HUGE change in my stats! Help!

Hi guys. After a night's sleep, these are my average numbers for a few of the settings that I think are pretty important:

AHI = .5

90% EPAP = 13

This is my average over 30 to 45 days. Well, I checked my stats from last night and my stats jumped:

AHI = 11.2

90% EPAP = 15

If it happens again tonight, I'm going to consult my HME provider but, I was wondering if any of you have experienced a significant jump like that and if so, what caused it? I am thinking my "off night" was just a fluke and I need not worry but I'm not sure.

A little background about last night - I was having issues with a whistling mask or hose. I had a small leak somewhere that was just enough to make a high pitched squeak so I'd have to wake up, take off my mask, try and diagnose the issue and go back to sleep. I did this about three times. Could that have caused my terrible numbers night? FYI - I think my mask was seated properly but I think my cushion may have had a little grime on the part that connects with the hose and that was creating a teensy air pocket thus, creating the squeak.

Thoughts on the numbers jump? Anyone?

What model of which machine are you using, and which mask, plus what are your pressure settings? Do you take any meds? How many hrs did you sleep and are you using a humidifier? We need some info to work with. But... anything can happen in one night, so unless it becomes a pattern, I wouldn't worry too much.

If you were fighting a leak all night, you may have a lot of sleep/wake junk. When you are half awake, half asleep, your breathing becomes irregular and your machine may be flagging events that aren't true events.

I wouldn't freak over one night weirdness.
if it happens several nights in a row....

large leaks?
nasal mask, mouth leak?
sleeping with chin tucked?
lots of different potential problems

Samolotus wrote:Hi guys. After a night's sleep, these are my average numbers for a few of the settings that I think are pretty important:

AHI = .5

90% EPAP = 13

This is my average over 30 to 45 days. Well, I checked my stats from last night and my stats jumped:

AHI = 11.2

90% EPAP = 15

One bad night does not a trend make.

We all have some bad nights now and then. So start with the obvious: Anything different about Sunday evening? More to drink than usual at supper time? Feeling a cold coming on? Allergies kicking in? If so, that might give you a clue. If not, don't sweat one night with bad data.

You wrote that you had some problems fighting leaks on Sunday night. Sleep-wake-junk might explain some of the jump in AHI, particularly if lots of the events were recorded around the times you were awake. And looking at the leak graph to see if the leaks were severe enough to affect the efficacy of your therapy is also worthwhile.

You write:

If it happens again tonight, I'm going to consult my HME provider but, I was wondering if any of you have experienced a significant jump like that and if so, what caused it? I am thinking my "off night" was just a fluke and I need not worry but I'm not sure.

So what happened on Monday night?

Numbers back down to usual? Less trouble with the mask?

Thank you for all the replies! To answer some questions/clear things up -

My machine is a BiPAP autosV Advanced System One. I have a full face mask. I think it's called the Airfit F20? Usually no problems with leakage and I find it pretty comfortable!

I must have been coming down with a cold over the weekend because now I have symptoms - runny nose, scratchy throat, puffy eyes and my cheeks feel rather flushed.

I checked my stats from last night and my AHI was down to 4.7 and my EPAP was down to either 13 or 14, I can't remember which. Mild decrease from my "problem" night but a decrease no less!

Like I first said, my AHI usually hovers below 1 at around .6 so seeing the big numbers threw me for a loop.

Also noticed that the humidifier icon on my machine stayed orange all night. I don't know if this is normal or not (I know, bad BiPAP user, bad BiPAP user!!) so I'm wondering if that is a contributing factor and/or something i need to look into.

Hi, I don't have that machine so don't know what orange means on the humidifier, but if you're new at this, you may find you have to play with the hum. settings a bit - depending on where you live climate-wise you could either end up with a setting much too high for local conditions (and feeling that you're giving yourself a cold and congestion), or too low, and needing a higher setting. But you may just be incidentally getting a cold. I never use mine at all, others can't set theirs high enough. Something to think about. I also don't use your type of machine so won't comment otherwise on things, but good luck!

Samolotus wrote: I must have been coming down with a cold over the weekend because now I have symptoms - runny nose, scratchy throat, puffy eyes and my cheeks feel rather flushed.

I checked my stats from last night and my AHI was down to 4.7 and my EPAP was down to either 13 or 14, I can't remember which. Mild decrease from my "problem" night but a decrease no less!

I have found that my BiPAP data often does serve as an early warning system for colds. I often see an increased AHI 1-2 days before the cold symptoms hit.

See if the AHI returns to normal as you fully get over the cold. If it does, then I'd write off the super bad night to the cold.

Also noticed that the humidifier icon on my machine stayed orange all night. I don't know if this is normal or not (I know, bad BiPAP user, bad BiPAP user!!) so I'm wondering if that is a contributing factor and/or something i need to look into.

Where is the orange light located? I use a PR DreamStation BiPAP Auto, and there's no orange light connected to the humidifier that I'm aware of. And there wasn't one on my old PR System One (Series 50) BiPAP Auto either.

There WAS an orange humdifier light on the Resmed S9 AutoSet that I started out with as I recall.

Any chance you are using a Resmed VPAP ASV instead of a PR BiPAP ASV?

No, I am certain it is a bipap.

Figured it out and it was a real d'oh moment! The orange light was just indicating to me that a heated tube was attached. Sooooo, no problems, just a heated tube was attached. That's it. Boy did I feel dumb after that!