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Also, if you search for your specific mask on YouTube, you'll find videos showing how to adjust it.
Many of us starting out have found it helpful to spend with CPAP on while reading or watching television in order to get used to the sensations before trying to sleep with it. I did that for two or three days initially.
RE: At 74 years old - I could do with some help please.
Hi Ben.
Cushions (masks) can be a very difficult thing to settle on. I used to use a RedMed F20 and liked it at first. But my face measured precisely between the medium and large sizes. And neither really worked consistently well. I could use an F20 as a backup if necessary. I later found the ResMed F30 and have been using it for several years. I really like the way it functions and the openness of the upper nose and eye area.
I did product reviews on both and may be found here:
Many different styles exist. I hope you can find a winner quickly. I thought I was going to be heavily invested on a drawer full of ill-fitting masks with no joy of anything usable. I've been told my puppy snout was to blame (see my avatar).
Anyway, you can read many more product reviews as posted by AB Members here:
There are a few mask models that seem to be more popular than others, and the ones mentioned throughout this thread will probably be in the fan favorite list. If you have a DME that will let you try different models, that would be great. You can also check the CPAP Supplier List and contact sellers to see if they have a try-before-you-buy policy. I believe some of them do. Probably most do not. But worth investigating.
OK. Now you are drinking CPAP information from a firehose. Please keep us posted. I wish you quick success in all regards of finding your optimal combination of xPAP products and settings.
RayBee ~ Self-Treatment - via ApneaBoard experts. ~ Self-Pay - no help from Kaiser other than getting my script, then a pat on the butt and out the door. ~ Self-Educated - via ApneaBoard experts, its many users, and posted reference material. ~ Complex Apnea - All Night AHI=34.2/h, Supine AHI=45.5/h ~ Using a 2021 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max, 32 GB, 1 TB, macOS Monterey V12.6.2. ~ Pay no attention to the dog behind the cup, he ain't a docta, and does not give medical advise. ~ Woof, woof.
RE: At 74 years old - I could do with some help please.
One more change, but Opal nailed the mask issue. Too tight is a very common issue for new pap users and often the mask is the hardest thing to get right.
Your flow limits are high, please set EPR=3, that's it for now.
Gideon - Project Manager and Lead Tester for OSCAR - Open Source CPAP Analysis Reporter
RE: At 74 years old - I could do with some help please.
Hi Ben,
Just seen your first graph as had family over. I will try be as brief as possible and keep it to bullet points hopefully avoid giving you "information overload".
Your graphs are perfect with the key elements well in place.
Your settings at the moment are pretty good and avoid changing too much until the leaks environment is under control. (Leaks distort the workings of the algorithm and can increase pressure and general discomfort, as well as falsifying results)
Masks and leaks are big subjects. I will just focus on "too loose or too tight". Lying down with your mask on, then switch on the machine. On the screen, watch the pressures build up and start to stabilise a bit. Lying on the pillow, move your head a bit from side to side,. maybe pushing a bit with your finger to see where the point is that leaking occurs. Then tighten to a minimum until the leaks stop. I wouldn't do this using the run ask fit option as would be blasting probably at maximum machine pressure. Also you get an idea on how the indicated pressure values feel.
Mask choice is very much an individual thing. I found FFM difficult with the air noise from the outlet port. I use a pillows mask with a diffuser on the outlet port which acts as a silencer. So quiet so I can sleep. Only downside is that my mouth drops down during deep sleep and air rushes out. Got to tape it up. Got used to it pretty quickly.
Sorry, lots to absorb in a short time, and you will select what is best for you. All will settle down soon.
RE: At 74 years old - I could do with some help please.
Hi Expat31
Many thanks for your advice and comment , its really appreciated , finding the correct mask and then sorting out any leaks is some thing that I’m really hoping I can achieve. Last night I wore my full face mask for the first time , it reminded me of photographs that my dear old dad use to show me when he was a WWII fighter pilot .
