AirFit P10 nasal mask fitting problems

[Clementine]

I think I have a good nasal mask, but this week I'm dealing with leaks. This has been due to the doc changing my machine to auto mode and the pressure being increased to 15. In the night when the pressure increases, it wakes me. The nasal mask seems to be lifting, maybe? I wake up and have to reseat it.

Now I'm wondering if I am using the correct size of nasal mask. I use the medium; I have tried the small a couple of times and I don't last more than a few minutes. It doesn't seem like it's enough "air" for me. The medium seems to feel like the right fit, yet just sits at the base of my nose. Any extra pressure seems to slightly lift it or even move it slightly.

My leaks are still low, I guess --- my avg leakrate last night was 5.18. I have no idea how that compares with everyone else. I still get the smiley face in the morning, so according to the machine the leaks are okay. Are they? I don't feel like I should be waking up often during the night to reseat the mask.

[retired_guy]

Oddly enough Clem, I think you'll find that if you go to the large size even though you should by all rights be a medium or small, it will help with the leaks. I sort of go sometimes with the large, sometimes the medium ...never the small, depending on the phase of the moon or something.

The other thing is what is the range on your machine now? Minimum vs. Maximum. If that range is too large it can cause problems as you describe. So my feeling is if your machine likes to keep you at, for instance, 12, then a minimum of 9 and a max of 15 is a nice balance.

[Clementine]

Okay, range --- I'm trying to understand what you are asking about -- my pressure is set at 5/15, and the PS is 4. Is this what you are asking about? If not, please describe for me what I should be looking at on my sleepyhead data.

I haven't tried the large but then I don't have a large. But I think that would be an even bigger problem? It would be bigger than my nostrils?

[retired_guy]

I don't like "Fixed" CPAP. I also don't like large ranges in auto or xPap, or Vpap, or whatever it's called. For me, I want to know where the machine thinks I should hang out "most" of the time, and construct a high/low range around that. I also believe that sometimes there can be too high a difference between inhale and exhale pressures. If there is, then sometimes, not always, you can get this "air hammer" effect because at the low pressure the airway begins to collapse, then the machine sees that and says "oh, I think I'll jack up the pressure sudden like and get this turned around. .......there, that worked.... Of course her mask is now floating somewhere above her eyeballs, but what the heck?" Anyhow, that's my version of a technical discussion.

But in the meantime, score a size large pillows and give it a try. You might really be surprised at how they do, and it has really nothing to do with your nosie. Or the size of your nosie.

[PaulaO2]

I'm not sure a larger size is going to help but it is worth a try. Your leak rate is still good so it could just be the increased pressure (what was it previously?) is just causing it to move and it will just take some time for you to find the right adjustment. Unfortunately, the P10 has such limited adjustment available.

What you could do is switch the machine to CPAP briefly and set it to 15. Then fiddle with the mask to find how to adjust it so it stays in place. Then switch it back to APAP mode.

Or you could try the mask fit feature but that may not go high enough.

[herbm]

retired_guy is correct that you may have to go larger than you THINK is the correct one but going SMALLER may even be better for some people.

Being a big guy, I started Large then Medium, finally settled on Small. Great number: AHI and LEAKS.

STRONG ADVICE: Leave the pillows alone ALL NIGHT (as far possible) and gentle press or wiggle them free in the morning without pulling straight out -- much kinder on your nose.

[retired_guy]

retired_guy is correct that you may have to go larger than you THINK is the correct one but going SMALLER may even be better for some people.

Being a big guy, I started Large then Medium, finally settled on Small. Great number: AHI and LEAKS.

STRONG ADVICE: Leave the pillows alone ALL NIGHT (as far possible) and gentle press or wiggle them free in the morning without pulling straight out -- much kinder on your nose.

Herb? Are you already out of the body shop?

[Clementine]

So, it is hard for me to understand how going with larger pillows would work -- since the medium seems to fit but yet with the increased pressure it gets lifted right off my nose, it seems. The smaller mask might be better because it actually fits up inside my nose. The medium sits on my nose, and the large would fit outside my nose. if you understand my description, lol.

Paula, my pressure was 4/10, then 5/11, and then the dr switched it to an auto mode and pressure of 5/15. When it was switched to auto mode and this higher pressure, that's when I have noticed more leaks, the mask kind of moving around a little bit, and it wakes me up several times during the night, grrrr. But yet -- I'm still getting a "smiley face"

Not sure what to do!

[Clementine]

Paula, what is the mask fit feature?

[RicaLynn]

Clementine I JUST finished doing this same thing not ten minutes ago, same sizes and everything. I was given a Medium pillow to start when I got my machine last week, but after just two days my nose was SOOO sore, I was breaking out like a teenager! I asked around online and it was suggested that I try both a size larger and a size smaller, so this morning I stopped at my DME and got both. I tried going smaller, as the medium seemed a good fit and the large looked intimidating. No good, I leaked all the way around. So I clipped in the large. Felt weird at first, but ya know what? It's even quieter than the medium, and that was near silent! And my already tenderized nose doesn't hurt! I'll let you know in the morning how my night went...