Leaks

[avi123]

It isn't mouth leaking ... I'd be aware of that, but I appreciate that advice!

How exactly would you be aware that you are mouth leaking?
You fall asleep, your face relaxes, your jaw drops and air escapes out of your mouth. It happened to me, i was not aware of it. I found out by mouth taping, the leaks completely went away. Then i started to use a papCap chin strap that gently supports my jaw and i no longer get leaks.

Given the time, effort and expense of a sleep study, titration and equipment purchase. Trying to mouth tape or spending a few bucks on a chin strap isn't much if it means you may be able to nail down your therapy.

Uncle, you can tell from the leak graph if it's a Mouth Leak. Check this:

(Zoom it)

[quietmorning]

Hi, Khauser,

I don't have an aloha, so please forgive if I am speaking of something that may not apply.

I wore the opus 360 as my first mask - and I found that two things caused it to leak (and the leaks were whistles that drove me absolutely bonkers) - the hard sides of the mask would shift when I shifted, shifting my pillow just enough to cause a tiny leak, and the other was the pillow not only wouldn't flex with my movements, but they were slightly too small.

I changed to a medium and that cut out the whistles for the most part, but they were too big for me and really hurt my nose.

You might want to think about going with a more flexible mask or at the very least perhaps a very flexible pillow, and maybe a slightly larger pillow? I had to change masks for a mask where the pillow fit right, and found that the flexible mask and pillow moves with me and the leaks are almost non existent.

Hope you get it worked out.

[MyIdaho]

I routinely beat your leak rate with my quattro and everyone knows how bad FFM leak....

Comment,

OK, please show me with your graphs!

I guess I don't know how to do this properly. I have it uploaded to photobucket but don't how to copy over the image files into a post.

[Pugsy]

Notice that you have less than 300 days of data b/c 55 days are missing and additional 17 days are for less than 4 hours sleep.
So why did you say a full year?

Geez, do you not have any common sense? I have another machine. I cannot merge the data between the 2 machines.
I didn't get the S9 machine until Feb 21 last year. Some nights were short because I was sick ...like up all night puking...Some nights recently were short because I was testing PR S1 on a battery...battery ran out so I switched over to the S9 for the remainder of the night.
My AHI for the PR S1 use was 1.6. Pretty much the same as the S9. Encore doesn't give a long term average leak.

I said

My median leak rate for my S9 usage for almost a year is also 0.0 with AHI 1.7.

and I went on to say I used a different machine other nights.

For being such a "smart" man with all the fancy letters after your name.... you sure don't have any common sense.

What about your numbers for the previous year? 2011? Before you started using the chin strap and your AHI was 12 to 16 and your leak was all over the place huge??? And you were telling us that AHI didn't matter and your doctor said you were doing just fine??

Never mind, I don't need or want to see them. I remember your sticking them in everyone else's thread just like you stuck yours in here. Some of the members here don't know you from then...I do. Nothing wrong with my memory.

[avi123]

[quote="khauser] Nasal masks force my nostrils closed and I am unable to breathe....[/quote]


Have you tried these inside a FF or a traditional nasal mask:



"Snorepin": [actually I tried it and did noty like it]




http://www.amazon.com/Snorepin-TM-Smart ... asal+cones

The sleep specialist Dr Barry Krakow (Kraiko) is very enthusiatic about these Breathe Right Strips:

[GaryG]

Wait a minute. A mask is a VERY personal decision. There are many factors in choosing an ideal mask. One is minimal leaks, but another is maximum comfort while having minimal leakage. Objective is to FEEL BETTER. So when I read some of these threads.... I mean - well it's personal. And really not up to debate. Fortunately there are enough different masks out there that there is a perfect one for everyone and it just takes some of us longer than others to find the perfect mask and get it to work.

Khauser, if you've found one that's comfortable, well I mean CPAP isn't fun for most of us. That's most of the battle is feeling comfortable. Just be patient, someone here will have a suggestion that may well work.

