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Switching Masks
#1
Switching Masks
Greetings everyone !!

About a month ago my sleep study showed severe apnea, AHI 82 with mean duration 25 sec. Immediately I started therapy with Resmed S9 Autoset and Mirage FX nasal mask and so far everything is fine and I wake up in the morning feeling great. I don't find necessary to use Ramp function and I start immediately with the min pressure of 8cm. I had nasal congestion for a couple of nights as I caught cold and I ordered Quattro Air to have as a backup mask. I used it the last 2 nights and it works fine too with almost zero leaks but AHI is significantly higher. With Mirage FX leaks were higher but AHI almost zero, I don't know if this is common when changing between masks.

Here is a printscreen from ResScan and I think that I am doing quite well for newcomer.

lh4.googleusercontent.com/-230jOL9Wps4/U1y8agwSgjI/AAAAAAAAAJY/VQaEQJVQ4i0/w1099-h731-no/ResScan.jpg

(As a newcomer I cannot insert image or URL so copy/paste URL to your browser)

Anyway thanks for the information I have found here and I apologize for my English as it is not my native language.
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#2
RE: [split] Switching Masks
Hi Yannis. Welcome to the forum. Switching masks can make your AHI change. As can just about anything. You'll see it go back down, though, as your body adjusts to the new situation.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#3
RE: [split] Switching Masks
Thanks Sleepster and I am sorry if I posted to wrong thread, I just wanted to share my good results.

I will keep using Quattro Air for a week and see how it goes. Anyway as I intend to use it as a backup mask I don't think that the elevated AHI will be a problem.
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#4
RE: [split] Switching Masks
yannis,

Welcome.

For the rest of the forum, here's the graph from ResScan:
[Image: ResScan.jpg]

Quote:Immediately I started therapy with Resmed S9 Autoset and Mirage FX nasal mask and so far everything is fine and I wake up in the morning feeling great.
...
I had nasal congestion for a couple of nights as I caught cold and I ordered Quattro Air to have as a backup mask. I used it the last 2 nights and it works fine too with almost zero leaks but AHI is significantly higher. With Mirage FX leaks were higher but AHI almost zero, I don't know if this is common when changing between masks.
Several comments:

1) On the S9 that you are using there is a MASK setting that tells the machine (roughly) what the expected leak rate for the given mask is. Since FFM like the Quattro Air typically have higher leak rates than nasal masks, it's important that you remember to set the MASK setting correctly when you change masks.

2) If the mask settings are correct on both sets of data, then yes, you have fewer leaks with the Quattro. But for the most part your leaks with the Mirage FX are quite acceptable. Your median leak rate is always well under the 24 L/min line and your 95% leak rate is almost always under the 24 L/min line when using the Mirage FX.

3) Because the leaks with the Mirage FX are within acceptable limits, the choice of your "go-to" mask for an average night should be based on comfort. If you are more comfortable with the Mirage FX, then (in the long run) you will get better sleep with it, even if the leaks are a bit higher.
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#5
RE: [split] Switching Masks
Thanks Robysue, I changed mask setting to full face when I switched masks so graphs are ok. I intend to use Mirage FX as primary and Quattro Air when my nose is clogged.

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#6
RE: [split] Switching Masks
I'm struck by how low your leak rate is with the FFM for just beginning to use it. It makes me wonder if you might be tightening it up too much. It's great that you have a low leak rate, that is a goal. But it's also important to not screw these things down so much that our brain thinks it's in a vise.

I approach this much like you do in that I have always been unable to breath well through my nose. It gets all stuffed up just thinking about it. So I use the P10 pillows mask for when it's not stuffed up, and the Air ffm for when it is. What I have discovered however, is that hooking my nose up to the pillows mask it magically stays clear all night! So I have not have occasion to go back to the ffm in a couple of months now. If I get a bad cold that will likely change, but in the meantime my poor little Air FFm just sits in its baggie with nothing to do.
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#7
RE: [split] Switching Masks
I am tightening the mask just to make a seal, cushion can inflate when I turn S9 on and I can feel it moving due to EPR. I even lowered EPR to 2 as I found this movement a bit annoying. It seems that the combination mask / face shape plays significant role to seal. With Mirage FX I didn't get the same results even though cushion material is the same.
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#8
RE: [split] Switching Masks
(04-27-2014, 11:30 AM)yannis Wrote: I even lowered EPR to 2 as I found this movement a bit annoying.
Me too find it annoying too, I turn it off

As for nasal congestion, get humidifier (profile shows none), adding moisture and breathing warmed air helps and reduces the symptoms of nasal congestion, should have zero tolerance to nasal congestion

Probably prices in Greece are as bad as in Australia, I get my supplies from Supplier #10, both suppliers #2 and #10 ship outside US
Suppliers List http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...plier-List

Talk to your doctor, there,re some OTC decongestants nasal sprays but should not be used for more 3 days because of the rebound effects, saline nasal rinses helps too

I would not worry about AHI at this stage. Leak is better with full face mask (cover nose and mouth) because you,re breathing through your mouth oppose to nasal mask (cover nose only) where you,e breathing through your nose but if your nose is blocked and as you open your mouth to breathe, therapy air escape too. Leak = mask leak plus mouth leak

Chinstrap helps keeps mouth closed while using nasal mask but not going prevent mouth leaks as you,ll open your mouth to breathe if not getting enough air through the nose and allow therapy air escape through the mouth









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#9
RE: [split] Switching Masks
Thanks zonk, I used saline nasal rinses but didn't do much and I don't want to use decongestants.

Prices can't be worst anywhere in the world than in Greece. I paid 1600 US$ (1150 Euros) for S9 and Mirage FX. H5i sells for 400US$. Fortunately insurance covered about 1100$ but I had to buy it locally. If I decide to buy H5i I will definitely order it from US as my insurance will not cover anything else, unfortunately not even replacement filters or cushions.

I had no problem with my nasal mask until I caught cold and then only for a couple of days so I am not sure that I really need a humidifier if I manage to use Mirage FX most of the time and Quattro Air occasionally.
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#10
RE: [split] Switching Masks
(04-27-2014, 04:37 PM)yannis Wrote: I had no problem with my nasal mask until I caught cold and then only for a couple of days so I am not sure that I really need a humidifier if I manage to use Mirage FX most of the time and Quattro Air occasionally.
Not everyone uses humidifier but I can not use CPAP without the humidifier especially now as the nights getting colder
Breathing cold air all night dry up nasal passages, everyone is different


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