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Fixed my leaky mask
#1
Fixed my leaky mask
I didn't know it was leaking 'cause, you know, I'm asleep. And I had a dumb machine so it couldn't tell me anything either.

The first night I used the Autoset, I found out I had a TON of leaks. As in how on earth was I getting any treatment?

I remembered a while back I had seen an odd video of an odd man demonstrating the Breeze. What he did was take the halo straps and put them in front vs in the back of the doohickey that goes from the forehead to the nose. So I decided to try it.

Since doing it, the leaks each night have been minimal. All within safe ranges.

I have woken up a few times on my back and the mask be displaced. It's a drawback of the hard headgear. But since making that change, it's not moved. After I get the final placement figured out, I'll post pics of what I did. I don't think anyone else here uses this mask but thought maybe my solution would help others figure out ways to modify their own.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#2
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
Well-done this call for a special leek soup leak Too-funny
[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2P0An4hK_n_GNyRNBHZe...NMyznDaDEA] [Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR0-f4PlES6dYPsP4yrJaN...G4C_DgVYkQ]
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#3
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
Oh, now that would be bad, bad morning breath!
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#4
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
(11-21-2012, 12:15 AM)PaulaO2 Wrote: I didn't know it was leaking 'cause, you know, I'm asleep. And I had a dumb machine so it couldn't tell me anything either.

The first night I used the Autoset, I found out I had a TON of leaks. As in how on earth was I getting any treatment?

I remembered a while back I had seen an odd video of an odd man demonstrating the Breeze. What he did was take the halo straps and put them in front vs in the back of the doohickey that goes from the forehead to the nose. So I decided to try it.

Since doing it, the leaks each night have been minimal. All within safe ranges.

I have woken up a few times on my back and the mask be displaced. It's a drawback of the hard headgear. But since making that change, it's not moved. After I get the final placement figured out, I'll post pics of what I did. I don't think anyone else here uses this mask but thought maybe my solution would help others figure out ways to modify their own.

Paula, I have used every type of mask from Full face, nasal, and nasal pillow. Since I finally switched to the Breeze, it has made all the difference for me. I don't know why more people don't use this mask. I sleep on my side and I like to toss and turn. I suspend my tubing above me on a flexible lanyard rig and it allows me to toss and turn freely. I only use my Full face Mirage Ultra when my allergies act up or I get a cold. I liked and used the Mirage Swift II pillow mask for a long time as well, but Puritan Bennett Breeze is far superior in my opinion.

Anyway, I use an ResMed S9 AutoSet as well. I have used an S7 Elite and a Respironics REMstar Pro M series. I sold both of those once I got my ResMed S9. My brother's doctor assigned him an S9 Elite and he is super upset cause he had to go in for pressure adjustments alot. I sent him to these forums so he could make his own adjustments. He said it's funny that his doctor doesn't even notice the changes he is making but he has totally gotten his AHI down. I hover at 1.5 AHI and below now. I use the Rescan software to study my reports once a week.

I do tend to have leakage problems and I get nasal chapping. I had this from every type of nasal pillow mask. I have tried different creams and barrier lotions. The best fix I have found (and the cheapest) is Medicated Chap Ice lip balm. I rub a little around my pillows before I put them on and it really works.

Anyway, let me know if you have any tips that might help me in my journal as well. Your posts have inspired me to stick with it. So far, so good. It wasn't always easy tho, before I found the Breeze.
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#5
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
I am pretty happy with my rather modified Swift LX, but I like the look of the Breeze - I might give it a go.Thanks for the idea, Paula.
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#6
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
Get those oximeter sessions in kids.
It's like having a sentry watching over the therapy full time.
When ANYTHING bad happens it shows up there first.

Wink

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#7
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
too true - I do one session a week at the moment, but I admit to being a bit lackadaisical about it. Must be more disciplined. In everything, I suspect.
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#8
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
Quote:Get those oximeter sessions in kids.
It's like having a sentry watching over the therapy full time.
When ANYTHING bad happens it shows up there first.

Actually, Shatzi, that would be untrue.

Some people's blood O2 does not dip very far due to higher AHI. Some people's blood O2 drops much further than the normal person.

I am one of those people. With the CPAP, even with high AHI and long events, my blood O2 does not drop very much. It stays above 90%. Without the CPAP, it drops quite low, down to 70%. I used one occasionally when I had the S9 Escape, especially when I was on a new medication or wasn't sleeping well.

An oximeter is a simple tool that could be helpful in determining how a patient is doing and to rule out a secondary (or primary) lung condition. It is not something that is truly useful to use every night. I would much rather encourage someone to save their pennies and get a data capable machine than to continually insist an oximeter is a vital and necessary part of treatment.
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#9
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
Quote:Anyway, let me know if you have any tips that might help me in my journal as well. Your posts have inspired me to stick with it. So far, so good. It wasn't always easy tho, before I found the Breeze.

Quote:I am pretty happy with my rather modified Swift LX, but I like the look of the Breeze - I might give it a go.Thanks for the idea, Paula.

I love love love my mask. When I first started this fun, we went through a lot of masks. We couldn't find one that would stop the leaks at the top of my nose. It was blowing into my eyes and causing problems. The guy I worked with at the DME was great and I wish he was still there. He knew I didn't want to try a nasal pillow because they all looked...weird. And the idea of something up my nose was so very unappealing. He finally talked me into trying one and it was the Breeze. I fell in love immediately. After a few years, they stopped carrying it and I spent a lot of years constantly changing, looking for something that was close. The Swift, the Swift FX (and the FX for her), Mirage Swift II, the Liberty, Swift LT, ComfortLite 2 (which came close but had other issues), and some others I can't remember. Then a year or so ago, I was complaining to the supplier that I really wanted my Breeze back and she said they were carrying them again. Ah, relief!

The best thing about the Breeze is I can put it on one handed. My right arm does not often want to go that high so being able to just put it on like a cap is very important to me.

Here's images of what I did.
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ett_Breeze

PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#10
RE: Fixed my leaky mask
I modded my LX so that it resembles the Breeze quite a lot, with the hose going up over the head, etc, so why not try the Breeze, eh? :-)
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