DreamWear air flow

[Chilehead]

I normally use an airfit P10 nasal pillow mask, which I haven't had problems with. I thought I'd try the new DreamWear, which has gotten good reviews here, and I liked the hose coming off the back of my head instead of in front of my face.

I tried it a couple times, and I felt like I was struggling to get enough air. I had to "work" to pull in enough air, where I don't have to do that with the P10.

Any thoughts on how to make this better?

[garagelogician]

Have you ever used a regular nasal mask before? Or are you only used to pillows?

To be honest, I think it is only a matter of perception (i.e. it is in your head). You are getting the exact same air flow and pressure that you are getting with the P10, it just isn't being directly blown into your nostrils.

I'm a big guy, I sometimes breathe heavy, I've had no issues with "getting enough air" from the Dreamwear or any other mask. I think you just need to get acclimated to something other than nasal pillows.

Good luck!

[yippeekia]

I just tried it for the first time last night. I did not have this challenge at all. I found that I didn't feel the air pressure in the same way. It didn't feel as if there was as much air pressure, but once I verified that everything was working right, I was able to adjust to it. Did you verify that your settings were all the same?

[LSAT]

I normally use an airfit P10 nasal pillow mask, which I haven't had problems with. I thought I'd try the new DreamWear, which has gotten good reviews here, and I liked the hose coming off the back of my head instead of in front of my face.

I tried it a couple times, and I felt like I was struggling to get enough air. I had to "work" to pull in enough air, where I don't have to do that with the P10.

Any thoughts on how to make this better?

If you are struggling to get air, your pressure may be to low. What is the pressure range on your machine? Are you using Sleepyhead to check your data?

[bobmc]

What size nasal mask were you using? Large has a larger opening than the medium which has a larger opening that the small. That can have an impact.

[Chilehead]

Have you ever used a regular nasal mask before? Or are you only used to pillows?

To be honest, I think it is only a matter of perception (i.e. it is in your head). You are getting the exact same air flow and pressure that you are getting with the P10, it just isn't being directly blown into your nostrils.

I've only used the pillows before. I tried the mask again last night, and there is a big difference in effort to breath compared to not having the mask on, or using the pillows. The pillows I barely notice them being there. I don't like the effort for the mask. I'm not sure if my asthma plays a part in this perception.

[Chilehead]

If you are struggling to get air, your pressure may be to low. What is the pressure range on your machine? Are you using Sleepyhead to check your data?

The machine is set from 5-20. SH reports my average pressure is somewhere between 6-7. I could bump up the starting pressure I suppose, which I did when I first started with the pillows from a 4 to a 5 as I felt the same thing with the pillows.

[yippeekia]

I did change my ResMed S9 settings to reflect that it is a nasal mask instead of pillows. I wonder if that made it better.

[Pugsy]

I did change my ResMed S9 settings to reflect that it is a nasal mask instead of pillows. I wonder if that made it better.

Mask setting choices on the ResMed machines are mainly for excess leak calculations.
I haven't compared the vent rates with the DreamWear and my nasal pillows (actually never thought of it and never changed my machine) but I will try to do that today to see if it is likely to have made much of a difference in the reported leak rate. I don't think that it will be off by much, if any.

The ResMed machine uses the mask choice in conjunction with pressure to calculate expected vent rate and subtract that number prior to reporting leak. I suspect it starts with a generic number per mask choice and works from there. With nasal pillow masks having the smallest generic number and full face masks having the largest generic number because that's how intentional leak/vent rates work.

[Pugsy]

I just check the DreamWear vent rates with the P10 vent rates and for the most part they are so close that I doubt that the leak rate calculations are impacted much at all. And actually at the higher pressures the DreamWear vent rate is a little less than the P10.

[bobmc]

A possibility might be that you don't have the opening lined up precisely under your nostrils, so the effective opening might be reduced. Using this mask, I have once or twice found the cushion down a little toward my lip, and if I rotate it toward the end of my nose the airflow seems to increase.

[Chilehead]

I wanted to like it, but I returned it. I'm wondering if my breaths are too deep or something and anything other than a nasal pillow will have a hard time providing me with enough air. The feeling I had was like breathing through a paper bag. I could get enough air, but it was work. I don't feel that with the airfit P10, which I have no problems with as far as breathing or comfort, so I'll just stick with that. I wanted to have a second mask I could switch back and forth with, especially if I had any irritation from the nasal pillows.

[Rabbit54]

A possibility might be that you don't have the opening lined up precisely under your nostrils, so the effective opening might be reduced. Using this mask, I have once or twice found the cushion down a little toward my lip, and if I rotate it toward the end of my nose the airflow seems to increase.

This was my exact problem. I was struggling to fill my lungs, once i twisted the cushion towards the top of my nose evening opened up and breaking was easy. I was just not wearing it correctly. Love my dreamwear and love my cpap!

[Super zzz]

Make sure you do not tighten the head gear it will collapse the pillow.

[bobmc]

Struggled with the DreamWear mask for a while due to feelings of restricted airflow. This was worse when one side of my sinuses was congested (and worst when the wide-side of my deviated septum was congested).

The DreamWear has a triangular opening that covers both nostrils. If one side is congested/plugged, and if the mask isn't completely aligned, then the opening & air flow was reduced. I switched from a M to a L nasal cushion, with a larger opening, which eliminated my problem if one side was congested. I did have to tighten the straps slightly to avoid air leaks.

I also adjusted the temp/humidity settings on my CPAP to reduce congestion. I haven't had a congestion problem with CPAP until this year, when I switched to an AirSense 10 with heated hose.

The AirSense 10 in Auto climate mode runs at a set heat (80 degrees) & humidity (85%). Running in auto mode, I would wake up every morning with congested sinuses. I tried running it in manual, turning the humidity higher and hose warmer (since warmer air can hold more moisture without rainout). Still woke up congested.

Prior to this year, I had an unheated hose and would turn up the humidity to the rainout point if required to thin the mucus. Finally decided to run the AirSense 10 as if the hose was unheated, turning the hose temperature down to match the house temperature and adjusting the humidity down to the rainout point. Congestion problems went away!

I've only had things solved for about a week now, but during that week I had a 4-day span where my AHI #s were 0.10, 0.46, 0.13, and 0.00. It's only been a week since I got things straightened out, but I'm REALLY liking this mask.