CPAP THERAPY EFFECTIVE?

[Cokomo]

Hi, I am new to the CPAP world since 12/9/11. I was given the System One with the QuattroFX mask lg. I don't thinkit fits very well as it leaks alot and it seems I have to make it very tight to lessen the leakage. It makes me wonder if CPAP is working for me. I am trying to learn how to read the #'s and would appreciate it if someone could decipher the #'s and explain to me what is happening while I sleep? Here are some stats.Thanks!

Details Most Recent Last 7 Days Last 30 Days Last 6 months Last Year
AHI 17.28 12.78 13.33 13.34 13.34
RERA Index 0.67 1.69 1.59 1.64 1.64
Flow Limit Index 1.68 1.33 1.36 1.29 1.29
Hours per Night 05:57 05:20 06:01 06:07 06:07
Average Pressure 13.50 11.47 11.52 10.88 10.88
95% Pressure 17.00 17.50 17.50 16.50 16.50
Average Total Leaks 35.72 29.49 31.03 33.85 33.85
95% Total Leaks 45.00 41.00 45.00 64.00 64.00

Changes to Prescription Settings
First Last Days AHI Machine Mode Pr. Rel. Min Pres. Max Pres.
12/9/2011 1/22/2012 44 13.34 PRS1 Auto A-Flex x3 5.00 18.00
The above has a threshold which excludes day counts less than 5 from the best/worst highlighting

Machine Information
Brand Model Serial First Use Last Use
Philips Respironics System One RemStar Auto with A-Flex (550P) P04631863AA3B 12/9/2011 1/22/2012

[jabman]

Hi and welcome,

First if you go to the User Control Panel ( right below the search bar) and fill out your equipment, you will recieve better help with people familuar with your equipment.

I do not use the same machine as you, but It looks as though (from the numbers you posted) your leaks are bad. The first thing to suspect is your mask, you alridy indacated that you think it does not fit well. So you should find a mask that wouks well with you. Some people go through a bunch of masks until they find one that works for them. I will let others answer about your numbers as I am not familuar with your machine.

[Pugsy]

I do not use the same machine as you, but It looks as though (from the numbers you posted) your leaks are bad.

Respironics machine report Total leaks (mask vent rate plus excess leak).
ResMed machines report only excess leak. This is why the leak may seem excessive to a ResMed user but is actually quite acceptable for a Respironics machine user.

So leak number are quite acceptable. Respironics machines don't seem to flag a large leak till someone gets near 90 L/min. We are not ever told the exact definition of Large leak.

What is not acceptable is the AHI numbers. We like to see below AHI less than 5.

Pick a night and tell us what the AHI breakdown is...how much Clear Airway Index, Obstructive Apnea Index and Hyponea index.

Is your pressure 5cm minimum and 18 cm maximum? Without seeing the graphs or the individual indexes and if the Clear Airway Index is not a predominant factor...I suspect that the minimum pressure is too low to get to where it needs to be so that it can effectively prevent the obstructive apnea events.
The machine doesn't raise the pressure very fast..it goes up in stages and if it takes too long the events come and go before the machine gets to where it needs to be. We need to give it a bit of a head start.
Without seeing the leak line graphs we can't determine if those higher pressures we see are leak driven or event driven.

If Clear Airway events are minimal to none then I suspect that a increase in the minimum pressure is needed so that the machine can get to where it needs to be in a timely manner.

A daily detailed report would really be helpful. One that showed a single typical night daily events, leaks, pressures. It is really hard to suggest anything other than very general ideas based solely on these numbers.

If you could post one of your daily detailed reports it would help a lot. Don't know how? I use screen shots. This is how I do it.

Open the image to full size so it is easily read.
I use Vista snipping tool to create a screen shot and crop the image at the same time.
Prt/scr key will also take a screen shot if using XP. If laptop is used sometimes the Fn key has to be pushed at the same time as the prt/scr key
I think windows 7 Home Premium has the snipping tool, Basic may not.

Once the screen shot is created save it in jpg format.
Upload the image to a host site. I use Photobucket it is free, there are others.
Once the image is uploaded then copy the ENTIRE IMG address. Be sure to include the opening and closing IMG in brackets. Paste that copied address into a post here.
Use the preview button. If you can't see the image try again because if you can't see it we can't.

[Cokomo]

Here is my data:

http://s1240.photobucket.com/albums/gg481/jbc721/