[chunkyfrog]

One of the reasons we are here is to encourage patients to be proactive in selecting our own best mask,
in spite of bullying by DME's. but there is no bullying here: IS THERE?

[avi123]

My median leak rate for my S9 usage for almost a year is also 0.0 with AHI 1.7.
And I don't need a chin strap either.

IMO, no poster on this board can present such envious treatment.

Sorry, when I mentioned above that for a longer- term Stats than one night, ResScan calculates all the values in the table as "Medians" it's not the "Median" number that you see in the long-term table, which is a "Median" of the total nightly Medians. You need to refer to the 13.2 L/min of leak which is your 95% percentile "Median" for the ~300 days. My is 4.8 L/min for the 359 days.

[avi123]

I routinely beat your leak rate with my quattro and everyone knows how bad FFM leak....

Comment,

OK, please show me with your graphs!

I guess I don't know how to do this properly. I have it uploaded to photobucket but don't how to copy over the image files into a post.

Try this ( you can print it out if you first copy it to a word processor):

2 updates:

1) I use a print screen software Wisdom-Soft ScreenHunter 6 Pro which is free.
2) Photobucket. com has recently changed things.


Printing ResScan graphs from S9 Elite or S9 Autoset:
I first downloaded the ResScan 3.16 software into my laptop and its image has also a shortcut on the Desktop.
Next, I study how to deal with ResScan graphs from here:
http://montfordhouse.com/cpap/resscan_tutorial/ {see a link to it at my signaure line)
Next, I stick the SD card from my S9 Elite CPAP into a Sony® USB Memory Card Reader/Writer.
See it here:
http://www.staples.com/Sony-USB-Memory- ... ea=page_rr
Next, I stick the Sony Card Reader into a free USB socket in my laptop.
Next, I look to "My Computer" after clicking the Start button and click on the Removable Disk (D or E or F or G), and click on it.
Next, I click on the ResScan icon which is in the column after clicking the Start or on the Resmed icon showing on the Desktop.
From this moment on the ResScan software and the SD Card are engaged and I get a flag saying Device Detected S9 Elite (this is my CPAP).
I leave the Flow Generator Serial No as is and X the window.
Next, I start with New Patient and fill the data for a name (family and given) and Save.
Next, I click on Open Patient and get the Patient Group and pick my name.
Next, I click on Down Load, and Select Summary Data Only.
Next, I do an Overwrite and then close the Download after it’s done
Next, I click on Review Data and get ResSmed’s window giving me a choice to picking Viewing Range, Statistics, Summary or Detailed Graphs, etc.
I pick All Available Data if it’s for my self. Otherwise, Compliance if it is for a DME.
Once done, I click on Report at top bar and validate the Range again.
This Report is ready to be printed, emailed, or saved.
I save reports as PDFs file by naming each the range of dates. Then they show up on the left side in the Browser. Each file can be printed.
Posting ResScan graphs in www. CPAPTalk.com:
First, I open an account at http://www.photobucket.com (it’s free).
Overall, I do not use the PRTSC button or my photo program. Instead, I use my printer for printing and scanning.
Assuming that I have my sleep study results on a piece of paper. Then I scan it in my printer and save the scanned image with a given name in my desktop.
I do the same with a ResScan graph ( which is in PDF). I first print it out thru the ResScan program. Next, I scan the print- out and save (a copy in my case) in the desktop and give the image a name.
Next, I go to my account at http://www.photobucket.com. In this place I have My Album which stores images in nail sizes. Each image could be edited (and replace the original or save a copy, etc.) , delete, etc. or enlarged and by clicking the SHARE I can get a LINK CODE. I use the Full Size IMG link for bulletin boards.
To transfer an image from the desktop to photobucket, I click on UPLOAD NOW at the Photobucket, and select MY COMPUTER. Then I SELECT the PHOTO at DESKTOP. Clicking on it will upload it to the Photobucket.
At this point it will be in MY ALBUM and I could edit, auto- fix, crop, etc. Make sure to save afterwards.
To copy to CPAP.TALK, I click on the photo and get a link code as I mentioned above. I highlight it and copy, as is, to my post at CPAP.TALK.

