Newbie with a first goose egg!

After exactly one month on CPAP, I experienced my first night with AI=0. My AHI=3.6, but I'm going to take this good report and run with it!

In addition, I had my one month follow-up with my MD to review my progress. I'm fortunate to be dealing with a great doc, who really takes the time to sit and thoroughly explain all of the reports, results and answer any questions, no matter how long it takes. After a previous, unsuccessful CPAP attempt two years years ago, it's been refreshing to work with a professional who takes a personal interest in obtaining improvement for his patients.

Feeling pretty good about life today! Thanks to my CPAPTalk.com friends for the advice and support. I couldn't have stuck with it without you!

Brian

That is so great! Congratulations on your success this time with cpap--you made it happen.

That's great! I had my first leak goose egg a couple of nights ago, with the maximum leak all night 0. I wouldn't have believed that possible three months ago. I'm tempted to say I flatlined, but that wouldn't sound so good, so goose egg is better.

BrianR4743 wrote:After exactly one month on CPAP, I experienced my first night with AI=0. My AHI=3.6, but I'm going to take this good report and run with it!

No "buts" about it, that's an absolutely GREAT report, Brian!

Mentally cut in half the HI of 3.6 your ResMed machine reported -- to make the HI (and your overall AHI) be 1.8. That would be a closer comparison with the kind of AHI people get from other brands of machines, since different manufacturers use different definitions for when a "flow limitation" is gonna get called "hypopnea."

Chart posted by Velbor showing the differing definitions used by the different manufacturers:
April 2, 2009
viewtopic.php?p=356255#p356255

For my "comparison" money, you had an AHI more like 1.8.

The important thing is your HI was low by any standards or any definition. And your AI being zero...that's the REALLLLLY pretty part.

Good job, Brian!!

Good job, you too, PST! 0 leaks -- super.

Congrats to BOTH of you!

I get a "goose egg" about once a month, but have NEVER had a "flat-line" leak. (I'm thinking that's not likely with 16cm pressure)

Wishing you many more "0"s and "__"s!

LinkC wrote:I get a "goose egg" about once a month, but have NEVER has a "flat-line" leak. (I'm thinking that's not likely with 16cm pressure)

I wonder if a flat line is possible with a Respironics machine. ResMed subtracts the mask's vent rate and never reports a negative number. If the nominal vent rate is a tiny bit more than actual, the graph would end up showing a flat 0 and ignoring small variations below the x axis that could be tiny leaks.

As for the 16 cm pressure, I leaked like a sieve at 17 and have good leak results daily at 15 (even if never a goose egg before). Same mask, same everything other than pressure. Not that anyone else would necessarily find a big discontinuity at around that point, but it really made the difference for me between a nightly struggle with mask readjustment and not thinking about it any more. I paid no AI penalty and only a slight HI penalty, if any. (It is hard to know if a slight increase in average HI has to do with the seasons or colds or anything at all.)

Thanks all (patting myself on the back!) You folks are the best!

I almost forgot.... In my meeting yesterday with my MD, we had a conversation about the CPAPTalk.com forum, which he was unaware of. I let him know how instrumental fellow members were in keeping me on track by sharing their wealth of experiences, and that I sure felt that anybody being prescribed CPAP should be made aware of it. I believe he was pretty impressed by the level of participation here, and the team effort by all.

It would sure be cool if the MD's would make all new users aware of the resources posted here. There'd probably be more success stories, compliance and foggy people becoming healthy.