Personal Experience On Nasal Mask Compared with Full Face Mask

[ramphil2019]

Hi guys, I used last night for the first time the Dreamwear Nasal mask that I bought online. Previously, I alternate between my F20 AirFit and F20 AirTouch full face mask, with good result. For comparison, here are the screenshots.

Please help me compare and interpret the results. Thank you!

March 22, 2019 Dreamwear Nasal Mask

March 19, 2019 AirFit F20 Full Face Mask

My Subjective Observations:
1. I love the nasal mask! Despite the 10.6 AHI, I fell great when I woke up. None of the pre-treatment uncontrollable urge to get up and pee.
2. The nasal mask did not move at all nor did I felt that it leaked during the night despite my movements. There was no need to adjust. It felt the same when I woke up as when I first put it on.
3. After the initial gasping for air and claustrophobic panic, I settled into a breathing rhythm and slept straight (except those times when my wife woke me up.)  

The Reality:
1. My wife woke me up sometime in the night to say that I was breathing heavily through my mouth, which was parched indeed. But I didn't bother to drink water, I merely salivate (for lack of better word) and promptly went back to sleep.
2. I have a new chin strap but I could not use it since it was too small (bad advertising saying it was one-size-fits-all).
3. Well, the numbers don't lie. Lots of mask leaks and high AHI on the nasal mask compared to the AirFit F20.

My two set of masks and spare Resmed Humidifier Tank (which doubles as machine side cover when the other is washed)

[ardenum]

if you were mouth breathing despite being on nasal then I assume the higher leak rate is your mouth being blown open? 

I have had the same problem with switching from f10 to dreamwear, I have a custom made tongue retaining device but before I even had it made I tried to see if this type of device would solve my problem. I got two actualy one called Good Morning Snore Solution and a aveo tsd clone. Aveo clone was not a comfortable fit to my small mouth at all, the good morning i had to trim with nail scizzors around the edge to make it fit but it had created some small succion at the tongue(its what these types of devices are meant to do).

I guess it comes down to how big your mouth is.

[ramphil2019]

if you were mouth breathing despite being on nasal then I assume the higher leak rate is your mouth being blown open? 

Yes, that's probably the case. I'll give this several more nights of evaluation, as I really like the DW nasal mask. 

[OpalRose]

Just an observation...with the Dreamware mask, you were using an EPR of 3, and experienced many Clear Airway events along with obvious mouth breathing.

With the full face mask, you were using an EPR of 2 with much less Clear Airway events.

If you are unable to control mouth breathing, either by using a soft cervical collar which helps prop the chin/jaw from dropping open at night, then a full face mask is what would be best for you.

There is also the Tongue Suck method that has helped many of us overcome mouth breathing.

Tongue Suck Technique:
Place your tongue to the roof of your mouth with tip of tongue behind front teeth.  Slowly suck upwards and back.
This places the tongue in a natural position, with the back of tongue sealing the back of the throat so that if you open your mouth/jaw while sleeping, no air will escape.

Regardless of which mask you settle for, try keeping your EPR at 2 or 1.  
And remember that large leaks whether from a mask or mouth breathing can affect the accuracy of data.

[ramphil2019]

Just an observation...with the Dreamware mask, you were using an EPR of 3, and experienced many Clear Airway events along with obvious mouth breathing.

With the full face mask, you were using an EPR of 2 with much less Clear Airway events.

If you are unable to control mouth breathing, either by using a soft cervical collar which helps prop the chin/jaw from dropping open at night, then a full face mask is what would be best for you.

There is also the Tongue Suck method that has helped many of us overcome mouth breathing.

Regardless of which mask you settle for, try keeping your EPR at 2 or 1.  
And remember that large leaks whether from a mask or mouth breathing can affect the accuracy of data.

  Got it. 

Last night, I had to change from the Dreamwear nasal mask to the AirFit F20 FFM as I thought I was "marathon-mouth-breathing" and the dryness in my mouth was too uncomfortable. I've decided to put the nasal mask aside until the cervical collar I ordered arrived. For now, I am back to my AirFit and AirTouch F20s which I treat with renewed respect, haha. I've actually grown accustomed to the F20's tingling air leak waking me up once or twice a night so I can wipe the oil on my face.

Here is a screenshot of Sleepyhead from my last night's data. There's an 11-min gap as I changed masks.

[mesenteria]

Does your machine 'know' that you are using two different masks?  The RESMED machines must have an input changed to reflect which type of mask the user is wearing.  I don't know if this could be a factor at all, but...……..

[ramphil2019]

Does your machine 'know' that you are using two different masks?  The RESMED machines must have an input changed to reflect which type of mask the user is wearing.  I don't know if this could be a factor at all, but...……..

I understand what you mean and I believe it's possible that a mismatch between mask and machine settings can produce an undesired result. I made sure they agree at the unit's clinician menu before I slept with the mask on.

[Feedsack]

I am not good at reading charts yet but I am trying. I have found that  I like the dreamware nasal gel masks a lot. I tried their full face but am a side sleeper at times . I tried their nasal pillow mask as well. i keep going to the nasal pillows.

[shuggeman]

I'm new to this forum, it looks great. Been on a BiPAP machine for about 7 months now, and have been unable to use a nasal mask for much of that time because my mouth opens and I breathe through my mouth for the rest of the night. Additionally, because of the high pressure of the BiPAP machine, with a full face Dreamwear mask my mouth gets blown open and I end up mouthbreathing also.

I’ve been experimenting with mouth taping, and it seems to be working as most days I’m able to sleep through the night without drymouth. I’m unable to use the pre-cut mouth tape that has a hole in the middle for a small amount of air to get through and have ended up using 1/2" tan micropore medical tape. It’s less than $5 per roll, and comes off the lips fairly easily, leaving only a small amount of adhesive and irritation in the morning. I know this sounds absolutely crazy, but I’m able to sleep through the night using this method, and the benefits of nose breathing are incredible. I feel better all day.

My concern is that my technician told me BiPAP users should not mouth tape because the pressure is too much for one's nostrils to handle. Has anyone had experience with this? Any problems/solutions?

[Gideon]

A couple of simple questions to get you to understand what high CPAP pressure means?
Can you get a tall (8 inch) glass of water and a straw?  Can you blow thru that straw to the bottom of that glass?  Can you exhale when you are swimming 10 inches underwater?  
To me it's obvious that your technician cannot.  Those are examples of experiencing the "Highest" pressure  a CPAP (8 inches / 20 cm) or a bilevel (10 inches / 25 cm) can generate.