Advice Needed on Data with SleepWeaver Mask

I'm still battling with the SW mask, although I am getting the leaks sorted out and it's by far the most comfortable mask. My data tells a different story regarding the leaks, but as I posted previously, my AHI is good - very good in fact, and even better on average than when I use other masks.

I changed my mask setting to Nasal Mask from Nasal Pillows.

Hopefully I've done the right thing to post my stats from last night on here. If so. I'd appreciate any comments or thoughts on the leaks I'm seeing, and whether I should be too concerned seeing my AHI is good.



Thanks!

Cheers,
xena

You spent an awful lot of time very close to that red line or at it and even a little time above it. Was it bad enough to affect the sensors scoring the events (like miss some events)? Maybe...maybe not. Even if it did miss a few you obviously have some wiggle room with minimal to none events.

Feel any different? Wake you up any?

Tough call. This would be like me hitting or nearly hitting my 90 L/min mark for most of the night and that would mean a lot of leak for me. I don't think I would be happy with it. Occasionally yeah, I would accept it but not for such a prolonged period of time. But that is just me and my thoughts.

Thanks for the response, Pugsy.

My leak rate (and AHI for that matter) has been pretty much identical for every night I've used the SW mask.

I feel the same as any other morning and no more tired at the end of the day.

I guess it is worrying me somewhat - otherwise I wouldn't have posted the question. Have emailed Circadiance, but no response as yet and if I don't hear from them in the next day or so am going to phone them.

Just wondering if leak rates might show differently because of the cloth mask too.

Cheers,
xena

Still wishing they would make a full face version.

chunkyfrog wrote:Still wishing they would make a full face version.

Then - instead of just looking like an inflatable Toucan, I'd look like a Puffer Fish

xena

You know it looks like you pretty much have the "extra" leaks we deal with well under control because you are pretty much maintaining same leak rate for the bulk of the night. Is this what happens because of the material itself? I don't know. I have never used it. If it were just a little more farther away from that red line I would feel better about it.
Or if we knew for sure that the world doesn't start to fall apart at 25 L/min.
I know there are going to be some acceptable variables here. We just don't know how much. That is why I like to stay well under any imaginary line but you are so close...who knows maybe this is still within the machine's ability to compensate and the machine isn't missing any events at all.

Thanks again Pugsy - I was thinking along the sames lines as you, and wondering whether this is the 'norm' for SW mask, as my leaks are nothing like this with my Swift FX or LT.

Cheers,
xena

Xena

Your leak line profile looks very similar to mine -- the levels are a bit of a different story though.
I have three separate SW masks with -- one where the profile sits centered about the 3 or 4 mark, with the second it sits centered about the 10 or 12 mark and with the third it sits centered about the 14-15 mark. To the best of my ability I believe I have them adjusted the same way -- and no matter how I tweak on them I cannot seem to get them to change much from the levels they are at (well, I can certainly make them worse -- but not better).

An interesting side note -- the one with the best leak profile I got from our sponsor, the other two through my DME. I just picked up another from our sponsor (needed to burn off some spending account before the end of the year). Have not used that one yet but when I do if it turns out to follow the same pattern (i.e. much better on leaks) I'll let you know.

A comment -- I've found that the looser I wear the top strap the better it seems to do for me on leaks around the top of my nose. Also wonder, since that's where you seem to be having the leak problem, if its not a "structure" issue (i.e. shape of the nose/nose bridge) and if something like a Breathe Right strip under the mask to flare the nose might help.

Good Luck.

Tip10 - If I understand what you're saying - each of your 3 SW masks show a consistent leak rate (more or less), no matter what else you do, correct?
If so, then my leak rate being consistently as in this thread - won't change... interesting..... and a little heartening. However, I'm unhappy about the level of my leaks.

My next thing will be to wear an oximeter all night and see if the leaks affect my O2 levels.

I do have a very small nose, so this may be an issue, but I can't stand BreatheRite strips on my nose - the adhesive irritates my skin something fierce - will have to find something else.

Will loosen the top strap tonight and see if that helps the eye leaks.

Cheers,
xena

Yeah Xena -- that's been my experience with the SW -- it either works for you or it doesn't. Not been much I could do tweaks wise to make it any appreciably better. About all I can say is once I've got it on and snugged up if I grab the hose and move it around and I don't get any blow-outs either top or bottom then I'm pretty much set. If I get a blow out then I loosen everything up and come at it again. Probably not much help there but it is as it is. Like I said -- where your 95th is at 22 mine seems to hold around 14-15 on my worst one. The 14-15 is okay, not so sure about 22.

