Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.
Login or Create an Account
The first 3 images on the right are from 3 consecutive nights where I wasn't having much issues with insomnia, fatigue, headaches, pain in the neck, among other issues. The other 3 from the right are from the 3 last nights, data that I decided to recover after suffering from the above symptoms for a few months and not finding how to resolve it despite sleeping all night sometimes. I tried looking around and finding ways to conclusively read the leakages, but I couldn't find anything conclusive. To me all it reads is that the images from when I didn't have symptoms show low or no leakage and the ones from the nights with the symptoms show high or abnormal leakage. Is that correct? Any adittional info? I've been realizing that sometimes my nose swells up as soon as I put the mask on, despite it being clean and the filter being new. My theory is that it may be leading me to mouth breathing during the night and therefore the leakages and symptoms. Also, if everything on the machine is clean on the outside, where else would I look for why my nose is swelling with the mask on? I'm definitely getting a sense of being suffocated with the mask that I didn't get before. The mask is 9 months old and the machine is 3 years old. I haven't used distilled water on it because the seller told me it didn't make that much difference and the price was too high (between filtered water and distilled water). What to get from the leak readings? What could I immediately do? Is there any reason to look for problems INSIDE the machine?
Your mask is 9-months old and due for replacement. You might like a nasal pillows mask like the Resmed Airfit P10 which is smaller and seals better, does not clamp down on your sinuses and directly applies air to your nose. Try it, you'll like it.
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.
06-08-2019, 09:39 PM (This post was last modified: 06-08-2019, 09:42 PM by causingacommotion.)
RE: Weird leak readings (sleepyhead)
Regarding the humidifier, it exists on the machine and is attached to it but I almost never use it. When I do, I put filtered water.
(06-08-2019, 09:38 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: Your mask is 9-months old and due for replacement. You might like a nasal pillows mask like the Resmed Airfit P10 which is smaller and seals better, does not clamp down on your sinuses and directly applies air to your nose. Try it, you'll like it.
Thanks, does that imply the readings are out of normal as I thought (high leakage) and I may be having the symptoms due to it?
This suggests that you might want to try humidity (with heat, if your equipment allows) to see whether that reduces swelling in your nasal tissues. You might start with a few nights at 2 or 3, then go up gradually if it seems that might help.
Humidity settings that work for one person can be unpleasant for another, so regard this just as an experiment. You might give it a week, in case it takes some time to help your nose get better.
This would be in addition to Sleeprider’s suggestions, not in place of them.
06-09-2019, 08:06 AM (This post was last modified: 06-09-2019, 08:07 AM by Sleeprider.)
RE: Weird leak readings (sleepyhead)
(06-08-2019, 09:39 PM)causingacommotion Wrote: Regarding the humidifier, it exists on the machine and is attached to it but I almost never use it. When I do, I put filtered water.
(06-08-2019, 09:38 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: Your mask is 9-months old and due for replacement. You might like a nasal pillows mask like the Resmed Airfit P10 which is smaller and seals better, does not clamp down on your sinuses and directly applies air to your nose. Try it, you'll like it.
Thanks, does that imply the readings are out of normal as I thought (high leakage) and I may be having the symptoms due to it?
Masks have a limited lifetime, and the results vary with mask type and by individual. 9 months is end of life for a mask frame and head-gear, and is a very long time for a mask cushion. It is common to exchange the mask every 6-months to 1-year depending on type, with full face masks lasting longer. Mask cushions that actually contact the skin are normally changed every 1 to 6 months, and the first indication of an old cushion is leaks like you have.
Your leaks are not that serious, but they are disruptive, and might be leading to a slightly higher than normal AHI. My suggestion of the Resmed Airfit P10 is partly because it is a relatively inexpensive mask, and you can afford to change it more often. Even if you get 6 months out of the frame and headgear, you should expect to go through about 3 nasal pillows in that time. It is also a lot more comfortable than a larger nasal mask that covers your whole nose. Be sure to read our Mask Primer wiki in my signature links to learn more about masks and how to solve problems. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_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.
First, it may be a benefit to you to use the humidifier. Keep the setting sort of mid range. Too much humidity may be worse. Also, you need warm moist air to help with the nasal swelling.
Your mask or mask cushion may need replaced. If you have insurance, try to get a new mask.
I use a ResMed P10 nasal pillow mask and suffer with chronic congestion. But the direct air definitely opens the nasal passages better than anything else. This could be a better option for you if your not a mouth breather.
It’s hard to tell from your graphs, but the leak rate doesn’t look that high, at least not to affect therapy, but can be annoying enough to disrupt your sleep.
The Insomnia, Fatigue and Headaches may be a result of your pressure setting not being set optimal for you. The Neck pain could be from a poor sleeping position. Your neck and shoulder need to be aligned and supported. A new pillow could help, also many use a soft cervical collar to support the neck that keeps you from tucking your chin to your chest.
