Newbie needs advice

[zonk]

But I hasten to add that if it's not your cup of tea, I won't be offended! Masks are the hardest part of the CPAP journey because they are a very personal thing.

Ditto. Everyone is different. One man's meat is another man's poison
meaning something one person likes very much can be something that another person hate very much

[zimlich]

I'd try a little experimentation. Also, though it is generally frowned on take 50 mg of benadryl- it has a long half life so give youself plenty of time to sleep and wake up. Overtightening the straps is intuitive, but counterproductive. Sounds like you haven't found the right mask- though high pressures make it very hard to keep a mask from leaking. I was on 30 one time and there was no way the mask wouldn't leak. Do you have a good tech, or RT to help you find a fit a mask. Beg for help if necessary. Good luck. Your machine doesn't treat apneas effectively, if at all, in ramp (opinion).

[jldbeck1]

Yes, it's the ResMed Mirage Quattro™ Full Face Mask. It is very comfortable at first but once the pressure goes up it leaks from the sides and the straps around the back of my neck start digging in and make it almost unbearable. I thought maybe with time I would get use to it but it's been 3 months with this one.

Hi Jim,

I'm kind of late offering suggestions, but I wanted to add a couple things.

First, full face masks are generally only indicated for people who breathe through their mouth as well as their nose. If you don't breathe through your mouth when asleep, then a nasal or nasal pillow mask will give you fewer leaks. Plus, some find them lots more comfortable. Even if you are a mouth breather you may be able to get away with a nasal mask plus a chinstrap.

Others have noted that the nasal pillow masks are not recommended at higher pressures. While that is generally true, the Pilairo is rated up to 24 cm. The Pilairo is brand new on the market and most DMEs are not aware of it yet or they may not have it in stock. And since they have no experience with it they try to steer you away from it. If you don't mind spending a few bucks out of pocket, it can be had at Supplier #1 for under $100.

There is a review of the Pilairo here, plus a long thread about it that I started a month or so ago after I finally got mine. I am pleased to say that, although my pressure is not as high as yours, my leaks are negligible now. I was lucky that my DME was one of the first to get them in stock, plus it had been over three months since getting my last mask so insurance paid for it.

But I hasten to add that if it's not your cup of tea, I won't be offended! Masks are the hardest part of the CPAP journey because they are a very personal thing. It took me eight masks to find one that worked, so don't give up!

Thanks so much for the advice, I will definetly look into this. I sure hope it doesn't take eight masks to get where I need to be. I have tried evey possible combination of strap tightness and forehead adjustments and have concluded the one I have is useless at anything above 19. Same problem with the nasal mask I tried. I will let you know how the one you suggest works out. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thank again.

[jldbeck1]

I'd try a little experimentation. Also, though it is generally frowned on take 50 mg of benadryl- it has a long half life so give youself plenty of time to sleep and wake up. Overtightening the straps is intuitive, but counterproductive. Sounds like you haven't found the right mask- though high pressures make it very hard to keep a mask from leaking. I was on 30 one time and there was no way the mask wouldn't leak. Do you have a good tech, or RT to help you find a fit a mask. Beg for help if necessary. Good luck. Your machine doesn't treat apneas effectively, if at all, in ramp (opinion).

Yes, I am in a constant state of experimentation right now. And yes, the ramp feature sucks in far as it only gives me a enough time to fall asleep good enough to where waking me up really pisses me off. Don't know if I want to start taking anything but if I can't get this mask thing worked out, who knows, I may.

[PaulaO2]

I no longer use my ramp feature. I fall asleep much faster without it.

[jldbeck1]

Yahooo, I think I finally got it. Thanks to all the help and suggestions I have read and received on this site, I have been able to take control of my machine and have fine tuned it to a point I can get 6 to 7 hours of good sleep a night. I feel alive again.

What has finally worked for me is using a dental device as suggested by a member here, and the full face mask. I was not able to find a mask that worked well with any pressures over 18. They either leaked to much or gave me sores. I now wear the dental device and set the pressure to 13 cm with no ramp and have an average AHI of under 2. This is a long way from the 30 average I started at.

Truly, having the ability to use the software to reveiw your results and make adjustments to tweak treatment is a must IMHO for anyone having trouble with adjusting. Waiting for the doctor or DME to get it right just takes way to long. Thanks again everybody, you people are awesome.

[codger]

Jim,
I have been using the Quattro FF mask for several years. Try firmly but gently stretching the cushion where it bothers your nose. For some reason this does away with nose bruising until I get a new cushion; Then I have to stretch on the new cushion to make it fit.

[codger]

Jim,
I have been using the Quattro FF mask for several years. Try firmly but gently stretching the cushion where it bothers your nose. For some reason this does away with nose bruising until I get a new cushion; Then I have to stretch on the new cushion to make it fit.

The Quattro FF has a double row of silicon around the nose area. Thinking about it, I think it is the inner row of silicon which lies next to the nose that should be stretched. I believe that for me this stiff row of silicone prevents the mask from lying flat enough to prevent air leakage. And then when the mask leaks, I over-tighten the headgear until leaks disappear. This causes bruising to the nose.

One poster even suggested trimming the inside silicone ridge with scissors. That seems drastic.

[Rickgo]

Don't stop at 3 masks, there are more out there to try. Also try adjusting the mask in the position you sleep in. As my pressure built up (I'm at 16 constant), I tried probably 7 or 8 before I found the comfort gel. Now there are even more to try with better sealing. Keep working at it, you will find one that works best.