Just got my software, need help reading the reports...

[klockemy]

Hello all, I just got my software and pulled the first 4 days of my treatment off the card. Would you mind reviewing my report at the below link and let me know your comments/suggestions? Looks like my leak may be a bit high and the vibratory snore, but I am not sure. I am trying to decide if I need to go back to the DR and have my pressures adjusted.

Thanks in advance,

Kevin

http://www.klockemycomputers.com/cpap/summary.pdf

[6PtStar]

Not bad. The leaks are a little high I think. Have not looked at the exaust rate for the Quattro to make sure but there are not any Largr Leaks so that is good. Snores are a bit high but lots of things can record as a snore like draging the hose over the headboard. It can also be an indication that you pressure may be a bit low. AHI is not bad, well under the 5.0 standard that the medical profession talks about as being normal. You could bump the pressure 1 cm/h2o and see if the snores go down a bit.

I am not a medical professional so my opinion is just my opinion.

Jerry

[Hawthorne]

Your leak rate is not bad and is improving. For the Mirage Quattro at a pressure of 10 cm your leak rate should be around 38. Note that, last night, your leak rate was 37 so that very good. I think you are adjusting to the mask and the machine and your leak rate is improving so give it time.

Do you find yourself adjusting the mask during the night (that you are aware of)? There are a few peaks that are a little high sometimes but, in my opinion, that will be okay for the most part. Everyone has bad leak nights once in a while and you are just starting. As I said, last night was the best (about right on) so you may be adjusting.

The AHI is not too bad at all. In fact it is quite good.

The Vibratory snore is way too high. I wonder if it is mask leak (which is getting better so it may come down). I was trying to see if the leaks and the Vibratory Snore were connected in some way but that doesn't seem to be the case for the most part.

With a full face mask, it should not be mouth breathing.

It could be that you need a pressure adjustment ( a slightly higher pressure).

Hope someone else comments here. I don't know a lot about Vibratory snores, except that yours are high. If you weren't using a full face mask, I would say you are mouth breathing. Maybe your mask is either too tight or too loose or you are adjusting it a lot in the night.

Not a lot of help but maybe someone else can go on from here!

[klockemy]

I understand that most on here aren't doctors and I won't hold anyone liable for their opinions.

I thought my snores were a bit high as well and was wondering if anyone else thought I should take this back to the doc and see if I could go up a few cms. If I am not mistaken my mask leak rate is 38L/min at 10cm.

I wiggle my mouth a couple times in during the night to get the mask to sit right, but don't fiddle too much with it, just the adjustor knob on my forehead if I get a leak on my side.

Thanks again all!

[Hawthorne]

Thanks 6PtStar! The business of the hose dragging etc, I think is part of the problem with the Vibratory snores (maybe most of the problem). I hadn't thought of that. Great point!

How is your hose set up Kevin? Do you turn a lot and have your hose dragging or bumping against things? Can you put it up over a headboard?

There are "hose management" setups. Search them on the forum. There are some home made systems and some you can buy. Sometimes just putting it over the headboard can help to keep it out of the way so it doesn't bump things. The machine can interpret that bumping and dragging as snores.

Glad you came along 6PtStar!

[DoriC]

And if you do have the hose up over the headboard a hose cover will also help with the vibrations when you move. padacheek.com can make one for you, she's a forum member.

[DoriC]

Do you find yourself adjusting the mask during the night (that you are aware of)? There are a few peaks that are a little high sometimes but, in my opinion, that will be okay for the most part. Everyone has bad leak nights once in a while and you are just starting. As I said, last night was the best (about right on) so you may be adjusting.

Not a lot of help but maybe someone else can go on from here!

Hawthorne, have you been able to figure out any reasons for "bad leak nights once in awhile"? When my husband's report shows a higher leak rate or LL for part of the night, he can't find an explanation for it, although once in awhile if the leak is loud enough to wake me I do find his hand pushed way up under his pillow and his mask has shifted. He's been trying to break that pre-cpap habit. Dori

[klockemy]

I have my hose hanging off the edge of the bed (don't have a headboard). I just got a longer hose and hose snuggy from cpap.com today and will see if that lessons the VS rating, if not, it maybe something else?

[Hawthorne]

DoriC - What you have observed sometimes when you happen to be awake, may be what Mike is doing in his sleep - sometimes. He would not be aware.

Everyone has nights when the mask just will not seal properly. Everyone has nights when they are more restless than usual. Sometimes the mask gets knocked off to the side and "boom" - a large leak.

I always have another mask ready. If I find that the seal is not holding as I go off to sleep or, I am awakened by a hissing sound of a mask leak, I get up and just change masks and I usually can go back to sleep.

People without sleep apnea don't have perfect nights all the time and neither do people with sleep apnea. It just happens.

I just write that night off but keep an eye to see that it does not become an "every night" thing. Then I have to look at my data and my settings and try some changes.

[GumbyCT]

I think you are off to a great start. You might need another 1or2 but that will show with time. Check with your doc if you like but most don't give a hoot once you are below 5 ahi and you are there. I wouldn't worry too much about the snoring as a primary concern. It will go down if you increase your pressure but snoring shouldn't be the primary reason to increase. Unless of course, it is keeping someone else awake.

Personally, when I see snoring on mine, I know I drifted off to sleep just a slight bit of snoring.

I didn't think your leak line was that bad either. Let's face it, you are a natural

Welcome to the party, pal!!

[Gerald]

Kevin.......

I think "job one" is to work on the leaks. Do your best to get that leak line as low....and as straight....as possible.

Remember....what you're trying to do is "put a constant pressure in a chamber" (your lungs and upper respiratory system is the "chamber"). If the pressure is going up and down (because of leaks), your hypopneas and apneas increase in frequency.....because the airway is expanding or contracting....depending on the pressure changes.

Once you get the leaks under control, you can then work on tweaking the pressure to get the greatest comfort and the lowest AHI score. Your "foundation" in this project is to achieve a constant pressure......and work up from there.

Hope this makes sense......

Gerald

[klockemy]

Thanks, Gumby.

Gerald, could it possible that the flow changes so much due to me using the c-flex feature of my machine? The avg appears to be WNL for my mask (if I am reading the charts right.)

Again, I am new at this, just something I thought of. Thanks again for the insight.

[GumbyCT]

oh forgot to mention when you use that 10ft hose you WILL have a loss of pressure too. So when you see changes in your chart, you will now whats going on. Be interesting to see if RT tells you about it.

[Gerald]

Gumby.....

I don't think I can agree with your idea that Kevin's longer hose causes a "loss of pressure". Where is it lost to....where does it go?

If Kevin was using an "Auto" machine, I could see that the pressure transducers would have difficulty reading slight changes in pressure.....because a longer air column inside the hose would be more "springy".....but, since he's using straight CPAP....at a constant pressure (non adjusting), I can't see where a longer hose makes any difference. If I'm missing something here, please let me know.

Kevin....

I don't think the "jagged" appearance of your leak line is caused by your CFLEX feature. I think it's caused by pressure variations caused by mask leaks. Try to get that leak line as straight as possible. The only leak you want is what's coming out of the exhaust port....and that's a constant flow. A constant leak out the exhaust port gives you a constant pressure inside the "chamber" (your lungs and upper respiratory system).

Gerald

[GumbyCT]

If I'm missing something here, please let me know.

You are...Let me sleep on it, I give you an answer in the morning.