Can anyone help me understand what is happening?

[Ratchick]

To me, (and definitely take with a pinch of salt, I'm still learning) it looks like the flow limitation was increasing prior to your RERA (as usually happens) and that flow limitation is what bumps up the pressure (if I recall correctly), in an attempt to ward off apneas (and RERAs). So I guess that's what you're seeing there - the machine reacting to try and cure the flow limitation and failing to do so, resulting in the RERA.

Edit: Never mind, the experts beat me to it!

[Gideon]

Almost Ratchick. The Flow Limits are so consistent the the machine thinks they are normal and doesn't flag as many flow Limits as it should

[Ratchick]

Thank you for the clarification! 

[cathyf]

I'm seeing the same as you, but it is definitely different since I started wearing the cervical collar.

I'm also seeing two distinct patterns -- one is during leaks, and it happens pretty reliably when I'm leaking. I have a thread from a couple of weeks ago where I am trying to puzzle out whether this is real or some sort of artifact, because I'm wondering if some of the behavior during leaks might be the machine mis-measuring the flow rate because of the air that's escaping. But I also see a flow-limit extravaganza occasionally (1-2 times per week) when there are no leaks at all. I had one of those last night.

Here's my overview of last night:
[attachment=32424]

Here's the flow-limit extravaganza WITH leaks:
[attachment=32425]

Here's the flow-limit extravaganza WITHOUT leaks:
[attachment=32426]

According to my Fitbit (which I more or less believe) the leak-free flow limit continuous lift -- which you can see in its entirety in the overview shot -- were almost perfectly aligned with 2:35:30-2:53:30 REM sleep that ended with an awakening. The leaky parts were light sleep.

This is all part of the -- new to me -- experience of using nasal masks. I've always worn an ffm but now the cervical allows me to sleep with my mouth closed so I'm experimenting with a nasal mask and now pillows. I don't know how to tell what is the difference between the mask leaking and me opening my mouth. I also am not sure about the end of the FLfest/leakfest combination -- is that an arousal? Or did I just shut my mouth without waking up? My fitbit didn't see an awakening, but it doesn't see short arousals and that one was probably less than 30 seconds.

(Note that this overview says I was wearing nasal pillows. I switched to the pillows and went back to sleep, and so the overview says pillows because that was the setting when I finally woke up. I took that part out of the overview shot.)

I don't know if this provides any answers, or just more questions, LOL.