Leak line Concern

[Jcochran]

Would you be concerned with leak rate or leak lines in encore even if your AHI is very good? I have finally, for the past 4 nights, been getting good AHI numbers, but my leak lines are pretty bad. Wasn't sure if I should be concerned with them? Thanks

[jules]

If your leak line is "bad" then the AHI and snore index, etc. are all meaningless.

You have to fix the leaks before you can even dream of looking at the rest of the data.

[MurphysLaw]

I've just spent the past week or so dealing with this problem. I have the same machine that you do.

My leak line remained fairly level each night, yet climbed higher from one night to the the next, to the point where I ordered a new mask and hose. They haven't arrived yet, but after trying new nasal pillows, and then larger nasal pillows, nothing worked and I felt no abnormal mask leaks. It still kept climbing higher each night until two nights ago when my humidifier yelled at me when I turned on the machine. The humidifier chamber seals had unseated completely. It must have been a slow process of them becoming dislodged. My leak rate went back to normal and my other stats are returning to their previous levels.

Good luck to you. I know how trying it can be to get those leak rates down to where they should be.

Lynne

[luke]

My leak average is not bad but the thing I'm concerned with is how mine spikes up and down.
I think I move around a lot at night which pushes the mask around apparently.
I live alone so nobody to ask !

Don't know how I'll do going forward....I'm still in the learning curve but have hit a brick wall as well as far as leakage goes

Luke

[dorourke]

I have the same problem, I found a hole in the mask hose that would compress or expand as I rolled over. I thought it was the joint on the mask hose at first, but after taping that with teflon tape, the changing pressure problem persisted.

I haven't completely solved my problem yet since it takes a full night to complete an experiment to see if it works

Best regards
P.S.

Your might want to post your leakage line, the graphical data is easier to interpet than written explainations

[jrt]

Posting the leakrate(s) would be a good to check out other opinions. I always wonder how some people are able to get a low leak rate that is pretty flat for the whole night. The only way I can get a flat line with close to the suggested mask leak rate is to stay in one place and not be sleeping too long. Seems like the leak rate is dependent on how much I move about and where in the skeep cycle it is recorded. It really gets wavy about between 3-4am which was about the time of morning I was told I snored the worst before using cpap.

[dorourke]

I always wonder how some people are able to get a low leak rate that is pretty flat for the whole night.

I think most of them are using a full face mask

[JayC]

It is about your mask...the bed pillow you use....etc.

I experiment with moving around while awake just to see if I can provoke a leak!!

I use SWIFT LT and side and stomach sleep.....and achieve a fully straight leak line quite often, and a mostly straight line with a short blip or two most of the rest of the time. Usually blip is from position change....

Might mouth-leak once a week......usually briefly.

Straight lines are possible.....and without a FFM.

Maximizing Good therapy is the point......do what is needed for that.....

J

[MrSandman]

It is about your mask...the bed pillow you use....etc.

I experiment with moving around while awake just to see if I can provoke a leak!!

I use SWIFT LT and side and stomach sleep.....and achieve a fully straight leak line quite often, and a mostly straight line with a short blip or two most of the rest of the time. Usually blip is from position change....

Might mouth-leak once a week......usually briefly.

Straight lines are possible.....and without a FFM.

Maximizing Good therapy is the point......do what is needed for that.....

J

It is also about how high your pressure is. A pressure of 6-13 is pretty easy to maintain leaks on. Try getting a straight leak line with a pressure over 15 and Cflex on. Maybe a few can but everything has to be just right.

[dorourke]

I use SWIFT LT and side and stomach sleep.....and achieve a fully straight leak line quite often, and a mostly straight line with a short blip or two most of the rest of the time. Usually blip is from position change....

Might mouth-leak once a week......usually briefly.

Straight lines are possible.....and without a FFM.

I am really glad to hear that, I am a new to this and wasn't sure if you could achieve that with the nasal pillows, most of the straight line data I've seen hear is from people using the FF.

It is also about how high your pressure is. A pressure of 6-13 is pretty easy to maintain leaks on. Try getting a straight leak line with a pressure over 15 and Cflex on. Maybe a few can but everything has to be just right.

Fortunately I am using only 9cm

Best regards

[JayC]

Browser:

Good point about pressure and other settings adding more challenge to the mix....

I'm glad I don't generally have a leak challenge; I do appreciate that I am very lucky in this. At the same time, I struggle with other elements..... and outside things that impact getting better sleep. All in all, I'll stick with my particular set of challenges...I may not have them tamed, but I have them named!!

My "range" is still in transition; I may get closer to 15 before I am done with my first year.....I am already spending most time in the middle/upper of my range. Choosing to wait until January discussion with my great sleep doc before I make any changes....

Here's to every one of us as we tame our own particular set of challenges in getting the best therapy/sleep that we can....night after night...


J