Just got my software, need help reading the reports...

I'm not a doctor or anything in the health care field, but.... if it were me and I were using straight CPAP at 10 cm and saw that snore data and the occasionaly obstructive apneas sneaking through on my Encore reports, I'd raise the pressure to 12. I'd keep on using C-Flex the way I liked it (personally, I like C-Flex 3) and I'd keep working on getting the leaks down. The leaks aren't bad at all, but could be better, imho.

I don't have a headboard either, but I do have the main air hose hung on the wall, so I can toss and turn easily underneath without having the air hose tug at the mask. Even a slight tug can change the position of a mask just enough to spring a leak.

LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

If I thought the position of my head on the pillow was probably shoving a mask sideways when I slept on my side, I'd also get a PAPillow which has a contoured edge that the mask could hang out over. I like the double-edge PAPillow.

Or I'd get the "Shapeable" pillow from Target. Easy to push a hollow into it for the mask when side-sleeping.

I don't think that either the 10 foot length of hose or C-Flex being used account for anything in the data you posted. I think all that needs optimizing is controlling mask leaks a bit better and setting a higher pressure. But like I said, I'm not a doctor.

I think you might be right with the mask thing.

First night, it did beautifully. The next morning, cleaned it with Ivory and let it air dry.
Next night, did great. Cleaned the same way.
Third night, noticed some leaking but got under control. Cleaned the same way.
Fourth night, struggled to get it under controngrol. Cleaned the same way.
Last night, couldn't keep a seal, got pissed off and took the thing off and now I am am so tired, I am regretting it. Still, cleaned it the same way.

Is there a 'special' way to clean these things or is Ivory not the right thing (the RT told me to use it). Another thing is that I live in the city and the water leaves spots, so I bought a tap mounted Pur filter and still leaves a few spots. Suggestions?

I use Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash on mine I think it was cheaper than the Ivory and it works great. Not sure I'd get too hung up on the water spots after it dries. I mean, yes you want it to be clean, but it's not like you're leaving them on there and letting the thing "crust up". I'd be more concerned with making sure it's thoroughly rinsed and that should be pretty easy with either the Ivory or baby wash. They rinse off pretty well.

Mask frustrations. Oh gawd, I think we've all had them. I still get them occasionally after about 10 years doing this. "But I didn't CHANGE ANYTHING! Why isn't it working as nicely as it did LAST night?" .... yup... been there... done that. Still do it occasionally. Maybe last night you slept more soundly and didn't move around so much. Maybe your hose management last night worked out better for you and now it's getting snagged on something or hanging off the bed more and putting sideways pressure on the mask or..... any one of a number of things. I went to sit up a couple mornings ago and nearly snapped my neck. My hose was stuffed into the crack between the mattress and headboard AND it had my pillow on top of it. My wife laughed so loud she said it should have been on YouTube.

CPAP Whiplash Incident

I've been trying to get the Hybrid mask "just right" for almost a month. Last night I took a break and slept with my SwiftLT and today I feel I can conquer the world because I slept very well. Stuff happens.

We all strive for perfection in this CPAP thing. Few achieve perfection, I'm afraid, and those who are focused on it seem to get extremely frustrated at its elusiveness. We continue to work on our numbers, our hose management, our machine placement, our pillows, etc, and in this quest for perfection what we DO achieve brings us closer to "the best we can do" on a more reliable and repeatable basis.

A bad night on CPAP is still much better than a good night without it.

We're all focused on CPAP here... it's what brings us together, but there are a LOT of other factors that contribute to a good night's sleep. Last night you may have simply been sleeping better and when your mask leaked a bit, you may have subconsciously shifted position and it stopped. Tonight you're not having a great sleeping night so every little leak sounds like a steam pipe let loose and it pisses you off.

Do the best you can. It gets so much better and more natural with time.

yardbird wrote:I use Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash on mine I think it was cheaper than the Ivory and it works great. Not sure I'd get too hung up on the water spots after it dries. I mean, yes you want it to be clean, but it's not like you're leaving them on there and letting the thing "crust up". I'd be more concerned with making sure it's thoroughly rinsed and that should be pretty easy with either the Ivory or baby wash. They rinse off pretty well.

Mask frustrations. Oh gawd, I think we've all had them. I still get them occasionally after about 10 years doing this. "But I didn't CHANGE ANYTHING! Why isn't it working as nicely as it did LAST night?" .... yup... been there... done that. Still do it occasionally. Maybe last night you slept more soundly and didn't move around so much. Maybe your hose management last night worked out better for you and now it's getting snagged on something or hanging off the bed more and putting sideways pressure on the mask or..... any one of a number of things. I went to sit up a couple mornings ago and nearly snapped my neck. My hose was stuffed into the crack between the mattress and headboard AND it had my pillow on top of it. My wife laughed so loud she said it should have been on YouTube.

CPAP Whiplash Incident

I've been trying to get the Hybrid mask "just right" for almost a month. Last night I took a break and slept with my SwiftLT and today I feel I can conquer the world because I slept very well. Stuff happens.

We all strive for perfection in this CPAP thing. Few achieve perfection, I'm afraid, and those who are focused on it seem to get extremely frustrated at its elusiveness. We continue to work on our numbers, our hose management, our machine placement, our pillows, etc, and in this quest for perfection what we DO achieve brings us closer to "the best we can do" on a more reliable and repeatable basis.

A bad night on CPAP is still much better than a good night without it.

We're all focused on CPAP here... it's what brings us together, but there are a LOT of other factors that contribute to a good night's sleep. Last night you may have simply been sleeping better and when your mask leaked a bit, you may have subconsciously shifted position and it stopped. Tonight you're not having a great sleeping night so every little leak sounds like a steam pipe let loose and it pisses you off.

Do the best you can. It gets so much better and more natural with time.

Sage advice, elloquently put. I think I will print that out and tape it to the top of my machine. Thanks, yardbird. I thought it was something I was inadvertently doing wrong when I thought it was right.

Yardbird, thanks, I too will print your post to keep handy on those nights when things go haywire and I'm just POSITIVE my husband must have done something wrong! It's hard for me to know what happened and he's blissfully unaware. Even though I'm not the cpapper in our family, not all my nights are the same either for whatever reason. So onward we march on our journey to a longer and healthier life.

GumbyCT wrote:oh forgot to mention when you use that 10ft hose you WILL have a loss of pressure too. So when you see changes in your chart, you will now whats going on. Be interesting to see if RT tells you about it.

Linking my reply to Geralds comment -
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41868

GumbyCT wrote:

Gerald wrote:If I'm missing something here, please let me know.

You are...Let me sleep on it, I give you an answer in the morning.