AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
yourbrokenoven
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun May 11, 2014 3:58 am
Location: Louisiana

AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

Post by yourbrokenoven » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:27 pm

To review, I had my pressures lowered on Jan 25th. I've, overall, felt like I'm sleeping incredibly well compared to dates prior to Jan 25th, but as before I'm still feeling overwhelming drowsiness, and irritability by evening especially on days I work.

I'd love to learn to interpret this data myself. I'm not sure of the significance of what I'm looking at. I've reposted my first screenshot from Feb 1st for comparison.

I've used my machine's mask fit feature, and I've got a good seal, though I still see large leaks throughout the night. I have tried readjusting straps. I've made sure my the rubber cushion is clean and free of oil from my face. I feel like the patterns coincide with the number of times I wake and toss and turn. When leaks wake me, I'm lying on my back, usually. I'm really more of a side-sleeper.

I'll just have to compare once I get a different mask, I guess. Both masks I've tried seal perfectly when fit-testing, and just seem to leak all night when actually used.



[img]Feb%201%20st[/img]
[img]Feb%206%20th[/img]
[img]Feb%208%20th[/img]

*edit* adding tonights to the bunch. Fewer leaks, but the headgear hurts the back of my head with it this tight... I'm ordering a different mask today.
[img]Feb%2010%20th[/img]
Last edited by yourbrokenoven on Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Pugsy
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Location: Missouri, USA

Re: AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

Post by Pugsy » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:06 am

There are times when you are so deep into large leak territory that we can't trust any of the data during those periods of really big leak.

So that nice low AHI may not really be that nice and low. We don't know if nothing happened of some stuff happened but the machine was so deep in large leak territory that it just couldn't sense what was happening.

Your report last night Feb 8....is the best of the 3 in terms of leak management and it still needs some work.

Are you sure that you are using the best size cushion...did you measure with a template?

Maybe this mask just isn't a good mask for your face.

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

ajack
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Re: AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

Post by ajack » Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:54 am

I'm surprised the f20 is leaking like that, Until I looked, I would have guessed you were nasal and mouth breathing. It really does need to be sorted.

In the last chart. Your pressures seem spot on and the apnea is well treated, we can't tell when the bad leaks are running, but the rest is good and can guess without the leaks, that area would be good too. When the leaks are fixed I'd try 9 13 and see how it went. You may be able to back off a bit and keep good numbers.

_________________
Mask: ResMed AirFit™ F20 Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
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yourbrokenoven
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun May 11, 2014 3:58 am
Location: Louisiana

Re: AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

Post by yourbrokenoven » Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:59 am

Thank you


So, to get fitted and sized, there was a rep from my medical supply company. They didn't do any sort of measuring. In fact nobody during the initial sleep study or when fitting for my first mask did measuring either. They just guessed that I'm a meduim. After finally convincing them that the medium Quattro air leaked and barely covered my mouth, I was fitted for the F20. I was allowed to try both medium and large. No measuring. I decided large felt better.

During my last doctor visit, I was fitted for the Simplus. Again, no measuring. I think it was a large again, but I'm not sure. I decided I'd order on my own, but that Simplus was the most comfortable thing. It even sealed when I was sitting up which no other mask will do.

I'm 6'3, 300lb. Large head. Glasses have to be like 58 - 60 and 19 in other words some of the largest in the store.

None of my masks have ever come with measuring guides like other medical products do... Just learned you can download a paper to cut out and measure for some of the masks.

The F20 is neither comfortable to me nor do I feel it seals reliably.

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Pugsy
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Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

Post by Pugsy » Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:24 am

Yes, most of the masks have printable templates for measuring
If you go here and then find the mask you want to measure for there's usually a sizing guide at the product page
https://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks.php

Like here is the product page for the Simplus
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... -mask.html

and in the upper right side there is a button for "sizing guide" and this is what you get. Other masks might have a different type of guide and you just have to check each out. Don't assume that if you are a large in one mask template that you will be a large in all masks.
https://5faacd0c97cf0d23c6dc-064f3cd61b ... d-2014.pdf

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

yourbrokenoven
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun May 11, 2014 3:58 am
Location: Louisiana

Re: AHI increased, mask leaking, but better quality sleep?

Post by yourbrokenoven » Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:32 am

Thank you all.

I edited the original post and added last night's data to the mix. I feel I got fantastic sleep, but the headgear really hurts the back of my head to be tight enough to stop the leaking from the F20 mask. Mask itself doesn't really bother me being tight, but I feel like I'm going to get a pressure ulcer from the headgear. I'm going to order a different mask today after I do the sizing and such.

I can't believe it's taken me since 2014 to diagnose something as simple as a leak.