Been using APAP since August-- data and questions

[Mondayz]

Hello all,

I wanted to thank everyone who has helped me since beginning therapy back in August. I am back now with a couple of recent nights' data in order to check in with you all who are more versed in reading these to see if I am still on the right track.

1) Do you notice any red flags at all in the three nights I posted?

2) I can never get my AHI to 0; is this normal? I seem to always be in the 1.3-2.1 range. Is there any way to improve this, or am I chasing an arbitrary number since "normal" is >5?

3) My wife wakes me up a couple nights a week and says that either I am making "snoring sounds" or that my mask "sounds like its leaking air". Anything in this data to support her claims? (Yes, I see the "snore" index and the "leak" index, but I assume these events would need to be fairly significant for them to wake her up--like a major leak or major snoring (she has described the noises as "like snoring, but not snoring")

Thanks in advance, and I hope you are all doing well yourselves.

[Mondayz]

Two more which have been my "worst" nights AHI wise.

[Pugsy]

What mask are you using?
How are YOU sleeping?
I see no real red flags anywhere on these reports. Even your worst case scenario reports aren't horrible and unless you have a lot of those...I wouldn't be worrying about them.

Your leaks are next to nothing in terms actual excess leak. I wonder if your wife is hearing maybe some vented air noise or something.

Quit chasing AHI 0.0. It's an unrealistic goal. While it can happen from time to time...don't go chasing it. You will drive yourself crazy and getting it won't necessarily cause some sort of miracle to happen anyway.

[Mondayz]

What mask are you using?
How are YOU sleeping?
I see no real red flags anywhere on these reports. Even your worst case scenario reports aren't horrible and unless you have a lot of those...I wouldn't be worrying about them.

Your leaks are next to nothing in terms actual excess leak. I wonder if your wife is hearing maybe some vented air noise or something.

Quit chasing AHI 0.0. It's an unrealistic goal. While it can happen from time to time...don't go chasing it. You will drive yourself crazy and getting it won't necessarily cause some sort of miracle to happen anyway.

Hello Pugsy, I am using the Philips Respironics Nuance Gel Nasal Pillow, and I have a different mask on the way since my insurance allows me to get a new one every 3 months. I forget the name of it, but it covers the mouth and nose and looks more like a bar than a traditional full-face and it connects at the top of the head to the tubing.

I am sleeping very well (as well as can be expected with a pregnant wife who is due in 2 months). I was just worried that my AHI was still not lower than it is with therapy, when, in theory, people without any therapy have lower AHI than I may.
Thanks for taking the time to review my data; I will keep on with what I'm doing then, since there aren't any red flags that would suggest a needed change in pressure or anything.

Happy holidays!

[Pugsy]

The Nuance Pro venting system is rather forceful and it wouldn't be impossible for the air flow to be hitting something (you or your bed covers) and creating additional noise which might be what the wife is hearing. It's simply a rather noisy venting system. There are masks with a more diffused venting system (making them silent) which is much less annoying to both the cpap user and the bed partner.

See what happens with the new mask you are getting.

If wife still hears something...she needs to try to explain what and where it might be.
I just don't see it being leak related though. Your leak graphs are actually really good.

She's pregnant and chocked full of hormones right now and maybe her hearing is in the super woman category...but if she can provide more detailed information we have a greater chance of isolating whatever it is that she is hearing.