If your able to download the OSCAR software, then use the links below in my signature line to guide you in posting a graph from the daily page here.
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.
06-09-2019, 11:25 AM (This post was last modified: 06-09-2019, 11:33 AM by causingacommotion.)
RE: Weird leak readings (sleepyhead)
I'm downloading and analysing the data with OSCAR, but meanwhile I'm not sure if everybody realized, but the graphs, although of the same time, represent 3 to 5 times bigger numbers on the right. If as some of you is saying, that is not that high or problematic, why would I bother getting a new mask? My AHI is almost 0.
I don't feel it blowing in my face at night anyway, and if anything it only leaks through small parts, which you guys are saying is not a big leakage anyway. So why spend 3 times more money with masks yearly that are imported and taxed? I'm just gonna analyze the data better and get my own deicisions, and after some testing last night I already did some adjustments that I believe will relieve my symptoms. I'm just saying some of you sound very contradictory.
Your first post describes a number of problems that seem to be correlated with your leak rate. Below I’ve pasted information from the web page I linked to, and it seems to support your sense that there’s a causal connection between leak rate and the other problems you’re experiencing. The information also suggests that humidity may be another important variable. Hence the advice from several people about masks, leaks, humidity, etc.
“The nasal airway is unable to maintain sufficient warmth and humidity for the increased gas flow of CPAP therapy. As a result, the patient’s airways lose moisture and will eventually exhibit symptoms consistent with upper airy dryness and inflammation such as dry nose, dry throat, headache, chest discomfort, bleeding nose, dry cracked lips, breakdown of the soft tissue around the nares (nostril) and infections of the nose, throat and sinuses may also occur.
When the patient falls asleep using CPAP, mouth leak may occur. Because incoming air is able to travel directly out through the mouth without first going to the lungs, unidirectional airflow occurs.
The increased flow of cold dry air through the nasal passages causes mucosal drying and rebound congestion. Swelling occurs in rebound congestion and results in a decrease in nasal airway diameter and as a result increased nasal airway resistance occurs (NAR).
Increase in nasal airway resistance (NAR) leads to an increase in mouth leak as the patient begins to mouth breathe and the vicious cycle continues. Research (Am. Thoracic Society) revealed that heated CPAP humidification reduces NAR by supplying the required humidity to the air that the nose is unable to supply.
Research also noted that cold passover humidification caused little change in patient response, but that heated humidification minimized the increase in NAR.”
(06-09-2019, 11:59 AM)Dormeo Wrote: Your first post describes a number of problems that seem to be correlated with your leak rate. Below I’ve pasted information from the web page I linked to, and it seems to support your sense that there’s a causal connection between leak rate and the other problems you’re experiencing. The information also suggests that humidity may be another important variable. Hence the advice from several people about masks, leaks, humidity, etc.
“The nasal airway is unable to maintain sufficient warmth and humidity for the increased gas flow of CPAP therapy. As a result, the patient’s airways lose moisture and will eventually exhibit symptoms consistent with upper airy dryness and inflammation such as dry nose, dry throat, headache, chest discomfort, bleeding nose, dry cracked lips, breakdown of the soft tissue around the nares (nostril) and infections of the nose, throat and sinuses may also occur.
When the patient falls asleep using CPAP, mouth leak may occur. Because incoming air is able to travel directly out through the mouth without first going to the lungs, unidirectional airflow occurs.
The increased flow of cold dry air through the nasal passages causes mucosal drying and rebound congestion. Swelling occurs in rebound congestion and results in a decrease in nasal airway diameter and as a result increased nasal airway resistance occurs (NAR).
Increase in nasal airway resistance (NAR) leads to an increase in mouth leak as the patient begins to mouth breathe and the vicious cycle continues. Research (Am. Thoracic Society) revealed that heated CPAP humidification reduces NAR by supplying the required humidity to the air that the nose is unable to supply.
Research also noted that cold passover humidification caused little change in patient response, but that heated humidification minimized the increase in NAR.”
That would make sense, as I've stopped using humidifier by the time the leak rate increased, and I think it's obvious higher leaks will decrease efficiency of the treatment?
I don't know if you looked at the last image I attached, but it shows leak rate increasing over months. That also corresponds in time to: symptoms increasing, stopping using the humidifier, mask getting older (although in a country where a new mask costs literally half the minimum monthly wage, no one is getting one each 3 months). Just by curiosity, the machine alone here costs 4 monthly minimum wages. And no, health cares usually don't cover any of this.
So I'm quite convinced the leak rates are not normal and are the cause of the symptoms, either by mouth breathing or leaking on the sides in a way that I don't see while sleeping. Any info regarding this that could help me solve this puzzle would be appreciated.
I will be applying changes to the next night and see the results, starting by trimming my beard, tightening the mask, using the humidifier.
