Fighting leaks with Quattro FX

I've had my machine for about 6 months now and am using a small Quattro FX mask which I'm not totally happy with (my third mask type). Some nights I sleep very well with no problems but most nights I'm fighting leaks around the bridge of the nose and below my mouth. When my face relaxes, my mouth opens causing leaks. I'm now using a chin strap which helps some but I still get leaks. I can't seem to get consistent results from my CPAP which is frustrating. Especially when one night a get a great night sleep but the next night I'm constantly waking up due to leaks.

I've tried the Mirage Quattro which was very uncomfortable (my first mask). I also tried the Hybrid full face with nasal pillows which I did not like. The Quattro FX has been the best mask so far but it still leaks. I have tightened the straps to stop the leaks but I can't fall asleep because the straps are so tight and mask digs into my face leaving deep divots. My machine is set to 11-14 (can't recall the units) which has worked well so far and from what I have read isn't really that high as far as pressures go.

I know the Quattro FX is one of the more popular full face masks. So, I'm wondering if there others out there who have used this mask but found something better? I use Apria as an equipment supplier and they have been mostly helpful but before I go back, I would like to be armed with some educated suggestions. Especially since they are an hour away. I know it's hard to make recommendations since every face and person is different, but I thought I would give it a shot. Plus, trying all these different masks isn't cheap. Thanks.

Simplyme made an extra strap that went under the chin and attached to the lower straps. It was an easy fix for several people.

Stormynights wrote:Simplyme made an extra strap that went under the chin and attached to the lower straps. It was an easy fix for several people.

Thanks. I searched and found her original post. I will definitely give that a try. What a simple and elegant solution.

As I've mentioned to several others, my wife crafted a soft Velcro chin strap and it's made all the difference in the efficiency of my QFX. Before my wife fabricated it, I'd lose air around my eyes but the losses were far more egregious below my chin when I'd change positions on the pillow.

Last night I watched the Hawks lose (still up 2-1) and then calmly hit the hay a tad after 10:15 p.m. Next thing I knew it was 7:15 a.m. For more than two DECADES, this never happened. Since March 3, it's been the norm.

Good luck and God bless.

shimon wrote:I have tightened the straps to stop the leaks but I can't fall asleep because the straps are so tight and mask digs into my face leaving deep divots.

The FFmask should be no where near THAT tight.

I struggled with FFM above the major leak lines for a month until Pugsy got me to switch to nasal pillows (Swift FX & Aloha) - see my thread link below if you wanna read that novel. Now my leaks are minimal and I sleep great now.

Also might read Janknitz hints on taming the Quattro...it isn't an easy beast to tame.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/
See if something in there is of help.

Have you seen the fitting video? Something in it might help also.
http://www.cpaplibrary.com/full-face-masks.html

I have no personal experience with it so I am not much help except to maybe point you to some material that might help if you haven't seen it.

The video helps a lot as too tight makes the leaks worse. I also learned that leaking by the eyes means it is positioned too high and needs to be lower. Leaking at my chin can usually be fixed by repositioning the cushion a little lower on my chin.

Yes, unfortunately jaw drop and leaks with movement are a known problem with the QFX.

After 6 months when have you replaced your cushion? Remember the replacement schedule.

Also some have made quite good retrofit chin straps to prevent the mask from riding up.

Alternatives try the PR FullLife, or the Hans Rudolph V2 which have no forehead bars, and integral chin straps/cups to prevent movement and leaks.

Good luck!

Thank you for all the suggestions and comments.

I have seen the video and understand the concept that the mask is supposed to ride on a cushion of air. In theory that sounds right but in reality I have found that the looser the mask is the more leaks I get and the tighter I make the mask the less leaks I have. So I either have a weird shaped face or the theory is flawed. I know it works for a lot of people and it sometimes works for me but I need more consistency. So, I do feel that I am close to a solution.

I'm on my second mask and fourth cushion, so the mask is "fresh", so to speak. I also wash the mask and cushion every morning in warm water with baby shampoo. I wash my face before going to bed to minimize oils. I tried the Lanolin suggestion I found on this forum (can't remember the brand...it's in the purple tube) but that made it worse (used only a small dab).

