Mirage Quattro - Tips for New Users

So as I have wrestled with getting the most out of my first three weeks of therapy with my ResMed Mirage Quattro FFM. Through this process, I've learned a whole lot from this forum's collective wisdom, my DME, and ResMed technical support. I know these tidbits exist throughout this forum, but thought combining them into one thread might be helpful for future new users.

ResMed Product Page: Before you use this mask, learn everything you can about it. Go here for basic manufacturer's info and product support http://www.resmed.com/us/products/mirag ... c=patients.

Cleaning: ResMed recommends daily cushion be cleaned with either plain Ivory hand soap (the liquid version is clear and says 'Original') or Johnson's Baby Shampoo. Although ResMed doesn't recommend this, boiling the cushion for 5 minutes with 1 tsp baking soda can revive an aging cushion. Just be sure to remove it from the mask frame and also remove the plastic clip from the cushion base before boiling.

Size Does Matter: Be sure you (or your DME) uses the official sizing guide to ensure the right mask fit. A copy can be downloaded here: http://c0192001.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspac ... mplate.pdf. An improper fit means leaks or a mask riding into your eyes.

Fitting: This link contains some very useful tips on properly fitting this mask http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/. It is important to note that this mask is designed to 'float' on your face with the air cushion. My DME gave me the following tips: (1) the forehead dial should not have to be dialed to 0. A setting of 2-4 should be optimal for those with shallow nose bridges; (2) the top straps should not be any tighter than you would wear a baseball cap; (3) the bottom straps should be loose enough that you can easily slide a finger under them. My DME also advised that if you develope minor leaks during the night, simply shift your head position slightly until they are gone. Also, make sure your DME fits you in the supine position with the pressure turned up on your machine (not at 5-6cm low range).

Liners: For those that have skin reactions to the mask cushion or need a little extra help controlling leaks, Pad-a-Cheek (PAC) liners seem to be the most popular for this mask http://padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html.

I hope this gives new users of this mask a leg up on treatment. If anyone has some additional tips/tricks they would like to add post away!

This post from Janknitz has been around for a long time....Taming the Quattro
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/

I was one of the people who tried the method Janknitz outlined in her blog, but was not successful. Eventually I was able to get leaks under control by making the mask as snug as possible. I used both a mask liner and anti-leak strap from Padacheek, both of which I credit ENTIRELY with getting leaks down and making the mask more comfortable at the same time. I liked the anti-leak strap because it made the mask more snug at a higher point on my face, allowing me to loosen the neck straps a bit (having the lower straps too tight can cause neck pain).