RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
For me, early on, a nasal mask was the only kind I could tolerate. I was lucky in that I was quickly fitted with a nasal mask that felt comfortable to me and didn't leak easily. 12 years ago that was the ResMed Mirage Activa LT. I'm on my third one to this day. I'm now testing smaller "craddle" type nasal masks as I now find my Activa LT it quite bulky.
I'm one of the lucky people who doesn't mouth breathe at night. I have no mouth leaks and I don't inhale with my mouth. I had to make a real conscious effort early on but it was always pretty easy for me to use a nasal mask.
CPAP: ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset
Mask: ResMed Airfit N30
Diagnosed with severe apnea in 2009 (43+ events/hour with very long events)
RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
(10-26-2021, 05:18 PM)pixelyzed Wrote: I have no mouth leaks and I don't inhale with my mouth. I had to make a real conscious effort early on but it was always pretty easy for me to use a nasal mask.
That was why I never had success with the nasal mask. I had to make that conscious effort to keep my mouth shut while falling asleep but then my moth would open , air would leak through and wake me up. Tried taping my mouth one night and that really freaked me out. The claustrophobia with the tape forcing my mouth shut was intolerable.
RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
(10-26-2021, 01:58 PM)Nightynite Wrote: , I learned breathing through nose is the ticket (health wise) So I trained myself to breath
You have a point there because it is the nose that is equipped with the arsenal to keep pathogens out of the lungs such as hair and mucus, whereas the mouth passage has no hair (maybe some mucus, but that dries fast after a few minutes of only mouth breathing).
I think nature has equipped us with mouth breathing as a backup system for when the nose plugs up due to colds and other reasons.
If you have trained yourself to breath through the nose and keep your mouth shut while asleep, then that's great and I suppose nasal masks make sense for you.
10-26-2021, 07:29 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-26-2021, 07:33 PM by brianc18t.)
RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
I started with a Dreamwear nose pillow and thought it was comfortable but my mouth would always leak and I couldn't sleep well like that/my mouth would dry out and that is bad for oral hygiene.
Next I tried a Dreamwear full face and HATED it. It leaked really bad, didn't fit me well, and my AHI went from 1-4 to 5-15. I tried a Resmed F30i and thought it was really well constructed and more comfortable than the Dreamwear mask my AHI was still really high and preferred the less confining feel of the Deamwear pillow. I went back to the Dreamwear pillow and mouth tape and it worked really well for me except the 3M Micropore tape was too strong and would damage my skin sometimes and leave residue on my face which was a PITA to remove. With Cavilon it worked well enough and wouldn't remove my skin but it still left residue on my face. Once I found Hypafix/Cover Roll Stretch mouth taping worked REALLY well but over time I would get a little sore under my nose from the pillow mask.
Next I tried the Dreamwear gel cushion and it works really well with mouth tape. No sores, comfortable, and low AHI. I will still use the cushion version sometimes but only for a week or so as I will start to get a sore again. Nobody could figure out why my AHI's were so high will full face mask. I guess it may have pushed my lower jaw back a little or something.... IDK but nasal masks and tape are what works for me.
RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
(10-26-2021, 07:29 PM)brianc18t Wrote: Next I tried a Dreamwear full face and HATED it.
I have tried the entire range of dreamwear products and more than half of Resmed's. So far the only mask that I keep going back to is the Respironics DW FF:-)
It hardly ever leaks(the Resmed F30i being the closest leaked like a sieve for a month before I sent it back).
I have trained myself to breath through the nose even though I wear a FF mask and that works well for me. No need for taping my mouth either.
Funny how different people have such wide ranging preferences, ha?
RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
Some folks cannot use ffm’s. I have a neuromuscular disease that causes weak exhale. The ffm trials were a waste as I cannot exhale no matter the setting or style. My cheeks fill up like chipmunks and I physically have to lift an edge of the mask to let the air out. Every breath. Sleeping is impossible. As a former mouth breather, I taught myself to hold my tongue upwards. Then started pillows after the nasal masks were not useful. Been using pillows for 18 years, where as my fully bearded husband has no issues with ffms. Not everyone has the same need so you do you. I don’t use cumbersome chin straps but a good soft cervical collar for both husband and me has eliminated positional apnea and keeps my mouth mostly closed. YMMV.
10-27-2021, 09:29 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-27-2021, 09:29 PM by brianc18t.)
RE: What is the point of "Nasal Masks" ?
(10-26-2021, 08:31 PM)S. Manz Wrote: I have tried the entire range of dreamwear products and more than half of Resmed's. So far the only mask that I keep going back to is the Respironics DW FF:-)
It hardly ever leaks(the Resmed F30i being the closest leaked like a sieve for a month before I sent it back).
I have trained myself to breath through the nose even though I wear a FF mask and that works well for me. No need for taping my mouth either.
Funny how different people have such wide ranging preferences, ha?
It really is crazy. I guess it is just different face structures and such.
