I'll have some cheese with my whine!

[Starrbelie]

Thanks for the encouragement. It's good to know that I'm not the first to throw their mask across the room.

My mask fits like a dream during the day or when I am doing anything other than laying down, trying to sleep. I'm having very few major leak events. These tiny leaks are just an annoyance to me. I'm going to try using some lanolin to see if that will help seal them. That's if I can find some. It's apparently it's readily available everywhere but North Alabama. LOL! I'm only 5 days in, so I don't think it's quite time to give up on this mask yet. Especially, since I have had nights where I was able to fix the leaks with only an adjustment or two. I feel it's just a matter of figuring out what works for me and getting a routine down so that I do things the same way every time. I'm just easily frustrated due to sleep deprivation and I am hoping the answer is literally in my hands, you know, instant gratification and all that! Then again, I may just be too high strung!

As to the noise and misophonia, I already sleep with a box fan on high to help with that. Last night my problem was that in certain positions (usually the ones that didn't cause tiny leaks in my mask) I could actually hear my breath sounds in my head. Grr!

QAL, yes, my brother took full advantage of that! Still does, actually...haha!

Here's to no leaks, no annoying noises and great sleep tonight!
Starr

[Mark Douglas]

Make sure your mask straps are tightened evenly. This is important.
One way is fold or match the headgear so you can compare and make sure the straps are even.

[AlanE]

I am trying out a new pillow. I just started using it two nights ago. It's fairly flat, filled with buckwheat hulls and bits of foam. I must have removed just enough of the filling because it is very comfortable. I don't hear my own breathing through the pillow like I did with my old one. The mask also doesn't get moved around much and that means leaking is less. Was a very good investment.

[TyroneShoes]

...My point is, if you have a smartphone, experiment with sound generating apps to find the right one. Then set it up to play all night...

If you like rain sounds, I recommend the Storm Sim app, which I use every night. I opted for the train sounds and boat horn sounds also, but those are in-app purchases (otherwise, its free). Any app will be a little tinny on most phones, but you can Bluetooth it to a better speaker or an Amazon Echo and it sounds much better. It also has a slow fade shutoff. I rarely take more than 15 minutes to doze off (nearly an hour the other night, tho), so I set it to fade out slowly after an hour.

One thing was said was about the "wind" from the mask. I, too, started with the Swift FX. Its a good mask, but the P10 is an improvement in many ways. Not only is it lighter and more comfortable, but the exhaust is not even hardly noticeable, and it is whisper quiet. If you have a mask replacement program with your DME, see if the next one can be changed out to that.

[Starrbelie]

I have 30 days to swap this one out if I need to. How difficult is exhaling in the P10 compared to the Swift FX? Feeling like I am fighting to exhale can make me have less patience with getting the mask situated just right.

[me50]

I am curious about how you ended up with a F&P machine.

[Starrbelie]

That's what my DME gave me. I have no complaints, so far.

[PaytonA]

Starr, I hope that you got some cheese and maybe even crackers with your whine. Regardless, you sound like you have the right attitude despite the frustration.

My first night with the CPAP, I got about 1 hour on the machine. It took me several months and 2 mask changes before I got to using the machine for the whole night. Then it took me several years before I found this forum and learned how to get it right.

Just keep trying to move forward all of the time.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[Starrbelie]

LOL! Thanks PaytonA!!

I'm trying to keep a good attitude! I just keep telling myself it takes time and there are other options out there!!

Bravely charging onward!
Starr

[TyroneShoes]

I have 30 days to swap this one out if I need to. How difficult is exhaling in the P10 compared to the Swift FX? Feeling like I am fighting to exhale can make me have less patience with getting the mask situated just right.

Easier. But what might be important is what size of pillows you are using. Smaller pillows are a lot more difficult to breathe through, because the more-restricted chambers cause more Venturi turbulence and therefore more resistance. Forget how big or small your nose is or nostrils are; go directly to the large.

You may also want to try pressure relief. I have used EPR set at 3 from the beginning, but there was a "bump" or delay of the relief (or at least perceived) with the FX, just as exhale began. It did not happen with the P10.

The P10 is also a bit better on leaks, because the curve of the pillows is more concave, and you will get more contact around the nostrils, so it is less likely to slip.