Low AHI isn't the full story - or How do I control these leaks?

[DeepBreathing]

What really brought it all together for me though, was the pad-a-cheek anti-leak strap. It wraps around the mask and your head and allows you to put just a little more pressure on the front of the mask in just the right spot. I found this almost impossible using the 4 points of the headgear alone.

Thanks for the suggestion. However the Pad-a-cheek site says in big red letters:

DO NOT USE THIS ON THE QUATTRO AIR
or any other masks with vents that could be covered.

[DeepBreathing]

It works out about the same - the cost of one cushion plus freight is around the same cost as a cushion here - around $80. I presume if I buy a couple at once then the freight cost is defrayed over the whole lot, so that makes it a bit more economic.

I bought two cushions for my Wisp on US Amazon for $22, including shipping to my US address. That is less than my Medicare co-pay if I bought them from my DME.

The Wisp is a different animal from the Air. I searched Amazon and couldn't find Air cushions at any price. On-line dealers are charging around $50 plus $30 international postage. I've found an Ebay dealer who can do me two cushions with postage for $90 - I think that's the way I will go.

[Dgsr]

DO NOT USE THIS ON THE QUATTRO AIR
or any other masks with vents that could be covered.

woops!

[mfrey]

What I get from reading the posts is that this cpap game is HIGHLY individual. Same problems mostly, but trial and error solutions. My tech did say "be creative", soooo try and try again I guess. What else can you do when someone says "You stop breathing 72 times a night. Take this mask and 'nighty night'."
Leaks----Using the Swift fx for her mask, I was doing great with the small pillow. Then, I began having too many leaks and got a new small pillow. No help. Dug out the very small never used pillow that came with the mask. That stopped the leaks for now.
Where can you get masks on trial? I have a very large stash of masks that weren't right, at considerable expense.
My nasal congestion improved considerably with the ResMed 9 and the Climate line set high at 85. I use the ResMed Liberty when the allergy congestion is bad. It's the only full face mask that doesn't leak air into my eyes.

[trish6hundred]

Hi mfrey,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
You are right, there can be a lot of trial and error, for sure and the mask is the most difficult part of the whole thing.
Hang in there for suggestions and best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy.

[DeepBreathing]

Where can you get masks on trial? I have a very large stash of masks that weren't right, at considerable expense.

G'day mfrey, welcome to the forum. I got my gear here in Australia through Cardio Respiratory Sleep. They're attached to Cardio Vascular Services and Cardio... you get the idea.

Anyhow the deal is you do the sleep study with them which is nil out of pocket if you have private insurance. You then get a machine for four weeks for $360 which is deducted from the purchase price of a machine if you decide to buy one. During the four weeks you have a weekly appointment with a therapist who actually looks at your data and listens to what you tell them. During this period you can also have as many different masks as you need to find something that suits.

In my case the four weeks blew out to seven because we couldn't get the apnea under control until I went onto the VPAP Adapt. There was no extra cost for those three weeks (though I think my therapist was getting a hard time from her manager).

I like this system - it doesn't rely on a single night titration study and it gives you time to experiment with settings and adjust to them.

[Gabby]

What I get from reading the posts is that this cpap game is HIGHLY individual. Same problems mostly, but trial and error solutions. My tech did say "be creative", soooo try and try again I guess. What else can you do when someone says "You stop breathing 72 times a night. Take this mask and 'nighty night'."
Leaks----Using the Swift fx for her mask, I was doing great with the small pillow. Then, I began having too many leaks and got a new small pillow. No help. Dug out the very small never used pillow that came with the mask. That stopped the leaks for now.
Where can you get masks on trial? I have a very large stash of masks that weren't right, at considerable expense.
My nasal congestion improved considerably with the ResMed 9 and the Climate line set high at 85. I use the ResMed Liberty when the allergy congestion is bad. It's the only full face mask that doesn't leak air into my eyes.

Hi and welcome, I am not sure how they do it in your country but from reading on the forum here most people seem to have Isurance companies and they are able to trial so many free masks a month, they have a DME.
Do you have private health Isurance?
I know in Australia the masks are about $260.00 Australian and more. They are so expensive. I am very lucky and have a U.S. supplier where I buy mine for mostly $50.00 U.S. But I am unable to trial them. It makes it very hard.
I try and do my homework first and work out which ones I think I will like and what will suit. I read all the reviews and what people say on here about their masks. Then I just buy and hope for the best. I haven't done too bad so far.

I hope someone will come on and guide you in the right direction.

[readyforsleep]

I have been using a great supplier in the US who has 30 day trials on quite
a few of their masks. I have tried the Fit Face, PF 10, Airfit F10 and now F&P
Simplus. I'm thinking the Simplus is the winner. Of course I am
paying for the mask out of pocket, but with my high deductible
insurance I would be paying for it also (but at a higher price)
Send me a private message if you want to know the supplier

[zonk]

Low AHI isn't the full story ... but its important part of the story, there is no diagnoses of OSA without AHI

The most important don,t stress about AHI much, the machine not designed to know whether you,re asleep or awake. Events scored while awake or during high leaks are meaningless but nevertheless the machine score them and that inflate AHI numbers somewhat. The usefulness of the data is for long term trend and don,t jump into conclusion based on one single night


Moral of the story

[goodonya]

Hi, I just got out of my new sleep study the other day. The study used a Philips Respironics machine. I have learned once again another expensive lesson. Call the various sleep clinics first and find which one uses Resmed machinery for their sleep studies. The Respironics algorithm must work for some people but for me it is all my nightmares at once and has cost me many thousands of dollars finally taking me completely out of action.
The new sleep machine I have the Resmed Vpap Adapt, is so smooth and responds so well to my breathing changes it is like the sun coming out from behind a black cloud of evil.
Anyway my mask situation with the best being the Mirage Quattro has not really been that satisfactory. The nice lady conducting the study was frustrated as well. I have been using a medium. In the normal sizing I fall between a medium and large. She finally hauled out a secret weapon. The Mirage Quattro in Small. All the leaks went away.
I am right now looking at ordering up a size Small Mirage Quattro.