Engineer, and I'm curious if I can help

[enghelp]

Hello CPAP community. I am a product engineer for CPAP masks. I have been in this for more than a couple years now and am seeing CPAP masks going though significant changes both the the past couple years and in the next couple years. As you can guess, just like the scientests in Area 51, they don't let us out much.

I would like to extend myself to see if I can answer any questions you have and listen to any complaints you have about any masks you are wearing. I am sure all of you know that wearing a mask on your face every night isnt easy and it is a very intimate thing. My job is to make putting up with the therapy as easy as possible. Please feel free to ask anything, I will answer the best I can, and offer up and problems you wish we would correct and don't be shy. We can't fix a problem if we don't know about it. One side note, please don't offer solutions, there is a whole bunch of lawyer junk and other stuff in there but basically if you suggest a solution, I can no longer use it.

I don't wear CPAP myself so I cannot join you completely there, but I do trial almost every mask we release prior to it releaseing and my Dad has CPAP as well and I trial everything on him. I hope you guys will accept me and we can help each other out. TTFN!

[DreamStalker]

You could start by being honest.

We get students who come on this forum quite frequently to do surveys for their term projects. What school do you attend? ... ahem, I mean what mask vendor do you work for?

[enghelp]

I actually do go to gradschool right now but that is just to increase my abilities as a product engineer.

I am sorry you have been burned in the past by students collecting data for surveys. I cannot expose which OEM i work for because I don't want to bias any information. Even if I did tell, you could just as easy assume I am lying about that. All I can promise is that I will be asking any surveys and if I do you can all boot me. I just would like to help. I work with a lot of engineers and we all really do want to help anyone with OSA, we do listen to the input we get and we try to solve as many of the issues as we can. Please remember we cannot please everyone all the time, we are limited by time and budget and conflicting opinions just like any other business.

[Stormynights]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

[DreamStalker]

I actually do go to gradschool right now but that is just to increase my abilities as a product engineer.

I am sorry you have been burned in the past by students collecting data for surveys. I cannot expose which OEM i work for because I don't want to bias any information. Even if I did tell, you could just as easy assume I am lying about that. All I can promise is that I will be asking any surveys and if I do you can all boot me. I just would like to help. I work with a lot of engineers and we all really do want to help anyone with OSA, we do listen to the input we get and we try to solve as many of the issues as we can. Please remember we cannot please everyone all the time, we are limited by time and budget and conflicting opinions just like any other business.

Nobody has been burned. Ask all the surveys you want, many here have plenty to complain about. How exposing what company you work for will create a bias on complaints about masks I have no clue.

If you want to solve issues, I would think specifying which masks you can actually help improve would be the way to go .... but what do I know? ... I'm just the forum lunatic.

[DreamStalker]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

Any engineer is going to know that the tension on the lower strap of a FF mask is going to change as the user moves his head up or down and all around.

Solution, keep head still or don't use a FF mask.

[enghelp]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

What FF mask is he using currently? Quatto is typically seen as the best mask on the market for full face. I also went to sleep show recently where I ran into a lady from PAD A CHEEK who has a very interesting product called a Anti-Leak Strap. I don't know anyone that has tried it personally but the testimonials on the website seem convincing.

[enghelp]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

Any engineer is going to know that the tension on the lower strap of a FF mask is going to change as the user moves his head up or down and all around.

Solution, keep head still or don't use a FF mask.

Telling a person to hold their head still isn't going to help them with a solution. If he is wearing a mask without a forehead bad such as Quattro FX or Full Life the mask is less stable and I would recommend a new mask

[MyIdaho]

I use the mirage quattro and the Pad a cheek anti-leak strap. I was fortunate that of the three FFM initially tested at the DME, the quattro was the easy winner. It took some trial and error with fitting to get the leaks down to managable numbers. After that, the anti-leak strap was the final key which allows side sleeping without leakage. Others have not been as fortunate and they greatly dislike the quattro due to leaks. What's different between good and bad results, shrugs, dont' know...

