08-13-2017, 08:54 AM
Newbie issues - mask leaks, adjusting pressure
Hi there folks,
Long story short, I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea in 2008. I couldn't get used to my CPAP at that time and ended up selling it a few months later (I know, I know). So I was untreated for a long time but honestly felt ok for a while. After having children I was absolutely exhausted but chalked it up to having two little ones who were terrible sleepers. Once they started sleeping through the night, I was just as tired and I realized that my sleep apnea must have gotten worse over the years (seems obvious now). I did a bit of research and went into CPAP therapy with a much better attitude this time. I've had a Dreamstation Auto for about 6 weeks and I’m still in the rental/trial period with the DME and have tried a few masks.
My original prescription was for 7cm fixed. This time they started me off at 5-15cm. I was feeling air hungry at 5cm so it is now at 7-15cm. My 90% pressure is usually around 9cm. I've struggled with minor mask leaks that affect my comfort level. I mostly feel the leaking around my eyes and sometimes under my nose. At 5-15, I had mostly learned to readjust the mask to deal with the leaks on my go-to mask, the ResMed N20. Last week, the minimum pressure was increased from 5cm to 7cm. Since then, I have been having a lot of trouble getting the mask to seal properly for any amount of time. The machine still says the mask fit is 99-100%, but I feel the air leaking and it's disrupting my sleep. My AHI has also gone up - used to be between 1 and 2, and it is now between 2 and 3. I realize that the solution may be to drop the minimum pressure back down to 5, but if my pressure is going up to 9 several times a night, I must be experiencing these leaks each time.
I currently have an Eson 2 on loan as well, and it also leaks. It’s less comfortable for me than the N20 so I haven’t used it a whole lot. Both masks are Medium size. From the printable sizing guides, my nose seems to be right at the limits of small and medium. I haven’t tried the small cushions but I wonder if that might help with the leaks? I did get a bit of chafing on the sides of my nose at first, so I had assumed that a smaller size would make that worse. My DME is pretty good about letting patients try different masks but I’m really close to the end of my trial period. I’ve also tried the PR Dreamwear, RM Swift FX Nano, RM P10, and the Eson 2.
I’ve tried a few different pillows (none specifially designed for CPAP, but different sizes, levels of firmness and loft) with only slight improvement.
I am not using Sleephead as I have a Chomebook and cannot run software. I’m looking at getting a new laptop but it doesn’t really fit into my budget right now. DME says my leak rate is well within the acceptable range and this is just a comfort issue. I feel that if I can’t sleep well and still feel like crap, it’s also a therapy issue. What else can I try?
Long story short, I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea in 2008. I couldn't get used to my CPAP at that time and ended up selling it a few months later (I know, I know). So I was untreated for a long time but honestly felt ok for a while. After having children I was absolutely exhausted but chalked it up to having two little ones who were terrible sleepers. Once they started sleeping through the night, I was just as tired and I realized that my sleep apnea must have gotten worse over the years (seems obvious now). I did a bit of research and went into CPAP therapy with a much better attitude this time. I've had a Dreamstation Auto for about 6 weeks and I’m still in the rental/trial period with the DME and have tried a few masks.
My original prescription was for 7cm fixed. This time they started me off at 5-15cm. I was feeling air hungry at 5cm so it is now at 7-15cm. My 90% pressure is usually around 9cm. I've struggled with minor mask leaks that affect my comfort level. I mostly feel the leaking around my eyes and sometimes under my nose. At 5-15, I had mostly learned to readjust the mask to deal with the leaks on my go-to mask, the ResMed N20. Last week, the minimum pressure was increased from 5cm to 7cm. Since then, I have been having a lot of trouble getting the mask to seal properly for any amount of time. The machine still says the mask fit is 99-100%, but I feel the air leaking and it's disrupting my sleep. My AHI has also gone up - used to be between 1 and 2, and it is now between 2 and 3. I realize that the solution may be to drop the minimum pressure back down to 5, but if my pressure is going up to 9 several times a night, I must be experiencing these leaks each time.
I currently have an Eson 2 on loan as well, and it also leaks. It’s less comfortable for me than the N20 so I haven’t used it a whole lot. Both masks are Medium size. From the printable sizing guides, my nose seems to be right at the limits of small and medium. I haven’t tried the small cushions but I wonder if that might help with the leaks? I did get a bit of chafing on the sides of my nose at first, so I had assumed that a smaller size would make that worse. My DME is pretty good about letting patients try different masks but I’m really close to the end of my trial period. I’ve also tried the PR Dreamwear, RM Swift FX Nano, RM P10, and the Eson 2.
I’ve tried a few different pillows (none specifially designed for CPAP, but different sizes, levels of firmness and loft) with only slight improvement.
I am not using Sleephead as I have a Chomebook and cannot run software. I’m looking at getting a new laptop but it doesn’t really fit into my budget right now. DME says my leak rate is well within the acceptable range and this is just a comfort issue. I feel that if I can’t sleep well and still feel like crap, it’s also a therapy issue. What else can I try?
