mask fit
I am a new BPAP user. I have used the mirage quattro full face mask for my first two nights. On both nights, I awoke in the middle of the night with pain at the bridge of my nose. The mask already leaks a little air towards my eyes and if I loosen the mask, the leak gets worse. I used an F&P Simplus full face mask on the night of my PAP titration and the leak around my eyes was even worse. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can keep the mask from hurting my nose without increasing the leak?
RE: mask fit
You might need to try on several masks overnight.
I went through about 8 before I found a few that work.
Some of them were comfy to wear until you tried to sleep overnight.
That's the acid test I think.
I think someone else here makes their own mask cushions out of old t-shirts.
Hang in there and I'm sure more folks will have even more tips for you.
Cheers!
"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton
RE: mask fit
Hi js62,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Full-face-masks can be a bit tricky to adjust but hang in there for more suggestions.
You might try mask liners, you can make them out of an old tshirt.
Much success to you with your CPAP therapy and getting used to your mask.
trish6hundred
RE: mask fit
I just started using Avery (non-toxic/washable/acid-free) glue sticks to
maintain seal all night. Almost NO leaks!! Yay!
Leaks wake me up too and make me more ornery than I already am. 
I just wash up real well and air dry the seal then apply a thin layer of that stuff.
Professional make-up artists use them too and they are extremely finicky folks.
Try some and see if you can let up on the strap tension a bit.
You might still need some nose padding.
You are unique! Experiment and you'll find your path!
"With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." - Thomas Foxwell Buxton
RE: mask fit
The f&p simplus and the Resmed Mirage Quattro share the same geometry. A cushion with 2 bottom anchors and a single piece top anchor on the forehead. I don't think you would find any appreciable difference between these two. If you are experiencing leaks into the eyes, then probably your facial geometry does not do well with this type of mask designs.
You should try the Resmed F10. It has dual top anchors and they are on the cheekbones. So it's a different geometry and I believe it's more forgiving to people who are side sleepers due to its dual anchors. Also, 4 anchors give it a bit more stability. One night while I was using the F10, one of its bottom anchors was dislodged but it still didn't go into large leak territory.
I recommend that you try the F10 if you really want to try another FFM.
And if your 95% pressure is less than 15cm then, you may ultimately want to gravitate towards the nasal pillows mask - the Resmed P10. ......Resistance is futile!
PRS1 Auto & Dreamstation Auto w/ P10 and straight pressure of 8cm
RE: mask fit
I use the Mirage Quattro and have a Simplus. I can get the Simplus to seal OK but the MQ is better for maintaining a seal on my face anyway. Frankly, the MQ mask is one of the most adjustable of all of the full face masks, in my opinion.
I feel certain that the leaks with the Mirage Quattro are solvable but the pain at the bridge of your nose is something that I have never experienced. Where precisely, does this pain show up? Is it on one side or the other or is it both sides and over the top?
For the leak problem there is a good article on fitting the Mirage Quattro on the Mask Arrayed blog. Just Google Mask Arrayed blog and once you get to it click on "Taming the Mirage Quattro".
Let us know about where the pain dwells and we may be able to give you some tips to eliminate that problem.
Best Regards,
PaytonA
RE: mask fit
You have PM turned off so I could not send a reply so here it is.
With the mask on, feel with your fingers around the top of the mask under the stabilizer strut. Can you feel the silicone seal material in the area that is giving you pain? Let me know.
Best Regards,
PaytonA
RE: mask fit
(08-12-2015, 08:04 PM)js62 Wrote: I am a new BPAP user. I have used the mirage quattro full face mask for my first two nights. On both nights, I awoke in the middle of the night with pain at the bridge of my nose. The mask already leaks a little air towards my eyes and if I loosen the mask, the leak gets worse. I used an F&P Simplus full face mask on the night of my PAP titration and the leak around my eyes was even worse. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can keep the mask from hurting my nose without increasing the leak?
Hi js62,
Ditto Payton , re the mirage quattro. However ,it did take some fine tuning over a few nights. I tilt the mask towards the bridge of the nose first and make sure the seal is down ,then lower it into place. The first nights I lay on my back and would fiddle with strap tension equally , wait a bit , see if the leak around my eyes was gone , but probably the most helpful was the forhead adjustment , 1 notch at a time , wait see . No leak,no nose bridge pain . Then give it a go . Some times it would just require lifting mask uniformly a tad til the cushions fill. But I went to bed early to figure this out , other wise it might have ended up across the room . The other thing that helped me was keeping the weight of the hose from weighing the mask down onto the bridge, by having it (the hose) at the center head of the bed . You can rig a hose holder. Once I found the spot , I magic marked the head strap and the forehead adj. Hope this may help.
3
RE: mask fit
Thanks to everyone for your helpful suggestions. I will try them and see whether they help. Thanks!
An update: I tried two different nasal masks the last two nights. They were more comfortable than the full face masks. I did not feel a leak with either but my sleep report indicates that I had inadequate mask fit and my obstructive apneas were higher than when I used the full face mask. I could be wrong but I honestly don't think I'm breathing through my mouth. Any idea where the lead could be coming from if I don't feel it? Any suggestions on how to improve it? The two nasal masks I used were ResMed Mirage FX and F&P Eson (? model). Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
RE: mask fit
(08-13-2015, 08:58 AM)AshSF Wrote: The f&p simplus and the Resmed Mirage Quattro share the same geometry. A cushion with 2 bottom anchors and a single piece top anchor on the forehead. I don't think you would find any appreciable difference between these two. If you are experiencing leaks into the eyes, then probably your facial geometry does not do well with this type of mask designs.
AshSF has hit a point. We are all built differently. Payton and I do well with the Mirage Quattro. But, it's not for everyone. Finding the right mask is the key to comfort and compliance with PAP therapy. It can also be the most challenging part to work out.
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