New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
dbratberg
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:03 pm

New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by dbratberg » Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:58 pm

I have used my Resmed Airsense 11 six nights. I have a N30 nasal cushion. This morning on my Airsense 11 under “My Sleep View” I touch “Mask” and the message says “ Your mask seal was great last night” but it also shows leak is “ 32L/min” which is not great. Also, on my app “myAir” is says my mask seal score is 12/20 which is not great. When I did my trial on an Airsense 10 the machine told me I had a good seal. I didn’t have access to the trial data that Kaiser had other than being told the data was good. Could a leak around the elbow connection give this data? Thanks for any insight.
Oceana

BBX2125
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:51 am

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by BBX2125 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:18 am

dbratberg wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:58 pm
I have used my Resmed Airsense 11 six nights. I have a N30 nasal cushion. This morning on my Airsense 11 under “My Sleep View” I touch “Mask” and the message says “ Your mask seal was great last night” but it also shows leak is “ 32L/min” which is not great. Also, on my app “myAir” is says my mask seal score is 12/20 which is not great. When I did my trial on an Airsense 10 the machine told me I had a good seal. I didn’t have access to the trial data that Kaiser had other than being told the data was good. Could a leak around the elbow connection give this data? Thanks for any insight.
Hi and welcome!

This is the same thing that I have going on. And have found out that yes it could be a leak in your mask at the elbow or against your face usually you will hear it hissing. Or you could be opening your mouth while you're asleep like me in the air comes out your mouth sometimes you will have a dry mouth. I have switched over to a full face mask which covers your nose and mouth but find it difficult to use and a switch back to my N20 mask. There are chin straps that will help keep your mouth closed and some people have used tape over their mouth to keep it closed. I'm sure more people on here can enlighten you on all that and there are lots of topics on the board that cover all this information also.

_________________
Machine: AirSense 11 Autoset
Mask: AirFit™ N20 Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: ResMed F20 Full Face, F&P Vitera Full Face Mask, ResMed F30 Full Face, Amara View Full Face, Chin Straps X 3, Tape

User avatar
Pugsy
Posts: 63941
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 9:31 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by Pugsy » Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:40 am

dbratberg wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:58 pm
it also shows leak is “ 32L/min” which is not great.
Report numbers for leak management on the machine's LCD screen are what we call 95% numbers and the definition of a 95% number is where the machine was AT OR BELOW for 95% of the night. It is NOT an overall average and it is NOT where a person spent 95% of the night.

I would wager that your leak rate was well below 32 L/min for the bulk of the night and that you actually spent little time up with the leak of 32 L/min.

To give you an idea what I mean go here and see an old example of why 95% numbers don't always give us the whole picture.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=108724&p=1036669&hi ... t#p1036669

As far as the machine itself grading the leak....ResMed doesn't give you a horrible grade until you spend over 30% of the night in large leak (defined as over 24 L/min) and then Mr Red Frowny face shows up.
The 24 L/min line in the sand is actually a conservative number. In real life ResMed machines can do a decent job up to around 35 to 40 L/min leak and beyond that things start getting iffier. The deeper into large leak territory the iffier it gets.

To see exactly what the leak line is doing use available software
OSCAR https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... stallation
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... rpretation
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph ... ganization organize and how to do screen shots.
wiki/index.php/Oscar:organize Wiki

_________________
Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

User avatar
robysue1
Posts: 897
Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 3:39 pm
Location: Buffalo, NY

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by robysue1 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:45 am

dbratberg wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:58 pm
I have used my Resmed Airsense 11 six nights. I have a N30 nasal cushion. This morning on my Airsense 11 under “My Sleep View” I touch “Mask” and the message says “ Your mask seal was great last night” but it also shows leak is “ 32L/min” which is not great. Also, on my app “myAir” is says my mask seal score is 12/20 which is not great. When I did my trial on an Airsense 10 the machine told me I had a good seal. I didn’t have access to the trial data that Kaiser had other than being told the data was good. Could a leak around the elbow connection give this data? Thanks for any insight.
Yes, a leak near the elbow could be the culprit.

But so could opening your mouth. Or simply facial relaxation when you are asleep. Or moving around in your sleep and having your bed pillow or covers slightly knock the mask out of place. Or a worn-out mask cushion. Or a hole in the hose. Or over-tightening the headgear so the air cushion that seals the mask can't fully inflate.

