How much leak is a bad leak?

[Suenyo]

About six months on apap, been through nasal pillow, nasal masks, last month on the full face quattro has made a difference in my fatigue level. Yet I have still problems with leaking. I set the quattro pretty loose at first, hoping that the good advice of "Taming the Quattro" would work for me. But leaks have driven me to tighten and tighten and tighten, even using liners (t-shirt). What would you guys call a bad leak. Mine run typically 60 to 80 points from the lower leak graph to it's different colored mirror high above. Sometimes I get lucky and get it down to 30-40 but 60 is very average.

Can anyone explain what the two graph lines in Sleepyhead indicate? Which one is which? And what level of leak should I tolerate on the Quattro (forehead pad model) Thanks.

[Pugsy]

Concentrate on the top leak line in the SleepyHead leak graph. That's the total leak line and total leak includes the mask's expected vent/intentional leak as well as any unintentional/excess leak. The bottom line is a close approximation for excess only leak but that number varies so much that we can't give you a good idea as to what it should run.
Your machine and SleepyHead (if you are using the latest version) will show you if you actually hit large leak territory with a LL flagging area on the events graph.

If you aren't using the latest version then large leak territory will vary (remember it varies with mask type and pressure) and is going to be up somewhere in the 80 to 90 L/min range when looking at the top leak line/total leak.

60 L/min total leak wouldn't be all that out of line when using a full face mask at somewhat higher pressures but would be a bit high for someone using nasal pillow mask at say 7 cm.

In general from what I have see on reports where people have some massive big leaks the Respironics machines start getting iffy on their ability to respond and sense/record events that might happen up over 100 L/min.

Mine run typically 60 to 80 points from the lower leak graph to it's different colored mirror high above.

When you see this on the lower leak line where is the top leak line at?
Lower leak line at this range makes me really wonder where the top total leak line is.

[Suenyo]

Thanks Pugsy.

I was talking about the difference in altitude between the two graphs, since I don't really understand why there are two, but you are saying just use the bigger one? If so I'm off the scale sometimes. Here's an average/good night:

http://imgur.com/hXvP9aH

As I said, I've been on the Quattro for a month and my sleep charts on Sleepyhead have changed radically from the first day. I used to get lots of centrals and obstructions, but now its almost all hypopneas. I wonder what that indicates? I'm hoping to get a real sleep study. I finally found a doc who ordered one for me, but don't know yet if insurance will spring for it.

Headed to bed. Made the mistake of buying a new computer and been fighting with it all day.

[Pugsy]

The bottom leak line is an approximation of excess only leak....it's not as accurate as the top line....so yes, use the top line or just go by the large leak flags...see them on the top of the events graph? That sort of solid gray bar...that's large leak being flagged.
A good number of your hyponeas are flagged during large leak flag time but you also had some flagged in non large leak time so I am not so sure we can blame all of them on the excess leak.