question for users

[angelo]

Hello Everyone,

Recently after using my CPAP for about 10-11 mos, I happened to notice the display on my machine indicated that I was only averaging less than 1 hour of therapy a night. I hadn't really checked in a long time because I assumed everything was fine. After confirming with my smart card reader, I realized I had, according to the nightly records, not one night of more than one hour therapy since August. I alerted my service provider and they switched out my machine thinking that was the issue, some type of recording issue. But, the new machine had the same results, as did switching masks. Recently, I have started to notice I have been a little more tired. I am not sure whether that is because now I am aware of this issue. Before I go back to the provider, I wondered if anyone else had similar issues and any possible causes. I have checked the hose for leaks by running the machine and sealing the end and didn't find any. I really want to know if my therapy is being compromised and what I can do to fix the situation. Any feedback would be helpful.

Thanks, Angelo

Remstar Pro M, 11.0, Full face Mirage Quattro

[cflame1]

what are your leaks like? And is your 'auto off' on or off?

[angelo]

My average leak is 87 and my auto is off (althought I didn't select that because I am not familiar with that feature)

[cflame1]

are you getting the info from the software or from the LCD?

If it's the software... are you getting large leaks?

Turning the auto off on... the machine will stop when you get a large leak. If the auto on is off it will not restart without pushing the button.

[angelo]

From the software,

average over 90%, 116.9
average max leak, 119
average large leak 8 min, 12 sec.

I will switch that now, thanks.

[Starlette]

Angelo, be sure to post your equipment as others have. This way, folks can assist you better.

Starlette

[Pugsy]

average over 90%, 116.9
average max leak, 119
average large leak 8 min, 12 sec.

Angelo,
I have M series machine like you.

Was this one night of data or the overall average? What are AHI, etc for just one night?

Leak rate is monumental. Without looking at your reports I will bet it is all over the place. Leak is so big it will be affecting therapy and probably the ability of the machine to score or record events or therapy.

For Respironics machine to even flag a large leak of any time frame the leak has to be huge. You gotta figure out what is going on with the leak.

[Otter]

I'm not sure what your machine means by 1 hour of therapy, but it sounds like you're taking the mask off after an hour every night.

If your machine says you only use it one hour, but you don't remember ever taking the mask off, it might be worth checking to see what else you might be doing in your sleep. If you have a video camera or can borrow one, it would be simple to aim it at your bed and fast forward through it in the morning to see what happened.

Some sleep drugs can make you do odd things at night even if you don't have a history of sleep walking. I had a friend who would get up at night and chat online with part of his brain still asleep.

[cflame1]

Otter... it's his leaks and the auto on/off settings on his machine.

[angelo]

Last night I switched the Auto Off to the Enabled position. I shoud mention I have mixed sleep apnea, so whenever I had a central apnea moment, the machine switched off for a period of time. It made for a rough night. As far as taking the mask off during the night, I do always wake up with it on and the blower hours seem correct (if I took it off it would shut off)

I have to believe that it does have something to do with the leak rate. While I start out on my back, I always end up on my side which I can see the fit of the mask may be compromised.

When you look at the treatment breakdown on the smart card, the only green (treatable) bars were like 1 yr. ago. All since, have been black which seems crazy that I would not have had at least one night where the leak was lower etc.

[cflame1]

think maybe it's time for a new mask then... one that doesn't leak as much.

Black bars don't give an accurate picture of what's happening with the AHI

[Goofproof]

You have to get the leaks under control, I keep mine under 38 lpm. You and others, need to set your profile to TEXT ONLY, not ICONNY, people don't want to waste time linking to your ICONNY to find out what they would already know, if you had used text in your profile. Jim

That way people can better help you.

[angelo]

Average AHI is 5.5

[cflame1]

but with the leak rate that you have it's probably not accurate!