Mask suggestions ???

[Sharrykb]

Hello! I am looking for some advice for my 90 year old father. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea probably over 15 years ago and has struggled off and on to try to use a CPAP machine and has never been successful. He has recently been having heart issues and today the cardiologist told him that he really needs to get his sleep apnea under control because the episodes that showed up on the 2 week heart monitor are really bad. As in...his heart BPM drops to under 20 because he isn't getting enough oxygen.

The issue has always been that he can't seem to find a mask that works well for him. Every few years he tries and trues and nothing works. Nasal masks don't pan out because he can't keep his mouth shut even with chin straps. He's a creative guy and even tried a combination of chin straps along with a homemade chin support but still no luck. Every full face mask he tries works for anywhere between 20 minutes and a couple hours but then a gap happens somewhere and the air leak whistle wakes him up. He really has tried but he gets frustrated and gives up.

Anyway, what I would like to know from all of you is...have there been any new masks come out in the last 3 years that you think might be worth having him try?

Otherwise, the cardiologist suggested that he look into an oral appliance. Anyone have any experience with those?

Thank you in advance!

[Pugsy]

Only really new (within last year or so) and different full face mask I can think of would be the types that don't go over the nose would be the ResMed AirFit F30 and F30i.

https://www.resmed.com/en-us/sleep-apne ... irfit-f30/

and similar but different F30i

https://www.resmed.com/en-us/healthcare ... rfit-f30i/

Sorry...no experience at all with oral appliances for sleep apnea.

[Sharrykb]

Thank you Pugsy! I was hoping you would reply. I will check into those masks and see if they look like something he should try. I don't really expect anyone here to know much about the appliances but figured I would ask just in case someone here has tried that route.

[Okie bipap]

Has he tried a mask liner such as those made by Padacheek? They won't stop all of the leaks, but often will stop the mask farts and whistles which wake him up.