CPAP/ BiPap Question

Hi All!
I've noticed since I've taken off some weight, that my BiPAP machine is really annoying me. Wondering maybe if it's set too high now and I need to have the settings lowered. Can anyone advise me as to how I do this? Do I contact my Dr. who perscribed it? Or do I call the company that rents it to me? Will I need a whole new sleep study again? Any advice? Where do I begin?

Jen-

 Congratulations on your weight loss first. Second, you will need a new sleep study as you may not need the bipap any longer, you may only need cpap if anything at all. I lost 100 pounds and along with it lost my apnea. So I would call your Dr and schedule a new study... Best of luck, John 

You will need a new sleep study and with those results the company that rents it to you will reset it (or drop you from BiPap to CPAP).

Congratulations!

My Pulmonolgist didn't require me to have a new sleep study, she first did the ramping down at a lower setting and I seemed to tolerate it better now.   She said even after 130 lbs lost I can still require the CPAP.    However, if this setting starts to bother as I lose more weight then will do a new sleep study.   But I would check with the MD that prescribed the CPAP/BIPAP

You can probably get an adjustment on the pressure before you have another study done.  I had to do this.  I would call the place that did the sleep study.  They should have technicians that can help you with an adjustment.

Before you know it you may not need it anymore!

Best~
Lisa O.

I have the APAP ... auto PAP... it automatically adjusts the settings... I'm 2.5 yrs out and I still need it because I do know the difference if I don't use the machine, i'm tired the next day! 

I just had my machine adjusted on Monday, too, because it was giving me hiccups and making me feel nauseated at night.  I called the company that actually set me up with the machine.  They downloaded the information from the SD card and sent it to my Surgeon's office.  They  in turn, sent a perscription back to the company.  I came back in and they made the adjustment from CPAP to APAP.  I will be on that for a two week trial.  I slept with it last night and the difference was wonderful!  I am hoping that I get to keep this setting until I no longer need the machine.  Hope this helps and good luck! 

I went from 18/12 (I'm solid on the 18 and not so sure on the other number, might have been 14) settings on BiPAP to a lot lower (not with my band, but after the DS) and when I threatened to stop using it because I refused to do yet another (my fourth) sleep study, the Sleep Guru I go to (went to) let me take home an APAP for a few nights.  Using that machine, he could see what my highest and lowest settings needed to be and he prescribed the APAP (my insurance paid) and I used that for a few months until I finally had fewer than five incidents per hour and that makes you a not-sleep apnea person.

But the techs at the durable equipment place can only set it for what the doctor tells them to.

BTW...for anyone who is new at this...if you do not use the machine as prescribed--and the machine records whether or not you are using it--your insurance may refuse to pay for it.  (Mine was rented until a certain amount was spent and then it became mine.)  When you lose enough weight that there is too much pressure and you start pulling it off in your sleep and it records non-compliance, make sure your records are noted that your weight loss is making it impossible for you to comply until you have a new sleep study...or you may get a big ol' bill in the mail.

Thank you! That is some great advice.

Jen