System Leak Reading?

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:24 pm

Okay, thanks to you guys here, I know how to get into the "restricted" data on my M Series Pro (Cflex), but I don't know how to read the System Leak data. It has L/Min. For the 7 day average, it has 48.2. (It just jumped way up after trying a new mask this afternoon). How do you read this and what's bad and what's good? (The AHI is 1.9, which I assume is less than 2 apneas an hour?)

I'm still fighting with this thing, so trying to look at everything. I have insomnia, too, so I'm battling that and OSA (didn't sleep at all last night).

Thanks, all!

Pam

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): AHI

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:26 pm

Your mask has an "intentional leak rate" which is its vent rate. The way you read this is you look this up for your mask (search for your mask name and then vent rate) and then you want to get the leak number as close to your mask's vent rate as possible.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:33 pm

blarg wrote:Your mask has an "intentional leak rate" which is its vent rate. The way you read this is you look this up for your mask (search for your mask name and then vent rate) and then you want to get the leak number as close to your mask's vent rate as possible.

Use the mask vent leak rate that matches yoiur pressure. The higher the pressure the higher the vent leak rate. Jim

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:33 pm

Wow, I would have never guessed.

Thanks so much, blarg!

Pam

WearyOne · Post by **WearyOne** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:39 pm

goofproof, okay, for example, in the pamphlet that just came with my new mask, the ComfortFull 2, there's a little graph on the back that says, "Exhaust Leak Rate (LPM) / Pressure vs. Leak Rate. I am on 8 for pressure. I look on the chart up from "8" and there's a little triangle at around 25. Is this it or am i still lost?

Pam

EDIT: After blarg and goofproof clued me in as to what this was, I searched and found a link to a site posted by hhopper back in 12/06. It shows the leak rates for some masks, including the Hybrid, which is what I have been using. Unforunately, ComfortFull 2 doesn't go down as far a 8 on the chart.

http://www.internetage.com/cpapinfo/leak-rates-1.html

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:50 pm

That sounds about right, I would have guessed 30 LPM, The number you get on your machine gets that taken away from it and is the true leak. I have found if my leak total is over 40 to 45, my night was lousy. I have used the ComfortFull orgional, and it does good for me. Jim

Also if you don't have the Encore Pro Software, your "M", gives you the numbers as a AVG. It has to be reset daily to give daily readings.

gtaro · Post by **gtaro** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:50 pm

After reading all of the above, I have to wonder under what circumstance would my leak rate be below my masks vent rate. Actually, far below. My masks vent rate is around 32. My average since starting two weeks ago is around 4.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:52 pm

Are you sleeping face down in your pillow? That would obstruct the exhaust ports and give you an unusually low leak rate.

gtaro · Post by **gtaro** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:57 pm

I've been sleeping on my back and occasionally on my side. The exhaust ports are well above my pillow.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:10 pm

Sorry, don't have an answer ... I was just throwing that out as a possiblility. Hope you figure it out and let everyone else here know.