I think I'm graduating!

To a full face mask.

I love the Swift II. And I do ok with the ComfortLite 2. But lately I've been waking up for reasons I didn't understand. I talked to my wife about it and she said, "maybe it's when your mouth opens and the air hisses out"

huh?

my mouth opens?

Ok... so I'm getting old and become a slack-jaw.

So we were out to dinner tonight and my wife notices a new place opened up called CPAP Xpress. She asked if I wanted to go "see what tehy got" and I said, "sure".

I mean ... why not, right?

So they let me try on some full face masks. Try on... is one thing. We all know this. But how's it going to be under pressure? Well... he asks me my pressure and I tell him. He sets a remstar M series at 8cm and hooks up the mask. I tried a Quatro and I tried an Ultra Mirage. The Quatro.... didn't seal so great. Not terrible, but leaked around the corners of my mouth. Fiddled with it a bit and it still leaked. Tried on a Ultra Mirage, pressurized it... wow. Sealed right up. No leaks. The Ultra Mirage vents UP... not out. So my wife says, "Hey... if you roll over, facing me, you won't be blowing i my face. You want that one!"

heheheh... so ... I bought one. The guy got a brand new boxed one and he charged my insurance company 50% (I have 50% co-pay on these and he validated teh request with them first so we knew for sure)

Gotta say this is the best experience I've ever had at a brick and mortar. And... they are an "in plan provider".

Before I left he said, "Some people have had issues with breaking the quick-clips on the head gear. If that happens, just come in and we'll give you new ones. I think it has to do with how you are taking the mask off so pay attention to how you can get it on and off without putting sideways pressure on the clips and you should be fine."

So tonight will be my first night ever in a full face mask. I feel like a fighter pilot. Wish me luck.

Now that's some DME! Wish we had one of those here! I've tried lots of masks--nasal, full face, nasal pillows. I keep coming back to my Ultra Mirage FFM. I get excellent results with it, low AHI, low leaks, no pressure points on the upper lip like I had with other types of interfaces, and no sore nose bridge. Hope it works as well for you!

I've owned several of the UMFF's never had a clip break, that was when they first came out, but they fixed that a long time ago.

keep an eye on allergies and nasal congestion that will cause you to mouth breathe.

Glad to hear about the CPAP Express...I noticed there is one in the Niagara Falls, NY area and I have been meaning to check it out when I go down that way. Do they have all the different accessories like chin straps, etc?
Thanks...Trice

Actually, that's the one I was in. Right there on Military Rd Not far from the outlet mall. I believe thy do have chin straps. The have snuggle hose covers, and they advertise having PADACHEEK! but I didn't see those and to be honest wasn't looking at everything. I just went there to try on masks.

For most their masks they also have a return policy. You get 2 exchanges within 30 days. Mask doesn't work for you... bring it back and exchange for another. I didn't get the full details, but the Resed masks aren't part of that exchange policy. Respironics are and I don't know what others. I think F&P masks are included in that policy as well.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, hose

That would really be nice to have a DME like you've described...

I do have a question or two for you... first a little of my background on this.

I have been using a Swift II since I started using CPAP about 9 days ago... I too have been waking frequently (although it's getting better for me). My Dr suggested I might be opening my mouth... He suggested a chin strap, however after reading a bit, I learned about how people sometimes tape their mouths shut with surgical 'paper tape'. So, I tried paper tape it certainly kept my mouth shut all night... it did not stop my waking up several times at night for unknown reasons... Then last night, I was so tired I fell asleep without taping my mouth shut and I slept with fewer awakenings then ever before and my AHI was like 1.1 for the night.

So the questions... Did you ever try taping your mouth shut? and... Did the full mask help you?

For me, I think opening my mouth has little or nothing to do with my awakenings... that is not to say yours doesn't...

CentralScrutinzer,

If you're only 9 days in or so... give it a chance. Don't make a lot of changes. It may just be a matter of you getting used to it. I did not try mouth taping. I know it works great for some folks, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Last night was my first night with the full face mask. I woke up frequently because I was tossing and turning and I created leaks. Not bad ones, but I guess I noticed them.

My wife.... who does NOT have OSA, also had a toss-and-turn night. Was hers because of mine? Was mine because of hers? One thing I've learned over the years of doing this is that I can't make changes based on one or two nights. People who do not have OSA, who do not have equipment on their face, also have nights where they just don't sleep soundly.... for whatever reason. So my goal becomes more one of ... let's see how this feels OVER ALL. And that sees to work for me. I'm not going to obsess about a night or 2 here and there where things don't go quite right. Especially when using new equipment.

Relax... do what works... don't be too quick to change things, but DO be aware of your general progress. And ALLOW yourself to accept that occasionally you won't have that perfect night's sleep.

If you open your mouth and air comes rushing out while you're sleeping... you're not getting good therapy. I guess having a bed partner helps in this case because I just wake up. I don't know why. It was my wife that told me my mouth was open.

Ya done good, yardbird!

It's great to see you posting such good advice for others.

I especially liked this:

yardbird wrote:ALLOW yourself to accept that occasionally you won't have that perfect night's sleep.

I have found over the years of marriage (30) coming up, that it seems to be when either my husband or I have a weird, not great sleep night, that the other does also. Strange or not?

bap40 wrote:I have found over the years of marriage (30) coming up, that it seems to be when either my husband or I have a weird, not great sleep night, that the other does also. Strange or not?

I personally think this is a "chicken or the egg" kinda of thing. 29 years this year for me and the mrs so I'm right there with ya. When I ask myself, "ok who started this toss and turn thing?"... I answer myself with, "Does it matter?"... hehehe... but yes I do think we're connected and especially after spending 29 or 30 years together. You get in sync about so many things.... why not sleep?

rested gal wrote:Ya done good, yardbird!

It's great to see you posting such good advice for others.

I especially liked this:

yardbird wrote:ALLOW yourself to accept that occasionally you won't have that perfect night's sleep.

AWwwww.... shucks, darlin'. You're makin me blush.

I just think it's not necessary to get too hung up on the numbers. And we don't all need mouth taping (I need mouth WELDING) and we all know that what works for one may not work for the other. It's important, this CPAP thing... but using it should make your quality of life better... it should not BE your life.