Got some results from last night...

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:59 am

Hi all.

My AHI from my sleep study was 31, my worst hour was 77 when I was on my back. My Rx says pressure between 8 and 14.

Well, I've been on CPAP for a few weeks now, actually over a month, using pressure 10 on a REMstar Plus. But this week I just got a machine that actually monitors my AHI/AI/HI/leakage/etc. The S8 Elite from ResMed.

OK, so last night, with my 20-minute ramp starting at 9, going up to 12, with EPR of 2 or 3 (can't recall), I had a hard time staying asleep, even though I took 1.5mg of melatonin so I'd be assured a good night's rest.

Well, this morning, my machine tells me that my AHI was 22.6... Not so hot. And mask leakage says 0.58L/s. Is that leakage low, or pretty average for a Swift nasal mask? Or is that real real bad?

And if my AHI is still at 22, then I guess I need to up my pressure... But I'm already at 12, so I don't think that 14 will be all that I need...

I do have a different mask that is not as comfortable, and I can try it, but I really liked the Swift.

Thanks for any insight.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:29 pm

That's a high leak rate, adolson. Acceptable leak rate with a resmed machine (no matter what mask) is no more than 0.4 L/s. Any chance you are mouthbreathing or leaking air out from between your lips when you're asleep?

I'd also look at the possibility of untreated or undertreated GERD causing problems with your cpap treatment. CPAP air is good for pushing soft collapsed tissue aside to open the airway. Can't do much to push past a brick wall though. Swollen rigid tissue from nightly acid baths in the esophagus might be interfering with cpap treatment.

Nov 05, 2005 subject: SUCCESS AT LAST-GERD,420E, PRILOSEC AND BENADRYL
viewtopic.php?t=5551

MikeRobert · Post by **MikeRobert** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:30 pm

adolson,

I found this link from this forum for mask leak rates. I think these are average rates, but not sure.
http://internetage.com/cpapinfo/leak-rates-1.html
The rate for the swift @ 12cm is 37, so I guess your number would be considered high. But I am new at this myself.

Hope this helps. Also more experienced posters have said that you should list your equipment setups in your profile so others can easily see what you are using.

Mike
Sorry I didn't pay attention. You do have your equip listed.
_________________

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

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:02 pm

I opened my mouth last night once, briefly, but I did it knowingly. Does this leak rate get affected if I happened to start the machine prior to putting the mask on?

My mouth was not dry this morning, so I don't think I mouth breathed much if at all.

I think I may try my older mask, ComfortSelect, tonight and see the numbers.. But I really don't like it in comparison.

I don't like the idea that I have sleep apnea, nevermind now the possiblity that this is GERD. If I am diagnosed and treated for GERD, what's next? Cancer? I could just sleep in a casket every night and forget all this treatment stuff. Yeah, I'm slightly a bit of a pessimist.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:06 pm

adolson wrote:I opened my mouth last night once, briefly, but I did it knowingly. Does this leak rate get affected if I happened to start the machine prior to putting the mask on?

My mouth was not dry this morning, so I don't think I mouth breathed much if at all.

I think I may try my older mask, ComfortSelect, tonight and see the numbers.. But I really don't like it in comparison.

I don't like the idea that I have sleep apnea, nevermind now the possiblity that this is GERD. If I am diagnosed and treated for GERD, what's next? Cancer? I could just sleep in a casket every night and forget all this treatment stuff. Yeah, I'm slightly a bit of a pessimist.

ABSOLUTELY!

Hang in there.

Den

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:44 pm

OK, I think I will try the same mask tonight, but this time I will not start the machine until I put the mask on. I thought that it was smart enough to detect if the mask is off and then not count that time as leaking. Maybe I will disable the mask-off alert and put the autostart back on again.

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:59 pm

Heavens no, that counts as a MAJOR leak! So be sure and shut off your machine if you get up in the middle of the night to "answer the call".

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:17 am

Alright, so two nights later, and I have better results.

The first night, my leak was 1.0L/s (WTF, lol), but my AHI was only 6.3.. So the leak was worse. I slept on my side the whole night, so that's gotta be why my AHI is lower.

Then last night, I tightened the mask more than usual, and my AHI was 5.2 and the leak was 0.28L/s. So that's much better, although I only had about 4-5 hours of sleep. The weird thing is that I woke up at one point because I was mouth-breathing, and my leak was still only 0.28. I think I didn't put enough water in my humidifier last night though... Would that cause these better results? Probaby not, I hope, because I think I need the humidity.

