When To Worry about Flow Limitations?

The night in the chart below is typical for me. Should I be concerned about the level of FL? My AHI is generally 1.0 or less. (The leak in the chart below was when I rolled onto my side and fell back asleep.)

Thanks for advice.

How are you sleeping?
How are you feeling?
Are you having any nasal congestion?

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 26, 2019 4:21 pm

Are you having any nasal congestion?

No nasal congestion. I had that turbinate reduction and septum correction some years ago, and my nostrils have a good airway passage.

Here is what is really puzzling. That chart from the 25th (above) with a busy FL line graph is with APAP pressure 11 - 20, EPR off. If I change the settings to pressure 12 - 20, EPR 3, the FL graph clears up a good bit (see below for last night - 28th). Is that a significant difference?

I've experimented with this a few times and get similar differences in FL with those different pressure settings. I can't tell any difference in the way I sleep or feel. Could it be that EPR messes up the machine sensors or the FL data? I would prefer not to use EPR just to chase down the line on the FL graph.

I suppose the FL variation could maybe be attributed to just some normal nightly variations but I assume you have more nights under your belt than just these.
It makes no logical sense that adding in EPR will reduce FLs unless it is the slightly higher IPAP that you are having by increasing to 12 cm.
Have you done a test with 11 cm with EPR and see what the FL looks like?
Normally to reduce FLs we don't add in the reduction in overall pressure averages that come with adding in EPR.

If it were me I would do/use whatever lets me sleep the best and feel the best. That's always been my number one priority.

Thanks for the comments, Pugsy. Now, I'm thinking the min pressure 12 is what clears up the FL graph. I'm going to run it at min12/EPR 3 for a week or two before doing any more experimenting.

The higher IPAP with the minimum of 12 even with EPR might be the ticket. IPAP is there half the night and sometimes just a little change in pressure can make a big difference in results.
Might also explain why not everyone needs to automatically increase the minimum to compensate for adding in EPR.

Let me know how it goes.

I've been experimenting with EPR of 2 and 3 for the whole month of September. Last night, I turned EPR off and had the best night of sleep this month.

I know this is just one night, and I know EPR is a popular feature. However, I am jumping to the conclusion that EPR is just not good for me.

As far as the level of FLs that show last night (see below), I'm going to ignore them since I feel so good this morning.

Thanks for the help, Pugsy. Any additional comments are welcome.

You already know how I feel about things.
Feeling good and sleeping good takes priority over pretty graphs.

0.78 is still very good, by lowering EPR, you raised your base pressure... That may have been the benefit...

And just because EPR, which is just limited bilevel, is popular, that doesn't mean it's for everyone. If you feel better without it, .... That's all that matters.