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[Equipment] Help with next mask to try... Long...
#1
Help with next mask to try... Long...
I'm feeling less and less hopeful about making this work after 7 months of therapy. I'm not claustrophobic, the air pressure and hose don't bother me... It's simply noise, leak, or pain that are my issues. The DME doesn't have many more ideas for me and I'm in the midst of my 3rd mask trial. I can do another one on Tuesday. The masks all seem fine in the office, but after hours of wearing them I know whether I'll have issues. So, I'd really rather take the "best" one home with me....

I have one more issue: I've already had a warrantee machine swap due to motor noise but my current machine has "runaway" pressure when using one of two nasal masks (yes, I've told the machine they are nasal but it doesn't change anything) , and never with the others. The high pressure wakes me because of air leaking out of my lips (jaw stays closed), while I never have that at my usual pressures. The noise at higher pressure is an issue, too, and sometimes it causes a leak. The pressure is 20-40% higher consistently with nothing else different (I hit my new max of 10 every time, where I've never been within 2.5 of it with the other masks) , and when I swap masks without anything else changing my pressure stays where it normally is.

I can't sleep with any kind of tiny leak spraying in my eyes or onto my face, and always have 0 leaks displayed on the machine. I'm an active sleeper and would prefer to sleep on my side or stomach, but have managed to sleep on my back when using the Dreamwear which is quieter that way. I'm also pretty small but the DME didn't seem jazzed about trying a pediatric mask.

I have made and tried liners for each of the masks and i found that they caused more leaks, and didn't help enough to keep using them. A band aid on my nose helps with the surface soreness but not the deep type.

Stuff I've tried:
-Pillows, I believe AirFit (noisy with breathing and I found them uncomfortable right away... Also expect to get ulcers from past experience).
-Dreamwear (my favorite for comfort but this one causes runaway pressure and the breathing noise bothers me ONLY at those high pressures which I don't seem to need)... Or if I'm on my side which I do prefer.
-Airfit FFM gave me a very sore nose, both deep "bony" pain and a surface dent despite being quite loose
-Airfit nasal mask also gave me a sore nose, months later after healing, despite being loose. I don't think the upper part of my nose can handle anything on it and it's hard to find anything that stays low
-Swift Nano for her nasal mask. This felt awesome but I think even the small headgear and mask are too large, as it rides up to my eyes overnight and the back headgear strap falls down the back of my head. I got sores under my nose and it felt like the mask was pulling my nose up. Also had more leaks with this one, into my eyes, and bonus: I got the escalating pressure which made air escape from my lips
-Amara view which I've used more than anything. It leaks, so I have to tape it down which of course I don't like, but I haven't been able to go for more than a few days with any other option. It also rubs away the skin under my nose and sometimes hurts the bones in my cheeks. If I tighten the straps so that it doesn't leak without tape, I get a lot of bony pain and it will leak later as it doesn't stay in place. I've tried two cushion sizes.

Please tell me someone has some ideas for me... I've been so uncomfortable or unable to make a mask seal and work quietly that I've actually gone one night and a couple of scattered hours without the machine. When I wake up with a problem at 5am now I just take it off, which I've never done until now. I just can't keep waking for hours of futzing to seal and having pain and noise, leading me to sleep 2-3 hours a night for days on end. Things can be great when I go to bed, but between that odd pressure increase and leaks or discomfort, I not only wake up, but have to remedy problems while I am dying for more sleep.
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#2
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
If it's any help, I tried about 6 different masks before settling on the F&P Simplus which is the best so far. Not perfect but pretty good. Eventually I decided that there is no perfect mask and I had to make the most of the least bad one. The Simplus is very comfortable for me, though it does leak into my eyes. I overcome that by using a piece of flannel cloth as a liner across my nose - works pretty well.

I don't quite understand your issue with "runaway" pressure - are you saying that the highest you've experienced is a 10? In that case, why is your pressure set at 5 - 20 which is almost guaranteed to cause problems? I suggest you get hold of SleepyHead software (http://www.sleepfiles.com/SH2/) and see what's actually going on. I would wager a small sum that you really need a much tighter range which will bother you a lot less with pressure runaways.

The other thing is to try a liner - check out Pad-a-Cheek and Remzzz. These provide a protective layer between the mask and your skin, reducing irritation and diffusing any leaks.

