I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP

I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - Printable Version

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I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - sneef - 04-06-2017

Hi everyone, I am new here.
Had my sleep lab, severe OSA, 91/hr
Dr prescribed CPAP

The hospital only had one machine which i know is a god one, it is a ResMed Airsense 10 Auto, which of course is really an APAP, not a CPAP.

I am in Thailand, the price here through the hospital is close to $2,000, my insurance will pay, thank god.

But then i saw on Amazon [commercial URL removed] there is a seller with Philips Respironics Model DSX700T11 DreamStation Auto BiPAP with humidifier and heated tube, for $720 all i need on top of that is a mask.

Now can i just buy a BiPAP, or is a BiPAP specifically for certain type of sufferers?

The machine they used at the Hospital during the test was a Phillips BiPAP, a slightly older model i think.

If i do convince the insurer to let me buy it from Amazon, by buying a BiPAP over an APAP am i getting a better model/experience overall, broadly speaking (I am not looking for a comparison directly of DSX700T11 and the ResMed A10)

I took home a Demo model of the ResMed S10 and two nose pillow masks, but so far in 4 days haven't last longer than 1.5 hours before the mask is off.

I sleep on my belly, having a mask on and sleeping on the belly somehow don't seem to go together real well.

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RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - Gideon - 04-06-2017

Welcome to the forum

As a rule a CPAP Rx is not valid for a BiPap. While a BiPap can treat the same OSA as CPAP It can do so at higher pressure and it can treat some other issues.

What are your pressures?
Can you post details from your sleep study please. It will give us better insight on which model may be best for you.

Could you please download SleepyHead and upload your data. The How to is in my signature. Pay attention to the section on organization. This puts the more important charts on top.

NOte you need 4 posts to do this, but add a space to the url you get and we can figure it out. Just don't tell anyone..

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - Sleeprider - 04-06-2017

The Dreamstation DSX700H11 is and auto BiPAP that can work in CPAP mode and provide the same functionality as an Auto CPAP. Don't worry about the prescription, the bilevel is a superior machine that can treat obstructive sleep apnea and do a superior job in resolving hypopnea. The pressure support (difference exhale and inhale pressure) in BiPAP mode make the therapy much more comfortable. This machine is normally about twice the price of an Auto CPAP.

I was originally prescribed auto CPAP, and purchased my first BiPAP on my own, similar to what you propose. After that, I was simply spoiled by the comfort and greater effectiveness. I later persuaded my doctor that bilevel therapy was superior for me, based on measurably better results and higher level of comfort. I can easily help you to find the most effective pressure and mode of operation if you choose to use a bilevel rather than CPAP; however you can run this machine in CPAP mode according to your prescription.

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - Gideon - 04-06-2017

(04-06-2017, 09:16 AM)Sleeprider Wrote: The Dreamstation DSX700H11 is and auto BiPAP that can work in CPAP mode and provide the same functionality as an Auto CPAP. Don't worry about the prescription, the bilevel is a superior machine that can treat obstructive sleep apnea and do a superior job in resolving hypopnea. The pressure support (difference exhale and inhale pressure) in BiPAP mode make the therapy much more comfortable. This machine is normally about twice the price of an Auto CPAP.

I was originally prescribed auto CPAP, and purchased my first BiPAP on my own, similar to what you propose. After that, I was simply spoiled by the comfort and greater effectiveness. I later persuaded my doctor that bilevel therapy was superior for me, based on measurably better results and higher level of comfort. I can easily help you to find the most effective pressure and mode of operation if you choose to use a bilevel rather than CPAP; however you can run this machine in CPAP mode according to your prescription.

Absolutely no disagreement from me with this.

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - sneef - 04-06-2017

Many thanks for the advice and insights so far.

I will try and get that log printed after i sleep tonight (it's night here now).

Here is my sleep report findings.

The PSG shows poor sleep efficiency of 42.3%
Normal sleep onset: 20 mins
Sleep architecture shows absent of slow wave and REM
Patient spent 17% of sleep in supine position

Respiratory Disturbance Index 91.4 - Apnea Index 91.4

Longest duration hypopnea / apnea was 64.0 / 32.0
Lowest SaO2 was 80%
No periodic leg movement PLM index 0.0
No cardiac arrhythmia

CPAP tritration done @ 4/6/8/10/11/12 cmH2O optimum @ 12

None of the above was really explained to me, but i get most of it from doing some reading. If these results are "extraordinary" then please someone say so, i would not know ordinary from extraordinary if it bit me at this point.

Thanks

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - Gideon - 04-06-2017

Any mention of Central Apnea?

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - sneef - 04-06-2017

(04-06-2017, 09:58 AM)bonjour Wrote: Any mention of Central Apnea?

None
But on the AirSense i think it is showing some of those occuring.

I'll get the data out soon, off to bed now. Let's hope for a good 4 hour session.

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - Sleeprider - 04-06-2017

The advantage of the auto bipap or auto CPAP is that you can set a pressure range that will automatically let you use lower pressure when you are not having events, and it will move to higher pressures as needed. So a range of 9 minimum to 14 maximum in auto CPAP makes sense, while on auto BiPAP, you would use an EPAP min of 8.0, IPAP max of 16 cm and use a pressure support of 2 to 4 cm. The BiPAP will automatically select the right combination of pressures starting at 10/8, and moving up to 16/12, or 16/14 as needed.

Good luck with your new therapy on the Airsense 10 demo. Do you know if EPR (exhale pressure relief) is enabled?

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - trish6hundred - 04-06-2017

Hi sneef,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you as you start your CPAP therapy and hopefully, you can get the Auto Bi-Level machine.

RE: I was prescribed CPAP, can i buy BiPAP - sneef - 04-17-2017

Thanks everyone for support so far.

Sadly for me i read somewhere (before i arrived here) that it is best to have EPR turned ON when using an Air Sense 10, and that ruined a weeks worth of me trying to get used to the machine. The minute i looked at the data in SleepyHead i could see that the first two days with EPR off was far better and so i switched it to off and got 2 hours sleep under CPAP.

So i have included here 3 days of data, each day is with EPR off and we can assume for now that EPR is not my friend (will be changing masks to one that fits in about 2 weeks and we retest EPR).

[Image: vuast6K.jpg]

In advance i am so grateful for the help already provided and what is coming.

I am still using the loan machine, and i have tried 2 nasal masks and 1 full face. For the time being we can rule out the full face as being an option. The nasal mask i have is poorly fitting and i know that doesn't help. Not much i can do for 2 weeks about that.

Sleep-well

(night time here)