Full Face masks becoming the default?

[englandsf]

Browsing this board it seems to me that many people are starting their CPAP life with full face masks - but I can't tell if that's the "standard operating procedure" for DME's nowadays.

There are seem to also be lots of comments by users that they were mouth breathers. Is that driving the FFM prevalence?

I wonder if we could ever hope that DMEs would just ask a couple of simple questions to try and do a better job - almost to start with pillows, then nasal masks then FFMs as that seems to promise a better and more comfortable experience. And perhaps t look at their sleeping positions too.

There has to be a better way to help folks with job 1 - the right mask and fit...

[49er]

Totally agree englandsf. I think there should be an extensive questionnaire about nasal/mouth breathing and sleeping habits. But I know I am living in fantasy-land.

49er

Browsing this board it seems to me that many people are starting their CPAP life with full face masks - but I can't tell if that's the "standard operating procedure" for DME's nowadays.

There are seem to also be lots of comments by users that they were mouth breathers. Is that driving the FFM prevalence?

I wonder if we could ever hope that DMEs would just ask a couple of simple questions to try and do a better job - almost to start with pillows, then nasal masks then FFMs as that seems to promise a better and more comfortable experience. And perhaps t look at their sleeping positions too.

There has to be a better way to help folks with job 1 - the right mask and fit...

[englandsf]

I'd be delighted to just see a couple of questions about how we sleep and if we can breathe through our noses before just pushing a mask type...

[Paralel]

I really couldn't use anything else, I am a hardcore mouth breather.

[Krelvin]

I wonder if we could ever hope that DMEs would just ask a couple of simple questions to try and do a better job - almost to start with pillows, then nasal masks then FFMs as that seems to promise a better and more comfortable experience. And perhaps t look at their sleeping positions too.

I think the use of FFM has more to do with the Sleep Study where a new user is introduced to CPAP for the first time. In my first study 8 years ago, there was no attempt to do a nasal mask and my latest the past month was the same though they attempted to use the same mask I was already using.

I know that when I was first given a machine, the mask provided was the same one listed in the Sleep Study.

Another chain in the process would be the Sleep Dr. I don't even recall talking to or meeting with a Sleep Dr the first time. I never saw one anytime for the first 8 years. The current one is good, uses CPAP himself which is interesting and did provide some input that might be good of a new user.

For me, the chance of using nasal simple would not have worked, both for the high pressures and that I definitely am a mouth breather.

[Ogeo]

I would love to try a nasal mask or pillows but from what I've read, with my high pressure ranging from 21 to 24 with my ASV, they would not work. I am having a terrible time finding a FFmask that I like and that doesn't leak like a sieve. At this time, I had more hours sleep each night before I knew I had sleep apnea. I will be going back to the DME again on Monday to see what else they have available.

When I got a copy of my Rx, I noticed the sleep doc had put on the Rx a specific mask, "Med AirFit Full Face Mask". The F10 is the one I used in my second titration study that I complained about leaking like crazy. They actually woke me up twice more during the night to adjust the mask. And that is the one that the doc (whom I never met) put on my rx. Luckily, the DME, has supplied other masks, but still no luck. I thought the Rx had to be generic to supply other types. Oh well. I'm a mouth breather with high pressure - what choice do I have? I am working on training myself not to breathe through my mouth, but that will take awhile.

[Krelvin]

Also, I don't think the DME has the patient's best interest in mind. Even this time around, I can't tell you how many times the DME said "the Dr wrote the RX for .... " They use that as an excuse to their advantage anytime they can.

Someone going in without having done any research before hand is at a extreme disadvantage because they don't know what is the norm, what the items are, how they work or even what their RX was or the sleep study results. They are at the mercy of someone who has a monetary reason to go what is best for the DME and not the patient.

[Krelvin]

Oh... things may have changed a bit. When I was fit for my first machine, the other patient that was there was given a nasal mask even though he said the Sleep study was done with a FFM. He didn't have a copy of the study and the RX he was told was for a nasal although I don't think they were able to show him the RX and he didn't have a copy of it. So when he said he thought he should be using a FFM, they said the RX didn't allow for that which in my opinion at the time was BS still is. He was an older guy in is late 50's early 60's a Veterinarian who had done no prep before the process.

[49er]

Hi Ogeo,

How do you know you are a mouth breather with high pressure? Did you try a nasal pillow or nasal mask?

Also, does your pressure range from 21 to 24 or are you saying it occasionally reaches those numbers? If that is the case, then nasal pillows will definitely work if you can use them comfortably.

Regarding full face masks, have you tried liners? They didn't work for me but they seem to do for quite a few people.

49er

I would love to try a nasal mask or pillows but from what I've read, with my high pressure ranging from 21 to 24 with my ASV, they would not work. I am having a terrible time finding a FFmask that I like and that doesn't leak like a sieve. At this time, I had more hours sleep each night before I knew I had sleep apnea. I will be going back to the DME again on Monday to see what else they have available.

When I got a copy of my Rx, I noticed the sleep doc had put on the Rx a specific mask, "Med AirFit Full Face Mask". The F10 is the one I used in my second titration study that I complained about leaking like crazy. They actually woke me up twice more during the night to adjust the mask. And that is the one that the doc (whom I never met) put on my rx. Luckily, the DME, has supplied other masks, but still no luck. I thought the Rx had to be generic to supply other types. Oh well. I'm a mouth breather with high pressure - what choice do I have? I am working on training myself not to breathe through my mouth, but that will take awhile.

[englandsf]

Great points Krelvin, at my titration study they had a newish FFM and a tatty looking set of pillows and that pushed me towards a FFM. After a month of claustrophobia and leaks I discovered nasal rinsing and now use a tiny nasal pillow and am very comfortable. My pressure is a 10-20 range but tends to stay below 12 most nights with AHI's of 1-2 and leaks of less than 5 lpm worse case.

[ChicagoGranny]

Browsing this board it seems to me that many people are starting their CPAP life with full face masks - but I can't tell if that's the "standard operating procedure" for DME's nowadays.

If you have a titration study, the sleep lab will fit you with the mask they think is appropriate and a good sleep doc will include a recommendation for the type of mask.

Why are you allowing the DME to select the mask? Rely on the doc to start with and then make your own choice based on experience.

[jwerley]

I really couldn't use anything else, I am a hardcore mouth breather.

I am a hard core mouth breather and could never use a full face mask.....

[englandsf]

ChicagoGranny - my sleep doc and his PA have never discussed equipment with me. The tech gave me mask choices (kinda) at titration but I foolishly thought I was mouth breather and ASKED for an F10 FFM when I was supplied with my machine. It was only after that drove me crazy that I found this board, got the idea to try nasal rinsing then was able to switch to pillows.

You're right the sleep doc should have much more input on the set up process but they don't make money on the equipment so...

[ChicagoGranny]

I am a hard core mouth breather

If a chin strap and chin-ups work, then you are not hard core.

[Goofproof]

I don't think DME's push Full Face masks, I wish they were smart enough to push them. Many of us using XPAP mouthbreath, by pushing Nasal Masks only to mouthbreathers, they are dooming them to poor treatment. Making them into the vast number of failed XPAP users.

I'm sure the profit margin is higher on nasal masks, even so by giving a incorrect nasal mask, to a mouthbreather, you can be assured of the sale of a different nasal mask to try to correct the poor treatment.

In reality, we all need both types of masks that work, and a full data machine to get our treatment correct, and even know the difference. JIM