At this point, I'm going to try "Simpleme's" chin strap solution tonight and see how it goes. It sounds promising and I found a good strap to use. If I don't have success with that, I may try some of the masks suggested. I'm wary of switching to a nasal pillow mask due to I've always been a mouth breather. The chin strap helps but isn't perfect and I'm not ready to tape mouth shut (yet).

Again, I appreciate all the help and advice. It's comforting to know there are helpful people on this forum to turn to for assistance.

shimon wrote:Thank you for all the suggestions and comments.

I have seen the video and understand the concept that the mask is supposed to ride on a cushion of air. In theory that sounds right but in reality I have found that the looser the mask is the more leaks I get and the tighter I make the mask the less leaks I have. So I either have a weird shaped face or the theory is flawed.

Try putting it on so that it is not tight, but not so loose that it is falling off. Then turn on your machine. See if you can feel the mask inflate. You should be able to feel it inflate at least a little bit. That is how the seal works. There's a small window between too loose and too tight. Once you find the sweet spot, you can go months without changing the velcro.

I just got a Quattro and the "taming the Quattro" help me out bunches. Though I was able to "tame" that sucker, I realized that the full face was not that far off from the Respironics Fitlife Total Facemask that I have been using for several years. The area around the bottom of both masks (around the chin and cheeks) are almost the same.... so the difference is the upper part of both masks. I fight the Quattro around the nose bridge and under the eyes. With the Fitlife Total Facemask, the seal is around the temples and the forehead. For me, it's a no-brainer. I decided to use the Fitlife daily, and have the Quattro a spare (throw-down). I am not trying to push the Fitlife Total Facemask, I'm just sayin' what worked for me.

Sheriff

PS: I also picked up a nasty habit. When I get leakage around the lower cheeks at night (probably due to my face relaxing), I'll let my mouth inflate with air, puffing my cheeks out and providing a seal. Good ole' mouth breather....

I had the same problem with the Quattro FX...The chin strap worked, but really caused my TMJ pains to flare up & I had to stop.

it's been almost 9 months now with the regular Quattro..... no leaks, no pain!!

following the "Taming the Mirage Quattro" guidance and a change of bed pillow did the trick for me.

washing the cushion every day really decreased the life of mine, so I do a simple wipe every day and wash it once a week now

good luck

Dave

I did my sleep study with the Quattro FX full face mask and brought it home with me to use when my machine was delivered. I've had some issues with leaks, particularly around the mouth, that using a cloth liner (the one Pad a Cheek sells) helped with .

My DME rep just gave me a new mask to try, the Amara, which has a forehead support, unlike the Quattro I used, but I found it a bit more comfortable and lightweight. However, the area just under my lower lip leaks, so I'm waiting for another mask liner made for this model, to see if that helps. It's so hard to get the fit right with the full face mask, but the one thing I remember the sleep center tech telling me about the Quattro, is that you need to have the maximum pressure running to get it to fit properly. I also had a tendency at first to put it too high up on my face, the way the tech taught me to do it seemed to be too low, but it wasn't.

Good luck.

An update....

I tried "Simpleme's" chin strap solution, but it didn't help me much. Once my face relaxes and my mouth opens, I still get leaks around the chin area. I've learned to relax my face to try to mimic what happens to my face when sleeping and adjust my mask to that contour, but I still get leaks with any slight movement of the face. I also have tried a couple of different chin straps but my mouth still drops unless I tighten the chin strap to so my lower teeth pierce my brain.

After some more reading of older posts, I came across the Hans Rudolph 7600 V2 that a couple of people have recommended. After reading reviews and comments about it, I thought I would give it a try. It's worth $130 to at least see if it can help. I like the "cup" under the chin idea and the robust design. I sleep on my back only, so it shouldn't be a problem. I ordered it from Cpap.com...it seems like a good company. I guess I should have asked first before ordering...but I wanted to get the order in so it would ship today. Is it a good online company to order from?

Thanks again for all the assistance.

shimon wrote: I ordered it from Cpap.com...it seems like a good company. I guess I should have asked first before ordering...but I wanted to get the order in so it would ship today. Is it a good online company to order from?

CPAP.com is a great online company.
Did you know that they foot the bill for this forum? They don't shove it in our face though.

Cpap.com is always my first choice for a cpap product supplier. I have used them often in the past 4 years. Never had a single problem with them.