Newbie needs Help

[Sedona79]

As for the weird AHI, usually that is related to leaks. But if the tech says the leaks are acceptable, then obviously it is something else. Unless the tech is an idiot.

No two nights are the same. Take a look at the numbers and see if you can find any kind of patter. High AHI after a few beers at dinner? Or low AHI on a day where work went well?

Tech might be an idiot - probably more on the uneducated side of things. The only pattern I can make out is that my AHI is better in two cases - both involved travelling for work and drinking... very weird. So maybe the cure to all my problems is to never be at home and drink heavily. Or not.

[Sedona79]

So I have been playing with the settings, humity control, Sensiwave, etc on the machine for the last few days - and the AHI is still all over the place.

The one factor that is consistent is I seem to have some mouth leakage - I wake up a few times a night and realize that I have air flowing out of my mouth. FUN. WTF. Frustrating!

[PaulaO2]

Don't make too many changes at once. Make one change, wait ten days, make another change, wait ten days. I know it's a pain in the asterisk but it's the best path. No two nights are the same so going by one night's result won't get you anywhere. And if you make too many changes at once, you won't know which one was right and which was wrong.

If you have big leaks, the AHI result is invalid.

Try a chin strap. You can make one yourself with an Ace bandage to see if it makes a difference. You want it tight enough to keep your mouth from opening when you relax but no so tight you can't open your mouth while awake.

[Rickgo]

First of all you are doing a great job sticking with the treatment, which is the most important part. By staying on top of your treatment you will work out all the issues. My first sleep study (18 years ago) started my pressure at 8. I adjusted to that pressure pretty quickly and started having symptoms again while using my machine. I needed two more studies to get to my current pressure of 16, which is where I need to be and it works great.

[Sedona79]

Don't make too many changes at once. Make one change, wait ten days, make another change, wait ten days. I know it's a pain in the asterisk but it's the best path. No two nights are the same so going by one night's result won't get you anywhere. And if you make too many changes at once, you won't know which one was right and which was wrong.

If you have big leaks, the AHI result is invalid.

Try a chin strap. You can make one yourself with an Ace bandage to see if it makes a difference. You want it tight enough to keep your mouth from opening when you relax but no so tight you can't open your mouth while awake.

You're right! I'll give it a few nights on one setting and see if evens out. I had a good AHI score (7) last night and strangely enough I had humidity to the max - so I'll try it again and see if I can duplicate. Would be WONDERFUL!

---

First of all you are doing a great job sticking with the treatment, which is the most important part. By staying on top of your treatment you will work out all the issues. My first sleep study (18 years ago) started my pressure at 8. I adjusted to that pressure pretty quickly and started having symptoms again while using my machine. I needed two more studies to get to my current pressure of 16, which is where I need to be and it works great.

Thanks for the kind words! I'm pretty committed to this but I have to admit it ain't easy. You figure we have made so many advances for so many conditions yet OSA treatment seems to be in the dark ages. And the medical community is MIA.

[Rickgo]

CPAP therapy is only 30 years old so actually we have come a long way and CPAP treatment when done properly is 100% effective however the mainstream medical community and insurance companies still don't make sleep disorders a priority and that advances more difficult. I volunteer with and support the American Sleep Apnea Association. The ASAA is a patient advocacy group working to get more people diagnosed and help them with their treatment, they also are working to get sleep apnea into the mainstream medical community. We need more people to speak out about this. Well off to dinner. Keep working at it and stay on your treatment, it is the best thing you can do for yourself, and there are people here to help when you need it.

[2Tim215]

Hi Sedona79, Sounds like if you can get the chin strap worked out, either made or bought, your AHI's will decrease. The leaks through your mouth will put your numbers off and unreliable as usable data. The Swift FX is a very good mask, hope some more suggestions and sources for the Chin Strap follow! I don't use one but read Posts where there are options!