Over tightening mask?

[Jskier]

I read through the Mask Primer section and have attempted to follow the directions to adjust my F20 Airtouch mask. I do have a beard so no matter how good I can get the seal while sitting up, once my head touches the pillow the mask will leak. No amount of "perfect loose fit" will work.  In order to deal with the beard, this thing needs to be cranked down uncomfortably tight.

Is it just simply that the F20 will not work for me?  I've tried a medium and large. I'm doing this without insurance so hunting for the correct mask isn't cheap.

[SarcasticDave94]

Unfortunately if the mask has got to be tight, it's confirmed to be incorrect for you in some way.

I've used both versions of the F20, silicone and memory foam, and both leaked for me. I put up with attempting to adjust for almost a year, and I had to give up on it. I went to a Fisher and Paykel mask, first the Simplus then the Vitera. They need to be loose to work.

Your best bet is a pillows mask. It's the smallest form factor, which means it has the least areas requiring a seal.

[Jskier]

Pillow works as far as the nose seal, but I'm still struggling with keeping my tongue in place. It drops a few times a night which inevitably wakes me up.  Taping hasn't seemed to make much of a difference to my LL numbers. 

I'm mostly trying to get this FF mask to work because I just had a Mohs surgery on my nose and can't use my pillow mask. I tried one night and it caused some bleeding so I'm afraid to try again until the stitches come out.

[eok361]

as previously mentioned, you might want to try the F&P Vitera.

i am a "buy it yourself" apnea supply guy, too, and it can get very frustrating (and costly) to hunt down the right gear.

but for me, the costs are still less than having to deal with my insurance, and all the requisite "doctor's visits" that's i'd endure to get them to pay for the supplies i'd need.

i've been pretty lucky to find good deals on both machine and masks on my local craigslist and ebay.

good luck with the search.

[ejbpesca]

After many regretful months with F20 I just got in an Evora Full.  Comfort up, leaks down, and thankfully, my nose is not fully covered now.

I found the F20 to need tighter and tighter straps then still leaked.  The silicone loses its elasticity in days.  For the first time, I can pass an 18cm mask fit test even with a beard due to the Evora.

I want to try other hybrid masks out now.  I did not know they existed until a couple of weeks ago.

[robbob2112]

It took me a while with the F20 airtouch - the facial hair - In my case I have found the easiest way to get the right seal with a freshly washed set of straps or a new cushion is to pull the straps as tight as I can then let off about 3/4in .  It is pretty tight that way but not as tight as it will go.  I wake every morning with a mask impression because I am a side/stomach sleeper.  

For side sleeping I bunch my pillow up lay in such a way that my mask isn't touching the pillow.  inevitably it starts to leak so I lift up and turn my head one direction or the other and lay it down so it pulls the leaking side of the mask back into position.

Interesting note - while I am sitting up the nose area ALWAYS leaks and I let it go because when I lay down it stops if I am positioned right.  And once I am asleep I hardly twitch at night, if I do and it causes a leak I have gotten to where I automatically move to seal it.


And BTW - I have been successful at actually washing the airtouch memory foam several times.  The main thing is I need to use a different cushion until the washed one completly dries out.