Mask Fit shows very poor but feels better

[Pugsy]

Go back to the nasal mask. I thought these reports were with the nasal and not the Amara.
Even if you mouth breathe some with the nasal mask it won't be this bad.

[stevez]

http://stevezky.imgur.com/all/


I used the Dreamstation Nasal mask lask night, for the whole night. I really thought it was much more comfortable, but I woke up about 4 times. I had the dry mouth and drank a fair amount of water. Guess I was doing some mouth breathing. My AHI went up dramatically, but I'm still not good at reading these charts. I'll study them, but putting it out here in case someone can help me interpret. Thanks. Steve

[Pugsy]

Image link provides an image way too small...then when I click on it I get the Aug 24 image and not last nights.

[Pugsy]

Can you not embed the image so we don't have to click on a link to an image?
Makes things a whole lot easier to see and if you copy the last line in the box of addresses we can click on it if we need to make it bigger.
Click on image you wish to share....then click on "Large thumbnail" ...the copy that last line in the box of addresses and you get an image that isn't monstrously large and we can click on it and enlarge it if necessary but sometimes it isn't necessary.
Note...you have to be logged in to your imgur account to get this box of addresses.

[stevez]

Thanks; didn't know how to do that Pugsy when I read the directions yesterday. I tried it below and it looked ok in the preview, but if I need to do something else please let me know. I appreciate the help!

[stevez]

[Pugsy]

You need to click
Large Thumbnail first and then copy that last line in the box of addresses.
Clicking large thumbnail first changes the address code just a little so that you will get an image that isn't so big that it goes off screen but if often big enough we can see what we want and if it isn't then we just click on the image and go to it and enlarge it.

[Pugsy]

This is a thumbnail but the wrong address...I can't click on it and go to it and enlarge it.

[Pugsy]

Your report from last night. I don't see any large leak flags at all on the events graph or leak graph.

Now the mask did seem to leak a bit....probably mask movement but it never went into large leak territory.

Your AHI is probably more accurate....unfortunately.... but I wouldn't go changing the pressure until you get home in your own bed. Being away from your own bed isn't a good time to be experimenting with pressures.

Fiddle with that back strap a bit more and see if the mask leaks smooth out a bit.

As far as mouth breathing and dry mouth....some of those leaks might be mouth breathing but they could also easily be mask movement. It can take as little as 5 minutes of mouth breathing to dry out the mouth.

The only way to know for sure about a leak...mask movement vs mouth breathing...totally eliminate the chance of mouth breathing happening...tape the mouth at least for one night just to see if the leak you see is mask movement or mouth opening. You can guess all you want but the only way to know for sure is tape the mouth and have the tape still be secure in the AM.

Now for me...even if it is mouth breathing it's within the machine's ability to compensate...and if it didn't wake me up I wouldn't care how bumpy that leak line is.

[stevez]

Thanks again Pugsy. I've tried this again with the other link. Appreciate the feedback.

[Pugsy]

Much better.

Next time omit the snore graph so the others can be a little large and easier to see.
The snore graph isn't needed anyway...if you have snores they will show up on the Events graph.
No need to redo this image though. Just mentioning it for the future.

You are using fixed bilevel mode....17 IPAP and 13 EPAP.
Have you tried auto bilevel mode?

[stevez]

Much better.

Next time omit the snore graph so the others can be a little large and easier to see.
The snore graph isn't needed anyway...if you have snores they will show up on the Events graph.
No need to redo this image though. Just mentioning it for the future.

You are using fixed bilevel mode....17 IPAP and 13 EPAP.
Have you tried auto bilevel mode?

No, I haven't tried to change the pressure at all; didn't think I could and thought it was 100% fixed. I'll look into it if/how I can change that and try it if you think this could help.

[Pugsy]

Go here and request the provider/clinical manual for your machine.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -mask.html

It will explain the pressure mode options and tell you how to get to the ultra secret menu where you can change something if you want to.

I actually would like to see what auto bilevel mode does.
Min EPAP the 13 your are using now
PS min 4 PS max 4
and make Max IPAP 25.

You will start out the night just like you are doing now with 13 EPAP and 17 IPAP but the machine will go up if it thinks it needs to and I think it will want to.

Now that leaks are better managed...the AHI is a bit high and mostly obstructive stuff and that means you need more pressure.

[stevez]

Thank you!

[stevez]

Hi Pugys and others. I took your advice and changed my machine to Auto BiPap. These results are using the Dreamware Nasal Mask with pillows. I like the feel of this much better than the Amara View; however, I find myself taking it off in the middle of the night. I wake up almost every night with it on the floor. I don't recall taking it off; I'm guessing it's just that the pressure is high and I'm gasping so I pull it off. I can't read these charts and my API's are still erratic. My average time with the mask on is lower (4 - 5 hours) but my API's are running better. Any other thoughts from the last few charts? I also have a head cold and that could be contributing to me pulling the mask off. Thanks. Steve