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Make Leak Advice/Help
#1
Make Leak Advice/Help
Hello, 

I'm new to this forum and to the world of sleep apnea. I've only been using a machine for a week and a half now and it's not going so well. For some reason, day two was amazing and every other day has been terrible. 

I have severe sleep apnea (75/hr) so the pressure goes pretty high when I'm asleep and leaks like crazy. 

The problem is when I test masks with my DME provider, they fit well with no leaks and everything seems good. I come home, go to bed and get crazy leaks.  
I've only done this with two masks now, but the current one seemed very promising. It's a ResMed F20 (first one was F10) and she tested it at 17cm and I even laid down on their bed in all the usual positions and everything was good. Got home and it was a different story trying to sleep.

I know finding the right mask is a process and have read and watched many posts/articles/videos on fitting a mask, so it's already beyond frustrating when I can't get a mask to seal that worked at my DME. 

Anyway, just not sure where to go from here, especially since I can't exchange this mask since I already did and have tried everything to get a good seal with it.
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#2
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
I have a nasal mask, I find any blockage in the nasal passage causes it to leak, try clearing nasal passages with saline. It seems to me it needs you lungs to inflate and act as a damper, without this the pressure just builds in the mask until the inevitable leak. The mask shouldn’t need to be very tight, trying to cure a leak by overtightening doesn’t work ask any plumber.
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#3
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
Welcome to the forum


We need some help here to help you.  Where is it leaking?  Can you post a daily chart.  (leave a space in the url htt p://imgur.xxxxxx.png) The daily chart will provide info on what you are experiencing.

FYI, Severe Apnea does not mean high pressures.  You are an individual and you pressure needs are determined by your anatomy.  A mild Apnea may require high pressures and a severe apnea may require low pressures.

It sounds like you have done your research but I need to mention the Mask Primer.  

Fred
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#4
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
Hi JonnyCPAP,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
The mask is the most challenging part of this therapy, so don’t be shy about asking to try as many masks as you need to, ‘till you find one that works well.
Good luck to you on your CPAP journey, hang in there for more answers to your questions.
trish6hundred
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#5
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
Have you tried the Dreamwear nasal mask? That mask has worked amazingly well for me.
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#6
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
(09-11-2017, 04:32 AM)Adam* Wrote: I have a nasal mask, I find any blockage in the nasal passage causes it to leak, try clearing nasal passages with saline. It seems to me it needs you lungs to inflate and act as a damper, without this the pressure just builds in the mask until the inevitable leak. The mask shouldn’t need to be very tight, trying to cure a leak by overtightening doesn’t work ask any plumber.

I'll have to try that, I do get randomly stuffy in my nose before bed most nights. 

(09-11-2017, 09:14 AM)bonjour Wrote: Welcome to the forum


We need some help here to help you.  Where is it leaking?  Can you post a daily chart.  (leave a space in the url htt p://imgur.xxxxxx.png) The daily chart will provide info on what you are experiencing.

FYI, Severe Apnea does not mean high pressures.  You are an individual and you pressure needs are determined by your anatomy.  A mild Apnea may require high pressures and a severe apnea may require low pressures.

It sounds like you have done your research but I need to mention the Mask Primer.  

Fred

It leaks from the sides and bottom, but mostly sides it seems like. 

Here's a daily: htt p://take.ms/Sau6r
Not sure if there's a better way to show a daily, just took a screenshot. 

Interesting, good to know, I didn't know that about server apnea and different pressures. 

Read the Mask Primer before, especially the Fitting Mask section, but with no luck. 

(09-11-2017, 04:48 PM)kingstar Wrote: Have you tried the Dreamwear nasal mask? That mask has worked amazingly well for me.

I haven't but it looks really nice and I like the tube on top. I will definitely check that out if I switch to a nasal. Which is my hope.
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#7
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
htt p://take.ms/Sau6r works,  I put IMG tags around it.
[Image: Sau6r]

Now you need to enable the event flags, That is on the lower left of the charts, click the dropdown and enable every thing. Also hide the smiley face.

But that is how.
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#8
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
My mother struggled with mask leaks for over a year. It was a game changer when I read about mask liners on this forum. It eliminated the trumpet sounding leaks and allowed her to wear the mask for 8+ hrs. A year plus later we have a resurgence of some leak issues that I have posted about. But, bottom line, look into mask liners (like Remzzzs). You can get a sample pack before you buy a month's supply. Not covered by insurance but worth it to sleep.
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#9
RE: Make Leak Advice/Help
(09-11-2017, 09:07 PM)bonjour Wrote: htt p://take.ms/Sau6r works,  I put IMG tags around it.

Now you need to enable the event flags, That is on the lower left of the charts, click the dropdown and enable every thing.  Also hide the smiley face.

But that is how.


Thanks, got the flags on now.
htt p://take.ms/otOcx

(09-11-2017, 09:47 PM)regbeach Wrote: My mother struggled with mask leaks for over a year. It was a game changer when I read about mask liners on this forum.  It eliminated the trumpet sounding leaks and allowed her to wear the mask for 8+ hrs.   A year plus later we have a resurgence of some leak issues that I have posted about. But, bottom line, look into mask liners (like Remzzzs). You can get a sample pack before you buy a month's supply.  Not covered by insurance but worth it to sleep.

The Remzzzs liners look really interesting and effective. It's pretty much the only thing I can try at this point so thanks!
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