will slightly adjust for an effective PS of 3.5-4 for tonight. My setting for last night was 10/6 so PS of 4 but data showed in reality a operational PS around 3. So my initial question regarding the discrepancy between machine setting and pressure data recorded.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
Make sure you don’t have flex on as that will effect pressure support the wavy green line indicates you have flex on
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
Indeed. Flex is on. I had my first few days without it but I have much more natural breathing feeling with it.
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
Your PS is limited by your Max IPAP of 10, set your IPAP Max to 14 to give yourself room to apply the PS
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Difference between EPAP set pressure and operational pressure
(01-02-2020, 06:27 PM)bonjour Wrote: Your PS is limited by your Max IPAP of 10,  set your IPAP Max to 14 to give yourself room to apply the PS

I am afraid I have the wrong machine for that. Fixed IPAP with Respironic BiPAP pro so no max level... Just a fixed IPAP level
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  [Pressure] Advice on pressure adjustments akarifur 44 1,831 8 hours ago
Last Post: akarifur
  Fan is running but no pressure from Dreamstaion Fireboss 2 49 8 hours ago
Last Post: Sleeprider
  Do I need to increase my max pressure? Daveman 4 92 Yesterday, 12:37 PM
Last Post: Sleeprider
  BiPAP Pressure for Possible UARS bertchintus 20 988 Yesterday, 03:24 AM
Last Post: SingleH
  Struggling with pressure etc ubuntootoo 9 273 03-22-2024, 06:19 PM
Last Post: Sleeprider
  Pressure >20? DakotaNorth 3 98 03-22-2024, 06:12 PM
Last Post: HalfAsleep
  Need help to find a good Luna G3 pressure. johnathanb76 13 205 03-22-2024, 11:06 AM
Last Post: Sleeprider


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.