Airsense 11 and leaks

I am experienced with CPAP (since 2009), a side sleeper using a Circadiance ELAN cloth mask. On my Airsense 10, my routine AHI was somewhere under 4 for 95% of the time with leaks almost never over 20, and usually below 10. (Excluding the occasional bad night ). Have had my new Airsense 11 for just about a month. The leaks were awful (over 40). 8 days in, I found a hole in the Climateline hose. I switched to a backup hose (not heated) and the leaks were better (30s), but sill not good. I have now had two nights with the new Climateline hose. Leak was 27 the first night and 40 last night.

Not sure if I have a problem because thru all of this, the AHI continued below 4 and I am rested. My apnea doc (last appointment based on Airsense 10 data) is very happy with the incident rate. My spouse says some nights my mask is noisy; some not and this does not parallel higher and lower leak rates.

Several years ago Froggy reminded me that the ELAN has to be snug - and I do that. Also, the headgear stretches out fairly rapidly, and I keep tabs on that.

Do I have a problem?
Thanks,
Lindalrc

Leaks come from mask and hose...not the machine.

When leaks are over around 24, your machine can’t compensate and it has trouble detecting events. So getting the leaks down would be a good idea.

Are all your hose connections solid?

Also, just as a side note, I don’t think you should be satisfied with an AHI under 4. Under 2 or, better, 1, would be more like it. Do you know the breakdown into obstructive, central, and hypopnea?

lindalrc wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 01, 2022 3:33 pm

Leak was 27 the first night and 40 last night.

Where are you getting these numbers? Off the machine LCD screen or from OSCAR software?
How critical the number might be is going to depend on what value it represents.
Is it a 95% number which just means you are at OR BELOW that number for 95% of the night or is it some sort of other average???


A 95% number of 27 L/min I wouldn't worry about as long as I was sleeping good and feeling good.
Now a 95% number of 40 L/min I would want to do a little investigating before I chose to ignore it.

I have a good example of why 95% number don't always tell us the whole story in this old thread.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=108724&p=1036669&hi ... t#p1036669