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How much improvement / variation
#1
How much improvement / variation
I've had 5 nights on my new (first) machine and I am sleeping so much better and feel results already.

I have been studiously surveying my sleepyhead report and I noticed that the first 3 nights, my AHI was 0.8 average. However, the Mirage FX mask was strapped on tightly and I had sore nostrils in the morning. Leaks were moderately low (95% was somewhere around 9).

I loosened the mask the last two nights (based on a post I read here) and bumped up my pressure from 12 to 13. Believe it or not, my leaks actually went down, BUT my AHI shot up to 2.4 over the last two nights.

Questions: should I be concerned that my AHI has risen? Is it normal to see variations that large from night to night, or should I strap my mask down tightly again?

Is AHI 2.4 worrisome? Should I be striving to achieve the lowest score possible all the time, or is 2.4 "acceptable" (my diagnosed AHI was 88!)

Thanks!
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#2
RE: How much improvement/variation
chezdan9, the goal is to get as low as possible but anything under 5 is good, the normal person stops breathing between 0-5 times per hour. If the straps were too tight I would leave them as they are. Your AHI will vary from night to night, there are so many things that can effect it, from temperature to meds as every night is a different night, good luck.
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#3
RE: How much improvement/variation
what Tez62 said. I would watch your data for 2 weeks and see what it shows. Your AHI, as Tez62 said, is within the normal range. I would look, just for your peace of mind, to see what types of apnea you had, were the events during a leak, etc.
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#4
RE: How much improvement/variation
I didn't correlate leaks and apnea events, me50. I'll take a closer look at the data. Most of the events were either OAs or Hypopneas. I think I had one CA during the night. Thanks for the tips.
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#5
RE: How much improvement/variation
Hi chezdan9,
Over tightening your mask can cause problems for you so try not to tighten it too much. If you find that your nostriles are getting soar from your pillows, you might consider getting some HPA Lanolin, (found in the baby isle at most stores,) and put a "LITTLE" bit on a Q-Tip and swav the inside of your nostriles with it and that should help with the soarness and "could" give you a better seal.
and oh by the way, WELCOME! to the forum.!
Sounds like you are off to a good start with your CPAP therapy, that's good to hear.
trish6hundred
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#6
RE: How much improvement/variation
(12-11-2013, 02:23 PM)chezdan9 Wrote: I've had 5 nights on my new (first) machine and I am sleeping so much better and feel results already.


That's awesome. Congratulations.

High pressure causes an increase in the CA index, so see if that's what happened.

As long as your leak rate is under control, loosening the straps won't affect your AHI.

There really is no significant difference between an AHI of 0.8 and 2.4. Don't worry about it. And yes, it is normal for it to vary that much.

Do not change your pressure settings again. You need to establish a baseline of data, and you can't do that if you change the pressure.
Sleepster

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#7
RE: How much improvement/variation
What Sleepster said
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