Sleep getting worse

Thanks everyone! I'll give it a shot.

So yesterday, I increased the pressure to 7 - which I actually felt pretty strongly when I put on the mask - and it doesn't look like things have gotten much better. I realize it's only been one night - but here's a snap of the data. Any thoughts? Also, I'm still having huge problems with the mask leaking. It seems like what happens is when I put it on, it's fine, no leaks, and as I start to fall asleep and my muscles and jaw relax a little bit, that's when the mask starts to leak like crazy.

Did you spend much time awake with the mask on?
Specifically around 6:00 AM after the therapy break where the central (Clear Airway) clusters are present?

Leaks and mask fit are probably the hardest part to this therapy. Full face masks simply have more real estate (surface area) touching the skin to have to mess with.

Have you thought about mask liners?
Do you absolutely just have to have a full face mask ...meaning you can't use your nose well at all?
Did you have a lot of "wake ups" last night besides that one we see with the break in therapy line?

Yes, around 6 I was up - the leaks seemed to get bad around then and they woke me up and I had trouble getting back to sleep. Beside that I feel like I wake up maybe 5 or 6 times throughout the night because I have to adjust the mask or tighten the straps.

I have pretty bad allergies and sinus problems from time to time, so it would be tough to do the nasal only mask. I have not tried mask liners.

Pulpracer wrote:I have pretty bad allergies and sinus problems from time to time,

Is the problem with nasal congestion mainly all the time or just some of the time? Are you having symptoms now. Can you breathe okay through the nose right now?

Investigate the mask liners
Padacheek makes a nice one that has a long life
http://www.padacheek.com/

You can make your own out of an old T Shirt to give you an idea if it might help without spending money.
For a lot of people the addition of the mask liners help tremendously but of course as with anything that pertains to cpap therapy...it comes with a big YMMV sticker. Your mileage may vary.

Have you tried any other mask at all to see if the leak issue was improved or worse?

A lot of time leaks get worse as the night goes on because of accumulated facial oils.
Are you washing your mask cushion daily? Washing your face right before bedtime?

Your report looks like you could stand a little more minimum pressure but since you say that 7 seemed like a big jump I would leave it this way for a few days before trying more...plus it will give you an idea if this is something you might see all the time or just occasionally.

The wake ups to fiddle with the mask aren't doing you any favors...they are messing with your sleep architecture.
Gotta fix it somehow for you to ever hope to feel better. Just the wake ups alone could be a major factor in not feeling well even with nice boring reports (which yours aren't boring and could stand some improvement).

Pulpracer wrote:Beside that I feel like I wake up maybe 5 or 6 times throughout the night because I have to adjust the mask or tighten the straps.

The nasal congestion is pretty consistent, but the severity of it is seasonal. Actually breathing through the machine helps it a lot because, I think, of the humidifier and the air filter.

I'm definitely going to try a mask liner. Thanks for that.

I have not tried another mask - actually the company handling all this gave the wrong size mask at first so I struggled with that for a few weeks before I figured it out. Do you have any recommendations in terms of masks for side sleeping? I have a pillow with a cutout that's actually really comfortable, but there are times when it feels like the weight of the mask causes it to shift - even with the straps tight. Also there are little arms on the mask that extend back to the straps and those get in the way a lot too.

Thanks for everything!

Pulpracer wrote:Do you have any recommendations in terms of masks for side sleeping?

It is my opinion (perhaps heavily weighted by my own experience) that people have had greater success with ResMed's Quattro Air and AirfitF10 (they use the same cushion) full face masks compared to the Quattro FX. Again, just my opinion.

I also use the QFX and the F10. in my opinion, the F10 is narrower all over. I have had to cut the cushion around the nose to keep it from pinching. I like the F10--it just doesn't work quit as well for me as the QFX.

Like you, my jaw also drops at night. When I was fitted with the QFX at the DME's office, I measured for a medium. Knowing that my jaw drops at night, and fearing that the mask would end up in my mouth, I opted for a large. It sits lower on my chin and I have plenty of room for my mouth gymnastics. I use a mask liner. It really makes a difference! I also have a medium QFX, and I just can't keep the darn thing from leaking. For me, the large is the right size.

Adjusting the mask so that it doesn't leak has worked like this for me:

Loosen the top straps so that they just hold the mask in place.
Lay down and turn your machine on to blow at your highest pressure. Then try to relax your face like you're sleeping.
Tighten the lower straps fairly tight (to stabilizr the mask on your face) and snug up the top straps just until the mask stops leaking. (Keeping the lower straps tighter and the upper straps looser allows for the cushion to fully inflate around the bridge of the nose, thus giving you the best advantage from nose leaks.)
Use this as your starting point when you go to bed. If you find that your mask leaks later in the night, just snug each strap up a little until the leaks stop. Don't over-tighten!
If the mask rides up on your face during the night, you can anchor it down by creating an under-the-chin strap that connects on each side to each lower strap. This also works very well.

Hope this helps. Good luck!