Nasal Congestion, Flow limits and mask selection

In the topic "Switched from PR System 1 ...."viewtopic.php?p=1411220#p1411213

Pugsey wrote:
If you are having much nasal congestion that might explain that activity on your FL graph...and the poor machine will still try to kill it with more pressure but more pressure won't fix FL graph activity that is related to nasal congestion. It doesn't know that though...all it knows is the air flow is reduced and usually that is a warning sign that the airway is trying to collapse and its job is to stop the collapse....hence the more rapid response to FLs in your pressure graph.

Nasal congestion ugly FL graphs...we have to treat the congestion with the usual methods...OTC decongestants, nasal rinses or whatever works for the person.

Does the mask type (full face vs. nasal only) bear on the "ugly" FL graphs?
Intuitively, if the mouth is open to breathing (and flow captured by the mask) then nasal congestion may not play as big a factor in Flow Limitations because an additional air passage way is available.

Can we discuss?

Please stay in the same thread.
It makes everyone (especially Pugsy) work a lot harder than necessary.

Everyone....I asked that OP start a new thread so as to not derail the other thread further.
I brought up the activity in the FL graph snippet he shared. What I said brought additional questions to his mind.

I am sorry but I don't know that I can answer the questions asked since I haven't run across it before and I don't use full face masks (never have) and more importantly I simply don't have FLs that amount to anything. I draw a lot on my own experience and what I have read of others and I just don't remember anything that might pertain to these questions.
Maybe an experiment by someone who can use both types of masks and has a fairly active FL graph with low AHI would maybe be better able to offer ideas.

In my personal experience, the answer is no.
I have flow limitations (when asleep) that make Respironics Auto's shoot up the pressure - regardless of mask type (Pillows, or FFM).

Not sure what the source is for my flow limitations, but they're not there when I'm awake (base on remembered sleeplessness), or recently, based on the sleep quality report of my fitness watch.

ozij wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 4:08 am

I have flow limitations (when asleep) that make Respironics Auto's shoot up the pressure - regardless of mask type (Pillows, or FFM).

One of the complicating issues between machines (Resmed & Respironics) is that Resmed grades flow limitation on a 0-1 scale and that is graphically shown in OSCAR. As far as I can tell Respironics only flags a Flow limitation, doesn't give any scaling and does not graph.

So just to be clear, on your Respironics, a FL flag causes the pressure to "shoot up" is that correct?

OOPS... My machine is a Resmed
When I used is in auto mode - which I haven't, in a long time - it would push the pressure up and up and up, rarely drop it. It would drop when the graph showing stopped showing flow limitations: i.e. the graph was at 0 FL. Auto mode, on the Resmed is not for my type of breathing.
And FL were not affected by mask type.