Thanks, Tip10 - but dammit! I'm not giving up on the SW just yet, although I am disappointed it's not working as well as expected.

Last night, I got the SW to sit well, without any leaks, until I lay down. I tried every idea from Circadiance and these forums, but I tossed and turned, adjusting, readjusting and cussing until 1:00am. Gave up and replaced SW with Swift LT.

When I looked at the data from last night, it shows pretty much the same as the graph on the first post, until I changed masks. The leak rate dropped to pretty much zero, with a couple of momentary leaks with the LT. The SW leaks did stay a little below the red line, so maybe I'm making a small amount of progress. AHI for the night was still good at 0.3.

Geez... this is frustrating! I so love the comfort of the SW and am desperate to make it work, but gotta save the experiments for the weekends when I can sleep in.

Cheers,
xena

Let's look at this from a different angle.
This mask is comfortable at sleep onset. If you knew for sure that the leak was not impacting therapy (like causing the sensors to miss scoring events) do you sleep well with it? Or is it always a battle to adjust and fiddle with the leaks which of course messes with our sleep and is the last thing we want even if the darn thing gave you a 0.0 leak?

Pugsy wrote:Let's look at this from a different angle.
This mask is comfortable at sleep onset. If you knew for sure that the leak was not impacting therapy (like causing the sensors to miss scoring events) do you sleep well with it? Or is it always a battle to adjust and fiddle with the leaks which of course messes with our sleep and is the last thing we want even if the darn thing gave you a 0.0 leak?

I like Pugsy's take on this. I’ve about decided for myself that the leak problem has more to do with the Sleepweaver headgear than anything, Xena. I’m using a Respironics FFM headgear that I refashioned to be a 3-connect rather than 4-connect, and the mask seems more stable. Last night for the first time I got my leaks down to overall 20 L/min, and when I’m not moving around it’s miniscule. In fact, I tried on an older nasal pillows, maybe a Mirage; and I could not believe how much air floods out the front holes of that.. Gotta be 20 times what SW is leaking!
I have had some success using waterproof medical tape along the seams inside the SW like I described earlier. The paper tape didn't last, but the waterproof seems to be doing great. Not having personal experience with other masks overnight, I can only rely on having seen and heard the frau fiddling with her hard mask several times a night, so my assumption at this point is that I'm about as well off as she is, and by far more comfortable. Her only regret with the SW is that is doesn't seem to hold the humidity like the hard mask, and she needs lots more H2O than I can stand.
Hope you become more comfortable with your SW.

Pugsy wrote:Let's look at this from a different angle.
This mask is comfortable at sleep onset. If you knew for sure that the leak was not impacting therapy (like causing the sensors to miss scoring events) do you sleep well with it? Or is it always a battle to adjust and fiddle with the leaks which of course messes with our sleep and is the last thing we want even if the darn thing gave you a 0.0 leak?

Hmmm... thanks for making me look at this from another view - even through my presently sleep-deprived daze.

Yes, the mask is VERY comfortable whether I'm sitting up, or laying down or sleeping, but it has to be the air blowing in my eyes and above my lips that wake me up, because it's kinda cold, unlike my other masks. Perhaps I will try turning the temp up (attached the climateline and humidifier after 1st night on SW due to the air feeling cold in the mask) - it's currently only 76 deg. F. On thinking about your question, Pugsy, I believe it's more the cold feeling than the actual air that wakes me up... so the experiment continues....

And yes, if I knew for sure that my therapy wasn't being impacted by the leaks staying in the vicinity of the red line every night, perhaps I'd sleep better as well.

Cheers,
xena

N0hardmask - was hoping you'd chime in at some time - thanks!

I almost forgot about the medical tape. Would you tell me which one you use please? I'll try that over the weekend.

When I get home, I'll see if the headgear from my other masks can be utilised (Mirage Liberty, Swift FX & LT).

I also wear a chinstrap and have a PapCap one and the other is a Respironics Premium - figured either of these would help keep the SW headgear in place, even though I wear the chinstrap underneath mask.

OK - back to the drawing board.

Cheers,
xena