So perhaps I can keep the nasal pillows, which I like. I just gotta make sure it's tighter than my DME told me it should be.

I also gotta say, I love the EPR function of the S8 Elite, and I love how it has a lit display and how I can access these data quickly and easily. I don't know why they gave me a crappy REMstar Plus with no data collection to trial.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:50 am

Congrats on the progress, adolson.

adolson wrote:I slept on my side the whole night, so that's gotta be why my AHI is lower.

Makes sense to me.

adolson wrote:I think I didn't put enough water in my humidifier last night though... Would that cause these better results? Probaby not, I hope, because I think I need the humidity.

Nope, don't think so.

adolson wrote:I don't know why they gave me a crappy REMstar Plus with no data collection to trial.

LOL. Sure ya do. You know perfectly well why your DME gave you a crappy machine to begin with . . . They're blood-sucking toad-heads. That's why.

Regards,
Bill

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 8:09 am

NightHawkeye wrote:. . . They're blood-sucking toad-heads. That's why.

Regards,
Bill

I didn't know toads were capable of sucking blood

Is that from a Monty Python skit I missed?

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:12 am

Well, I was shown my results for the week on the computer, and they told me I need a full face mask. I said I didn't want it, because I like the Swift and I asked for a chin strap instead. They gave me one to try for a week, and my results have been immensely lower.

Last night was the best so far. My AHI was 4.9 and my leak was 0.01. The day before was about 5.8 AHI and 0.1 leak.

I am convinced that I don't generally mouth-breathe, but I've been very stuffy the past week or so... Possibly it's because of CPAP, but I don't know. Either way, I would love to not be stuffed up so I can test without using the chin strap.

But my results are great, and I can keep the Swift, I think.

I asked my DME about why I get a crappy unit to trial, and it's because that's their standard policy, supposedly, to make sure you like it... WTF, why would you LIKE it? Anyway, they said that then, when you go to buy one after your month trial, you can pick a model to buy..

That was one person.

But then when I went in to buy one of the ones recommended on the forums, there was a different girl working, and she asked me if I wanted to buy "it" meaning the crappy one I had. I said, yes, but mentioned the data collecting ones. She seemed confused... WTF? again...

Then she said I could take an S8 Elite home and trial it for an extra week to collect data and see if I liked the machine with the EPR function better. OK, now she's just confusing. But hey, free extra week, that's fine by me.

So, I liked the S8 Elite, I like the EPR, and I love the display, how it is lit up at night and how I can check my data right on the display. I love it. Well, insofar as you can love CPAP.. Heh. I know there are some crazy people on here that probably do love CPAP, but I don't. I live with it... But I sure don't love it.

Anyhow, they told me I was a good little patient because I'm compliant and use the machine for at least 4 hours per night, ever night. Most people lie about it, apparently.

Well anyhow, I'm just sorta rambling. I don't get here too often so when I do, I have a lot to type.

Refugee · Post by **Refugee** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:21 pm

adolson wrote:
I don't like the idea that I have sleep apnea, nevermind now the possiblity that this is GERD. If I am diagnosed and treated for GERD, what's next? Cancer? I could just sleep in a casket every night and forget all this treatment stuff. Yeah, I'm slightly a bit of a pessimist.

Actually the treatment for GERD is very simple. I've been on Prevacid for a few months now and haven't had a single problem with my GERD since. Just one little miracle pill every morning. Although I frequently forget to take it and I still don't have problems going a couple of days without it.

RAINSUX · Post by **RAINSUX** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:38 pm

I was having a few leaks with my Swift, usually when I rolled over and disturbed it. Somebody here suggested using Ayr Gel. It made a world of difference! It no longer leaks and wakes me up when I roll over. I pretty much immediately was able to wear the Swift all night. Best $5.00 I ever spent.

Sam

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 12:48 pm

So this past week I've used a chin strap to keep my mouth shut... I have a horrible cold so I think that's why I was mouth breathing.. I'm coughing up phlem and have a sore throat, back, and chest...

Anyhow, the entire week, the leak rate has been almost or at 0.0L/s, and my AHI has been steadily decreasing.. The first night it was about 5.8 and went down each night until last night, which was 3.6.

So I think it's just because I was mouth-breathing, and I think I was mouth-breathing because my nose was stuffed up pretty bad.