Hi Kate,

Sounds like you were switched from a CPAP to an autoPAP. The cpap delivers a constant pressure whether breathing in or out. The autoPaP also delivers the same pressure in and out but delivers varying levels of pressure over time depending on how much resistence due to obstruction it is detected. Regardless of where the pressure is both the inhale and the exhale get the same pressure and both ride up and down together according to the changes determined by the algorithm of the machine in reaction to the level of obstruction.

The cflex is a feature of the CPAP which gives a little bit (really almost unnoticeable) pressure relief for the outbreath. Aflex is the similar feature for an autoPap. Neither of those features ever helped me personally, it just wasn't enough help on the expiration. As a side note, I'll tell you that the autopap left me exausted too. In my case because it just wasn't really picking up on my breathing issues, it was looking for classic obstruction whereas, yes, I might have some obstruction issues but mostly I just simply didn't have the strength to do the neccessary work of breathing. My sleep doctor agreed with that assessment, so I'm not entirely crazy!

From my experience I would say that you need a bipap. This is a machine which sets two different pressures: one for inhalation and one for exhalation. So, it obviously will give you that nice relief of pressure as you exhale. I can tell you it's a wonderful, wonderful thing for mg'ers. Helps you breathe in, nothing to fight against on the breath out. I don't know what it would take for you to get it but this is the right machine for someone with mg. In fact the very day after I got my mg diagnosis I gave my sleep doctor a call and he rammed through the paperwork and got me a bipap very quickly. We had been waiting for that magical diagnosis though. Without that I'd have been out of luck. I don't know how it would work for you.

I really, really hope you have success in getting what you need. I used all three machines and they are all very different. I think you need the bipap. Because it's crazy to expect someone with mg to have to breathe out against pressure. We have a hard enough time as it is! Jeesh!

Anyway, good luck and go get 'em.

Ally