UARS

[slowriter]

Do you think that mask leaks are possibly causing me to wake up?? Or possibly when I am opening my mouth and it's showing up as a "leak" and flow rate changes?

In my experience, yes.

I try to minimize my leaks as much as possible, largely to remove this as a variable to worry about.

[tarah]

Do you know if switching from nasal to mouth breathing (as I often have to do because of congestion) shows up as a small "leak" on the graph?  It's almost a 100% correlation between a small "leak" and what appears to be an arousal.

[Gideon]

I doubt it's the leak itself, it could be, but the change in the method of breathing could easily result in a position change, and if you are one who is sensitive to those things, then yes.

[mper6794]

Thanks for your help!

This is the kind of subtle things that I'm not sure whether to mark or not.  I have them ALL the time.  I haven't counted them over the whole night but every 15-20 min at least.

Hi, tarah
On this three pictures, I would agree with sleeprider on both folds: there would no be unflagged RERA’s (just minor FL with no awakenings associated), and you should be keep assuming total control of your treatment, and .. …”don't let anyone try to persuade you that there is anything further that should be done with therapy to smooth out a few bumps in the respiration flow. There are a few scattered flow limited breaths, but your results are far better than normal, and you should only make further changes based on your personal judgement of comfort.”


Not sure what would be general significance, however another chart hereinbelow indicates: 6:04..awakening (stimulus PLMS? noise? tactile?); 6:12..awakening  due likely long duration flow reduction/RERA....6:19...awakening (stimulus PLMS? noise? tctile?)....6:25...RERA. Therefore totalizing 4 awakenings in 13 minutes (11.4 awakenings/hr !!!). 

Goodk luck

[mper6794]

Do you know if switching from nasal to mouth breathing (as I often have to do because of congestion) shows up as a small "leak" on the graph?  It's almost a 100% correlation between a small "leak" and what appears to be an arousal.

...arousal >>> move>>> leak. Happens all the time..

gl

[mper6794]

I doubt it's the leak itself, it could be, but the change in the method of breathing could easily result in a position change, and if you are one who is sensitive to those things, then yes.

....agree, Fred!

gl

[tarah]

What I'm trying to figure out is if, when you change from nasal to mouth breathing, the machine misinterprets that and calls it a small "leak".  I see that some of my arousals are associated with flow limitations.  But then many more of what appear to be arousals occur with a small "leak" that only lasts for a second or two and there's no associated flow limitation.  
So I'm not suggesting that the tiny leak is what's waking me up.  Just that it's a marker on my chart of switching from nasal to mouth breathing, which is enough of a disturbance to wake me up and possibly switch positions.  What do you think??

[sheepless]

if your mouth is not covered by a mask & you mouth breathe, it'll show a leak.

[mper6794]

What I'm trying to figure out is if, when you change from nasal to mouth breathing, the machine misinterprets that and calls it a small "leak".  I see that some of my arousals are associated with flow limitations.  But then many more of what appear to be arousals occur with a small "leak" that only lasts for a second or two and there's no associated flow limitation.  
So I'm not suggesting that the tiny leak is what's waking me up.  Just that it's a marker on my chart of switching from nasal to mouth breathing, which is enough of a disturbance to wake me up and possibly switch positions.  What do you think??

Hi, tarah
I think I got your point.
I have been using airfit f20 FFM for some 6 months now; wonderful machine which has as a plus, helping pin point my minor leaks, and, in particular, mark my awakenings (and, yours on those four examples I have just mentioned above for you). Pretty much every awakenings coincides with a sudden, minor increase in leak, at exactly same time awakenings “explode” (heart beat as well), then, immediately following, already coinciding with a bump in TV, occur a sudden decrease/zero leak period for some 2…3…5…7s…more, and, then, leak return to background. All this create a kind o short wave of leak.
From time to time, I have been followed my nights by audio-recording them with a highly sensitive device, either close to my head or knees. Therefore, together with some simulation with the mask, combined with my moves and the waveforms, I think I know what happens during those awakenings/leaks: arousal/awakening “respiratory explosion” coinciding with leak peak, moaning/groaning coinciding with sudden increase in RR TV, stretch of your body while neck and head slightly move backward, mask tight up, leak drop to zero, and return to background. I think you could eventually repeat my experience and prove this.
gl

[tarah]

Last night was an absolute battle to breathe.  My entire night looked like this.  I am exhausted.

I met with the ENT yesterday, who said I will need septal work, turbinate reduction, and nasal wall stabilization.  She is giving me the option of what to do next.  I can try adding a nasal steroid to the mix (which I've tried before and it was causing some insomnia), then do allergy testing/treatment.  Or I can move straight to surgery.  I was leaning towards waiting, but after a night like last night, I feel like how can I continue with this fragmented sleep for months more, only to probably have to do surgery in the end anyways?

Thanks for the support everyone.