[Equipment] Stumped. Please help.

[AllenM]

Long time CPAP and APAP user. For 4-5 months: 1) Resmed s9 APAP pressure has been set at 8-14, 2) 95% of my pressure needs are 11.2 or less, and 3) AHI is typically in the 1-6 range. Great, right? For several weeks now, most of my AHI and related indices are consistently in the 8-15 range. My mask is not new, I have no new equipment, and nothing in my set up has changed. What could account for the AHI change?

[bwexler]

You may have learned to open your mouth. That is appearently what has happened to me.
Tried a chin strap and my AHI first night dropped from 3.9 to 0.4.
I never thought I slept with my mouth open and I am sneaking up on 4 years mostly with nasal masks.

[retired_guy]

So if I understand: You are accustomed to an ahi in the area of 1-6, but recently it has been climbing to 8-15?

What has been going on envirionmentaly? New cat? Gained weight? Sleeping on a different mattress?

I'm more inclined to think the increase is being caused by something other than your machine/setup.

Is the pressure still hovering around the 11.2 area even though the ahi is climbing? That would seem odd.

[trish6hundred]

Hi AllenM,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more suggestions regarding your AHI.

[diamaunt]

Long time CPAP and APAP user. For 4-5 months: 1) Resmed s9 APAP pressure has been set at 8-14, 2) 95% of my pressure needs are 11.2 or less, and 3) AHI is typically in the 1-6 range. Great, right? For several weeks now, most of my AHI and related indices are consistently in the 8-15 range. My mask is not new, I have no new equipment, and nothing in my set up has changed. What could account for the AHI change?

start using software, sleepyhead will point out where your ahi is coming from

[Sleepster]

For several weeks now, most of my AHI and related indices are consistently in the 8-15 range.

Check your leak rate. Your profile says you're not using software, or are you using ResScan? Look at your leak graph and see if you're spending significant amounts of time in large leak. These are easy to spot because you see the graph bouncing up and down.

I agree that you may need a chin strap to stop the leaks. Mouth-leaking is something that can stop and start all on its own.

When your leak rate is too high the machine cannot report an accurate AHI.

[AllenM]

You may have learned to open your mouth.

That is possible. I used to sleep with mouth open before starting on CPAP 10+ years ago. Maybe I'll go shop online for a chin strap or rig something up to give that a try.

---

So if I understand: You are accustomed to an ahi in the area of 1-6, but recently it has been climbing to 8-15?

What has been going on envirionmentaly? New cat? Gained weight? Sleeping on a different mattress?

I'm more inclined to think the increase is being caused by something other than your machine/setup.

Is the pressure still hovering around the 11.2 area even though the ahi is climbing? That would seem odd.

Understanding correct.

No environmental change at all.

Yes, 95% of needed pressure is 95% or lower.

---

Hi AllenM,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more suggestions regarding your AHI.

Thanks you, Trish. I need all the help I can get!

[AllenM]

For several weeks now, most of my AHI and related indices are consistently in the 8-15 range.

Check your leak rate. Your profile says you're not using software, or are you using ResScan? Look at your leak graph and see if you're spending significant amounts of time in large leak. These are easy to spot because you see the graph bouncing up and down.

I agree that you may need a chin strap to stop the leaks. Mouth-leaking is something that can stop and start all on its own.

When your leak rate is too high the machine cannot report an accurate AHI.

I saw no software was listed, and I changed it to reflect that I am using ResMed's. I'm not familiar enough yet with their software or reports to know what to look at. That said, I tightened up the mask last night, and had 0 leaks. Zero! AHI was 8.0.

Any other thoughts other than trying a chin strap?

[Peter_C]

Make sure no meds have changed? Eating habit change? Stress in life change? Mouth-breathing *will* change (worsen) AHI.

[AllenM]

Make sure no meds have changed? Eating habit change? Stress in life change? Mouth-breathing *will* change (worsen) AHI.

No med changes - do not take Rx, do take variety of supplements, but no changes there. No nutrition changes. Stress, not really, but has been elevated for a few years now (a really bad thing happened several years ago).