Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
dfellows5
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Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by dfellows5 » Fri May 18, 2018 9:04 am

Hello, I am back with another question. I have been on CPAP since 1994 and am a mouth breather. I sleep on all sides with movement all during the night due to sleep terrors and such. I recently had a new sleep study done within the last 3-4 months and my pressure went from a 16 to a 28! Mind you the last sleep study prior to this was with the VA about 8 years ago which had me at a 16 but I have had a LARGE weight gain since that time after several neck, back and shoulder surgeries.. The VA has been reading my card every 3-4 years claims all is good. Every mask I have tried leaks at this high a pressure even though in the specs it says up to a pressure of 30 for most masks. Several folks on here said I should get another study because they believe a mistake was made but lo and behold I had another study done 2 weeks ago and it is at 28. I have tried the following full face masks with no success: F&P FlexiFit 431. Mirage Quattro, Amara View, AirFit F20 with silicone and the memory foam insert and the Ultra Mirage. I am thinking of trying a total face mask hoping to prevent the leaks. Can someone tell me the difference in these 2 total face masks? FitLife Total Face CPAP Mask and just the Total Face Mask both by Respironics? Any help would be helpful.

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Pugsy
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by Pugsy » Fri May 18, 2018 9:15 am

I am thinking that your leak issues at the higher pressures will be magnified considerably with trying one of those total face masks.
There's simply a lot more silicone to skin contact areas that will require good seal.

Have you tried a mask liner of some sort to help with the leaks?
You can make your own or buy them ready made.
http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html

Exactly which model machine are you using? I ask this because 25 cm is the max pressure that most bilevel machines will deliver unless someone goes to one of the specialty high end machines.

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks/total-f ... p-mask.php
The FitLife is the newer of the 2 models. The original Total face mask was more of a one size fits all type of mask.
If you click on the links for either I think you can see the differences easily enough.
I wouldn't recommend going with one of those masks in an effort to reduce leaks at your pressures....I would look at a mask liner first if it was me.

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greatunclebill
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by greatunclebill » Fri May 18, 2018 11:08 am

please, please, please..... do yourself a favor and enter the exact make and model of your cpap and mask in your profile. every cpap is different and probably has something to do with your problem. it's impossible to help you without knowing the exact equipment we're dealing with. and about this high pressure, exactly what high pressure are you talking about?

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OkyDoky
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by OkyDoky » Fri May 18, 2018 11:45 am

Pugsy wrote:
Fri May 18, 2018 9:15 am
Exactly which model machine are you using? I ask this because 25 cm is the max pressure that most bilevel machines will deliver unless someone goes to one of the specialty high end machines.
Looks like from his last thread his machine may be the S9 VPAP COPD. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=164497&p=1231159#p1231159
ResMed Aircurve 10 VAUTO EPAP 11 IPAP 15 / P10 pillows mask / Sleepyhead Software / Back up & travel machine Respironics 760

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palerider
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by palerider » Fri May 18, 2018 7:02 pm

Here's something to keep in mind... the larger the mask, the more force it's going to take to hold it on (force=pressure x area), which means the straps will have to be that much tighter.

Also, the larger the mask, the more contact area where you can have leaks.

You may well do better with the smallest mask you can use.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri May 18, 2018 7:42 pm

Is dfellows a mouth breather 24/7?
If air comes through the nose in the daytime,
the pronouncement of "mouth breather" may not be fully accurate.
Many apnea sufferers mouth breathe before cpap, but in some cases, that can change.
In my case it did. Luckily, nasal pillows are the most efficient type of mask.

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greatunclebill
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by greatunclebill » Fri May 18, 2018 10:33 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:
Fri May 18, 2018 7:42 pm
Is dfellows a mouth breather 24/7?
If air comes through the nose in the daytime,
the pronouncement of "mouth breather" may not be fully accurate.
Many apnea sufferers mouth breathe before cpap, but in some cases, that can change.
In my case it did. Luckily, nasal pillows are the most efficient type of mask.
since i was knee high to a grasshopper and frogs, people have been telling me to close my mouth. i am a mouth breather. I'm as uncomfortable breathing thru my mouth in the daytime as i am at night. the problem is a deviated septum and at age 68 with all my medical problems i'm not about to have the operation. so it's quattro fx for the long haul. i had to throw this in even though you were asking about the other guy.

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Mask: Quattro™ FX Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: myAir, OSCAR. cms-50D+. airsense 10 auto & (2009) remstar plus m series backups
First diagnosed 1990
please don't ask me to try nasal. i'm a full face person.
the avatar is Rocco, my Lhasa Apso. Number one "Bama fan. 18 championships and counting.
Life member VFW Post 4328 Alabama
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snoozysue
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by snoozysue » Fri May 18, 2018 11:56 pm

Whilst I don't need pressure as high as you do (I need up to 18), I do find that the Anti-Leak Strap from Pad a Cheek makes a huge difference in controlling my leaks.
Might be worth a try

http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_AntiLeak_Strap.html

JDS74
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by JDS74 » Sat May 19, 2018 3:14 am

Have you tried a soft cervical collar to control leaks? This will provide a different type of support than a chin strap.
When you actually go to sleep, the facial muscles relax and the jaw has a tendency to drop (especially if you are a mouth breather.) This small movement can disturb the FFM and cause leaks.
Higher pressure will make this problem worse.


If you cannot solve this problem with 'normal' full face masks, you might consider the Oracle 2 oral mask. The specs only list pressures up to 25 cmH2O but it might work at 28 cm H2O. I have a link to using this mask at the bottom of my post which you should read carefully before trying this mask. We also should have a PM conversation about what difficulties you can run into and how to get past them. I only suggest this for folks who really, really cannot make any other type of mask work.

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dfellows5
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Re: Help! Need to find a mask that does not leak with HIGH pressure

Post by dfellows5 » Sat May 26, 2018 4:54 pm

Sorry for not replying sooner but had a death in the family and been busy as a bee. Leak still there have updated my equipment info. Have also adjusted down my machine pressure for now till I get back home and can go see my supplier. I notice most people seem to think the full face would not work well. Now I am looking at possibly sleeping at an incline and using some of the pad cheeks or something similar. And have started trying to eat right to lose some of the weight. When I sat I am a mouth breather I mean when sleeping my mouth stays open. I do have a deviated septum so there is one nostril blocked. Any time I am doing anything other than sitting I breathe through my mouth. I thank everyone who replied trying to help and will keep trying.