ResMed F30i Mask Fit Problem

[acknapp]

I have previously been using nasal pillows with my ResMed Air Sense 10, in CPAP mode with a fixed pressure setting of 11. In recent months, my wife would wake me up because my mouth was open and I was either snoring or making "gurgling" sounds. I mentioned this to a friend that has an AirSense 10 and he showed me that he is using the AirFit F30i mask that covers the nostrils (like the nasal pillows) but als covers my mouth. I got my doctor to prescribe the full face mask so I could try the F30i and got fitted at my local supplier.

My problem is that I can't seem to get a satisfactory mas seal. If I run the mask fit test I am not able to do anything to get a green smiley face. I do have a full beard but it is trimmed pretty short. I even press the mask tight against my nose and mouth so that I can tell there is no major leakage but still no satisfactory fit. I even tried all three of the mask-type settings and get the same thing for all three. I used the normal user menu and not the "clinician" settings menus.

My machine is about 3 years old.

Any ideas? 

I guess I am thinking I'll have to load it up and go to my supplier's office and have her adjust it for me.

Thanks!

Allen in Charleston, SC

[OpalRose]

Hopefully someone who uses the F30i will offer some tips, but in the meantime take a look at the following link, "Mask Primer" and see if that helps.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ask_Primer

You can also try looking at some YouTube videos for fitting.

[SarcasticDave94]

I haven't bothered with the Mask Fit test for a while. I found this test to be void of useful information to really be of help. What means my mask passes or fails? Where's the info other than the same pass or fail and a grinning or frowning ghoul? A cartoon to help with leaks? Really.

With OSCAR, you can see your leaks. This is far better at seeing your leak issues. The leak rates and pattern are far better tools at helping you address the leaks. You can determine whether the leak trace signifies mouth or mask leaking. Great, now you know what to address.

The grinning ghouls are not really useful or helpful at all.

I have only used the ResMed F30i overnight on an expensive BPAP Titration. It wasn't real comfortable, being pushed firmly to my nose. It was not a great fit for comfort. I was much more successful with the Fisher and Paykel Vitera, a more familiar full face design.

Seriously, just view leak data on OSCAR and salvage your sanity.

[DaveL]

acknapp welcome to the forum!

Allen how long have you used the mask you have?

Did it work before?

What's happened since...?have you changed anything else?



DaveL

And to help.....using OSCAR and asking for help here has changed my life! For the better! With help I can be my own advocate.

Think of garages that fix cars. Some make a living firing parts at cars and doing wallet flushes. Others fix things.

The people here fix things. I'm grateful!

Dave

[SevereApnea]

Hi Allen, just a few personal comments: 

I have used the F30i for most of 2021 and found the best way to reduce leaks for me was to simply change the Head frame from Standard to Small.

Can consistently get leaks of between 0 and 5 L/min.

This changed the direction of force/vector this applied to the nose piece. This may depend on the shape of your face, etc.

I don't have facial hair so can't comment on that side of things: this may be your limiting factor.


The 'fit' of the F30i mask will also change for me depending on my head/neck position: neck flexed (higher pillow) >> more leaks from the bottom of the mask.

Masks are pretty much trial and error I am afraid, I have a drawer full.

You may have to try the different size masks to find the one that suits you.

The mask fit thing should be done when lying down, not seated, but I am sure you know this.

I am back to the P30i for the last 7 weeks with much better results, of course with mouth tape, but this may not work with a beard.

More discussion about the Masks Click this link 

Hope this helps a bit.

[acknapp]

Dave,

To answer your question, I just started using the F30i on November 5th. I haven't had a decent myAir score yet.

[MikeE3]

acknapp,

For the past 4 years I've been using Dreamwear pillows with a Dreamstation 1, then switch a month ago to an Airsense 10 Auto and kept using the pillows.

Over the last couple-few weeks I've been trying the F30i and the Dreamwear FFM version of it. I have a short trimmed goatee and I'm coming to the conclusion it's a 'beard' problem to get a decent fit without leaks. I've tried the smilie face fit test and I have to make either mask 'tight' (too tight for comfort) to get a happy face. Regardless, I tried the masks with them being that tight.

Yikes ... things were worse. My AHI went from an average less than 1 to 8+ and 6+ with the masks that tight. I even had periods showing Cheyne Stoke Respiration one night. I had to google it because I've never seen it in 4 years of CPAP use. My OA's really went up. My uneducated guess was that the mask was so tight it pulled my jaw back and totally messed with my air flow and breathing.

So like SarcasticDave94 and the clinician at my sleep clinic said, ignore the dang mask test faces and fit the mask 'till it's comfortable and you don't feel any leaks. My median air pressure is around 10+ cmH20 so I set my machine's (Airsense 10 Auto) min and max pressure to 12. Then I turned the machine on and adjusted my masks so I couldn't detect/feel any leaks.

I reset my machine to 8-16 for the pressure and tried the masks again. Well my AHI's were between 2 and 3 way above my usual sub 1 AHI with pillows and mouth breathing leaks. And I still had leaks with the FFM's comparable to using just pillows. Also my max pressure of 16 was being hit with the FFM's and I've never seen that before, usually never higher than around 12.

What I don't get is why my AHI goes sky high and why my pressure max's with the FFMs compared to using pillows. That stumps me.

I'm coming to, two conclusions 1.) if I wan't to use a hybrid FFM like the F30i or it's Dreamwear cousin I have to shave my goatee (not gonna happen) and 2.) we need a thread here on the APNEA board dedicated to us guys with beards and what masks we use and how we handle leaks.

(he, he ... doing google fu on this issue I read one guy coats his beard with lanolin each night before donning his mask ... eewwwh ... sure not going to try that solution)

I'd sure like to come up with a 'fix' before trying different jaw straps to keep my mouth shut.

[DaveL]

acknapp thanks for responding to my questions.

Allen I have a real dread of full face masks. Don't know why. So I use a Nasal Mask with a strap to keep my jaw closed. Most recent is a Knightsbridge Dual Band and the vendor is listed here on this site.

A thought--could you be better served going back to the mask you used to use, and trying something like the Knightsbridge Dual Band? (The KDB isn't perfect; I have
a love-hate relationship with mine.)

My first mask was a Breeze. I used it for 5 years way-back. I haven't used a nasal pillows mask since. Maybe I should try one....I have tried a whole bunch of full face masks recently. Chose none of them.

Dave
Toronto