Ok someone please explain this to me

[kjarels]

First of all if you have been following some of my posts you already know that I am a mouth breather. I have never really liked the FF masks and have been using pillows and the Activa with my mouth taped shut. My mouth still gets very dry doing it this way so they talked me into trying the Quattro FF mask. I have tried it for two weeks and I have finally gotten the leaks down to an acceptable level but my AHI's were still anywhere from 7-9 no matter what the leak rates were. I decided to go back to my Activa with the taping of the mouth. My leak rate was .46 at a pressure of 11.4 but my AHI's were in the 3's. How could I get better results using the Activa when my leak rate was higher then the FF mask??

[ozij]

Dry mouth, high leak, low AHI all fit in with mouthleak.
What is your taping technique? If it lets some air blow out, then you've ...blown it.

O.

[kjarels]

I looked at the leak chart and I guess I wasn't thinking it was that high. I was even getting dry mouth with the FF mask.

[Slinky]

Do you have your Mask Selectin set for Mir Full or Full Face? I would assume so but just had to ask.

I've found something a bit different: The Resmed Mirage Micro literature says to use the Standard mask selection which I do. Resmed also says when using an other than Resmed mask to use the Standard mask setting which I do when I use the Respironics Simplicity simple nasal cushion. (The Micro is a nasal cushion).

I find my breathing is smoother and easier w/the Micro and my new Resmed VPAP Auto than w/the Simplicity. I "suspect" that the Simplicity's smaller "space volume" has to do w/this and that POSSIBLY I might need a lower pressure setting w/the Simplicity. But that remains to be seen. For now I leave things as they are.

[ozij]

Mouth leaks are rarely "that high". They're only "that dry".

O.

[kjarels]

And having an AHI at 2.7 isn't that a good reading?? Glad I have this forum to ask these questions.

[karlchrisb]

According to my idiot of a sleep doctor, 5.0 or less AHI is great. That is the number they shoot for. I call him an idiot because mine hovers around 13.3 all the time and he doesn't ever suggest anything to help me bring it lower. So, I would LOVE to have an AHI in the 3's
Just my 2 cents,
Chris

[jules]

If your leak rate on the LED for a Resmed Machine is .46 and your AHI is that low, you are probably NOT having that low of an AHI.

Please include the leak rate, your mask, your pressure and the mask setting for your machine (in a menu). Once you provide that an estimate of your actual flow in terms of L/min can be compared to the handout for your mask. If those numbers are close, then the AHI is probably real; otherwise the AHI is probably being underreported.

A leak rate of .46 is 60 *.46 (27.6) L/min off the mask in the menu for a nightly average. Most likely that is a lot higher than you would like but you need to mask in the menu, your mask, your pressure to determine these.

[rested gal]

I was even getting dry mouth with the FF mask.

People who use a FF mask often do breathe through their mouth while wearing the FF mask. Mouthbreathing usually will cause the mouth to get dry while using a FF mask...even if humidification is turned way up and even if using a heated hose, etc. Been there, got that (dry mouth from mouth breathing with a FF mask even with all the humidification goodies.)

[Wulfman]

According to my idiot of a sleep doctor, 5.0 or less AHI is great. That is the number they shoot for. I call him an idiot because mine hovers around 13.3 all the time and he doesn't ever suggest anything to help me bring it lower. So, I would LOVE to have an AHI in the 3's
Just my 2 cents,
Chris

Do you actually have the Encore software to see what's going on during the night? Or, are you getting your data from the LCD?

Den

[karlchrisb]

I actually have the EncorePro Software.
Chris