"Blown Up"

[Carolyn58]

Probably spent most of the night trying fixing leaks
Get plumber to fix the leaks, replace the mask cushion and mask liner might help.
I would think if the leak was 0.68L/s (40 L/min) for most of the night than the AHI can not be trusted to be accurate.

How do you know what yourAHI is?

[Fosco]

Wow, I am totally blown away that so many people here seem to know so much about their data. It's going to take me a very long time to catch up!

[zonk]

How do you know what yourAHI is?

S9 LCD screen shows the data including AHI, leak, etc...
To find out how to check it on your Icon go to Supplier #25 and look at CPAP machines educational videos.
You can also ask for the Icon manual here:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...P-Pressure

F&P Icon
http://www.fphcare.com/osa/cpap-solution...amily.html

[Sleepster]

That's the thing. I was using APAP mode with A-flex and was getting around an AHI of 3.6. Then I tried CPAP mode with C-flex and am fluctuating between 0 and 1.9 in AHI, though one night it said 4.5 (maybe an outlier?). I really think, though, that the CPAP mode is going to work for me. I'm going to research this forum and see why this would be. I'm thinking that once the throat closes, maybe the APAP doesn't do as good as job of opening it back up as does the constant pressure flow with CPAP does in keeping the throat open constantly.

Maybe the pressure needed to clear obstructions varies with different factors, like how long you've been asleep, how tired you are, etc. For some folks it seems like they do fine on a CPAP, having adjusted the pressure to get their AHI down to an acceptable level. Others swear than their APAP does a better job. Maybe the APAP group tends to need a varying pressure more so than the CPAP group.

The manufacturers of APAP machines keep secret the algorithms used to adjust pressure. It's a mystery and seems to be based on research done in the 1990's. It seems clear, though, that lots of obstructive apneas trigger the machines to raise the pressure, wheras lots of clear-airway apneas trigger the machine to lower the pressure. In my humble opinion, the industry is in its infancy.

[Netskier]

I love my EPR mode in Resmed too, which is similar to your A Flex mode in Respironics APAP. Be sure to compare your sleep in Respironics CPAP mode with C-flex to your sleep in APAP mode with A-flex.

[/quote]

That's the thing. I was using APAP mode with A-flex and was getting around an AHI of 3.6. Then I tried CPAP mode with C-flex and am fluctuating between 0 and 1.9 in AHI, though one night it said 4.5 (maybe an outlier?). I really think, though, that the CPAP mode is going to work for me. I'm going to research this forum and see why this would be. I'm thinking that once the throat closes, maybe the APAP doesn't do as good as job of opening it back up as does the constant pressure flow with CPAP does in keeping the throat open constantly. Just a guess, but am sooo thankful I now have the option of figuring it out.
[/quote]

Keep in mind that you are changing rapidly from week to week as your body/mind gets more experience with PAP. Perhaps APAP would work better for you this week? Perhaps either will work better for you next week.

I strongly recommend running, not walking, to download and install the Sleepyhead sleep-apnea-analysis software. I thought I was doing great with the Resmed built-in reporting, and perhaps I was, but this was nothing to what happened when I started using Sleepyhead, which skyrocketed my learning rate. I have not tried any of the other software, but they might help too. Sleepyhead runs on everything.

I strongly recommend focussing on minimizing your obstructive and restrictive events to maximize your health improvement.

[Netskier]

I love my EPR mode in Resmed too, which is similar to your A Flex mode in Respironics APAP. Be sure to compare your sleep in Respironics CPAP mode with C-flex to your sleep in APAP mode with A-flex.

That's the thing. I was using APAP mode with A-flex and was getting around an AHI of 3.6. Then I tried CPAP mode with C-flex and am fluctuating between 0 and 1.9 in AHI, though one night it said 4.5 (maybe an outlier?). I really think, though, that the CPAP mode is going to work for me. I'm going to research this forum and see why this would be. I'm thinking that once the throat closes, maybe the APAP doesn't do as good as job of opening it back up as does the constant pressure flow with CPAP does in keeping the throat open constantly. Just a guess, but am sooo thankful I now have the option of figuring it out.

some will disagree, i'm sure, but if the max pressure you need to overcome all obstructive apneas is for instance 12, and you are set to 12, and you can handle the constant in and out pressure of 12, and don't have major mask leaks, the cpap mode in 12 would be the best you can do for yourself. if i could take the constant pressure and didn't have leaks, i would park the apap and use the old cpap. this is what we relied on for years until they made the apap fully data capable and people started looking at numbers not too many years ago. let the "what if's" begin. LOL....

I tend to agree with your thoughts on this. APAP, I think, leads a lot of people to push their "lower" pressure down in the hopes of increased comfort. I tend to think the this allow a certain number apneas which the APAP must increase the pressure to adjust to.

For me, a pressure of 8 orginally felt like I was breathing against an elephant standing on my chest. I slowly adjusted to my prescribed pressure of 11, and currently do not even notice that pressure. I think if I had followed the logic of APAP, I would still be down at 8, and would have trouble with 11, since I probably would have set my range for 8-11.

Just my thoughts.

I think I'm on the right track then. With nasal pillows (as long as I keep my mouth shut), the INFO screen says I have 0 leaks and I believe the C-flex aids in lowering the pressure upon exhalation, so this must be why it feels a lot better than straight CPAP.

Yes, and so will APAP with A-flex feel better than straight APAP. Exhalation pressure relief increases comfort for both CPAP and APAP.

[Jenny]

[/quote]

Keep in mind that you are changing rapidly from week to week as your body/mind gets more experience with PAP. Perhaps APAP would work better for you this week? Perhaps either will work better for you next week.

I strongly recommend running, not walking, to download and install the Sleepyhead sleep-apnea-analysis software. I thought I was doing great with the Resmed built-in reporting, and perhaps I was, but this was nothing to what happened when I started using Sleepyhead, which skyrocketed my learning rate. I have not tried any of the other software, but they might help too. Sleepyhead runs on everything.

I strongly recommend focussing on minimizing your obstructive and restrictive events to maximize your health improvement.

[/quote]

I have the Series 60 and as discussed in another post last week, there is no software capable of reading my data, I think. I believe JediMark?, the inventory of Sleepyhead, is going to work on it if someone mentions it, that is, when he has time.