Good luck in your quest.
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#3
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
My doctor reduced the top pressure to 10 as I averaged 6.6 all the months before this problem began. I hit 20 within 12 minutes awake on Dreamwear which I thought was really weird, with zero leaks. So, now my pressure is 4-10 and I'll either average 6 and change or 8-9 and change if using the Dreamwear or Swift. If I look at the display on the machine when using one of those two, I'll often see that the current pressure is 10. And I'm awake! I talked to ResMed and they agreed that it sounded like something was wrong with the machine, that nothing should change between mask types.

I do have Sleepyhead but I'm not near the machine and computer that often. I do most everything on the road from my tablet.

Liners didn't help me... The extra leaks were a bother and my pain is very deep, not so much my skin, except for under my nose from Amara, which wouldn't be covered by a liner. I have used the silicone earplugs as a nose cushion and I had increased leaks, plus the bony pain didn't go away.

Thanks for the ideas!
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#4
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
Hi Recipefordisaster,

I agree with DeepBreathing about the Simplus Mask. After previously struggling greatly with full face masks, I never thought I would be endorsing one in a million years.

But decided to try one to see if my sinuses would feel better as they were getting really dried out when I wore the Elan Nasal Mask. Hasn't really made much of a difference but because my nasal congestion issues seem to be worsening no matter what I do, I have given it more of a trial and really have gotten to like it.

Found it easy to control leaks by pulling the cushion away from my face and temporarily reseating it without have to severely tighten the straps. And I don't have to run the pressure was much higher unlike previous full face masks to keep the AHI at a reasonable level.

You also might look into the elan nasal mask. I found it very comfortable due it it being made of cloth material and if it hadn't been for my nasal issues, I would still be sticking with it. I know many people have had trouble controlling leaks but that was not an issue for me and in fact, it didn't hardly take any adjustments for me to have minimal ones.

Best of luck.

49er
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#5
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
I don't believe I can have anything touching the upper part of my nose, otherwise I'd be happy with a FFM. That's one of my problems... It's tough to find anything that avoids that area, but everything I have tried gives me pain for the whole day. Maybe I will look at the Simplus. I, also pretty small and a lot of size small masks are too large. They hit the pointy part of my chin and way out on my cheeks.

The DME told me I would have worse leaks with the cloth mask. Since I've had a lot of problems with that, I didn't try one.
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#6
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
(12-27-2015, 11:04 AM)Recipefordisaster Wrote: I don't believe I can have anything touching the upper part of my nose, otherwise I'd be happy with a FFM. That's one of my problems... It's tough to find anything that avoids that area, but everything I have tried gives me pain for the whole day. Maybe I will look at the Simplus. I, also pretty small and a lot of size small masks are too large. They hit the pointy part of my chin and way out on my cheeks.

The DME told me I would have worse leaks with the cloth mask. Since I've had a lot of problems with that, I didn't try one.

The DME may be right based on patient experiences. But what you do have to lose by trying one?

And by the way, regarding this thread on achieving the perfect mask fit, http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...GUARANTEED, Jeffy's advice on cautiously tightening the mask seemed to work best with my elan nasal mask. I found out I could wear it alot looser than I previously had been doing with the same minimal leak level. Of course, your milage will vary.

Again, best of luck.

49er

PS - Reading PollCat's post made me realize I forgot to mention the FitLife Total Face CPAP Mask which looks like a fireman's mask and covers your whole face without touching the nasal area.

Unfortunately, it only comes in small, large, and extra large sizes so if you need a medium, you're out of luck as I was. But maybe this one will work for you.
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#7
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
Hi Recipefordisaster,
I’m sorry you are having such a hard time finding a mask. Some people have to try many of them to find the right one.
I wish you much success in finding a mask that works for you, hang in there for more suggestions.
trish6hundred
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#8
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
Sounds like you need a FULL face mask that covers your entire face/head. While such masks exist they are not for sleep apnea therapy. Philips used to make a pillow mask that might have worked for you - the Optilife. Some online DME's might still have this mask available.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. 
ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.
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#9
RE: Help with next mask to try... Long...
Eson or Simplus ride low and loose. Due to the roll fit cushion my wife healed a actual hole on her nose bridge caused by a Quattro Mirage in one night, by switching to a Simplus.

If a Simplus hurts or leaks at the nose its adjusted wrong , riding to high, or cushion is wrong size.

Ive used Fitlife total face. Great mask. Side sleeping is fine with it, but doubt you could belly sleep in it.
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