Your machine should have an SD card slot in the back. If there is an SD card in that slot, it has a whole lot of so-called "detailed daily data" that will give us far more information about the nature of your leaks than the brief statistical data available on the Airsense 11's screen or in myAir.

If there is no SD card in that slot, the first thing you need to do is put an SD card in. A cheap, small card is fine.

Once you've slept a night or two with the SD card in the slot, you'll want to look at that daily data to see exactly when the leaks are happening, how long the leaks last, and how big the leaks are.

You will need to download and install OSCAR to read the data on the SD card. Alternatively you can open a free account at MySleepHQ and upload the SD card's contents and look at the data there. In either case, you can then post images of the daily data here and we'll be able to help you learn how to interpret it as well as give you additional tips on how to minimize the leaks. There are sticky threads near the top for posting images of data at the top of the forum.
Joined as robysue on 9/18/10. Forgot my password & the email I used was on a machine that has long since died & gone to computer heaven.

Correct number of posts is 7250 as robysue + what I have as robysue1

Profile pic: Frozen Niagara Falls

User avatar
dbratberg
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:03 pm

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by dbratberg » Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:01 am

Thank you. No dry mouth. So many possibilities for leaks! I do have an SD card and I just ordered an SD reader for it.
Oceana

lynninnj
Posts: 1267
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:56 am

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by lynninnj » Tue Sep 27, 2022 5:10 pm

dbratberg wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 9:01 am
Thank you. No dry mouth. So many possibilities for leaks! I do have an SD card and I just ordered an SD reader for it.
goofy question- what are you calling an elbow? Are you using the N30i which has an elbow or are you using the N 30?

I use the N 30 and I love it. I put a little bit of lanolin on my nose before bedtime. That helps form a good seal. if you use too much, it doesn’t create a very good seal at all.

once you get into bed, readjust the mask. Put your hand over the end of the hose and try to blow out through your nose. That will help you determine if you have any leaks before you plug it in to the main hose.

https://sleephq.com/public/9313abfd-4ca ... d3cdb056f3

you should put an SD card into your machine so you can produce data like you see in the link above. Last night I had the bleep mask on for the first portion of the evening and I had quite a few events. Then when I got up to go to the bathroom. I switched and put my N 30 back on.

I had some leak notifications on there when I readjusted the mask while laying down. I thought I had it in place but then when it ramped up, I didn’t quite have it so I had to readjust. I usually check it before I plug-in, but I was tired and I did not.

towards the waking hours, you could see there’s a good bit of leaking but all on all it was decent sleep after I changed masks. My leak level was a little lower than yours but still it goes to show you that you can have a good night sleep, even though you might have some leakage.

I hope you will stick around and put an SD card into your machine and hopefully learn how to post it, as well as update your machine and mask in your signature line so we can help you out.

_________________
Machine: AirSense 11 Autoset
Mask: ResMed AirFit N30 Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Newbie who loves her machine!
Beware the schoolyard bullies, mean girls, and fragile male egos. Move along if you can’t be kind.

clownbell
Posts: 369
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2021 8:46 pm

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by clownbell » Tue Sep 27, 2022 5:24 pm

MyAir is a "feelgood" app. The info on MyAir and on the machine itself is very limited. Without OSCAR, the experts here are deprived of detailed data needed to give you the best advice. Glad you are headed in that direction. It's the right thing.
ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset with built in humidifier
Resmed P10 pillow mask

User avatar
dbratberg
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:03 pm

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by dbratberg » Tue Sep 27, 2022 7:36 pm

Thanks for all the resource links. Oscar here I come.
Oceana

User avatar
dbratberg
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:03 pm

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by dbratberg » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:24 pm

Lynninnj- It is the N30I. Typo.
Oceana

lynninnj
Posts: 1267
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:56 am

Re: New User Confused About Mask Seal Leaks

Post by lynninnj » Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:26 pm

dbratberg wrote:
Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:24 pm
Lynninnj- It is the N30I. Typo.
Gotcha. I had a feeling.

Please give a good read to the suggestions offered. Even though my mask is slightly different there’s still much to glean from the various posts.

Hopefully you find something helpful.

_________________
Machine: AirSense 11 Autoset
Mask: ResMed AirFit N30 Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Newbie who loves her machine!
Beware the schoolyard bullies, mean girls, and fragile male egos. Move along if you can’t be kind.