Mask leaks
New user with first post. I have been using Resmed autoset for about 6 months. Started out with fixed pressure of 9 and had good results in terms of mask fit and comfort. Review by sleep technician indicated that average pressure was around 12 so it was changed to autoset 10 - 13. Mask leaks started as I have ramp turned off and machine ramps to 10 within about 5 seconds. Was using nasal mask at the time and could not control the leaks. When to full face Quattro tried liners, switched to Quattro Air and it was even worse even with liners. I have been studying the forum and many of the reply's seem to suggest that the machine should ramp only as far as the max setting (i.e. 13 for me), but my sleepyhead software shows that there are 2 pressures. Pressure and Mask Pressure. Pressure does not seem to exceed 13 by very much but mask pressure will go as high as 15. I am side sleeper and that seems to be the worse case for using mask. I will learn to sleep on my back if necessary, but when I try that I seem to close my airway and make things worse. I continue to study and try to learn as much as I can but does anyone have any recommendations of pillows to use for back sleeping or side sleeping. I have tried about 5 different ones even going so far as to remove stuffing to make it thinner.
RE: Mask leaks
Hi mar1241,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for suggestions, someone will be along to help you soon.
Best of luck to you with your CPAP therapy.
trish6hundred
RE: Mask leaks
mar1241, welcome I use both masks and depending on your face shape the are hard to manage leaks, apart from the liners try having your hose coming from above your head either over a bed head or you can buy or make a hose lift. On your pressures because your using an auto CPAP I'm not sure why there is not a larger gap between you low and high pressures? A gap of 3 is not very much, most people with auto's would have a difference of about 10. For example mine is 5-15, but my 95% is 10 so 95% of the time my machine is 10 or less and 5% of the time usually just after an apnea occurs it will go above 10 if I need it. With a gap of 3 you almost have a fixed pressure, speak to your sleep tech but I would try 4 to 13.
RE: Mask leaks
Thanks for the help. I have been in the computer industry for 46 years and am very anal about technical issues so please forgive me as I want to really understand what I am dealing with. I hope to be using this device for at least 15 years so I need to understand what I am working with. How would routing the hose as you suggest help? It sounds like it would be hard to manage such a hose as I turn over a lot. As to the narrow range, I started off at 10 - 15 and had lots of leaks. When a leak started, the machine seemed to ramp up to max pressure very quickly and made it very difficult to control the leaks. I asked that the upper limit be reduced to see if that would help the leak but it really had not seemed to have an impact so next trip I will have it increased back to 15. I know I can change it myself, but that does not please my sleep technician. My gear is being supplied by the VA and their guidelines on leaks is avg of 27 as being the acceptable max.
What I really struggle with is that my sleep technician and the directions for the mask suggest that it should not be worn too tightly. The expectation appears to be that the air pressure will expand the mask out to fix your face. For me, that is impossible as the mask leaks are impossible to control that way. Do you wear the mask tightened to the suggested levels or do you have to tighten the straps much more than that to control leaks.
RE: Mask leaks
Over tightening the mask will cause more leaks. The masks are designed to "float" on the face. The pressure pushes down on the inside and creates the seal. If you over tighten, then you break that.
The idea of routing the hose over the head is to take the weight of the hose off the mask. This can really help with leaks.
PaulaO
Take a deep breath and count to zen.
RE: Mask leaks
If you have the hose coming from below or besides you, you can pull the mask down or get tangled, but having it coming from above your head, you are pulling it up and you can't get tangled. The masks mainly have rotating connectors so should move with you. I keep it fairly lose, not tight enough that you have marks but not lose enough that you have heaps of leaks. It is all trial and error unfortunately as we all have different sized faces.
RE: Mask leaks
Their are people that do mould masks but they are very expensive and wouldn't think they would be covered by insurance.
