Full Face Masks vs. Nasal masks

[Haynbo]

Good morning,

I have been on cpap therapy for about nine months- started out with a FFM but did not have much success. After having tried many different types of masks I final went to the Dreamwear Nasal cushion mask. Overall it has worked very well. My AHI over the past 2 months or so have been in the range of.13 to a high 3.14.
My question deals with the fact that I cannot achieve the same results with a FFM that I do with the Dreamwear- I imagine the first response would be why, based upon the numbers, would I want to try something different than the Dreamwear- the answer lies in the fact that, as a mouth breather, the preparation I go through each night to keep my mouth closed gets a little tedious. It goes like this- first I use a MAD, then I tape my mouth, and finally I put on a fairly secure chin strap to try and maximize the effects of the air pressure. It would be really nice to just put on a FFM and go to sleep- not worrying about my mouth being open or not. However, the number are never even close to what I achieve on the nasal cushion with taping. I have tried to understand why and the first thing I looked at was leaks- I really am not having them with the FFM- I just do not understand why the difference. Everything that I have read says that the FFM's are the ultimate in terms of delivering therapy but it does not do it for me. 
I'd be very interested in opinions as to why that might be the case. Thanks in advance!

[Gideon]

Based on your profile you are currently using a FFM.  Your chart (VS2 thread) looks excellent.  Was that FFM or Nasal?

Post results on imgur on comparative dailys.  For this we need some history.

[Haynbo]

Sorry,

I have not updated the mask- I have been using the Dreamwear Nasal cushion primarily for the past 4 months or so- I will update the info today.

[Gideon]

can you provide comparative daily charts please

[Haynbo]

Apologize for not updating- just completed- anyway, I have attached the Statistics page from Sleepyhead. I started using the nasal cushion in early June with occasional attempts with the FFM's. The averages certainly speak for themselves but, as I said previously, I don not understand the significant difference with the nasal cushion vs. the FFM.
Thanks for your help

[Gideon]

What I see is that as your min pressure went up, and the max pressure came down your OA index came down, as it would be expected to do.

[Mosquitobait]

Some folks, like my brother, simply don't have alternatives. They have to use a FFM and just accept that they will have a higher leakage rate. He sleeps in a recliner, so the side sleeping issue doesn't affect him.

I have more hassles with some masks than others and some nights, I just pull off my mask and HAVE to move on to another mask, leaks or not, because the original mask was causing some kind of problem that I'm too tired to figure out. So long as most of the night isn't high leaks, I call it treated. I do understand though - I used a Full Face mask for the first time last winter because of severe nasal congestion. It was a PITA. It will get better when I get rid of this hard mattress. I'll be able to go back to sleeping on my back. I will never again believe anybody who says a firm mattress is the only way to go - it has caused me lots of back and neck problems I never had with a soft mattress or even a waterbed mattress.

[Haynbo]

Even though the results have been better since the min pressure has been raised, on the occasion that I try and switch to a FFM the results are much worse. I'm just wondering would it possibly help to raise the min pressure when I go to a FFM?

[chill]

My experience is that FFMs need about 1-2cm more of pressure to achieve the same effect.  Others have noted this as well.

[Haynbo]

Thanks- I will try that tonight!