Now totally confussed.

[Conker]

Hi this is my first post and I have been on cpap for around 4 weeks now.
I have a Respritronic remstart pro and currently using a ultra mirage full face mask.
A brief outline before I get to my questions.
I started my treatment at 11.5 pressure with a phillps comfort gel mask .
I had aweful sores on the bridge of my nose from it the mask sat just where I have had a break in the past.
I was then put on to the Ultra Mirage and pressure raised to 12.
Here is my questions. I have downloaded sleepyhead as I like to try and self help and be pro active.
I have noticed my AHI seems to flutuate quite badly from day to day from the low 3`s and zero AI just Hypopnea readings to around 10 or 11 again made up of mainly Hypopnea that has been a pattern over a few weeks.
I have been trying to get my leaks right down, the last 2 nights I have finally managed to reduce the leaks by about 60% no whistling or farty noises[ at least from the mask]
As a example they have gone from this for which the nightly reading was 5.25 AHI
Total LeaksTotal Leak Rate (L/min)
Avg: 130.40 42.00 133.00 155.00 162.00

to this last 2 night night
Total LeaksTotal Leak Rate (L/min)
Avg: 49.53 30.00 50.00 53.00 54.00
and
Total LeaksTotal Leak Rate (L/min)
Avg: 56.79 28.00 57.00 63.00 64.00

but the AHI has rocketted to 30.o`s

This has completly baffled me I have done nothing different same pillow,same mask ect but the lower the leaks get the higher my AHI seems especially the AI up in the high 20`s.

I was under the impression the lower the leaks the better.
Can you have to much pressure ?

The last 2 night have given me the highest figures of AHI i have recorded since using the cpap .

Confussed and being driven mad any help welcome.

[martin]

Lots of tech heads will help with the number crunching , I belong to the if it works I don't care group. Using remzzzz linen things helps with the bridge of the nose sores and I switch between a gel and a sleepweaver to vary the bits of my nose that take a battering

Welcome to the forum and life as a hosehead, even on days that the mask and tube are trying to kill you it's still pretty good therapy and a killer look for Halloween

[Fredxx]

First - don't get hung up on the numbers, especially at the start of CPAPing. The only measure that really matters is do you seem to be getting some sleep now, and are you feeling better than you were before CPAP. If you go stat-chasing at this stage all you will do is get stressed about it and disturb your sleep, making the stats worse, and even worse than that, meaning you won't start to get benefits from the CPAP.

OK, patronising bit done...

Firstly, your figures will vary each night. That is normal. It will depend on all sorts of things like whether you are sleeping on your back or side, what you had to eat or drink, whether your skin is dry or greasy; all things which will vary each night.

If you are hitting a figure of 0 - 3 - great, you have reached the holy grail and are in the CPAP elite

If you are hitting figures of about 10 or less - to put it simply, if you had a sleep study that gave those figures they would send you home saying you were fine and didn't need CPAP. Getting those numbers, especially just 4 weeks in, is fine.

My advice for chasing stats is:
- Only look at the figures every few weeks and ignore any unusually good or bad nights. look for the "normal)
- Don't spend nights chasing stats and constantly adjusting. The trick is to change one thing and try it for a couple of weeks, then try something else.
- Worrying about the stats and checking them every day will probably make it worse
- Remember, the only stat that really matters is "do you feel better"

It sounds from the figures you have given as if you have taken to your CPAP pretty well. Don't fret about the leaks and numbers, and give yourself 3 months to see how it develops. At the moment you are more likely to be suffering with sores, aching chest (you are having to work harder to breathe), having alien facehugger moments and throwing the mask, dry mouth or rainout, difficulty getting to sleep with the mask etc. Give yourself 3-4 months to get through all of that before you start chasing stats.

Good luck

[Conker]

That you very much for the advice , I do feel SO SO much better on CPAP.
Last night I slacked the mask off a bit and there were leaks.
But hay presto the figures are back down nicely, they usually vary around this figure but have gone to the low 2`s and some times up to 11.
Now I know it is normal for them to vary night on night it has made me feel a lot better.

Last Night

AHIApnea / Hypopnea Index 8.05
Hypopnea 7.64
Obstructive Apnea 0.14
Clear Airway Apnea 0.27
RERAl 2.46
VSnore2Vibratory Snore #2 0.14
PB/CSRPeriodic Breathing 2.10%

I always sleep on my back due to a bad shoulder accident years again and resulting operations and complications.
I will take your advice and just check the figures once a week ish.
I did have a eurekka moment today while I was again mulling it over.
I think the problem is that I sleep on my back and with the straps pulled tighter [ most of my leaks are around my mouth area ].
I think as I fall to sleep my jaw relaxs and the extra tension on the straps is pulling it back causing my throat to contract more.
I did try a mouth guard a few years ago and it helped with the snoring quite a bit.
As you suggest I think I just need to chill out abit and let things flow.

Thanks again for the reply