Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

Mask Leak vs Comfort
#1
Mask Leak vs Comfort
Hi all,

I was diagnosed with an AHI of 118 (I know, right?) and started cpap on a ResMed Airsense 10 about 30 days ago. Pressure around 12. With therapy, the summary data suggests my AHI is between 1 and 3 depending on the night, and I now need 4 hours less sleep a night to feel rested! yAy!

My only complaint is with my mask. I use a whisper nose mask. I have a large skull, so my gear is near the limits of being loosened. but I do have a little room to adjust. That being said, the pressure of the nose mask pressing on my lip is driving me crazy!

How much air leak is ok? I would love to loosen the mask a bit and allow more leak, but I am not sure what is an ok upper bound. I have been keeping it at around 6 L/min.
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
With a Resmed machine the leak rate reported is the unintentional leak rate without the vent rate figured into it. Resmed says that leaks up to 24 l/min can be tolerated by the machine but I would not want mine to be in the 20s. I would think that you would be fine if your leak rate was 10-12 l/min maybe even 16. You might even find that loosening the lower straps up a little might reduce leaks.

have phun.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
(09-06-2016, 10:03 PM)LucidSnorer Wrote: I was diagnosed with an AHI of 118 (I know, right?)

We really do need a High Score board. 118 is a contender!

And
Welcome
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
Hi LucidSnorer and welcome to the forum!

Sounds like you are adapting to being a hosehead well and feeling rested with less sleep is one indication that therapy is working. Have you tried other masks? Finding a mask that you like and is comfortable and that allows a low leak rate is important. Masks are such an individual thing. Perhaps you might want to look at some nasal pillow masks? The P10's are very popular and worth a look.

Good luck and hope you have continued success!
APNEABOARD - A great place to be if you're a hosehead!!  Rolleyes  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT BEGINS WITH THE DECISION TO TRY!
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
G'day LucidSnorer, welcome to Apnea Board.

As mentioned above, the Resmed machines can tolerate a leak up to 24 L/min, but I agree with Payton that would be too high to accept on a continual basis. Apart from the reduction in therapy efficiency, persistent leaks can be annoying and disturb your sleep, or your partner's. By all means play around with the strap tension to get comfortable, but it might be you need a different type of mask. Getting a comfortable mask which doesn't leak is the hardest single thing about CPAP.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
Trying different masks seems like a good idea. I now have six (three via generous insurance and three on my own dime). If you have a DME that will let you try others, that would be a good route. I have the F&P Eson nasal mask and I am very happy with it. The F&P machines are not as popular, but they sure do make good masks!

If you are buying the masks out of pocket, are not finicky about using a mask that has touched the face of another human, Google for a product called Mask Bright and click the Shop link. Is a sleep lab that is selling off used masks. The deals are good, IMO. I bought three from them and they were in like new condition.
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
Hi LucidSnorer,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hopefully, you can get the mask you are using now to work for you. But if you just can't get used to it, don'g be shy about asking to try different masks, it is the most challenging part of this therapy.
Good luck to you on your CPAP journey and hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
According to Sleeptime and my cpap, my air leaks are minor. Unfortunate they are either right around my nose and blow into my eye and wake me immediately. Or else the leaks are elsewhere where they whistle and wake both my partner and myself. Unless I take a sleeping pill, I don't get more then 2 or 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I started using a cpap more than 9 months ago I have tried 5 different masks and my original resmed fit 10 is still the best in terms of comfort and leakage. Unfortunately it also rubs my nose to the point that after a week it's irritated and breaks out, it's very red and it hurts even when I don't wear the mask. Because of the leaks, I sleep better without the mask.
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
Have you tried your Resmed N10 mask with a mask liner. Mask liners are available from almost any of the online suppliers. There are single use mask liners or multiple use mask liners from someplace like Padacheek or you can make your own from old Tshirt material. One of the things that I found helped prevent the irritation was a cotton round available at the drug store cut in half and thinned out. Place this half round in the area where the irritation occurs.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#10
RE: Mask Leak vs Comfort
LucidDreamer - I wonder if your mask is the Philips Respironics Wisp mask? I found that there is a 'Large' size headgear for that mask for people with big heads - my hat size is 7-7/8, and one size fitzall doesn't. I found the headgear specifications on line, and I can't remember where. I do remember that I had to be quite persistent with my DME before they found it in the catalogue. It fit and worked quite well until my mouth started opening at night.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Mouth leak with new machine LaraM 0 32 8 hours ago
Last Post: LaraM
  Airsense 10 - AHI account for leak rate? FriedRice 9 240 Yesterday, 06:16 AM
Last Post: FriedRice
  AirSense 10 leak rate baseline issue Phil7 6 1,411 03-25-2024, 05:49 AM
Last Post: FriedRice
  Fixed mask leak, but flow limit seems to be increasing AHI emile.leplattenier 3 142 03-19-2024, 11:00 AM
Last Post: staceyburke
  Large leak panic sleepingbetterinFl 3 153 03-19-2024, 07:48 AM
Last Post: sleepingbetterinFl
  Please, need help reading the leak rate and LL info chronic 4 135 03-18-2024, 08:05 AM
Last Post: chronic
  2 weeks in. Mask leak and flow limit Jojo1982 11 672 02-22-2024, 01:51 PM
Last Post: Jojo1982


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.