No consistency

I am confused and a little frustrated with my numbers. Maybe someone can help. Last night my AHI was 5.6. The three nights before that it was 2.9, 2.1 and 2.5. I can't make sense out of my leaks.

AHI 5.6 = Avg. Leak of 64 and Large Leak of 1 hr. 32 min.
AHI 2.9 = Avg. Leak of 53 and Large Leak of 2 hrs. 18 min.
AHI 2.1 = Avg. Leak of 45 and Large Leak 0 min.
AHI 2.5 = Avg. Leak of 48 and Large Leak 0 min

The first two I listed don't make any sense to me. How can I have a large leak of over 2 hours and have a lower AHI than last night of one and a half hours? But more importantly, what can I do to get things to be more consistent? Most night I don't really notice a difference in my sleep quality. This morning my husband commented on how well he thought I slept last night. Also, most night I don't notice any leaks. Certainly not when I begin the night.

I am certainly glad I changed machines and got the software, but my numbers seem to be all over the board. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for your input.

Linda

Hi Linda,

I think the REMstar Auto stops using more pressure (drops down to your minimum pressure) and stops recording events during the entire time a Large Leak is happening.

If you look in Encore Pro at the nights when you had solid black blocks of "Large Leak" in the leak graph, you'll see that there were no tick marks for apneas, hypopneas, or flow limitations during those Large Leak periods of time.

As I understand it, the machine goes blind, so to speak, during a Large Leak. Even if you were having many apneas and hypopneas during the Large Leak periods of time, the machine can't see them happening, so it can't record them, and can't add them into the AHI calculations.

Since you're using a FF mask (the Hybrid) that rules out mouth air leaks like people often get with non full face masks. It appears you're getting massive air leaks from your Hybrid not staying in place well -- either up at the nasal pillows part or around the mouth cushion -- or both. You're apparently sleeping through those massive leaks without waking up enough to be aware of them.

Many masks start out the night well, but as we move our heads or turn, or moisture from the skin makes a cushion or nasal pillows slippery, leaks can start popping out.

Thanks for the input, RG. It makes more sense now. Any ideas how to stop these large leaks that seem to occur when I am asleep. It seems sort of ironic, considering that it wasn't that long ago that I couldn't sleep with the mask and now I apparently sleep right thru the leaks. Go figure?

The only thing I know to do, Linda, if a mask suits you well but often leaks massively at some point during the night is try some of the "fixes" others have used for that mask.

Since you sleep through the leaks, it's difficult to decide "what" to fix, though. Perhaps just read through the Hybrid links and try any/all of the fixes suggested in some of the topics. With some luck, you'll hit on the right spot to work on.

Fortunately you have the software to see if something seems to have worked to stop the leaks or not.

Your AHI's in the 2.x range are very good!

Yeah, what you said is ironic, but pretty typical of what most people seem to go through while working on all the pieces of the treatment puzzle. Two steps forward, one step back, over and over. Takes determination to keep at it. You've obviously got that!

Not gonna let a leaf blower and a piece of plastic buffalo us.

pssst...wanna borrow some tape?

LINKS to Hybrid full face/nasal pillows mask