Mouth Breathing

[ppowers]

So, I'm trying really hard to train myself to sleep with my mouth closed. I have been using a FFM with good results in treating my SA.
But, extremely uncomfortable, and because of that, bad insomnia.
I talked to my SA specialist who suggested I try to use either a nasal mask or pillows. Of course, high leaks right now, above the redline in sleepyhead, up to 60% of the time. My SH data shows still my history of low AHI's, 0.3 this morning with 2 events of unclassified apnea(due to the high leaks I'm assuming as I usually have only hypops).
So, here's my question. Is my S9 able to still pick up on apneas and hypopneas, even with the high leaks, or may it not be picking up these events at all? I know it can't control the events if the leak is too high, but can it still tell, and show in the data, if I'm having an event at all??? I'm also doing my pulse ox at the same time. Those results showing I'm in the mid 90's all night(92-97) and very few events where I dip. (2-3)
Could use some answers while I'm trying to tackle this trial!
Thanks all

[OpalRose]

So, I'm trying really hard to train myself to sleep with my mouth closed. I have been using a FFM with good results in treating my SA.
But, extremely uncomfortable, and because of that, bad insomnia.
I talked to my SA specialist who suggested I try to use either a nasal mask or pillows. Of course, high leaks right now, above the redline in sleepyhead, up to 60% of the time. My SH data shows still my history of low AHI's, 0.3 this morning with 2 events of unclassified apnea(due to the high leaks I'm assuming as I usually have only hypops).
So, here's my question. Is my S9 able to still pick up on apneas and hypopneas, even with the high leaks, or may it not be picking up these events at all? I know it can't control the events if the leak is too high, but can it still tell, and show in the data, if I'm having an event at all??? I'm also doing my pulse ox at the same time. Those results showing I'm in the mid 90's all night(92-97) and very few events where I dip. (2-3)
Could use some answers while I'm trying to tackle this trial!
Thanks all

Hi ppowers,
As I understand it, our CPAPs may not detect all apneas when there are high leaks present. You could compare SleepyHead graphs with leak graph and see where pressure is at that time. You may need to look into a different mask if you can't get leaks under control, maby try a nasal pillow mask. You could add a chin strap to control any mouth breathing.
OpalRose

[worn_out_in_lebanon]

So, here's my question. Is my S9 able to still pick up on apneas and hypopneas, even with the high leaks, or may it not be picking up these events at all?

can it still tell, and show in the data, if I'm having an event at all???

I've noticed when I have a large leak flagged in SH, especially a long one, that some of the other graphs tend to flatten out quite a bit at exactly the same time, which makes me think the machine is not able to detect as well. You could look for the same situation in your SH graphs.

You also said your O2's are still looking good, so I'd definitely take that as a positive sign.

[Crimson Nape]

From personal experience, make sure that you're not tucking your chin into your chest when you sleep. I can drastically change my AHI/data by changing my sleeping posture.

[truetopath]

I know high leaks can cause misreporting of events. Have you tried the nasal mask or pillows with a chin strap? The nasal mask or pillows are much easier to tame and decrease leaks with than the ffm. Might be worth a try.

[retired_guy]

You say you're using the ffm with good results, yet your leaks are off the chart, you're extremely uncomfortable, and you have bad insomnia.

I think it's time for a new plan.

Try a pillows mask. Use a chinstrap if you need to as well. Solve the leaks, solve the insomnia, solve the uncomfortableness --- and you probably won't give a flip whether or not the machine is scoring apnea events properly when leaks are above the redline. Which, by the way, by definition it is not.

If your leaks are consistently too high, and on top of that you're laying there awake a lot, then your reported ahi is meaningless.

[ppowers]

So sorry I didn't explain better. I don't leak with the FFM.
I do, however suffer from chronic claustrophobia, and have been panicky wearing. Because of that and the insomnia it causes, my sleep doc wanted me to train myself to not breathe out of my mouth so I am able to use either pillows or a wisp.
What I want to know is this: while I am going thru this transition, will my S9 continue to record my events? I know it can't treat them, but will it still pick them up in SH with large leaks going on?
I just want to know how detrimental this period might be if it's not recording events. I don't want to feel bad from this trial, and would like to know the answer to this situation. Thanks again!

[retired_guy]

If you're out of range on leaks, your S9 cannot reliably determine whether or not you are having an apnea events and respond to them. So no, it will not reliably pick them up in Sleepyhead.

[Krish]

Try APAP. My friends doctor suggested him APAP in his second sleep study. In APAP, one can adjut pressure from 5 to 9. This will make significant different. One can monitor pressure, leak rate, AHI, AI, and HI etc.