Significance of mask leaking

Hi,

I had been getting generally good results with my ResMed Airfit F30 (small) fullface mask, some nights as low as 0 leakage and AHI less than 1. Recently, for some reason, the mask is leaking more around the nose, making a loud vibrating sound that awakens me and stops me from getting back to sleep. This persisted after getting a new headgear and mask set up. I recently changed my diet and lost 3-4 pounds, but I didn't think this was enough to explain the difference.

I started using the Pad a Cheek mask liner that reduced the vibrating sound from leaking around the nose, but the overall amount of leakage was considerably higher according to MyAir and Sleepyhead, although much less noticeable. My AHI was about the same and I sleep better without the noise, but wonder if it is bad to have so much leakage, i.e. as high as 69 L/min on some nights, and whether I am getting the full benefit of therapy.

My thought was that it it is better to have more leakage that does not disturb my sleep compared to less leakage that is loud and disruptive, but I was wondering what others thought.

Thank you,
Richard

It all depends on how long you spend up at the 69 L/min leak number as to how much it might negatively effect your overall therapy.
Is it 5 minutes or 5 hours.
Obviously 5 minutes wouldn't be all that big of a deal but 5 hours would be. When you go over 40 L/min the machine really loses a large part of its ability to do anything right.

Do you really have the AirSense 10 CPAP model machine shown in your profile or does it by chance have some other words on the face of the machine?
Like....Elite or AutoSet????

Hi Pugsy,

I have the regular Airsense 10, without "elite" or "AutoSet". My settings are auto 16-20 cm H2O. The leakage is usually low on first falling asleep but then may go higher if the mask shifts a little if I move around. If I sense the leaking, I try to reposition the mask while the pressure is on, but sometimes I have to turn the machine off, go into the bathroom and reposition it in the mirror and then turn the machine back on. I'll check the duration with Sleepyhead but I think it varies significantly from night to night.

Richard

RRR wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:38 pm

Hi Pugsy,

I have the regular Airsense 10, without "elite" or "AutoSet". My settings are auto 16-20 cm H2O.

No, you don't, there is no "regular airsense 10" without any words.

and the 'base model' (which says CPAP on the front) does not do a range of pressures.

Look again.

squint if necessary.

RRR wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 13, 2020 1:38 pm

Hi Pugsy,

I have the regular Airsense 10, without "elite" or "AutoSet". My settings are auto 16-20 cm H2O.

you have chosen the wrong machine in your profile. it shows you are using a fixed level cpap. but you show that your settings are 16-20.

wiki/index.php/CPAP_models

not being snarky. it's just that you want the right machine listed so, going forward, you get the right advice.

You're right - I have the AutoSet - I didn't see it written in the lower right corner of the machine

Thanks

When you have time please go and edit your equipment profile to show the ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet.
It's there in the equipment list but not in the "A" section...it's down in the "R" section
This will avoid potential confusion later. The CPAP model doesn't offer the same level of data details and we gear our responses to the model machine whenever we can.

In your situation the reason I asked was because we were talking about duration of large leaks and the CPAP model won't show you anything that would help you sort that out and the other models would.