Observation: New Mask and Grog-iness :)

[MaxDarkside]

I've had bad grog for a while, a little in the beginning of my getting on the hose about a year ago and worsening... until it was nearly debilitating just recently, almost like I was not getting any treatment at all. But I'm very compliant, AHIs good, leaks minimal. I booked an appointment with my sleep neurologist. Over the last year I've replaced the seal and hose twice on my Quattro Fx, about every 6 months and I wash the seal daily. Leaks have been not much. Seemingly doing well regards to equipment and my AHI's have been around 0.5 to 2.5. Now, for the first time, I also replaced the mask and head gear. Mostly because the head gear straps were a bit stretched after a year. After starting on the new mask my leaks went up a little bit, I notice, but the big deal:

Bang! Within 2 days the grog is substantially down.

I'm an overly instrumented patient, but silly me I was not using my digital gear through this because I thought the grog was best fought with the best sleep and not being disturbed by my pulse-oximeter dangling from my finger, accelerometer velcro'd to my head, the Zeo strapped to my forehead. So, I have no data other than from the S9 AutoSet (grrr).

I wonder what reasons come to mind why the grog declined:

1. Bacteria in the mask or hose?
I washed it sometimes with bleach, sometimes vinegar, often with soap. The hose not so often. Nothing visible at all to the eye, but them critters are microscopic.

2. I'm just in some sort of up biorhythm phase?
Maybe I'm just feeling better for some other reason

3. Some unknown/unseen change in the mask design or plastic?

What say you?
It's a mystery!

If you have terminal grog, maybe ordering up a new mask and hose might help too, I don't know.

[Chikorita]

I'm a newbie. What is 'grog' please?

[xenablue]

Where I grew up, grog is booze, Max - had to read your post twice to 'get it'.

Chikorita - I used to live in Penrith!


Cheers,
xena

[JohnO]

I'm a newbie. What is 'grog' please?

I assume he means groggy.

groggy |ˈgrägē|
adjective ( groggier , groggiest )
dazed, weak, or unsteady, esp. from illness, intoxication, sleep, or a blow: the sleeping pills had left her feeling groggy.

[StuUnderPressure]

Where I grew up, grog is booze, Max - had to read your post twice to 'get it'.

Cheers,
xena

Wikipedia agrees with you.

[MaxDarkside]

I'm a newbie. What is 'grog' please?

Yes, as the others said, like "Brain Fog", unclear/muddled thinking, but not sleepiness per se. I've been laying off the "grog" myself (as in alcohol)

[BlackSpinner]

Humm yes I was expecting something interesting done with masks and sailors and booze!

[MaxDarkside]

Humm yes I was expecting something interesting done with masks and sailors and booze!

I suppose that only happens during REM

[archangle]

I'm a newbie. What is 'grog' please?

I was wondering that myself.

[MaxDarkside]

I can tell I ain't get any answers or theories to my quandary

[Beckah54]

Interesting, Max!

I suffer from "brain fog" too, have since I started Xpap 7 years ago and it really hasn't improved much. I have ordered several new masks and new hoses during that time, but never got a brain fog free day after using the new equipment. I occasionally DO have a good day but never have any idea why.

Numbers and leaks are usually good and don't seem to relate in any way to the good days. In other words, good AHI and leaks don't equal clear thinking on my part.

Whatever the reason for your good day, I hope it continues for you. Enjoy your "grog"!!

Beckah

[archangle]

I can tell I ain't get any answers or theories to my quandary

Leaks are the only thing that seems likely, and I presume that hasn't changed.

Check the exhaust vent in the old mask. (The holes between your eyes.) If they're clogged, you could be rebreathing your exhaled air. (The morons at ResMed subtract the "intentional leak" rate from their data, so the machine can't tell if these are plugged like you can on a PRS1 machine.) Put on the old mask and feel the airflow through the exhaust vent.

If it's psychological, I don't want to talk you out of it.

Did you change hoses at the same time?

Check the old parts for any germ growth, but I wouldn't expect that to make you groggy. Maybe a runny nose or even frequent infections, but generally groggy doesn't sound likely.

Maybe the soap, but that doesn't sound likely either.

I guess maybe the headstrap pressing on some part of your head might have an effect, but that doesn't sound likely, either.

[MaxDarkside]

Leaks are the only thing that seems likely, and I presume that hasn't changed...Check the exhaust vent in the old mask. (The holes between your eyes.) If they're clogged, you could be rebreathing your exhaled air. (The morons at ResMed subtract the "intentional leak" rate from their data, so the machine can't tell if these are plugged like you can on a PRS1 machine.) Put on the old mask and feel the airflow through the exhaust vent.

Right there may be a good theory. With the new mask, the reported leaks increased, which means more venting (of one form or another, intentional or not). While the vent holes on the old mask don't show any build-up by looking (I just did), there is a possibility I can't see it. It is possible that I was very slowly asphyxiating, overloading with CO and/or CO2, during sleep.

Another possibility is that the flapper valve on the rotating elbow was no longer sealing well and the mask pressures were lower than what the ResMed calculated (?). Moving parts, especially ones that have to seal, are always to be suspected.

Lesson Learned: Replace the mask sooner... on the schedule the insurance company allows because that is based on some stingy decades experience, that is, the longest one should be allowed to use the same mask (or my wallet agrees with, which ever is sooner).
Lesson #2: Watch for changes, good or bad, when you replace even a brand and style (model) mask you've been using.

[MaxDarkside]

If it's psychological, I don't want to talk you out of it.

I did consider this, by the way It is a valid consideration.

[archangle]

Another possibility is that the flapper valve on the rotating elbow was no longer sealing well and the mask pressures were lower than what the ResMed calculated (?). Moving parts, especially ones that have to seal, are always to be suspected.

If it wasn't sealing well, I'd expect large leaks that would show up in your data. It probably wouldn't affect your pressure unless there's a big leak. The valve design looks like, unless it's fully engaged, it would leak terribly and that would show up in your numbers.

You might try putting the old mask back on and comparing the breeze coming out the exhaust vent to the new one.

By the way, CO is carbon monoxide. You'll never have that in your mask at a higher concentration than the room air. Your body doesn't generate any CO, only CO2.

Also, it's low O2 that causes the worst problems with rebreathed air, not increased CO2.