[NateS]

In my case I am waking up to a leak I can address by moving the nasal pillows.

On the subject of adjusting the nasal pillows on the Aloha, here is my little contribution to the discussion, some of which I discovered by trial and error. Number 3) below often turns out to be the best "fine tuning" for me. Hope it helps:

Here's my favorite Aloha fitting tips from viewtopic.php?f=1&t=85652&p=779530&hili ... ey#p779530:

Keep in mind that, in addition to loosening the backstraps and the headstraps, there are three (3) different ways to adjust the Aloha to the most comfortable and most perfect fit for your own nostrils:

1) Experiment with using the forwardmost or backwardmost slots for the straps - this can make a big difference and often the choice you first assume to be the best choice turns out not to be;

2) Adjust the forward-backward angle of entry into your nostrils by rotating the little black hooks so they are shallower or deeper into the pillows:

3) Take a look at the opening of your nostrils - are the openings perfectly horizontal - that is, parallel to the floor? Or do your nostrils slope upward from the center of your nose to the outer shell? - if so, is the slope a perfect 45 degree angle or something less or more? Once you have the mask on completely, look in the mirror and see if the base of each nasal pillow perfectly aligns with that sideways slope. If it doesn't, take hold of the rear portion of the "hockey sticks" that come across your cheeks, and gently move them a millimeter or less up or down to slightly alter the slope of the sticks so that the slope of the nasal pillows matches the slope of each nostril opening. That will give you the best air seal, reduce the need to over-tighten the straps, and thus reduce the pressure against your nostrils. And because of the friction of the velvety covering material over the hockey sticks, that adjustment is likely to stay in place all night.

Good luck!

Regards, Nate

A PM to me leads me to believe I need to clarify Suggestion #3:

In Suggestion #3 I am not talking about the little black hooks that stick into the openings in the edges of the nasal pillows. I covered those in Suggestion #2.

What I am describing in Suggestion #3 is to take the opposite end, near your ears, of the big black felt-covered flat straps which end in the little hooks - many here call those flat straps which go across your cheeks the "hockey sticks" because of their shape, and move them ever so slightly up or down - a millimeter maybe. If you look in a mirror as you do this, you will see that by changing the slope of the hockey straps as they run forward from your ears to your nose, you are slightly altering the slant of the rim or base of each nasal pillow as it comes into contact with the base of each nostril. This gives you a better seal, more comfort and eliminates tightening.

Sorry for any confusion I may have created.

Regards, Nate

[Pugsy]

I guess I don't know how to do this properly. I have it uploaded to photobucket but don't how to copy over the image files into a post.

Photobucket offers a little box with all the different types of addresses. I think there are 4 of them
Just copy the bottom line in that little box...paste it into the body of your post. It will show up as code first meaning you will just see the IMG file path first. Simple copy/paste of that last line is all that is needed.

Click preview to see if you can see the image.

[MyIdaho]

Avi, here are my statistics for the last 60 days.

[avi123]

MyIdaho, your Leak rate and AHIs are exceptionally good. You're beating my!

You got 0.0 for the 95% Percentile Leak. Wow!

And your mask is not a nasal pillows!!! URAH!

[avi123]

Yes, you're from the showme state but you don't show concrete evidence. Only words, words, words.

Don't ever call me a liar again. OK!

I'll call you only a Redhead Shvitzer-ke (Google it)

[RogerSC]

MyIdaho, your Leak rate and AHIs are exceptionally good. You're beating my!

You got 0.0 for the 95% Percentile Leak. Wow!

And your mask is not a nasal pillows!!! URAH!

Well, then I guess that proves your point, all other evidence to the contrary can be ignored!