Second Night questions

Last night was night two and I didn't think my results were that bad. I had a mask smiley face, 33 leak (does that mean 33 minutes?), 0.1 AHI. I only got about six hours sleep so I need to get to bed earlier, I have been waiting for my husband to leave for work.. self concious a bit I guess. Something I am going to have to get over Friday and Saturday night.

I clearly remember the one episode of waking and I was fiddling around with my mask because I could feel air on my face. I think the mask had slipped a bit and I had to work to reseal it. I also find the headgear a bit unforgiving, it's like it is too hard. Anyone else have this problem with this particular mask? I only get one other mask within 30 days so I have to be sure that if I go for another one it is going to be a better choice.

If anyone has any comments on results or the mask I really do appreciate it.

Julie

I haven't used that mask. but an AHI of 0.1 is REALLY good.

Jaywolf wrote:I had a mask smiley face, 33 leak (does that mean 33 minutes?)

From the machine's LCD screen you will see Mr Smiley face as long as you don't spend more than 30% of the night in large leak territory.
From the machine's LCD screen the number you see is 33 Liters/minute and is what we call a 95% number which means for 95 % of the night your leaks were at OR BELOW this number. It doesn't have anything to do with how many minutes per hour or per night that you might have leaks.

ResMed designates 24 L/min as their line in the sand where you don't want to spend much time above that number because that is where large leak territory begins.
A 95 % leak number above 24 L/min means you likely spent some time above 24 L/min but for really accurate determination of how much time you spent above 24 L/min you would need to evaluate the leak graph itself with the software that is available.
I once had a 95% leak number of 27 L/min but only spent about 30 minutes out of the entire night above 24 L/min.

The S9 machine reports excess leak only...so any leak that gets reported is considered excess leak.
If you go to the top of the announcements section on the forum I have a little tutorial that explains some of this basic information in more detail.

You are very, very new to this therapy. I wouldn't go worrying a lot about "numbers" right now. Concentrate on just getting used to the mask and the machine and work on understanding the data as you have time and energy.
We expect the LCD leak numbers to be elevated because you will likely be messing with the mask and seal often during the night so it's going to be elevated at times.
For all we know that 33 L/min might be from 20 minutes of big leak fiddling with the mask.
No need to panic for sure.

Thank you both so much! Also VERY good advice Pugsy, I had seen how to read the S9 results and wanted to try it out, the AHI number is really reassuring to me as is the smiley mask! It also told me my pressure was an average of 12.1. The Doctor had it set between 7 and 15 for me.

I have been really sleepy during today and almost fell asleep in a training session this afternoon but got through it! I need to get to sleep earlier and stop paying off some of that debt! I have to admit, I don't feel nearly as nervous and tense about using the mask as I was the first night, second was easier, tonight should be easier still.

Jaywolf wrote:told me my pressure was an average of 12.1.

From the LCD screen? That's a 95% number also..not a true average like you are thinking.
Same as with the leak number...you were at OR BELOW that pressure for 95% of the night.

Jaywolf wrote:...I have been waiting for my husband to leave for work.. self concious a bit I guess. Something I am going to have to get over Friday and Saturday night.

Julie,

I can understand that, but maybe we can look at it a different way. If you broke your arm, would you be self-conscious about wearing a cast in front of your husband? I doubt it. Lots of people break arms and wear casts. Well, think of your breathing as being broken, and the CPAP machine & mask are the cast that is going to fix it. Having medical problems is normal, and your are lucky enough to have a pretty reasonable treatment for it. This is nothing to be be self-conscious about. Let's hope that you get used to using the machine over the next few days, and it can be your "new normal" when Friday night arrives.

-john-

Hey Julie,

Don't worry too much. My boyfriend said "You were already the Darth Vader of Babes, you have to have the cool mask breathing thing." I appreciated his guy version of support, but what he loves most is my bright, attentive, enthusiastic, focused, energetic post-mask self.

You will be amazed how easy remembering things becomes, how much energy you have now. At least, I was.


Good luck and keep smiling!

Dee