ahi indexes

[giojetman]

Why have my AHI numbers gone up from 1-5 to 7-11 after switching to a nasal pillow plus chin strap vs full face mask even though I feel like I get a more restful sleep?

[cpapernewbie]

Pillow for how many days?

wait until 1-2 weeks to see the real trend

[LSAT]

Why have my AHI numbers gone up from 1-5 to 7-11 after switching to a nasal pillow plus chin strap vs full face mask even though I feel like I get a more restful sleep?

Mouth leaks

[giojetman]

I forgot to add that I was using a mouthguard and russ"s ultimate chin strap which covers over the mouth, so I don't think it is due to mouth leaks. I have been using the full face mask for months with great numbers but I am a diehard mouth breather and hate the dry mouth and the gas and bloating. I already have my humidifier on 6.

[giojetman]

From all the prior reading I have done switching to a nasal pillow mask was the best way to alleviate those issues and the chinstrap or chinstrap plus mouthguard combo was the best way to keep my mouth closed. Don't know if the higher numbers actually mean anything.

[Pugsy]

When evaluating the AHI it is best if you look at not only the overall AHI but also the category indices for each event.
How much of the elevated AHI is central index?
How much is Obstructive Apnea index?
How much is the hyponea index?

It's not common for the AHI to go up when switching from a full face mask to a nasal/nasal pillow mask unless there's some major leaking going on which is causing enough therapy pressure loss to allow the airway to collapse.
So you need to use the software and figure out if leaks are bad enough to allow the airway to collapse. Rule that out first.