My mask nightmares

[markrb]

To start out let me say I am miserable and tired all the time. To make it worse I am in night school going for my degree and I can't concentrate in class or study at home. I retain next to nothing.

I started with a standard nasal mask (forget which one) and couldn't use it because of the pressure and mouth leaks. To torture my self more I then went to a nasal pillow and again couldn't use it.
Now we move to part 2, Full face masks.
Started with the Quatro FX and in general really liked it, but when I went on my side the headgear would bunch and it would leak like crazy. Tightening it would reduce the leaking, but not eliminate it enough to not wake me up.
Plus it would hurt to tighten it that much.

Full face mask 2. Quatro Air. Just as bad as the first, except my forehead hurt.

I am several months into this and I am just loosing faith I will ever get better.

I have been in close contact with my Doctor and she seems just as frustrated.
To add to my frustration my insurance sucks and I can't afford a new study that the Doctor wants. I don't blame her she is doing the best she can with what we have to work with.

Tomorrow I go to the DME with a new therapist to see what she can offer. If she can't help my Doctor wants me to move on to another DME company.

One thing that has been noted in the past is that I have a narrow bridge to my nose. A Gecko was given to me, but with no instructions on how to use it and the therapist new next to nothing about it. When I tried it all it did was leak worse then ever.

Do you have any thoughts as to what full face mask I should try next?

Thanks,
Mark

[PaulaO2]

Just keep in mind that even though a mask failed in one family (such as nasal pillows) does not mean all the masks in that family will fail.

A narrow bridge of your nose may make most nasal masks not form a good seal. Leaks at the eyes are not good and can cause eye problems.

Do you breathe with your mouth open in your sleep? Is that why they are going for a full face mask? If that is it, then consider one of the "hybrid" masks. They are nasal pillows that also cover the mouth.

If you do not breathe with your mouth open, then keep trying more nasal masks and nasal pillows. There's some nasal masks that sit right on the tip of the nose vs the entire nose. Like the Wisp. The Breeze has a cup attachment, too.

Full face masks are notorious for leaks. There's various things to try like the Gecko and the Remzz. Several members here make their own out of old tshirts. Someone else uses Mac's silicone ear plugs. Rolls them out in thin strings and supplements the mask's seal.

[markrb]

When I am asleep I cannot say, but I am far more comfortable having the option to use my mouth when I am on the way to sleep.
I always thought I would hate full face, but I prefer it by far.

[mdh235]

I have a comment on the Remzz. I bought them the same size as my FFM. That turned out to be a mistake; they don't clear the seal unless I center them perfectly. If they don't clear the seal, they just end up as a wad of material inside the mask. I'm guessing I should have bought the next size up.

As for mask problems, for the first time since I've been on PAP (2 months) I couldn't make it more than 3 hours with the mask on. For some reason I just couldn't get it to fit and seal properly.

Today I feel the effects of one night without PAP. Hopefully tonight will be back to normal, or I'll have to try one of my other masks.

I guess no one ever said that this was going to be easy, although the mask problem is one thing that ought to be fixable. Too bad nobody offers masks custom fit to your face, although I can see the problems with that with ongoing cushion replacements having to be custom fit as well.

All I can say is just hang in and keep trying. When you get it right, the results are worth all the trouble it took to get there.

[TonyJ]

To start out let me say I am miserable and tired all the time. To make it worse I am in night school going for my degree and I can't concentrate in class or study at home. I retain next to nothing.

I started with a standard nasal mask (forget which one) and couldn't use it because of the pressure and mouth leaks. To torture my self more I then went to a nasal pillow and again couldn't use it.
Now we move to part 2, Full face masks.
Started with the Quatro FX and in general really liked it, but when I went on my side the headgear would bunch and it would leak like crazy. Tightening it would reduce the leaking, but not eliminate it enough to not wake me up.
Plus it would hurt to tighten it that much.

Full face mask 2. Quatro Air. Just as bad as the first, except my forehead hurt.

I am several months into this and I am just loosing faith I will ever get better.

I have been in close contact with my Doctor and she seems just as frustrated.
To add to my frustration my insurance sucks and I can't afford a new study that the Doctor wants. I don't blame her she is doing the best she can with what we have to work with.

Tomorrow I go to the DME with a new therapist to see what she can offer. If she can't help my Doctor wants me to move on to another DME company.

