HELP ! CAN'T EXHALE

[chunkyfrog]

The AA valves, by design use a "spring" action to keep it in a "normal" position,
where the free flow of room air in and out of the mask is unencumbered. This position is the default.
Air pressure coming in through the hose pushes the flapper into the alternate position,
where pressurized air is allowed into the mask.
I am wondering if the lower pressure of exhale relief would ever allow the flap to return to the default position.
Another thing I wonder is when does the popping sound happen? When the flap hits default or alternate?
I remember hearing this sound before; but it was another brand mask; and I heard it when the machine was OFF.

[Otter]

Happy to report no issues last night! Have no idea why the bump in AHI the last few days,

Great.

Why do you have only one leak trace this time instead of both "total leaks" and "leaks"? Did you change something?

[archangle]

What you're describing really makes no sense to me, Cokomo.

Cokomo, can you answer the following two questions.

1) When it's "broken," lift up the edge of the mask. Does air gush out like it does when everything is working normally?

2) When it's "broken," disconnect the hose from the mask and see if air gushes out.

[Cokomo]

My definition of the valve/flap being open is when the machine is on and blowing air up into the mask. The flap drops(closes) as soon as the pressure is stopped. The popping I heard is when the flap closed.
The flap was closed and I was having difficulty exhaling. It makes me think the pressure had stopped but SH says otherwise. The apneas were real.

I seldom see the bottom leak line and have no idea why this is. Nothing was changed.

[Pugsy]

I seldom see the bottom leak line and have no idea why this is. Nothing was changed.

SleepyHead has a few bugs with that bottom leak line. Some people get it and some people don't and some people like you may see if sporadically. It's supposed to be an excess leak only line but Mark had trouble with the calculations needed to decode that leak...so it kind of got abandoned. It never was polished and finished. No big deal to have it be absent.

If you want excess leak only graph...EncoreBasic offers a setting change where it will reflect only excess leak.
I don't know exactly how they come up with that figure because the machine doesn't know what kind of mask is being used.
I think it does a measure of things when we first turn the machine on and we assume no leaks...then it uses that as a baseline for it's calculations. Uses a generic vent rate for whatever pressure is being used...I know that the baseline isn't 0.0 for everyone...so it isn't totally accurate either. I have a friend who uses 17 cm pressure and a full face mask...so her vent rate is pretty up there.
When we set her software to show only excess leak her baseline was around 20 L/min...so the generic number to subtract for vent rate wasn't enough for her situation.

[Otter]

Thanks for clearing that up, Pugsy.

My definition of the valve/flap being open is when the machine is on and blowing air up into the mask. The flap drops(closes) as soon as the pressure is stopped. The popping I heard is when the flap closed.
The flap was closed and I was having difficulty exhaling. It makes me think the pressure had stopped but SH says otherwise. The apneas were real

So, if the valve was "closed", allowing air to leave the mask, why were you having difficulty exhaling? Whether the pressure is on or not, allowing air to flow out the AA valve should make it easier to exhale.

I"m not sure what's going on here, but I am very curious about the fine details of your flow rate during these events.

Do you have asthma? In an asthma attack, bronchial constriction makes it difficult to exhale fully. The struggle to get fresh air into already full lungs gives the characteristic gasping wheeze. That breathing pattern might confuse your machine enough to drop the pressure and trigger the AA valve. For all I know, your machine may be programmed to back off the pressure to help you exhale if it detects an asthma attack. Either way, you might get the combination of difficulty exhaling with the sound of the valve moving to the position that ought to make it easier to exhale.

[Cokomo]

No asthma . Makes no sense to me either.
If/when it happens again, I will be sure to be more attentive
to what's happening.

[Cokomo]

Now I am really concerned. After having 2 nights AHI 1 or less, the last 2 nights have been 16 and 17 AHI . Originally thought it could be a defective/wornout valve in Quattro FX. Not so. Used 3 different valves with last night's mask being brand new. While awake, I can hear and feel the flap cloing with every exhale. At wits end as to why this is happening.

[DeadlySleep]

While awake, I can hear and feel the flap cloing with every exhale.

That is the way it works when the machine is not running.

[Cokomo]

Just raised the pressure to 17 from 15 and it helps. Only a short 40 min nap though. Will try this tonight .

[Cokomo]

Just came across this old thread. I brought the machine to the DME and they said it checked out ok. Knew something was definitely wrong with the machine and had to beg for a loaner.The loaner worked fine and AHI was <1 for 3 consecutive days. I insisted they send mine to mfr for testing and they did. The mfr. overnighted a new machine to me after admitting the machine was defective, but did not want to go into specifics.

[Krelvin]

Good resolution, hopefully it didn't take ten months.

[Demerit]

Download your card in encore. On the usage bar graph that shows up, If there are large black "gaps" on the bar graph, your blower is not recognizing that you are on the machine. A descrepency between the usage hours and blowers is also a hint. If this is showing up, your machine needs to go in for repair or perhaps it's still under warranty.