The Hen's First night with Nuance Nasal Mask

[TheManseHen]

As always there is...good news and bad news....The good news is, that I had the Nuance on my face 5.41 mins (non-consecutive time) and it wasn't terrible. No not as light weight and wonderful as my p10...BUT it also didn't seem to irritate my particular Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) trigger spot. It's a lot more of a "mask" feeling wise in that the nose cushions are heavier/bulkier etc...

I like how shallow the nose pillows are compared to the p10.

I like that the headgear IS adjustable, unlike the p10.

It was pretty quiet.

I used the hose up feature which I didn't think I'd like, being used to a loose hose on the p10 but with this mask, if it wasn't up, it wanted to pull the nose pillow base down toward my upper lip, unless I over tightened it, which would defeat the purpose TN wise.

I may have undertightened the mask but I figured, start with less not more. I put it on, and tightened side straps just until it made the sounds of leak go away. Then I moved my head around on the pillow, trying to make the leaks happen again with movements, if they did, I adjusted a tiny bit more. I played with the upper and lower adjustment straps, keeping in mine the TN needs in how I chose to position everything.

It felt stuffier at the same pressure my p10 was at, and I would have upped my start from 6.6 to maybe 7.0 to adjust for new mask, but I was wary of adding anything new feature wise.

My numbers are not great nor revealing with one night. so I shan't care too much about them until I have a few nights together in this mask. OSA to CA ration about 50/50. AHI 8.16, a bit higher than my norm with the P10, but not unseen with p10.

Cons- aka, the bad news. It's a lot harder to get back into half asleep from loo trip, and so at some point, after the 5.45 non-consecutive hours in that baby (the longest being nearly 2 hours each) I laid it aside and blissfully went back to sleep for 2.5 and it..FELT GOOD! (yes I'm sure it didn't feel good apnea wise though I am unaware)

Now, for the record, I have not so much as had a micro nap sans mask in the last 32 days. I have put my mask on faithfully when I was even at risk of dozing. I am not going to make a habit of not putting it back on again. I know what it does to my body to be without it.

I do wish they had an easy release or some such to get in and out of the Nuance.
Because of the sticky anti-slide hair part and me having girl hair, it is painful/challenging to slip on without changing mask adjustments. I did try rolling the back part to the silkier side to put over head, and then flip to the sticky side, but that was only so/so.

I could undo myself from the hose connect but that is a bit hard for my delicate lady hands (READ probably getting arthritic hands that need to save their strength for knitting)

Compared to the p10 (which lets face it, is barely worth calling a MASK of any type, it's micro self...) my face felt a bit like it had some middle of the night pugilistic events from the Nuance. (Oh the names they use...I'm waiting for the Bliss mask, probably will feel like walking on coals) BUT...for me..the TN area...didn't know I'd been masked...and that, is worth a good deal right now.

So I'm staying with the Nuance at least a week to see what it can do for my numbers, and my TN issues.

Susan..."mohammed ali" Nose-head in SF.

[quiescence at last]

he he, liked the part about saving it for knitting. you gotta have priorities.

we'll be waiting to see if that does it for you. we really need you to get that restorative sleep that puts you down for 3 or 4 hours, twice a night, with only maybe one break. yeah or we could work on none a night. I still haven't gotten there.

[PaulaO2]

Yes, that back strap can be sticky. If it is so sticky it sticks to itself and cannot be peeled off, then you got an "older" version of headgear. The newer version doesn't do that. The sticky was to help hold it in place but...gross. You could return it and demand the latest version.

If you felt smothered by the mask, consider increasing the EPR. Some nasal pillows need to be increased, some don't. For me, I needed the P10 on 3 but can tolerate the Nuance on 2.

Don't use the hose guide in the headgear. Just toss the hose over the pillow and give it enough slack. Another direction to go is downward toward your chest then across the body. That's how I do it now and I get the least leaks this way.

[TheManseHen]

Thanks Qui, Yes, that is my dream...waking only once! And I only just taught myself to knit when the grandbabies starting arriving, and I'm hooked. I love the mental challenge of new patterns and lacework etc. I find it restful like nothing else but it is surprisingly hard on the hands...course, probably, my typing and laptop usage is the most risky. EEK!

Paula, Thankfully the mask back strap isn't super sticky, so i'm hoping it's the newer one. It's just sticky enough I don't love pulling it down over hair.