One thing that has been noted in the past is that I have a narrow bridge to my nose. A Gecko was given to me, but with no instructions on how to use it and the therapist new next to nothing about it. When I tried it all it did was leak worse then ever.

Do you have any thoughts as to what full face mask I should try next?

Thanks,
Mark

F&P Simplus is a mask that provides a good seal no matter how you sleep. However I don't believe it is available in the USA as yet.

[me50]

To start out let me say I am miserable and tired all the time. To make it worse I am in night school going for my degree and I can't concentrate in class or study at home. I retain next to nothing.

I started with a standard nasal mask (forget which one) and couldn't use it because of the pressure and mouth leaks. To torture my self more I then went to a nasal pillow and again couldn't use it.
Now we move to part 2, Full face masks.
Started with the Quatro FX and in general really liked it, but when I went on my side the headgear would bunch and it would leak like crazy. Tightening it would reduce the leaking, but not eliminate it enough to not wake me up.
Plus it would hurt to tighten it that much.

Full face mask 2. Quatro Air. Just as bad as the first, except my forehead hurt.

I am several months into this and I am just loosing faith I will ever get better.

I have been in close contact with my Doctor and she seems just as frustrated.
To add to my frustration my insurance sucks and I can't afford a new study that the Doctor wants. I don't blame her she is doing the best she can with what we have to work with.

Tomorrow I go to the DME with a new therapist to see what she can offer. If she can't help my Doctor wants me to move on to another DME company.

One thing that has been noted in the past is that I have a narrow bridge to my nose. A Gecko was given to me, but with no instructions on how to use it and the therapist new next to nothing about it. When I tried it all it did was leak worse then ever.

Do you have any thoughts as to what full face mask I should try next?

Thanks,
Mark

F&P Simplus is a mask that provides a good seal no matter how you sleep. However I don't believe it is available in the USA as yet.

unfortunately we can't get the F&P Simplus in the US. Supposedly, there are supposed to be equivalent ones and I am talking to the DME about that next week.

[PaulaO2]

I went through I guess about 8 nasal masks before I tried my first nasal pillow. Then I think it was the 2nd or 3rd of those before I found one I could tolerate. I got an itty bitty nose and nasal masks leaked like mad into my eyes.

Even since then, I've gone through a lot of masks. I can't seem to find one that does what I want it to. I tried the Liberty for one night but couldn't stand the air on my face. The next morning, my face was chapped like I'd been in a snow storm. My lips were split and dry. I gave it a go the second night but didn't last an hour before I was in near tears.

The mask is by far the most important part of the treatment. You can have the best machine on the market but if you hate the mask or it leaks, that machine is useless.

[markrb]

I went today and got my 5th mask so far.
In addition I got a Cpap pillow and hope it will help as I am a side sleeper.

The DME was telling me there is a new F&P mask coming that they didn't have yet.
It is the same as a current mask, but the silicone part against the face is gel filled.

I am hoping this new mask, that has a longer thinner nose bridge section will help.

Mark

[mdh235]

I went today and got my 5th mask so far.
In addition I got a Cpap pillow and hope it will help as I am a side sleeper.

The DME was telling me there is a new F&P mask coming that they didn't have yet.
It is the same as a current mask, but the silicone part against the face is gel filled.

I am hoping this new mask, that has a longer thinner nose bridge section will help.

Mark

I keep reading glowing reviews of the F&P Simplus that we can't buy in the US. Seeing it on the F&P site it looks remarkably like a ResMed Quattro Fx, including the air holes right above the hose connection.

Maybe the cushion is what make's it better. My mask leaks are starting to get on my nerves because of the noise they make and the blowing of air into my eyes. I've just started having this problem again, and I have no idea why.

[me50]

I went today and got my 5th mask so far.
In addition I got a Cpap pillow and hope it will help as I am a side sleeper.

The DME was telling me there is a new F&P mask coming that they didn't have yet.
It is the same as a current mask, but the silicone part against the face is gel filled.

I am hoping this new mask, that has a longer thinner nose bridge section will help.

Mark

I keep reading glowing reviews of the F&P Simplus that we can't buy in the US. Seeing it on the F&P site it looks remarkably like a ResMed Quattro Fx, including the air holes right above the hose connection.

Maybe the cushion is what make's it better. My mask leaks are starting to get on my nerves because of the noise they make and the blowing of air into my eyes. I've just started having this problem again, and I have no idea why.

it isn't like the Quattro fx!! that is what I have