Lip Stuck-full mask- F10/F20

Has anyone experience your lip from getting stuck in bottom of full face mask (F10, F20) during the night? My mom has been using the AirFit F10 for Her somewhat successfully for awhile. She added the Remzzz liner after I read about it in forum It was a turning point in use since it eliminated the trumpet-sounding leaks. Her leak rate varies from 0-8% still and AHI is avg. 8. Sometimes I check the stats during the night and the AHI is much higher early on.

During the night, I (or her aide) has to reposition the mask because the seal surface moved to her bottom lip. Sometimes this causes a loud leak. Sometimes the seal is still in place. Some nights the lip gets stuck once. Other nights it can happen every couple hours. My mom is a stroke survivor with deficits that include aphasia- difficulty communicating- so she cannot describe to me how it feels during the night or if it feels different to start on the nights that have more lip issues. She also cannot adjust the mask herself since she can only use one hand so the issue isn't corrected until I wake up and hear a different sound from the BiPAP machine.

Any ideas or input on what to look for when I first put the mask on would be greatly appreciated.

A tech that came to house a long time ago sized her as a small. The sleep lab changed it to a Medium since she opens her mouth during the night. She uses Medium. I think the large would not seal on her face when her mouth is closed.

I wash the mask every 2-3 nights (not every night since she uses the liner). Washing seems to help with leaks but not lip issue.

I try making the bottom straps tighter without making it uncomfortable. They are tight enough that the mask can't be lifted off her face.

She sleeps on her back with head straight or to the right. She can't turn to left due to dystonia. Because of the way her head turns the right straps on top and bottom are tighter than the left side. I tried making them even but get lots of leaks.

I noticed some nights when I put the mask on her that it is pulling up before I put the bottom straps on. Is that typical?

I was hoping the improved seal on the F20 would solve the issue. But, it has not.

With her neck issue (dystonia), I don't think a cervical collar is an option. She hated the chinstrap the last time I tried it, but will try again. A CPAP pillow doesn't seem like it would help since the mask isn't hitting the pillow when her head is turned.

Thank you.

Have you tried the regular head gear on her? It may allow the mask to ride a little lower.

Just wondering if a different style of mask would help??
Something like the Quattro with the forehead piece?
Or the Amara View that fits under the nose?

Ed

xxyzx wrote:can you use a chin strap on the mask to keep it from sliding upwards

WTH??

Update on lip stuck issue- I was able to get a chin strap to see if that would prevent as much mouth opening and possibly reduce her lip getting stuck but she couldn't get used to it. My mom is partially paralyzed and has aphasia (difficulty communicating) from a stroke so I think it made her feel more helpless or restricted and unable to take it all off if she wanted/needed to.

She tried the Quattro a while back but couldn't get used to it. She wears the AirFit F10 for 10 hrs. a night. We never got close to that with the Quattro.
She also tried the Amara View a while back with some success but her AHI was consistently higher. Her sleep dr. said she wasn't a fan of the mask and with the higher numbers, we stopped using it.

I was able to get a Large F20 (she has been using Med. F10) and tried it last night. It gave her more room around her mouth but is really close to her eyes so I'm not sure it will work out for that reason. I adjusted it once during the night as it still rode up towards her lip some. Too soon to tell if it helps.

I am considering trying a large F10 since it seems that the F20 sits higher on the bridge of nose so maybe the large F10 won't be as close to her eyes.

I am thinking the headgear could be a big contributor to the lip getting stuck. When I put a FFM (F10 or F20) on my mom she is laying on her back and I lift her head to put the headgear on. So, the 2 top straps are attached to the mask frame and the 2 bottom ones are loose. At this point, the mask is not resting in its proper place on her nose and around her mouth. The mask is slightly high. I pull it down and position it. The mask feels like it is being pulled up. I need to hold it in the right place around her mouth to secure the first bottom strap. Otherwise the mask would be up to high from the "pulling".
Is this normal? Or is the mask supposed to be gently resting around your mouth with the top 2 straps on and the bottom 2 not yet secured?

Thank you.
Sharon

ForMyMom wrote:Is this normal? Or is the mask supposed to be gently resting around your mouth with the top 2 straps on and the bottom 2 not yet secured?

I can't say, but adjusting the mask can be one of the most difficult problems for capable CPAP users.

Have you looked on youtube for instructional videos? There are many there for boths mask you are talking about.