Leaks down, AHI is not

[Scarlet834]

First, let me say that I out of town starting in a few hours through Monday, so I will probably not be able to respond for the next few days to anyone who posts suggestions. I will be monitoring how I do through the weekend and hoping to read your advice on my return.

Thanks to this forum I was able to identify that I had unacceptable system leaks, including high leaks, and take care of them. My concern is that last night my average leak was 37.57 with no large leaks (yay, finally!). The number given in my mask literature for my pressure (9) is about 30 so this is probably the best I'm going to get. Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to attach a picture of the readout to this post as some have done. My AHI was still 18.1 last night, the majority being OA tic marks and most concentrated in a 2-hour period. Over my entire two weeks on CPAP the AHI averaged 18.5 and the past 5 days ranged from 11-27. Most of those days, except last night, would have included some high leaks, not necessarily coinciding with the OAs.

I have a follow-up with my primary care physician in mid November. I do not know my original AHI but am awaiting that information. My perception is that I no longer feel completely drugged out, but I am still very tired. Tired enough to be concerned about functioning consistently at work once my vacation is over in early October. I am typically waking up 3-4 times during the night, every 2-3 hours. Pre-CPAP I typically woke up around 3am every morning (but you figure I was really waking up many times, just didn't know it.)

My question for the group, would I expect my AHI to go down as I get more used to CPAP (I'm thinking not)? Any advice on how to address this, since presumably my doctors don't know I have access to the AHI numbers. Have you had success being completely up front, as in, I feel different but not good and the numbers say _____? Is it more credible if I hold out for a few more weeks as prescribed?

Thanks to all in advance. I am already in debt to this forum for the information contained within it.

[Pugsy]

What pressure is your CPAP machine set at?
Edit: Oops, I see now 9 cm

Do you use the CFlex exhalation relief? If so, what setting?

To post images of your data report graphs you have to take a screen shot of it, save it as jpeg file, upload to hosting site (I use Photobucket, it is free) then copy the IMG image location code and paste it into the body of the post. Use the preview button to make sure the image shows up properly. Be sure to include beginning and ending IMG brackets.
Windows XP users can use the prt scr key and Paint to crop the image and save as jpeg. Vista users can use the Snipping Tool which lets to take the snap shot and crop at the same time.

Off hand without seeing any reports if leak is not hugely awful (it doesn't sound awful) and the AHI is still so elevated then we have to think the pressure is not optimal. I had this happen to me. Titrated at 8 cm but still having 7-9 AHI and feeling like crap. Leaks not bad. Raised my minimum pressure from 8 cm to 10 cm and poof, cut those AHI numbers more than half. I now average around 2 AHI now with 90% of the events obstructive and not many hypopneas. While I use an auto unit and you have straight CPAP, the premise remains the same.

[Scarlet834]

Yay, wireless where I'm staying. Yes they set Cflex at 3 without any discussion. I may lower it, and per your post may nudge the pressure after the weekend. Thanks!

[DoriC]

The cflex feature disturbed my husband's breathing pattern and when we turned if off he did much better. It also made the machine quieter.

[Scarlet834]

When I first got my machine the ebb and flow sound from the Cflex definitely bothered me more than a steady hum. Anyway, baby steps. I turned Cflex to 2 and I upped my pressure the tiniest bit to 9.5.

[Scarlet834]

Wow, big change for me. All of a sudden I woke up only twice in the night. Once I was a bit suffocat-y feeling and once I had to tape my mouth to stop mouth breathing. Also problems with potential slight leaks from the nostril seal were completely gone. I am making no more changes until I see my daily stats at home. I may try Cflex at 1 next. This morning I woke up the least draggy-eyed since treatment but I'm still tired after browsing this forum a while. Still I would say this gives me hope.

Edited a few hours later. I just came back from a 2 hour hike over sand dunes to the beach. I have not felt this purely good for a really long time!