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Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
#1
Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
I guess I've only really paid attention to my AHI's since starting to use my CPAP. Since June I have began feeling a bit of fatigue here and there. I noticed that my leak has been pretty much over 10 L/Min everyday. I decided to put my info on OSCAR and found out that it has been over 10+ the past 6 months, reaching 30-40 some days. What affect does leakage have and how can I fix this? I sleep on my stomach and use a ResMed F20 mask.
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#2
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
Generally speaking, 10L/min is not significant and would probably have little effect on your AHI. The threshold for being excessive is 24L/min. At that level, your machine may not detect or treat your apnea properly. 

It would be helpful if you could post a screenshot of your OSCAR charts. This may be helpful in determining if your leaks are due to mouth breathing or mask leaks. 

You might want to take a look at this mask primer info and see if anything helps. 
Mask Primer - Apnea Board Wiki
My get-up-and-go musta got up and went.  Cool

Download OSCAR for your sleep data.  
https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR


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#3
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
(07-23-2022, 03:55 PM)upsman Wrote: Generally speaking, 10L/min is not significant and would probably have little effect on your AHI. The threshold for being excessive is 24L/min. At that level, your machine may not detect or treat your apnea properly. 

It would be helpful if you could post a screenshot of your OSCAR charts. This may be helpful in determining if your leaks are due to mouth breathing or mask leaks. 

You might want to take a look at this mask primer info and see if anything helps. 
Mask Primer - Apnea Board Wiki

I have a full face mask so I don’t think it would be due to mouth breathing. I will post my chart when I get home. How do I get a picture of all the sections?
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#4
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
Take a look at this OSCAR Help Wiki article. Take note of the section on organizing your charts. 
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php/OSCAR_Help
My get-up-and-go musta got up and went.  Cool

Download OSCAR for your sleep data.  
https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR


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#5
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
Leaks below 24L/min may disrupt your sleep if you feel them, especially if air blows into your eyes which is not uncommon with full face masks.
Download OSCAR

Organize Charts
Attaching Charts

Mask Primer
Soft Cervical Collar

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.

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#6
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
I have attached my OSCAR data from last night.


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
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#7
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
Definitely your leak rate is too high.  May I ask what position you normally sleep?  If your mask isn't fitting properly, and you sleep on your side or stomach, you may have a lot of movement in the mask, causing leaks.  I'm just speculating...

With that high of a leak rate, your Pap machine can't flag apneas properly.  This is a priority to figure out. Maybe try a different mask.  Reading the Mask Primer may help.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer

Your Flow Limit rate is also too high and corresponds with your leak rate.  Using EPR will help with Flow Limitation and help with breathing out against the pressure.

You may want to try these settings for better comfort.  
Minimum pressure 8cm, maximum pressure 15cm. Set EPR to 3.

Also, I would turn the ramp feature to off.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#8
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
If you believe that leaks are caused by mask displacement from tugging of the hose, I recommend a hose/hanger that keep your hose from laying on you, which causes tunning on the hose, and in return your mask shifts (causing leaks) due to this tugging.

For me this made a drastic difference with masks I was getting leaks. It was the tugging of the hose that was contributing to it.
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#9
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
(07-24-2022, 07:38 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Definitely your leak rate is too high.  May I ask what position you normally sleep?  If your mask isn't fitting properly, and you sleep on your side or stomach, you may have a lot of movement in the mask, causing leaks.  I'm just speculating...

With that high of a leak rate, your Pap machine can't flag apneas properly.  This is a priority to figure out.   Maybe try a different mask.  Reading the Mask Primer may help.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer

Your Flow Limit rate is also too high and corresponds with your leak rate.  Using EPR will help with Flow Limitation and help with breathing out against the pressure.

You may want to try these settings for better comfort.  
Minimum pressure 8cm, maximum pressure 15cm.  Set EPR to 3.

Also, I would turn the ramp feature to off.

I sleep on my stomach. Is there a mask you would recommend I try for stomach sleepers? I just adjusted my settings and will post OSCAR results tomorrow.
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#10
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI?
That explains the major leak rate we see on your graph.

Stomach sleeping with a full face mask is probably the hardest to adapt to, as you are probably burying your face in the pillow and moving your mask, creating leaks.

I feel that a more minimalistic mask like a nasal pillow "might" be better for stomach sleepers. Have you ever tried one? Of course if you mouth breathe, then you will still have a leak issue.

I'll let others that actually are stomach sleepers advise.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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