Getting AHI from 3.5 to 0

I'm using the equipment below and have read my data with a card reader. I do pretty well with my mask and have adjusted the pressure on my machine myself, but I'm still not down to 0 AHI. The only physical problem I have with the mask is sometimes when shifting from one side to another. I'm thinking of going with the Mirage Swift LT instead as it doesn't matter what side you use.

My pressure started at 8-12 last summer and I've slowly upped it. Does anyone have any good suggestions on how I get this down to 0? Should I just keep upping my minimum or maximum until it drops down?

My details are below.

RemStar Auto M-Series A-Flex
Mirage Swift II

Pressure:
Started out with 8-12 and now up to 9.5 to 13

Readings over this time are 90% pressure 10.6
Avg Pressure 9.4
Unresponsive 0
Avg Obst AI 1.3
Average Hyp Index 2.0
AHI 3.3
Average flow limitation index 0.9
Average Vibratory Snore Index 1.5
Average Leak 36

The leak stats are probably tilted by my habit of taking the mask off in the morning and letting it stop by itself. There are also times when I wake up with the mask off. The average large leak is 1.8 mins.

In looking at the graph data from encore pro for the last night of sleep, it seems my problems of both OA and HI happen towards the end of the night/into the morning. Probably why I still don't sleep in.

If you are having large leaks then you need to work with your mask to eliminate that first. Letting the machine shut itself off in the morning may be causing that large leak. Does your leak rate show a spike at that time and are there events (OA or H) at that time?

Getting an AHI of 0 won't probably happen all the time, You do have sleep apnea after all!

Your AHI of 3.3 is not too bad. It could be lower but don't look for 0 every night.

Have you observed your AHI decreasing as you have adjusted your pressures? You should only make one adjustment at a time and leave it for at least 3 days or a week before making any more changes.

I would start with shutting the machine off before you remove your mask in the morning or if you get up in the night anytime.

You should register and fill in your profile, so that we know, every time you post, what equipment you have.

Chasing the big Zero may work out for you, but it does not always result in the best treatment for everybody. The question once it is within band, how do you feel the next day? Sometimes mine is very low but don't feel any better than when it is 3.5. I recommend anybody keeping such close track on numbers keep a diary of how well they slept and functioned the next day.

Good luck....from what I can gaither the majority of cpapers never reach zero with any regularity. Of course there are those that do but I suspect a whole lot more than don't. Personally I would be happy with your number at 3.5 regularly.

I've been using the CPAP almost a year now. I have only had one night with 0.0

Guest wrote:but I'm still not down to 0 AHI.

If you want to get involved in the xPAP AHI Olympics game, that's your call, but there is nothing of any significance in treatment terms in achieving a 0 AHI.

Cheers,

Bill

I get a 0 now and then. But how you feel is more important.

Your high leak rate will skew your AHI numbers so they don't mean anything. Start with working on your leak number.

Georgio