Data-need help

[Jcochran]

Hello all. I was wondering if someone would look at this data and tell me what to do or where to go next. Thanks in advance.
http://savefile.com/files/1868201

[Jcochran]

bump

[ozij]

Your link forces a download of 3 megabyte file - which was not ever moving when I tried it.
Try screen shots and a picture hosting site like photobucket.

O.

[DreamDiver]

Here's a sanitized, webified version of the report from jcochran's original pdf:
http://www.montfordhouse.com/cpap/jcochran/103108.htm

Savefile.com doesn't seem to be an ideal place to store pdf's. It's too slow.
Mediafire.com might be better.
Others have had good success with yousendit.com.

ozij is right, though. Most members post images on photobucket.com and refer to them in the forum.

jcochran, I hope this helps.

[bdp522]

Your leaks need work. Ya gotta get the leaks fixed, THEN you can tweak the pressure more. Some of us go through alot of masks before we find the right one. You can also search the forum for fixes for your mask.
You also have to stop changing your pressure so often. Pick a pressure, say 8...then keep it there for a week. Your body needs time to adjust to the change! you may see that by the end of the week you are doing better then at the beginning of the week. If you keep making daily changes you may never get this figured out.

Brenda

[Jcochran]

Yeah, the leaks were out of contol in the beginning. I'm having a horrible time finding a mask that works. The quatro FFM hurts me, the liberty has a leaking issue at the exhaust and doesn't seem to give me the same amount of air as the quattro does. My doc/DME says they are out of options with mask. Seems all they sell or provide is the masks made by ResMed. I realized after getting the software that I shouldn't have been changing the pressure every night. I'll keep posting new reports and try to put up screens. Thanks.

[CRS]

Your leak rates look really good in the last few reports... was that with the Quattro?

[Jcochran]

The very last day was. The other days was with the liberty. I had given up on the quattro in the beginning, but most of the leak was from the placement. Got that fixed, but still have pain from the mask. Calling my DME in the morning and am going to get a new mask. CRS, I see you use the liberty mask. Comments? Do you have any problem with the air, I feel that the quattro gives more air if that makes sense. Also my liberty makes a bad leak around the exhaust. Any ideas on how to fix this?

[CRS]

The very last day was. The other days was with the liberty. I had given up on the quattro in the beginning, but most of the leak was from the placement. Got that fixed, but still have pain from the mask. Calling my DME in the morning and am going to get a new mask. CRS, I see you use the liberty mask. Comments? Do you have any problem with the air, I feel that the quattro gives more air if that makes sense. Also my liberty makes a bad leak around the exhaust. Any ideas on how to fix this?

It's funny, I'm beginning to wonder if we have the same DME because everything you say sounds similar to something I JUST went through. I was getting good therapy with the Quattro small, but the bridge of my nose was becoming so dented and painful that I couldn't sleep with it anymore. The Medium Quattro was comfy but I couldn't get the leaks under control with it. The small FF Zzz-mask was comfy and kept a good seal except for a couple of times during the night when my jaw shifts way off to the side causing mouth leaks (I have jaw problems, they're the reason I have sleep apnea in the first place). I did a "not-so-sturdy frame modification" to force it into a different shape around the mouth area, but couldn't get it to stay that way without repairing it every couple of nights. I got a Mirage Liberty large that sounded like it was leaking badly around the exhaust- turned out that the oxygen ports cap had fallen out of the mask between the time that RT fitted me and the time she put it in my bag. I've plugged them with Mack's silicone for now until I can get another ports cap.

Although the Liberty isn't as comfy as the Zzz-mask, I don't have any problems with leaks now that the oxygen ports are plugged up. I am having trouble breathing through my nose with it and feel like I'm not getting as much air as I did with normal FFMs- I keep fiddling with the nasal pillows, the mask seating, and the upper headgear adjustment trying to solve that. I've noticed that if I have the upper headgear straps too tight and the mask is pushing the bottom of my nose upward, that it constricts the space within my nostrils leaving very little room for air to get through. It may be that the mask and/or pillows is the wrong size. Since the RT said that the Liberty is the last of my mask options (they sell mostly Resmed products), I'm ordering an Innomed Hybrid off the internet. I'll have to pay for it out of pocket, but it comes with all sizes of mask cushions and nasal pillows, and the headgear is highly adjustable, so if a hybrid style mask is going to work for me, there has to be a solution in there somewhere. If THAT doesn't work, I'll come up with a more permanent modification for the Zzz-mask frame, since it's the best non-hybrid mask I've found.

I'm not sure if your leaking around the exhaust issue with the Liberty is the same as mine, but if you can find the leak, my suggestion FWIW (keep in mind I'm still new!) would be to patch it for a few nights so you could rule out that variable when looking at your data. I'm definitely interested to hear what mask your DME gives you tomorrow!

[Jcochran]

what is the oxygen port cap? Are you referring to the "flap" inside the tube that closes off when air is turned on? If so, how much air should be coming through the exhaust vents when flap is closing it off? Thanks for your input.

[CRS]

There are a few different openings on the mask, so it can get kind of confusing... what you're looking at is an anti-asphyxiation vent. When the CPAP is running, the air from the machine pushes the little flapper valve upward, which closes off the anti-asphyxiation vent so that the pressurized air doesn't blow straight out the elbow. When the pressure drops below 3 cm, that flap falls down so you can breathe, i.e. if the power goes out or your machine isn't putting out enough air. Look at where the upper headgear straps attach to the frame- right beneath them are areas of lots of tiny pinholes; those are the exhaust vents. Then, flip the hose upward and look at the squared-off area just beneath where the elbow meets the mask. On the underside of that squared-off area there should be a soft rectangular plug - it's hard to see; a bright light helps. That's the ports cap. Under the ports cap are two holes-those are oxygen ports; some folks require supplemental oxygen and have another machine that plugs into those holes. My ports cap was missing, that's where mine was leaking at.

[Jcochran]

how much air should get by the flapper? One side seems to let more air out, and I believe that is where my leak is coming from.

[CRS]

None, really. Is the flapper (valve) torn?

[Jcochran]

No, I took it apart and looked at it. It just doesn't seem to seal completely. I'll have the DME look at it. Thanks for all your help

[echo]

Is THIS what you mean by the 'flapper' ? https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed-ports-cap.html

The port cap should not let ANY air through. it might be slightly damaged and therefore leaking. Also check that it's inserted in facing the right direction (not sure how to express that exactly in words).