Can you use a travel machine when you're on BiPap?

Like many of you I got an email this morning about the new Transcend Auto travel CPAP machine. Evidently both this machine and the non-automatic version of this machine have a feature that call EZEX, which they describe as lowering the EPAP pressure by up to 3 cm H2O. To me, this would be the same thing as BiPap with a pressure support of 3 cm. I currently use a BiPap pressure support of 4 cm, but I have well tolerated EPAP pressures substantially higher what a PS of 3 cm would currently yield so I thought I'd be good to go. The good folks at our host however tell me that this is altogether different from BiPap and I'd need a new prescription saying specifically that it was OK to use this machine.

Where did I take a wrong turn with my thinking?

Transcend does not yet have a bipap; however, since they recently introduced TWO new machines, --maybe, in the future?
Comparing features vs cost, I prefer the Intellipap Autoadjust to the Transcend Auto--and would make that choice today as well.
Intellipap does make a bipap, which you may enjoy more.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/devilb ... level.html

Old dude,

The technical answer is the the EZEX machine is a straight CPAP machine with pressure relief.
Your machine is a bi-level machine with settable IPAP and EPAP values.
Thus, if your Rx called for a bi-level machine, the Transcend EZEX is not one and the doctor has to say that it will work for you. It is likely that it will but our hosts are bound by law to act the way they are acting.

JDS74 wrote:Old dude,

The technical answer is the the EZEX machine is a straight CPAP machine with pressure relief.
Your machine is a bi-level machine with settable IPAP and EPAP values.
Thus, if your Rx called for a bi-level machine, the Transcend EZEX is not one and the doctor has to say that it will work for you. It is likely that it will but our hosts are bound by law to act the way they are acting.

I get that and do indeed understand why they say what they are saying.

I suppose a better way to have phrased my question would have been "Is there any functional difference between a CPAP machine set at 11 cm H2O with a pressure relief of 3 cm H2O and a BiPAP machine set at pressures of 11/8?"

The maximum exhale relief on the Transcend is 3; should you ever need more, you are S.O.L.
Comparing the cost differences between cpap machines and bipap machines of the same brand
would lead one to believe the functional differences are substantial. However, prices are also
an artifact of supply and demand and the mysterious workings of medical pricing (and organizational greed).
My thought: Any treatment is better than none at all, but you may not be as comfortable.
It's your call.

old dude wrote: I suppose a better way to have phrased my question would have been "Is there any functional difference between a CPAP machine set at 11 cm H2O with a pressure relief of 3 cm H2O and a BiPAP machine set at pressures of 11/8?"

I suspect there is no functional difference between the two set the same way.

The difference in cost likely comes from the differnce in the FDA hoops that have to be jumped through and the patint demographics. If most patients are treated well with straight CPAP, the unit cost of the FDA overhead per patient is small. If the next group of patients is much smaller, the overhead is consequently larger even if the hardware is the same and the difference is only in the firmware.

Step up to the ASV class of machine and the overhead gets really large - I suspect that is why they cost four times as much as the straight CPAP machine in the same series from the same manufacturer.

old dude wrote:"Is there any functional difference between a CPAP machine set at 11 cm H2O with a pressure relief of 3 cm H2O and a BiPAP machine set at pressures of 11/8?"

Yes, there is a bit of a functionality difference..more in timing of the reduction. You may or may not "feel" the difference.
It may or may not work well for you. Personally...I wouldn't do it. Not with the Transcend for sure. It is a totally different brand and has a totally different algorithm..noise level is different...humidification is different.
It might suit your needs just fine but it might now and it can't be returned...pretty expensive experiment and forum members who have tried the Transcend and end up wanting to sell it on the forum....have to take a BIG hit in price to get anyone interested here.
It isn't very popular.

Finally...if your RX is for bilevel pressures...I don't think you can buy a cpap/apap machine from cpap.com but check with them to make sure.

FWIW...I did try an experiment when I had my S9 VPAP ....I used cpap mode with EPR at 3 and same settings in fixed bilevel mode with PS of 3...so essentially the same settings and yes...I could feel a slight difference in the timing of the exhale and more importantly the inhale..it's quicker with EPR. Not a horrible difference..but I felt a difference.
I have no idea how the Transcend's algorithm might compare.

Sounds like a great question for your Doc!

He/She can tell you if that's a good idea for YOU. And would be the one writing the script.

Save money, get a proven machine, carry a little more weight.
Get another bilevel, maybe a used one from a private source. I think you would regret getting the Transcend.
In order to make a machine that small and lightweight, many compromises may have been made.
Even if Transcend ever makes a bipap, it is a cinch theirs will be inferior to the one you use at home.

Wel, it sounds like the Transcend would be a mistake even if it might come close to doing what I want.

Thanks everybody, I appreciate the guidance.