+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: Arrrrrgghh! (/Thread-Arrrrrgghh)
Arrrrrgghh! - Stroppy - 09-14-2014
I have been using my Simplus medium mask for a while now with and without a chin strap. No matter how I tension it I get leaks around the top of the nose. It's infuriating! Why can't someone invent a leak proof mask?
I'm sure someone could engineer a way of using the machine's back pressure to create suction in the silicon seal to hold it fast and perhaps a set of fine membranes to create extra baffles against leakage.
Arrrrggghhh!
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - Peter_C - 09-14-2014
I too love the simplus, but find that it is leaking around the top of my nose. It is quite sad as it is my most comfortable mask otherwise.
I use a Quattro 'Air' cinched down very tightly (to the point that the headgear seams are coming apart), which also leaves marks around my nose - and normally I never have any marks from mask wearing. I switch between the too - when I need a break from the 'Air'. If I loosen the 'Air' mask at all I get leaks all over, yet the Simplus can be worn rather loosely ('cept for the nose leaks, which there is no help for).
My very favorite mask is a 'Wisp', but as air hisses out my lips, leaks become uncontrolled. A chinstrap and I do not get along, it is not my mouth falling open -air simply escapes through my lips.
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - surferdude2 - 09-14-2014
(09-14-2014, 02:10 PM)Peter_C Wrote: the Simplus can be worn rather loosely ('cept for the nose leaks, which there is no help for)
Cut a small patch (approx. 3" X 3") from an old tee shirt and use it to cover the nose area when placing the SimPlus to your face. Cut the top a little narrower to keep it from falling into your eyes. It won't stop the leak (just diffuses it) but you won't feel or hear it any more. Leaks in that area are particularly bothersome but usually are of very low volume and don't affect the therapy.
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - Peter_C - 09-14-2014
(09-14-2014, 02:16 PM)surferdude2 Wrote:(09-14-2014, 02:10 PM)Peter_C Wrote: the Simplus can be worn rather loosely ('cept for the nose leaks, which there is no help for)
Cut a small patch (approx. 3" X 3") from an old tee shirt and use it to cover the nose area when placing the SimPlus to your face. Cut the top a little narrower to keep it from falling into your eyes. It won't stop the leak (just diffuses it) but you won't feel or hear it any more. Leaks in that area are particularly bothersome but usually are of very low volume and don't affect the therapy.
I will need to get off my butt and try that. I tried mask liners - which just upset my sleep even more. I am tempted to get some of that liquid rubber, and try to build up the area, but I fear ruining the mask.
Sidenote: I do find that if I can control the leaks that my therapy overall is much, much better, both sleep-wise and number-wise. So for me, it's all about chasing leaks.
Many times I wake up only to find the bottom half of my FFM in my mouth -DUH! But again, I can't do chip-straps either...
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - surferdude2 - 09-14-2014
I'm sure it'll work for you since I had the same experience with the SimPlus mask. It's a great mask for those with a fairly flat face but if you have a prominate cheek bone, it will high center on that and not fit the nose area very well. Nothing like a jet stream of cold air blasting in your eyes to get your attention!
Good luck.
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - archangle - 09-14-2014
I always thought someone should make a mask attachment that glues on like the pro-vent did. I understand that some of Sullivan's original testing involved gluing a connection to the face.
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - vsheline - 09-14-2014
(09-14-2014, 01:38 PM)Stroppy Wrote: I have been using my Simplus medium mask for a while now with and without a chin strap. No matter how I tension it I get leaks around the top of the nose. It's infuriating!
Haven't worn the Simplus yet, but I find that some FFMs need a gel pad near the eyes and across the bridge of the nose.
I got good results from the ResMed Gecko nasal gel pad. This gel pad is thicker than ones sold over the counter at the corner drug store and for me completely stopped leaking around the eyes, and I could wear the mask straps looser, so that the bridge of my nose didn't get sore from the straps being too tight.
I think most insurance companies cover these, one per month. If our insurance does not, Supplier #2 on our Supplier List has them for $16, I think. The generic ones at the drug store would be about half that much, I think.
RE: Arrrrrgghh! - Stroppy - 09-14-2014
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions...I'll give them a go.