RESMED N20 question

[razormarsh]

New to forum.   New to CPAP.   Appreciate the valuable information here.

I am one week into it.  I feel totally new.    My machine is Apex Auto.   I have seen it as high as 15.5. and as low as 5.   I think it varies largely by sleep cycle.

Question.
Yesterday I went and bought the Resmed N20.    I got it sized up and used it last night.   I feels as if the headgear is too small for my head.   Every adjustment is maxed out and it still seems too tight.   About 12:30 I went back to my Apex Wizard 210 that came with the machine.   Do they have an XL option for the headgear for the Resmed?   I haven't been able to find it.

[Spy Car]

New to forum.   New to CPAP.   Appreciate the valuable information here.

I am one week into it.  I feel totally new.    My machine is Apex Auto.   I have seen it as high as 15.5. and as low as 5.   I think it varies largely by sleep cycle.

Question.
Yesterday I went and bought the Resmed N20.    I got it sized up and used it last night.   I feels as if the headgear is too small for my head.   Every adjustment is maxed out and it still seems too tight.   About 12:30 I went back to my Apex Wizard 210 that came with the machine.   Do they have an XL option for the headgear for the Resmed?   I haven't been able to find it.

I had the same problem. I have a large head, but with no other mask have I experience headgear that was too small in the normal size. 

The standard headgear for the N20 is not "generously sized." It took a good deal of "self-advocacy" on my part to get the DME to re-send a properly-fitting headgear.

Note: the larger size is marked as "Large." It is not XL. And it is an option.

I'd also note that the cushions for the N20 are "the opposite" in terms of size issues, running large. So after issues with the cusion (and the frames that only fit one size cushion), I finally arrived at my solution of a Large headgear with a Small cushion and frame.

Hope that helps!

Bill

[razormarsh]

Thanks that helps tremendously.   I suppose they package it with a standard and it is probably a medium?
If I can order the large and use this mask I think I will absolutely love this.   Not going through a DME...this is all on me.    Thanks a ton new friend.

[Spy Car]

Thanks that helps tremendously.   I suppose they package it with a standard and it is probably a medium?
If I can order the large and use this mask I think I will absolutely love this.   Not going through a DME...this is all on me.    Thanks a ton new friend.

I don't know that the standard size is called a Medium, but in effect, that's what it is. My standard headgear has no such indication of it being called "Medium". But the bigger one does say "Large."

Like I said, despite having a big head, this is the only mask (of the myriad I've tried) where the standard headgear was just too small for me to use.

I'm glad to be of help. You happened to hit on one of the very few issues where I have some "expertise"

All the best!

Bill

[trish6hundred]

Hi razormarsh,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you with CPAP therapy and hopefully, the large headgear will work for you.
Hang in there for more responses to your post.

[razormarsh]

A good update follows.

I got the large headgear.    It fits perfectly.    The first night I put it on for 30 minutes and never settled down. My nose started stopping up and it gave me the feeling I wasn't getting enough air.    

Next night.   Also I didn't make all night.   I switched back to original Wizard nasal at midnight.

Next night.  I took benedryl because of seasonal allergies.    It also makes me drowsy.    I slept with the Resmed N20 all night, no issue.   

Last night.  No meds.    I slept good all night with the N20.    Very comfortable.


I  have discovered that there is an intimate relationship between myself and mask.   Once I accepted the fact that I was getting enough air, I stopped the internal panicking and calm down quickly.    I guess there is more to buying a mask, strapping it on your face, and laying down going to sleep.   I'm learning how I react to this stuff pretty fast.

This forum is great.  I appreciate everyone.

[mirkee]

I took back the N20 and came home with an N10.  N10 leaked way too much around the eyes and I could not find a fix.  Went back to my very old Fisher and Paykel 540 mask for last night.  Now I'm thinking of going back to the N20.  the N20 left a bruise under my left cheekbone.  I was told by the tech. that the N20, sized large in the box, came with the larger frame.  Is this the case?  He didn't seem to have a good handle on exactly what the size of the frame was, as it seems like they concentrate on cushion size and not frame size.  Would the large frame come in the box with the large cushion or does that have to be chosen separately?

Thank you all.  Trying to get this finally dialed in.

[Spy Car]

I believe that with the N20 that the frame unusually only fits one one size cushion. Small Frame/Small cushion, etc. 

I may be misinformed.

I personally have had better results with the roughly similar nasal mask design from Philips called a "Wisp."

I currently using an N20 as my silicone Wisp frame broke and I'm not having as effective therapy with the N20. 

YMMV.

Bill

[mirkee]

I'm fairly new to different masks, although I have been on CPAP faithfully for 30 years.  Just not much variation in masks.  I have been using Resmed N20 for the last five nights.

My understanding, after working through the Resmed site, is that the so-called "frame", the rigid part of the harness, only comes in one size.  The soft, cloth part, comes in two sizes, although you seldom see anything except regular.  Resmed shows a different number for the larger size.  The masks themselves (cushions) come in three sizes and they all fit the frame.  I am using the large mask and regular strap.  Will order the medium mask and the larger strap.  My strap is pegged at the largest possible and I want more flexibility.  I'm experimenting with stuff trying to fix a small but persistent bruise under my left cheek bone. Otherwise very happy with the N20.  Few disturbances and minimal leaking.

Resmed is not very forthcoming about all this sizing stuff on their site and I have not found a way to talk to them by phone.  Apparently, they do not provide much information to their providers either.  I think I found the sizes and stock numbers on the user manual for the N20 on their site.  If I am mistaken, please make me smarter. 

[Crimson Nape]

mirkee,
Supplier #3 and Supplier #10 show different sizes of headgear. Try Googling "Resmed N20 large headgear".