ResMed AutoSense 10 and red face

Hello, folks! I first joined 8-9 years ago, when I was initially prescribed CPAP therapy. I received a lot of help here, and have successfully used my equipment since.

A week ago Monday, I picked up a new machine (ResMed AutoSense 10) and new mask (Swift FX for Her). The machine is one of those new-fangled thingies that shows an angry red face for Leak Rate when I wake up. Every. Damn. Morning. I have done everything I can think of to minimize said leakage. Still angry red face.

I called my provider. After checking my data for the last 10 days, the RT called me back and said I have two options: 1) Bring back my equipment and swap it for a nasal mask to see if that helps, or, 2) Let things ride because my AHI is 1.1 and my leak rate is “really not that bad” (myAir shows it to be 50-60 L/min, with the threshold at 24 L/min)

My question to you is...just how concerned am I supposed to be over Mr. Angry Face?

I find it extremely frustrating to wake up feeling like I slept well, only to see the readout glaring at me. (And, yes, I do have a strong need for approval lol) I do not feel/hear air leaking, I only wake once per night for a bathroom run and immediately fall back to sleep, and my husband has not noticed anything that might indicate leakage.

FWIW...I downloaded OSCAR and need to get an SD card, so I don’t have any reports to post right now.

Linda

LJS wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:02 pm

My question to you is...just how concerned am I supposed to be over Mr. Angry Face?

welcome back. i'll let more seasoned forum members address if the leaks are having an impact on your therapy. but, if you are sleeping fine, i wouldn't worry too much about it.

once you get that data collected, please post it right here in this thread, so the experts can advise you better.

good luck!

LJS wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:02 pm

Hello, folks! I first joined 8-9 years ago, when I was initially prescribed CPAP therapy. I received a lot of help here, and have successfully used my equipment since.

A week ago Monday, I picked up a new machine (ResMed AutoSense 10) and new mask (Swift FX for Her). The machine is one of those new-fangled thingies that shows an angry red face for Leak Rate when I wake up. Every. Damn. Morning. I have done everything I can think of to minimize said leakage. Still angry red face.

I called my provider. After checking my data for the last 10 days, the RT called me back and said I have two options: 1) Bring back my equipment and swap it for a nasal mask to see if that helps, or, 2) Let things ride because my AHI is 1.1 and my leak rate is “really not that bad” (myAir shows it to be 50-60 L/min, with the threshold at 24 L/min)

It is "that bad".

My question to you is...just how concerned am I supposed to be over Mr. Angry Face? [/quote]
The leaks of well over twice the threshold are quite concerning.

Make sure your hose doesn't have holes in it, and that your humidifier is properly seated.

Try using your old mask.

zonker wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:47 pm

LJS wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:02 pm

My question to you is...just how concerned am I supposed to be over Mr. Angry Face?

welcome back. i'll let more seasoned forum members address if the leaks are having an impact on your therapy. but, if you are sleeping fine, i wouldn't worry too much about it.

Leaks like that,you worry about. The machine can't tell what kind of events she's having, and is getting close to losing therapy pressure.

Sometimes the red face is a quirk.
One night out of ten--ignore it.
Every night--wrong mask (you already know how to adjust the headgear)

Thanks for the quick responses...

I suspected it was "that bad" as I have read most of Pugsy's Pointers and RobySue's articles, but I guess I wanted some validation before I talk to the provider again.

I will try sleeping with my old mask tonight and see what happens.

I'll also double check to make sure tank is seated correctly and check the hose.

It's entirely possible this is not the mask for me...I have swapped pillow sizes, tightened/loosened straps, watched videos, etc., nothing changes.

Linda

The numbers on the machine LCD screen are 95% numbers which mean at OR BELOW that number for 95% of the time.
They can sometimes look worse than it might be for the total night. Really need to see a detailed report to get an idea just how bad and how much we should be worrying.
See this thread
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=108724&p=1036669&hi ... t#p1036669

To get Mr Frowny you have to be above 24 L/min for 30% or more of the night.
Up to around 35 L/min leak the machine does a decent enough job of sensing, responding and recording...over that it gets iffy and the higher it goes the iffier it gets.
So you really need to be looking at how much time you spent in large leak and how deep into large leak territory you went.
15 minutes at 50 L/min probably isn't the end of the world but an hour at 50 L/min...that's bad.

Go into the clinical menu; scroll down to Options/essentials.
Set essentials to plus, and then you can see the full sleep report available on the screen.
I find that reported leak numbers and that silly red face are not consistent.
I go by the leak NUMBER.
If it is over 24 for three nights in a row, I need clean headgear or new pillows.

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:56 pm

zonker wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:47 pm

LJS wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:02 pm

My question to you is...just how concerned am I supposed to be over Mr. Angry Face?

welcome back. i'll let more seasoned forum members address if the leaks are having an impact on your therapy. but, if you are sleeping fine, i wouldn't worry too much about it.

Leaks like that,you worry about. The machine can't tell what kind of events she's having, and is getting close to losing therapy pressure.

i live and learn. or i don't live long.

UPDATE...
I just got back from an appointment with the RT. She immediately pulled out a graph printed directly from myAir (same thing I see), pointed to the leak rates and told me they were too high, that I am obviously a mouth breather and need a full face mask. I said "fine, I'll try anything, but you need to know that someone from this office told me that since my AHI was 1.1, that leak rate was not all that bad, and that I could ignore it if I wanted to." She was visibly stunned and said, "Oh yes, it is, who did you talk to?" Hopefully that gets addressed before someone else is told the same thing.

She also had me bring in my machine, checked the hose for leaks, and also made sure the water tank seated correctly, as someone suggested yesterday.

I brought home a ResMed Airfit F20. I'm not quite sure how one is supposed to be correctly fitted for a mask while seated upright in a chair, but that is an issue for another day...

And, I stopped and picked up an SD card on the way home. That's already installed and ready to go. Time to do some reading about generating and reading reports. I've been around long enough to know this may not be resolved in the next few days, and I'm so very thankful to have this group to be able to turn to for help.

Linda

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:38 pm

I go by the leak NUMBER.
If it is over 24 for three nights in a row, I need clean headgear or new pillows.

I read this yesterday and it struck a chord with me. (have been having over 30 on several nights lately) Large leak not bad.
Checked my current pillows with new ones. Definite differences. Shinny and slightly deformed.
Changed out.
Leaks under 10 last night. 0.64% LL
Thank you.

JPB

I would say a few of those minor leaks were causing arousals.