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Mask Leak Observations
#1
Mask Leak Observations
So, last night was the worst night of sleep since the last time the electricity went out! Sad
I was fumbling to turn my machine off to go to the bathroom on Friday night, couldn't find the button and was swatting around for it (half asleep still). When I did make contact, I guess I hit it too hard! I woke up Saturday with one heck of a dry mouth and throat and then discovered that my humidifier was not working. In fact after investigating through the menus, the machine had no idea a humidifier existed! Long story short, due to financial reasons I needed to fix this myself. I did manage to fix the humidifier problem, but what I did not notice until bedtime was that it shot right up to 20 cmH2O! I thought my eyes were going to shoot across the room! The only thing I could do was to take it out of Auto and set it to a low pressure, I think I used 8, to try and get some sleep. Well even that was blowing my hair back, tried ramp, that didn't do anything either! So I slept on a straight setting of 8 cmH2O all night, inhaling, exhaling, begging, praying, whatever, it was 8...or it said it was, but I have my doubts! It turns out I did not get something put back right Oh-jeez and I fixed it today and it is working fine now, but I made an observation through all of this (God knows I had time for observations, I couldn't sleep!) and that was that I could not keep a seal for more than a minute or two! I'm betting with a FFM or one of the older style of nasal masks, like the ADAM Circuit I could have gotten a seal. I believe the nasal masks today with their flimsy construction are not made to take a constant, high pressure. Most of our machines today (yes, I too have a really old one in the closet, but I mean the newer models) have the ability to deliver a therapeutic pressure during the inhalation, then back off during other time so the masks are not subjected to the same stresses of a straight out constant pressure. So here is what I am kinda wondering about; a lot of folks have been saying that they have major leak problems even after adjusting their mask properly. Machines vary, but as an example, my machine has several different comfort setting with the A-Flax and CFlex or whatever (it has been set for so long I don't remember what they all are!). If you have a machine with these different settings, maybe it would help to experiment with these comfort settings and see if that helps you to achieve and maintain a seal. I have found (since last night) that seals just don't hold up to having to forcefully exhale against a gale of wind. Just my thought for the day! Thinking-about
Sleep Well! Grin
Mike

And just for the record I am also getting a battery pack ordered on Monday! We bought a new house and moved to a different part of the city and it seems our electricity provider cannot provide very well!
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#2
RE: Mask Leak Observations
What battery pack did you order?
Sweet Dreams,

HerbM
Sleep study AHI: 49 RDI: 60 -- APAP 10-11 w/AHI: 1.5 avg for 7-days (up due likely to hip replacement recovery)

"We can all breathe together or we will all suffocate alone."
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#3
RE: Mask Leak Observations
(02-23-2014, 03:55 PM)herbm Wrote: What battery pack did you order?

Herb, I haven't ordered it yet, but I am going to order from Supplier #2 and he only has the one listed, it is just a LIon battery and the stuff to go with. The cord from the machine to the battery pack has to be ordered separately because the machines are all different. By the time it is out the door it is around $300.
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#4
RE: Mask Leak Observations
I haven't ordered it yet,

Are you planing on traveling with the battery ? If your just looking for a home backup system there is cheaper ways to do it since weights not a issue . The pressure your at the lithium pack might last a night and can't run your humidifier . AGM battery's are cheaper and you can get one big enough to run your humidifier along with the blower unit . My system can run my 750p with humidifier for four 8hr nights and only be at 50% discharge on the battery . You have an advantage of being able to use 12v dc with out the need of a inverter or 12/24 converter . If your outages are only an hour or so use a computer UPS . Eat-popcorn
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#5
RE: Mask Leak Observations
(02-23-2014, 04:25 PM)JWR Wrote: I haven't ordered it yet,

Are you planing on traveling with the battery ? Eat-popcorn

Actually, yes. I thought it would be nice to have something I could use when we travel so I wanted something approved for flight, etc.

Also according to the calculations on the chart, even if I was running all the way at 20 it would still be good for 10 hours so I don't see that as a real problem.
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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#6
RE: Mask Leak Observations
have something I could use when we travel so I wanted something approved for flight, etc.

Also according to the calculations on the chart, even if I was running all the way at 20 it would still be good for 10 hours so I don't see that as a real problem.



If your traveling you defiantly don't want a agm battery at 18 - 100 plus pounds depending on the size . When you get your battery I would test it before you need it, to see how long it will last . Sometimes battery charts are off a bit to help them market them . just like laptop battery's I have yet to see one run for the advertized time , Ok maybe no programs running and back light so dim you can barely read it no cd rom and wireless off . Let us know how it holds up , Lithium battery's are the way to travel .

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#7
RE: Mask Leak Observations
I will definitely be testing it before I need it and it will be with the humidifier and all things as normal! It's not a real test unless you stress it a bit! Those batteries are so small now a days, it may be possible to pop two batteries in there and, wired properly, have twice the life!
And of course I will post whatever the outcome is.

Mike
As always, YMMV! You do not have to agree or disagree, I am not a professional so my mental meanderings are simply recollections of things from my own life.

PRS1 - Auto - A-Flex x2 - 12.50 - 20 - Humid x2 - Swift FX
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