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+--- Thread: help humidity in quattro FX full face (/Thread-help-humidity-in-quattro-FX-full-face)
help humidity in quattro FX full face - paul thomas condon - 06-08-2019
hi my name is paul.sorry about length of post.i live in a remote part of northern australia.i as diagnosed with severe sleep apnea with AHIs of around 48.after sleep study given resmed elite 9 cpap machine.little to no follow up treatment.pretty much a self learning curve.doctors few and far between with little or no experience in sleep apnea.started with nasal pillows but realized i needed fullface as i mouth breath.My bench mark is to get my AHIs to under 4s been a stuggle.First full face had fixed cushion seal.Its hot and humid here.the glues they use to fix seals are not worth sh*t in this enviroment same as adjustable valcross harness.At present trying to make a QUATTRO FX work.changed harness to dive mask no mask leeks.On medical ph advise upped CPAP pressure setting to 14. AHIs still between 12-20.SEaled venting holes in mask replaced cushion seal switched off EPR function and H5i humidifier.AHIs down to 1-2.5 good my obstuctive apnea seems to need constant pressure without exhalation relief.Have dropped CPAP pressure to 10 no change to AHI.But now after a few hrs of use get humidity build up on inside of mask that awakens me.Anyone got any advice. New full facemask, new machine with data reader that might actually work in these conditions if so one with 12v capacity.I WANT SLEEP APNEA TO SOMETHING I CAN LIVE WITH NOT A SENTENCE ANY HELP GRATEFULLY RECIEVED
RE: help humidity in quattro FX full face - DeepBreathing - 06-08-2019
G'day Paul. Welcome to Apnea Board.
Just to help me understand your situation a bit better can you give me an idea of where you are and what living situation (eg in a town, mining camp, whatever).
paul thomas condon Wrote:SEaled venting holes in mask
This is a really bad idea. The vent holes are there to flush out expelled CO2. If you seal the vents the CO2 has nowhere to go except to either leak out or be re-breathed, Re-breathing CO2 is a definite no-no!
From what you've written above it sounds like you've now got the AHI under control but your main issue is the humidity and mask comfort. You can completely remove the humidifier and plug the non-heated hose directly into the blower unit - that way you are only getting ambient humidity. You might also want to try a less confining mask such as a Resmed P10 or P30 nasal pillows. These minimise the amount of mask in contact with your face, which might improve your comfort.
https://www.resmed.com/au/en/consumer/products/masks/airfit-p10.html
https://www.resmed.com/au/en/consumer/products/mask-series/airfit-30-series/airfit-p30i.html
It would help us to help you if you could share some data from your machine. Download and install the OSCAR program and upload some daily charts. You'll need an SD card in your machine - it should have come with one, but if not just get the cheapest you can find at JB HiFi or Hardly Normal. It's important you organise the charts to give the relevant data (see the link below).
Download OSCAR here: https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/
Oscar help: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=OSCAR_Help
Organise your charts: http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=OSCAR_Chart_Organization
paul thomas condon Wrote:I WANT SLEEP APNEA TO SOMETHING I CAN LIVE WITH NOT A SENTENCE ANY HELP GRATEFULLY RECIEVED
That's what we're all about here at Apnea Board. Many many people come here despairing about their apnea, but many now regard it as just another part of life. Brush your teeth, put on the mask, sleep. Feel much better.
Best regards
Paul
RE: help humidity in quattro FX full face - paul thomas condon - 06-09-2019
MANY thanks deep breathing. live on cape york 1hr to cooktown 4hrs to cairns.In last month have installed oscar so can now access data on resmed elite 9 .have taken tape of vent holes .will see how it affects AHIs and or humidity .i have disconnected humidifier already. been about 2 years trying to find a full face mask with detachable cushions and a harness that lasts more then two months.its only the last few weeks that i have got AHIs under 4.my objective is to get AHIs consistently under 4 with an average sleep period of + 6hrs.at the moment have resmed elite 9 resmedH5i quattroFX full face mask.how often should cushion seals be replaced.
RE: help humidity in quattro FX full face - DeepBreathing - 06-09-2019
OK, that's getting pretty remote. And hot & humid. I've never been north of the Daintree myself - beautiful part of the world.
Quote:how often should cushion seals be replaced.
In the US they change them every month, which I think is highly excessive. I keep mine about 6 - 9 months, just replace them when they start losing the seal or get a bit yellowish. You can extend the life of the masks by giving them a daily wash - just a quick once over with warm soapy water then rinse and air-dry. Also ensure you have your face very clean before going to bed so that sweat or oil from your skin doesn't accumulate on the cushion. I also run the shaver over quickly so there's no stubble to abrade the mask. These things are probably more important in your environment.
You could also try a mask liner - basically a piece of soft fabric which sits between your skin and the mask. It makes things more comfortable and can absorb some of the excess moisture. Do a search for Pad-a-cheek and Remzz. Or make your own from an old t-shirt.
You should also consider the pillows type mask I mentioned above unless there's a reason you really need a full face mask?
RE: help humidity in quattro FX full face - Melman - 06-09-2019
The recommendation from the suppliers is monthly changes. Many of us go much longer. I've been using the same F20 cushion for 27 months. It's discolored but seals as well as ever.