Is there anything that could cause "false" numbers

JCraig · Post by **JCraig** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:15 am

The data for last night from my card shows it should have been the best night ever. AHI 1.8 (1.1 HI, 0.7 AI), no "large leak" (but 60.0 avg leak... leak numbers are always high for me). I've had to tighten my mask pretty tight to get leaks to stop (but the machine still always shows ~60.0 avg leak... but I don't hear/feel any leaks...odd). Pressure range is 9.0 - 18.0. I was titrated at 13.0 and started the range initially at 15, but I noticed it was spending a lot of time in the high pressures so I wanted to give it some "headroom"... Maybe I shouldn't worry about that.

Anyway. I don't feel quite as awake as past days today, so I'm wondering if something "tricked" the machine, causing bogus data to be recorded. I have no idea how the machine determines any of the data it records, so I don't know how to ensure it is correct and not the result of something I'm doing wrong.

I just want to make sure everything is working ok...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:25 am

deduct your mask leak rate from that 60lpm figure.

check all your humidifier connections, couplers and if you have a cat check your hose for leaks.

your numbers are fine, don't worry so much about the leaks, your score would be much higher if leaks were worse.

JCraig · Post by **JCraig** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:40 am

Hmm, but what if the AHI numbers are somehow wrong? I don't even understand how the machine could possibly get an accurate AHI number... there's no electrodes attached to me, and there sure were during the sleep study...

There has to be a reason I'm feeling different...

GoofyUT · Post by **GoofyUT** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:02 am

All the data-collecting machines measure your "events" by keeping track of your breathing rate in terms of waveform shape and amplitude. It measures this pretty accurately with a device called a pneumotach. It looks at the shape of your breath (in terms of flow) which should look like a bell-shaped curve. If that curve flattens or stops, it'll record an event. So, don't fret. Your machine is doing its job in terms of reporting how you're breathing while you're asleep. It doesn't need electrodes to measure anything.

Now, there may be several reasons why you're feeling "tired" even if your numbers look good. Many folks take some time to "pay-off" your sleep debt. If you're really concerned though, talk to your sleep doc about this.

Hope this helps.

Chuck

Snoozin' Bluezzz · Post by **Snoozin' Bluezzz** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:12 am

I think if you look at a number of threads on the forum you'll find that many folks report up and down results for quite some time, even months, after beginning therapy.

Also, as I said in another thread that I believe the OSA can mask other health and sleep hygiene problems that can interfere with sleep. For me particularly these are physical stressors related to obesity and poor fitness - arthritis and chronic cervical pain for one. Also GERD creates a problem for me that can cause sleep disturbances.

I guess I would say give it time and look at other possible factors if it continues to be a problem.

David

JCraig · Post by **JCraig** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:15 am

Sounds good... I guess I'm just being paranoid, heh. I don't want to lose the insanely good feeling days I've had since last Thursday (first day on xPAP). Today is the "worst" so far, but by pre-xPAP standards I still feel "great". But the NUMBERS from last night look so good, I would figure today I'd feel the best. Oh well. I'm not feeling horrible by ANY stretch, I just want to make sure I'm not doing anything that can cause the numbers I'm seeing to be wrong.

Like... for example... What if I mouth-breathed all night long? What would that look like on the data numbers? Would it report low AHI? High AHI? Huge leak rate? Heh. I'm just curious. I doubt I mouth-breathed at all, it's just a hypothetical question.

Snoozin' Bluezzz · Post by **Snoozin' Bluezzz** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:24 am

Gaping mouth breathing = big leak and would be reported.

Smaller mouth leaks perhaps not but you would probably have other symptoms like dry mouth. Originally I did not have the ability to capture leak stats so my mouth breathing problem manifested itself with dry mouth and flu-like symptoms (muscle soreness and aches and low energy that felt like sickness not SDS). Tape and later Poli-grip strips solved the mouth leak problem for me.

David

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:34 am

Anyone else able to weigh in on this?

Is there anything that could cause "false" numbers

Is there anything that could cause "false" numbers

Numbers