RE: help, way too many leaks last night
I've reached out to the DME tech and she did not forward my graphs to the sleep dr. I guess I could call him directly, but his office told me they do not have a way to read the SD card and they just go by what the DME sends them.
When I saw him two weeks ago and I mentioned that maybe I need to try nasal masks instead?, he told me to go get some nasal masks to try, and see you in February.
Yeah, I forgot about going to the large mask last night; used the medium. Slept in Daughter's bed, which is a twin, and I cannot move around as much. But I awoke several times to readjust the mask. I knew it was leaking . . . but was surprised to see the frownie face this morning.
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
Well try the large tonight.
Let's see if we get some advice from some of the others as to the pressure support. I'd like to see Vaugn's opinion. Maybe even PM him to get his attention?
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
thank you.
09-16-2014, 11:23 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-16-2014, 11:25 AM by surferdude2.)
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
I agree with R_G but will not presume to know the answer since I'm not familiar with your machine or mask.
I will say that my opinion of your timeline graph is that you start having level 10 incident as soon as you go to sleep. Then the pressure increases and you then have a massive leak problem and the incidents go up to the 15 level! That wakes you up and the incidents drop dramatically. Then you get back to sleep and the process repeats except this time the incidents go to 25!! That wakes you up and it settles down again. You then manage to get back to sleep and the leaks stay somewhat lower for a while as you experience level 10 events which finally brings the pressure back up. That causes the leaks to go high again and the incidents come up to the 15 level again. That wakes you up for the day and brings you to the apneaforum where you will eventually solve this problem. I wish I could tell you about a mask that would stop all your leaks and allow you to raise your pressure but I don't know what to suggest given my short experience with this demonic affliction.
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
It is beginning to sound to me like the P10 on you will not tolerate the pressures that you need for your therapy. My feeling is that there may be some narrow set of parameters that will provide an acceptable result. My other feeling is that the more beneficial thing may be to find a mask (there are other nasal pillows) that provides a little more flexibility. Just my 2 cents.
PaytonA
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
thank you all.
I'm kind of at a loss right now . . . . I have a loaner mask that I have not tried yet, just because it's not the P10. I am spoiled from the dr starting me with a P10. Nothing else measures up ..... will have to try the loaner, however.
09-16-2014, 11:48 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-16-2014, 11:48 AM by surferdude2.)
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
I think that's a wise move. The problem = leaks = events = more pressure = more leaks = more events = awakening. The machine is trying to do its job but the mask seems to be the weakest link and is working as a limiting factor.
Would that you could use a FFM but I know you have a problem with them.
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
Perhaps the old adage applies, "When faced with choosing between two evils, try the one you haven't done before."
You FFM-a-phobia may be easier conquered than your nasal mask leakage one.
Just sayin'
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
Clem, I do not see a direct correlation between your leaks and your rising AHI. It looks to me that your AHI is at it's highest points when you are solidly asleep, and your leakage is very minimal.
So I think there are two different problems.
When you were using the large pillows your leaks were not a big concern. You rather thought they were, but your actual results indicated otherwise. I would go back to the large pillows and try again. I would not give up on this mask yet, because I think you like it and I think it can work well for you. The nasal or full face masks might be fine, but will require a new period of adjustment to get used to them. So don't give up 5 minutes before the miracle.
The second problem and the one to be most concerned about is the higher ahi. It's not that it's an alarmingly high number, it's just that it needs to come down to where it belongs. So focus on that.
RE: help, way too many leaks last night
Oh how I wish that some engineer outside of the industry would look at facemasks and come up with a way of making them leak proof. You'd think someone would design a mask that uses the exhaust pressure to suction the mask onto your face via small "stomata". Or better yet, that an engineer emulates the way a snail's foot has many filigree edges around the perimeter and applies this to a mask design.