I noticed as the day went on that the base of my upper front teeth also doesn't love me. )-:

Night two on Nuance,
Thanks Ya'll.
Susan

[PaulaO2]

See your other thread for my response to your teeth issue.

[Sparkle]

Hi Susan!

It looks like you got your new mask - congrats! Nothing is easy is it?

While I am looking forward to going to the AWAKE session and getting a new mask; at the same time I'm thinking if it ain't broke don't fix it -as I am having good luck with the mask I have now.

With that said though - I've had nights here and there out of my 25 days thus far, and last night was the worst - that I feel like the mask was leaking all over the place but especially under my lower lip which I can only interpret as me opening my mouth which is why I got the full face mask to begin with. We'll see how it goes... it's still a month away 'til the meeting.

On another note I saw on another thread where you mention starting a women's thread. On yet another thread - I think it might have been one I had started - I was struck by a statement by one of the moderator's (cannot recall who?) that said they were convinced if women who were experiencing nocturia were tested they'd bet that sleep apnea would be present. I find that to be so interesting because I was blaming my fatigue and general lack of "sparkle" in my day due to the fact that I was up peeing three/four times a night. I never heard of nocturia nor that nighttime peeing was a symptom of sleep apnea.

I'd like drs to be more aware of this and start canvassing their female patients.
I see an endocrinologist every six months for a nodule on my thyroid. Been going there for about 4 years now - he runs through the list every visit - feel hot/cold, tired etc. etc. etc. and I always told him, yes I'm tired and he'd look at me and say well you need to slow down. Duh! I have an appt w/him in April I can't wait to hear what he has to say about the sleep apnea diagnosis.

More snow on the way on Monday - oh Joy! Never mind see his shadow I doubt Puxatawny Phil will even show his head this year - maybe they won't be getting the snow in PA

[PaulaO2]

A full face mask's purpose isn't to keep your mouth closed. It's to let you open it and still be getting the pressure you need. Else you would be using a chin strap and nasal mask.

[Sparkle]

A full face mask's purpose isn't to keep your mouth closed. It's to let you open it and still be getting the pressure you need. Else you would be using a chin strap and nasal mask.

Ok, thank you good to know. Its funny when I went to my DME (first time I'm officially using this acronmym) I told him - I THINK I SHOULD USE THE FULL FACE MASK SINCE I THINK I SLEEP WITH MY MOUTH OPEN. He agreed - ugh!!

I just found out yesterday - the DME told me that to establish compliance I had 90 days to use the machine for 21 consecutive days for four hours or more - he said the days had to be consecutive but the four hours per day did not.

Yesterday I was told by another person from the Home Health care company that compliance has to be established the last 30 days of the 90 day period. in my case between Mar 13th and April 13th, I just go crazy when I'm given conflicting information by people who are supposed to be the experts!

[PaulaO2]

A FFM allows you to be comfortable and sleep any way you want to. Mouth open, closed, whatever. It is good for folks who can't stand the chin strap or can't always breathe through their nose and have no choice but to breathe through their mouth.

If you wanted to get rid of the FFM, you can. You can try a nasal mask or nasal pillow and a chin strap. The strap will (usually) keep your mouth closed while the mask does its job of delivering treatment. After some time (weeks, months, whatever), you might be able to get rid of the chin strap since you have trained your mouth to stay closed as you sleep.

Many DMEs don't want to get into the mess of the chin strap and mask option since it is a lot of work and communication with the patient. They are made to do the money, not actually help anyone. So the FFM for you was the easiest option.

[quiescence at last]

they did not say to me - you have to show compliance to continue. they just said to fill out a diary, and they would request the data card in a few days.

my DME never called to arrange for the card, so I finally called the doc, who said I should send it in directly to them. I did (4 weeks now went by) and the staff did not check the latest data, they checked the first week. Doc writes their analysis and a note that they are unsure why it took so long for the user to send it in. well - I wrote a nice note telling them, so doc says ok, understood. So doc and I gang up on the staff, and I send in the card this time with the doc specifically asking for a full month starting date to finishing date. thank you very much!

So my doc and I are comrades. And, I tell all.

No one mentioned compliance, or lorded it over me. It didn't matter because I use the machine every chance I get.

QAL