Mask Confusion

[WhyMe]

I’m almost convinced the Full face mask is never going to work for a side sleeper.
My concern with a nasal pillow is I may breath through my mouth, but I hear there is Tape and Chinstrap.

I’m a side sleeper, and the Resmed F20 AirTouch FFM (with memory foam cushion) works for me - granted, I have to really tighten the straps if pressure gets in the 15 range, but I have pretty much no leaks.

[Melman]

I am also a side sleeper and use the AirFit F20 silicone cushion mask. I rarely have significant leaks. I'm not saying that is the mask for you and hope the nasal pillows work out. But if not, it is possible for a side sleeper to successfully use a full face mask. It's just a matter of finding the right mask. I would like to use nasal pillows but chin straps and cervical collars do not prevent significant leakage through my mouth. Some are successful in training their tongues to stay at the roofs of their mouths to prevent mouth leaks but my tongue seems to be s slow learner. If you have not already, I suggest you read the mask primer (link below).

[SarcasticDave94]

If the back and shoulders cooperate, my F20 is agreeable to side sleeping. IMO your mask already must pass the test on being right sized & working well for you. If you can't get the mask to work while back sleeping, it's likely not getting better via side sleeping. Your body and head position, along with an acceptable pillow, will help too.

[Big Guy]

I am also a side sleeper and use the AirFit F20 silicone cushion mask. I rarely have significant leaks. I'm not saying that is the mask for you and hope the nasal pillows work out. But if not, it is possible for a side sleeper to successfully use a full face mask. It's just a matter of finding the right mask. I would like to use nasal pillows but chin straps and cervical collars do not prevent significant leakage through my mouth. Some are successful in training their tongues to stay at the roofs of their mouths to prevent mouth leaks but my tongue seems to be s slow learner. If you have not already, I suggest you read the mask primer (link below).

I initially started SA therapy with a ResMed F20 AirFit mask. I did well with it. Occasionally, I would wake up to air leaking. I would simply readjust the mask and back to sleep I went. 

I'm now using an F30 AirFit. I like it a bit more than the F20. I'm a side sleeper and the mask moving around can be problematic. I have found though, that's a bit less of an issue with the F30.

I've tried most everything I can think of, to breathe thru my nose. No can do! I always end up back to breathing via my mouth. 

I plan to stick to the F20 and the F30 masks. Both work well for me, and I plan to have spare cushions and extra headgear on hand. The mask themselves seems to be pretty durable. I don't anticipate having to replace them very often.

[DaveL]

Does pillow choice affect treatment for side sleepers? I had a pillow for a while that was cut out on the sides for side sleeping.

How about hose routing? if it drags as I roll I think it pulls on the mask as I move.
Im a mouth breather sometimes. And I move around back/side/back/side....
I use a wedge under my chin now to prevent mouth breathing. I never found a chinstrap that worked well enough. I tried a few....

[SarcasticDave94]

Does pillow choice affect treatment for side sleepers? I had a pillow for a while that was cut out on the sides for side sleeping.

How about hose routing?  if it drags as I roll I think it pulls on the mask as I move.
Im a mouth breather sometimes. And I move around back/side/back/side....
I use a wedge under my chin now to prevent mouth breathing. I never found a chinstrap that worked well enough. I tried a few....

I think it’s possible that both pillow and hose routing could affect how well a mask works. It would also seem that this affect could vary depending on the individual user, the mask brand and model, and probably other factors.

[Melman]

I use a buckwheat chaff pillow which can be configured for my head position. I have "molded" it with an indentation for my head and mask so it puts no pressure on the mask. I don't do anything special for hose routing. My machine is about 2 feet from the side of the bed and slightly below mattress level so there is plenty of slack in the 6 foot hose. It never pulls on my mask. I can see that could be an issue if there isn't plenty of slack. It's also important that the hose be flexible. If you have a Resmed hose it should be quite flexible. If you have one of the stiff generic hoses supplied as replacements by DMEs I can see there would be more of a problem. I only use the climateline heated hose. There is no generic version so my replacements are very flexible.

[Big Guy]

It took me a couple of pillows until I found one that works well with my mask. And, I'm using a hose holder / hanger. That made a big difference as far as hose management goes. 

I'm using a ClimateLine heated hose. I believe it's about 6' long. My CPAP machine rests on a short file cabinet alongside my bed. Easily accessible if / when I want to turn the machine off.

[theoak]

Side sleeper here ... ResMed F30 AirFit works for me. I find placing the top strap closer to the crown of my head versus the middle or front gives me more success. I also spent some time centering my straps to make sure the straps on both sides are in the same position. That got the mask centered on my face/head better I found. For me if it leaks, it is at the nose (usually at the very tip but sometimes side of the nose).

I have tried both medium and small sizes. The small gives generally a better fit, but I find the nostril holes are too small and the sides pinch my nostrils together a bit too much. It feels like I am breathing through a straw. I do get fewer leaks with the small. The medium gives a much more natural breathing experience with its larger nostril holes, but if the mask creeps up, it can cause leaks. Each face/head is different ... good luck.

[Apnearon]

I am also a side sleeper and use the AirFit F20 silicone cushion mask. I rarely have significant leaks. I'm not saying that is the mask for you and hope the nasal pillows work out. But if not, it is possible for a side sleeper to successfully use a full face mask. It's just a matter of finding the right mask. I would like to use nasal pillows but chin straps and cervical collars do not prevent significant leakage through my mouth. Some are successful in training their tongues to stay at the roofs of their mouths to prevent mouth leaks but my tongue seems to be s slow learner. If you have not already, I suggest you read the mask primer (link below).

Thanks Melman for the information