How are my flow limits?

[danb1996]

Hi guys,

I would like to know if my flow limits are normal.

I seem to have a lot of them, but I'm not sure if I should worry about them.

[jimbud]

Do you have allergies this time of year?

Allergies will cause flow limits.

JPB

[Julie]

Your stuff looks pretty good, though I'm curious why you're on a fixed vs auto setting and why it's so low to begin with...?

PS ditch the calendar... not needed.

[Pugsy]

Elite model....can't do auto adjusting mode

As for the 6 cm fixed pressure....it seems to be doing a very decent job of preventing OA/hypones. Not everyone needs higher pressures. There are people who find that 4 cm pressure can do a fine job holding the airway open and they are quite comfortable with it and there is simply no need to use more.

[Pugsy]

I would like to know if my flow limits are normal.

I seem to have a lot of them, but I'm not sure if I should worry about them.

Not exactly "normal" but not horribly horrible either.
As for how worrisome it might be a lot would depend on how you are sleeping and feeling in general.


Now here is a horribly horrible FL graph.

[danb1996]

I would like to know if my flow limits are normal.

I seem to have a lot of them, but I'm not sure if I should worry about them.

Not exactly "normal" but not horribly horrible either.
As for how worrisome it might be a lot would depend on how you are sleeping and feeling in general.


Now here is a horribly horrible FL graph.

Would increasing EPR improve the flow limits? The epr was 3.

Here is another night with the EPR set at 1.

[Pugsy]

You can't increase EPR above 3 with your machine. You would need a totally different machine.

Sometimes adding or increasing EPR does help reduce FLs but a lot depends on what is causing the FLs.

Do you have much nasal congestion? This is critical to know because increased FL activity can be a by product of nasal congestion and if nasal congestion is the culprit no amount of changes in settings will reduce the FLs. Instead people have to treat the nasal congestion in the normal ways we deal with nasal congestion.

Now you could try increasing your pressure to 7 or 8 because right now even though the EPR setting is 3 you are only getting 2 cm since the machine can't drop below 4 cm.....so with your 6 cm pressure it can only drop to 4 cm.
That experiment might help reduce the FLs from several fronts....let EPR maybe help and also increase IPAP (inhale) which might help reduce the FLs.
Again...assuming not related to nasal congestion.

Easy experiment to try if you wish.

[palerider]

Would increasing EPR improve the flow limits? The epr was 3.

Here is another night with the EPR set at 1.

No (as Pugsy said) but raising your minimum might, since it's criminally low.