Would you recommend lowering pressure? Air leaving vent keeps me up at higher levels.

My doctor recommended lowering my max air pressure from the initial 20 to 10, due to the air leaving the vent waking me up. When it gets to 9, it still wakes me up. It seems that in the big scheme of things, according to the graph posted, that pressure doesn't get up to 9 that often. I was thinking of lowering my max air pressure to 8. Would anyone advise against this? I would ask my doctor, but it can take a while for him to get back to me, and to be honest, it seems that the folks here in the trenches are in a better position to offer this type of practical advice.

I wish I could get used to the air leaving the vent. Was using a Dreamwear mask and thought that if I tried another mask that touted more diffuse air leaving the vent, it would help. So I exchanged it for an Airfit N30. But when I get up to use the bathroom, it distracts me to the point where I can't fall back asleep. So last night I woke up two hours earlier than I was planning to. I bought a buckwheat pillow so I could adjust it out of the way, and this helped a bit, but not much.

Thanks in advance.

:shaking head:

That mask has almost undetectable venting.

Lowering the max pressure just prevents the machine from being able to treat you.

Put it back to 20, and raise the minimum, your ahi is terrible, wear earplugs if you're imagining noise.

I have been reading on this forum that if the leak rate goes above 24, it is too high. Mine was at 26, so it seems that it is not extremely high, but it is quite possible you are seeing something that I am not, if you could fill me in. Thanks!

Robb wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:33 am

I have been reading on this forum that if the leak rate goes above 24, it is too high. Mine was at 26, so it seems that it is not extremely high, but it is quite possible you are seeing something that I am not, if you could fill me in. Thanks!

The 24 LPM threshold is for ResMed Machines.

Resmed's calculate leak values by removing the estimated venting, therefore present true leak values.

Respironics (and most non-ResMed) display the leak + venting value. Your leak values are just fine.

Robb wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:33 am

I have been reading on this forum that if the leak rate goes above 24, it is too high. Mine was at 26, so it seems that it is not extremely high, but it is quite possible you are seeing something that I am not, if you could fill me in. Thanks!

That 24 L/min excess leak number, line in the sand, is ONLY for ResMed machines.
You aren't using a ResMed machine and 26 L/min excess leak number can't be compared to a ResMed leak number.
If your machine isn't flagging a large leak (and it would show up in the LL line on the Events graph if it was) then you don't have a problem with excess leaks.

Besides...that 26 L/min number is the max leak number and probably happened at the end of the night where you see that spike. Probably took the mask off for a little while before turning the machine off. For the bulk of your night the excess leak looks to be around 6 L/min.
Excess leak...that bottom line on the leak graph...it's not 100% perfectly accurate but it is close.
Your machine doesn't really record excess only leak.. It just records total leak (top leak line) which is the mask's expected vent rate/intentional leak plus any excess leak.

That mask still vents at normal expected vent rate but it should be diffused and almost undetectable.
I have not seen a N30 mask to actually test the diffused venting though. It appears to have the diffused venting system like the P10 which I do have experience with. I can barely feel the venting with my hand 1 inch from the vent holes.

If that is what you are sensing and it's bugging you...I don't know what to tell you but do what you can to keep it from bouncing off anything.

This is the mask I'm currently using. I'm very sensitive to air blowing and sounds. I wear ear plugs and at lower pressures I don't hear anything....very quiet. At higher pressures I could swear the thing is leaking from the nasal part or more air is blowing out because I hear it and feel it. I'm not sure what that is about because this mask indeed is a very quiet one. Sometimes it just frustrates me.

arteach wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 11:22 am

This is the mask I'm currently using. I'm very sensitive to air blowing and sounds. I wear ear plugs and at lower pressures I don't hear anything....very quiet. At higher pressures I could swear the thing is leaking from the nasal part or more air is blowing out because I hear it and feel it. I'm not sure what that is about because this mask indeed is a very quiet one. Sometimes it just frustrates me.

There's a difference between leaks and vented air

Yes, I'm aware of that. It's my experience that at higher pressures it seems to sound noisier.

Your AHI is 6.9. Your OSA is not being adequately treated, and you want to lower the pressure???

The point is not to use CPAP to use CPAP, it's to get your AHI well below 5. Most of us are lower than 2. Mine is regularly below 0.5.

If you don't like the way your mask vents, try another mask which won't blow directly on you or your bedclothes to make noise. But the point to using CPAP is to get optimal therapy, and you are not getting that right now. That's one reason you have to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

All of your input is appreciated; I learned a lot from this thread. I thought the reason why I am at 6.9 is because a part of my brain is still be getting used to having something foreign on my face while sleeping, so I thought within a matter of several weeks or so that my AHI would progressively decrease. Does this make sense?

Another question-There are multiple times during the night in which I adjust my mask, which consists of pulling it slightly away from my face. This obviously affects the leak rate, but does doing so trick the machine into thinking it is an arousal or awakening, thus increasing my AHI? I would not think so, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. I would think the machine would be able to differentiate it, as an apnea obviously means the air flow would be blocked, but adjusting the mask would mean the opposite to the machine.

The machine only measures air flow...your breathing.
It cannot tell awake breathing from asleep breathing...it treats all breathing (air flow) like you were asleep even though you might be awake. Awake breathing irregularities...it will record and respond to just like you were asleep. It's all it knows per the auto adjusting algorithm.

So some of that AHI might be awake breathing false positives.

It would be more helpful to see the Events graph instead of the AHI or time at pressure graphs.

Robb wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 6:27 pm

All of your input is appreciated; I learned a lot from this thread. I thought the reason why I am at 6.9 is because a part of my brain is still be getting used to having something foreign on my face while sleeping, so I thought within a matter of several weeks or so that my AHI would progressively decrease. Does this make sense?

Wistful thinking.

Robb wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 6:27 pm

Another question-There are multiple times during the night in which I adjust my mask, which consists of pulling it slightly away from my face. This obviously affects the leak rate, but does doing so trick the machine into thinking it is an arousal or awakening, thus increasing my AHI?

Nope.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 05, 2021 6:37 pm

The machine only measures air flow...your breathing.
It cannot tell awake breathing from asleep breathing...it treats all breathing (air flow) like you were asleep even though you might be awake. Awake breathing irregularities...it will record and respond to just like you were asleep. It's all it knows per the auto adjusting algorithm.

So some of that AHI might be awake breathing false positives.

It would be more helpful to see the Events graph instead of the AHI or time at pressure graphs.

Good to know. Here is the graph, thank you.

I meant to show the Events graphs INSTEAD of those other graphs. Not the Events graph all by itself.
We still need the other stuff...like the left side AHI stuff and the other usual graphs.
viewtopic/t158560/How-to-post-images-for-review.html

Here you go