Benefits of changing masks
Did anyone get benefits of therapy after switching masks from nasal to full face mask?
I have been using my machine for about 1.5 months now (been using the nasal pillows the entire time) and am still dealing with feeling totally fatigued.
I went to the ENT and found out that I have enlarged turbinates, a deviated septum and collapsing nasal valve.
My AHI hovers around 1 with the nasal pillows but I'll wake up a couple times per night with the air blasting out of my mouth. Also any time I try to use mouth tape I feel totally dizzy the next morning as if I just didn't get enough oxygen throughout the night.
My sleep doc said "well if you're AHI is low then obviously the mask is working and there is no need to change".
Any personal experiences would be helpful. I am have finally become very comfortable with the pillows & it will suck to change again but I am willing to do it if it starts making my therapy beneficial.
RE: Benefits of changing masks
Yes, we all have a box full of mask we have bought in order to find one that gives us good results.
I mouth tape now and that was also a process. It’s all about working through each little problem until you get all the pieces of the puzzle to fit. I have also been to an ENT and allergist and settled on Fluticasone propionate to tame my swollen turbinates which was a huge success for me.
Be relentless, it’s a process that requires most of us to find what works through trial and error.
You will get there by trying different techniques and mask . Stay the course.
RE: Benefits of changing masks
I've trialed many masks but the F10 / F20 full face work best for me. One thing to consider is, if you're able to sleep comfortably with a full face mask you'll be reducing the number of variables you have to account for when optimizing your therapy.
RE: Benefits of changing masks
I can't stand the mouth tape fully covering my mouth at night, makes me clostrophbic. But, I have found that if I tape the corners of my mouth (1/3rd of the way on each side) and leave the middle third untaped I don't feel that way and it tends to hold my mouth closed for the most part.
Now - for feeling dizzy and not getting enough oxygen I have 2 suggestions - First - look at your settings amd make sure your mask type is set to 'pillows' If it is set for full or nasal the pillows don't get the correct amount of air. Second is of course maybe you need a little boost in pressure to get more air out of the pillows. Don't go crazy just the minimum possible at a time and see how it goes.
I have seen one reply on here that lowering the pressure let more CO2 escape so the out of oxygen feeling went away. If you post Oscar graphs it is always helpful to see what is going on.
RE: Benefits of changing masks
Thank you robbob2112,
I only have that really bad dizzyness the next morning when I use mouth tape with the pillows. I think I may try increasing the pressure a bit. I'm not sure if the moderators will let me post my oscar graphs on this thread because I posted them on another one if you go to my profile you can see I only have one other thread where a bunch of them are posted.
RE: Benefits of changing masks
I literally LOLed at reading this, because it's the same old story, and I'm sorry your sleep physician is useless and that you're not feeling much benefit yet. I have to emphasize that it never fails to shock me to continuously hear these specialists quote AHI scores and believe they're comprehensively reflective of treatment quality.
About the masks, yes. I have personally trialed through at least 10 masks (purchased) before settling on the F30i. In fact, getting masks to fit right and be adequately comfortable is one of the greatest obstacles for PAP patients, so hang in there. As unsolicited advice, I encourage patients to unapologetically take as much time as they need in the office when trying on a mask, and make sure to lay in many different positions for as long as you can get away with, etc. And, if there's an exchange policy, and you find the mask is still not great by that date, then exchange and try again.
I really wanted pillows or nasal to work, and although I can manage to breathe primarily through my nose for the vast majority of the night, I, too, found my mouth opening and being woken up by the air exiting out of my mouth.
On a completely separate note, you could get a proper consultation for surgery. There are many options nowadays, and they're getting better. You could have an obvious obstruction that could be easily treated. However, in the same breath, I just want to append that surgery is nothing to take lightly, and there are a lot of subpar surgeons out there. Make sure to get several opinions on any surgery you're suggested.
