AirSense F20

[RogerAN]

I received an email this morning from ResMed announcing a new AirSense F20 with a memory foam cushion. Has anyone had experience with this yet?

[Gideon]

That is the AirTouch F20, not the AirFit F20.

It's going to get confusing because no longer is an F20 just an F20.

As much as I would like to try the AirTouch F20 I cannot.  

I refuse to take the risk of the magnets that they warn about since my wife has a pacemaker.

[RogerAN]

Hello bonjour,


You are absolutely correct, it is AirTouch rather than AirSense. I certainly understand your reluctance to go with the magnets in the F20 series because of your wife's pacemaker. My wife has a friend who has a defibrillator and she placed the magnets she uses for arthritis right on top of her defibrillator one night and the thing went bonkers  on her. She learned quite a lesson there!

I have been using the AirFit F20 for several weeks and I'm finally getting adjusted to it, though I have had to resort to using the foam cervical collar that others have suggested. My AHI levels are finally below 5.0 and my leaks are much more manageable. 

Stay well

[regbeach]

What is the foam cervical collar that RogerAN mentioned? What is it used for?

[Crimson Nape]

What is the foam cervical collar that RogerAN mentioned?  What is it used for?

Is is an soft foam neck brace that comes in adjustable and various sizes.   They are found in drug stores and online.  Their purpose is two-fold; one is to help keep the head and neck aligned.  This prevents(or reduces) a "chin-tuck: condition thus reducing OA's.   The other, is to aid in reducing mouth breathing, as opposed to using a chinstrap.    A cervical collar pushes directly up on the jaw instead of pulling and to the rear like the chinstrap.   I've found that a cervical collar seems to be more effective for me over the chinstrap.  The only problem that I've encountered with its use is setting the proper tension.   Tightening it, as you would actually use the collar, is really little too tight and my OA's increase.  .  . but no mouth leaks.   I've found (so far) that tightening it so that it easily slides around my neck has produced the best compromise.    

I would be interested  how other collar users tension theirs.

[RogerAN]

Hello regbeach and Crimson Nape,

Crimson Nape pretty well described the cervical collar. I order mine from Walmart for a little less than $5 each--I order about 4-5 at a time and they last a few months each. That works much better for me than any of the several chin straps I've tried over the years.

I probably tighten mine a little more than Crimson Nape does, but it's the only way I can get my leaks and AHI events down to reasonable levels.

[Melman]

I found that my RERAs increased significantly when I used a soft cervical collar as opposed to a chin strap. My AHI changed very little but my RDI was higher when I used the collar.