New to APAP Dreamstaion - Resmed F20 Mask

[sickntired]

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking for a few weeks now and have had my Dreamstation for a little over a week now. My story is just like thousands of overs, poor sleep, tried all the home remedies, finally got a sleep study (3 years later) and found out I have Sleep Apnea. My AHI during my "at home" study was 14, not outrageously high compared to others, but it has taken its toll on me. Anyway onto the reason for my post. I installed Sleepyhead (awesome program) on my Linux Computer and have been getting a message thats says "Your mask is leaking way to much". As title says I have the Resmed F20 mask, and I feel air leaking right at the hose attachment. I assumed this is normal as there needs to be someplace for my exhaled breath to go, right? The pressured air also leaks from this same place, I dont hear it unless I put my hands around the tube/fitting. I also assumed this was normal as without some sort of pressure relieve, the air would be forced into my lungs. I am attaching a screenshot, if someone can take a gander and check if I am leaking too much I sure would appreciate it. Note that once or twice a night I will wake up and feel as if there is no pressure at all. I then break the seal of my mask to find that there is pressure.

Thanks

[ajack]

normal to vent near where the hose connects.
normal to wake up wondering if the machine is still working, you are getting use to cpap.
Not normal is the leak, the machine will record about 30 as no leaks. you really don't want to be above 50. closer to 30 is the better number. using total leak numbers.
The machine has a mask fit function that blows high pressure to help you fit mask, my link below may help as well as youtube video on mask fit.

the dreamstation machine is slow to respond, you could put your min pressure up to 8 or 9 and see if that helps the AHI,

[sickntired]

I looked at the DATA again, I seen I was zoomed into the graph. Attached is the graph raw/unzoomed. I will use the link/video and attempt to refit my mask this evening. The guy who come set the machine up arrive 15 minutes before the appointment window expired. His watch beeped at 12 noon (appt was 10-12) and he then went into hurry mode. I kept asking questions and his replies were all geared towards the machine does everything. When I turn the Dreamstation on it says "opti-start" and starts my pressure off at 7. I dont see a setting to allow me to change the start pressure, I can only adjust "Ramp".

[Walla Walla]

To make therapy adjustments you have to hold the big control knob and ramp button in for 5 seconds. The menu will than pop up. Go to the Setup manuals link at the very top of the page and get a clinic's manual for your machine.

[markndurham]

There is probably a little trick to enter the clinician functions, but I have another machine so I don't know it. Someone on the forum who has the machine will know. As far as the ResMed F20 mask. I'm guessing you have the AirFit F20 which is silicone. I too started with this mask and they measured me wrong so it was too big and leaked. The top of the cushion fits at the nose bridge and the bottom should fit below the bottom lip but not so far the it rests on the chin otherwise it leaks out the corners. If you have the right size it does take some trial and error to tighten the straps to get a good seal. Use the mask fit function and lie flat in bed to adjust it and yes air will be coming out of the exhaust port so it is difficult to hear leaks. It is more a feel around the edges while turning my head different directions like I would during sleep.

I just recently bought the AirTouch F20 which has memory foam and it seals much better, but this is only the 2nd night I've had it so I'm also still making slight adjustments to the straps. This morning I have strap face, so I made it too tight.

Good luck. Sleep is a beautiful thing!

[trish6hundred]

Hi sickntired,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck with CPAP therapy.

[sickntired]

I didnt want to start a new thread, so will ask here.

The first week on my CPAP was horrible, the second was so so, and the third was great! I was waking up fully refreshed and full of energy. This honeymoon didnt last long and soon I started removing the mask in my sleep. I would wake up and it would be on the floor, behind the pillow, anywhere but my face. Sometimes it seems as if there is no air at all coming through the mask. I'll then break the seal and air will be flowing like crazy. Average pressure through the night varies from 10 to 12, depending on what the machine thinks I need. Why does it feel like there isn't any air, and is this normal? It isnt that I am unable to breathe, I just feel it isnt working, like maybe the machine is turned off. Oh yeah, I have turned it off once as well. That ended up with a tube full of condensation, wasnt pretty.

[Walla Walla]

After you've adjusted to the pressure it's not unusual to feel like the machine isn't working. It's keeping your airway open you've just grown use to it. The face mask problem is something else. I've never had the problem so I'll leave that to someone who's gone through it.

[Ron AKA]

I didnt want to start a new thread, so will ask here.

The first week on my CPAP was horrible, the second was so so, and the third was great! I was waking up fully refreshed and full of energy. This honeymoon didnt last long and soon I started removing the mask in my sleep. I would wake up and it would be on the floor, behind the pillow, anywhere but my face. Sometimes it seems as if there is no air at all coming through the mask. I'll then break the seal and air will be flowing like crazy. Average pressure through the night varies from 10 to 12, depending on what the machine thinks I need. Why does it feel like there isn't any air, and is this normal? It isnt that I am unable to breathe, I just feel it isnt working, like maybe the machine is turned off. Oh yeah, I have turned it off once as well. That ended up with a tube full of condensation, wasnt pretty.

I went back and looked at your March 14 SleepyHead chart. My first reaction is that you do not have your minimum pressure set high enough. It looks like minimum is set at 5 cm and at 20 maximum. It also looks like the Flex is set at 1 cm. Following would be my suggestions for an improvement.

Minimum - 8 cm - this would be the most important change
Maximum - 12 cm
Ramp - On
Ramp Time - 15 minutes
Start pressure - 6 cm
Flex - 1 cm initially but you could try it at 2 and 3 to see if that is more comfortable.

Here is a link to the manual that will tell you how to do it - [link removed. Clinician manual available here)

It would be really helpful if you followed the links below on how to optimize your SleepyHead screen. In particular kill the Navigation bar on the right, and the Event Breakdown Pie Chart. And get the right graphs displayed. Be sure to maximize the SleepyHead window to full screen before the F12 to capture.

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[sickntired]

Thanks for the replies and advice. When I now turn the machine on it does start at 8 right away, if I press the Ramp button it will drop to 6 for five minutes. I apologize for not including that, or updating my profile. It didn't occur to me that all of this needs to be taken into account. I will be adjusting Flex and Ramp to match the recommendations, as well as the max pressure. It is good to know that the feeling of the machine not working is just me adjusted to the pressure.

edit...email sent for the clinician manual