wrong setting

[cjulia]

So I've been using my cpap now for a couple of weeks and I guess I've just been waiting for it to "work". I checked to see if the settings were correct and the mask type was set to "nasal". I changed it to "pillows" since that what I use. My question is, how much of a difference could that have made in overall effectiveness of cpap therapy? My AHI numbers have been low but my leak rates have been high (consistently over 20 ml/min).

[LinkC]

The setting would not have any effect at all on the therapy output. Mask type setting is only used in calculating the leak rate (which probably accounts for the high leak reading).

Minimizing the leak rate will usually result in lower AHI. Now that you have the setting correct, you will have a leak rate you can track as you experiment with the mask.

As you probably know, the time CPAP takes to "work" differs widely. The lucky ones get relief "overnight"...while most take longer. As they symptoms come on gradually, they also subside over time. It's different for everyone. One day you realize how much better you feel and it will all seem worthwhile. Best of luck on your journey...