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+--- Thread: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? (/Thread-Over-10-Leak-L-Min-but-still-low-AHI)
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Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - xian67 - 07-23-2022
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.
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - upsman - 07-23-2022
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
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - xian67 - 07-23-2022
(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?
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - upsman - 07-23-2022
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
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - Melman - 07-23-2022
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.
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - xian67 - 07-23-2022
I have attached my OSCAR data from last night.
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - OpalRose - 07-24-2022
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?title=Mask_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.
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - CorruptAlligator - 07-24-2022
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.
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - xian67 - 07-24-2022
(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?title=Mask_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.
RE: Over 10+ Leak (L/Min) but still low AHI? - OpalRose - 07-24-2022
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.