[caffeinatedcfo]

I think focusing on improvements to nasal pillow masks that will help "mouth-breathers" use them would be a plus for the CPAP community.

[Stormynights]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

What FF mask is he using currently? Quatto is typically seen as the best mask on the market for full face. I also went to sleep show recently where I ran into a lady from PAD A CHEEK who has a very interesting product called a Anti-Leak Strap. I don't know anyone that has tried it personally but the testimonials on the website seem convincing.

I misunderstood your request. I thought you wanted to hear about mask issues we were having. I already know about Pad a Cheek.

[enghelp]

I think focusing on improvements to nasal pillow masks that will help "mouth-breathers" use them would be a plus for the CPAP community.

That reminds me. Ok slight rant which I hope helps at least one person. When you go to get a mask realize that you are going to a business and the sleep tech wants to get you in and out as fast as possible with as little call back as possible to make the most money. LOTS of times they will put people on a full face mask to start with because it prevents you from calling back saying you open your mouth. Even if you open your mouth before CPAP you may not after you start using it. Getting the air you need through the nose could make your body happy and keep your mouth closed. Baisically, don't just assume you are a mouth breather because they say you are, Nasal or nasal pillows are FAR easier masks to get used to if you can use them and they break seal a lot less. Also, don't just be happy with the mask they want to give you. Every Tech has a favorite "go to" mask that they use 99% of the time if they can. It may not be the right mask for you or the one that you would like the best. ASK to see a couple options.

Sorry, that was left over frustration from when they fit my dad. They were not happy when I went back in with him...

Anyway, pillows masks for mouth breathers like the Mirage Liberty? Or are you looking more for soutions that would allow a mouth breather to use a Pillows mask like the Swift FX or GoLife?

[DreamStalker]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

Any engineer is going to know that the tension on the lower strap of a FF mask is going to change as the user moves his head up or down and all around.

Solution, keep head still or don't use a FF mask.

Telling a person to hold their head still isn't going to help them with a solution. If he is wearing a mask without a forehead bad such as Quattro FX or Full Life the mask is less stable and I would recommend a new mask

You missed the other more important part ... probably the first time around too.

The basic laws of physics mandate that "the tension on the lower strap of a FF mask is going to change as the user moves his head up or down and all around". FF masks are NOT stable by design.

Solution ... you're the engineer. I just tell it like it is.

[jilliansue]

I have never been able to find a FFM to fit me without leaks driving me crazy and/or having to be tightened to the point of pain. I have tried quite a few. I use a nasal mask and a chinstrap.

I think that as soft and pliable a material as possible for the mask cushion is the way to go. Helps with comfort and helps keep the mask sealed during changes in position. I don't mind having to give the occasional tug during the night, but I do not want to have to repeatedly tug and re-seat the mask, only to have it start leaking again.

The gel of the Comfort Gel and the Soft Gel are comfortable, but a bit heavy. Currently I use the Activa LT, which is lighter and still seals pretty well.

I would like to see more masks made that can be molded more to the individual face.

I have just gotten the Wisp, and have just received a Pad-A-Cheek liner for it which I am going to use tonight. I like small, minimalistic masks. After using the Swift FX for awhile, I did not really like having the air blown directly up my nostrils. Hence, I have high hopes for the Wisp.

What I really would like to see, and which is out of your area, is an alternate treatment to CPAP for OSA!

Thank you,
Jill

[enghelp]

My husband is using a FF mask now and can't find one that fits his face. They seem to fit then when he moves in his sleep they shift and he gets leaks.

What FF mask is he using currently? Quatto is typically seen as the best mask on the market for full face. I also went to sleep show recently where I ran into a lady from PAD A CHEEK who has a very interesting product called a Anti-Leak Strap. I don't know anyone that has tried it personally but the testimonials on the website seem convincing.

I misunderstood your request. I thought you wanted to hear about mask issues we were having. I already know about Pad a Cheek.

Oh, I'm sorry, I do, Thank you. We will continue to develope new FF masks to try and fit more people. I was just trying to help in the short term because I know how hard it is to stay compliant if you don't like your equipment.