Getting CPAP & Mask Today - Advice Needed

[Heart Jumping]

I am meeting with my DME today and will be getting a ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet. They are supposed to be bringing multiple masks to choose from. I don't mind spending some extra to get the best masks possible and would prefer to have a few masks to try. My thinking is I should buy at least two masks, I am considering getting a nasal mask and a full face mask. Even if I don't end up needing a full face mask I'd think it might be invaluable when I have congestion? As sidenote it's impossible for me to tell without any experience whether some of the "breakthrough" differences on some of the masks are even real or just marketing BS, so perhaps you can fill me in on that too.

My sleep study revealed severe apnea, with it being worse on my back, and therefore my doctor said I should have APAP. I wore a nasal mask which the doctor said "you seemed to do OK with". I did definitely feel it leaking at times and would reposition it (or myself), that may be unavoidable but mention it in case relevant.

Snippets from study in case relevant to mask selection:
"After the diagnostic portion of the study, CPAP was initiated at 4 cm of water and titrated to 11 cm of water in order to abolish respiratory events. Respiratory events were improved, but not entirely eliminated, with the use of positive
airway pressure therapy. Titration at the final CPAP of 11 cm of water resulted in an AHI of 10 and a minimum oxyhemoglobin saturation of 92%."

Questions:
1. Not entirely clear on why the "air solution" masks have their own category on the ResMed website as opposed to falling into their respective categories. If I get one full face mask, is the "air solition" Airfit F10 the one to go for or one of the ones in the "full face mask line"?

2. Which nasal mask? Ultra Mirage II? Mirage Activa or Vista? Something else?

3. WHAT should I look for when trying on masks that I might not be aware of or think about having never used one yet? Obviously comfort a good fit are big ones, but what might I miss without you telling me to consider it?

4. I don't really have any idea what masks my DME is going to show up with, but this is how I need to start to avoid further delays. Do you folks usually go somewhere to see/try new masks? Just order over the Internet? It would be nice to find someplace (brick and mortar) that stocks many to choose from.

Thanks in advance for all advice.

[metsfan302]

Nasal I like wisp. Love pillow style now! Airfit p10/ dreamwear is all people talk about very popular!

Each person is diff - masks being hardest part bout this.

Ask dme bout return/exchange policy

[RebornSleeper]

Yup, I'm in love with my wisp too. It's soft and flexible and I think that helps with leaks. I toss and turn a lot and I don't have leaks or marks on my face from being too tight. Win win!

[Pugsy]

2. Which nasal mask? Ultra Mirage II? Mirage Activa or Vista? Something else?

Something else. Those are all "old" in terms of how long they have been on the market...there are much newer and better nasal masks out there.
The Swift FX Nano is an excellent mask as well as the Respironics Wisp that metsfan mentioned.
The newest is the recently released Respironics DreamWear mask which uses a little cradle cushion under the nostrils. Nice little mask and reviews are for the most part very good.

There's no mask out there that works for 100% of the cpap users...we are all too different in terms of facial structure and overall preferences and needs.
One man's treasure is another man's trash when it comes to masks and you are going to have to find out which works best for you simply by trial and error.
Though it would help to start with the newer models as they tend to be improved over the old models.

Find out what mask swapping policy your DME has and use it to your advantage.
If they have 30 days...don't use up all the 30 days with one mask that seems problematic.
Hopefully they will have a generous mask swapping policy...some do and some don't.

Full face masks...having one available for times when the nose is congested is advised but unless you have some sort of chronic problem (allergies often) it is something that can be put off a little while.
Concentrate first on the mask that will be your primary mask and then see what you want to do about a full face mask. I still don't own a full face mask...haven't really wanted one (long story) and haven't really needed one and in the over 6 years I have been on cpap/apap I have had my share of upper respiratory infections (common cold) and there hasn't been one time that I couldn't get my nose opened up well enough to use my nasal pillow mask. Plus I find that the humidity helps any nasal congestion when I have a cold...think hot steamy shower thing.

But yes...the AirFit F10 full face mask would be a good place to start if you were looking at full face masks.

Do you have insurance? If so, you want to check with them as to what replacement schedule they go by.
A lot of insurance companies follow Medicare replacement guidelines but not all do.

If you don't have insurance to help you out with mask purchase...buying online from some place like cpap.com and utilizing return insurance (either free or purchase) is a good way to experiment so that you aren't wasting money. Some masks come with free return insurance and some masks you pay a small fee for the insurance.

For a new person starting this therapy....unless you have chronic nasal congestion issues that force mouth breathing....look at the nasal pillow masks and nasal cushion masks first..
Like the P10 I use (see my profile for link) or the DreamWear cradle or the Nano/Wisp cushion models....as they are good places to at least start the looking and trying.

[ChicagoGranny]

How to Choose an Initial CPAP Mask for Newbies

1. If you had a sleep lab titration and liked the mask that was used, and that mask was recommended by your medical team, then go for it.

2. If not 1., then did your medical team recommend a nasal mask or a full face mask (FFM)? For many people, nasal masks are easier to use assuming they don't mouthbreathe, leak air out the mouth or get air inflating the cheeks while using CPAP during sleep. If you have any of these problems, you may need to use a FFM. (Despite what you may see in the forum, there are many of us that find FFMs are easy to use, do not leak and are not uncomfortable.)

3. Once you have decided whether you need to start with a nasal mask or a FFM mask, begin looking at the mask descriptions and images at https://www.cpap.com/cpap-masks.php . This is the website of this forum's host.

4. For a newbie, you should select a popular mask that gets high rankings from the reviews. Some people in this forum get excellent usage out of masks that are not popular and do not get good reviews. They might rave about the mask to you. But for a newbie, you want to start with a popular mask with high rankings. After you get some experience, you can experiment with masks that pique your fancy but are not so popular.

5. Once you have a category (nasal or FFM) of masks selected, you can go to that category on CPAP dot com's web page and sort by Biggest Sellers and then by Rating. You can check the ratings and read reviews.

6. When you receive your mask and machine, you should watch the mask manufacturer's videos (On CPAP dot com's web page) for instructions on use and adjustments.

7. If you have any problems using the mask, please start a new thread here and ask for help.

8. It's not unusual to try different masks before settling on one that works well for you. If you find yourself buying a fourth or fifth different mask, the problem may be with the way you are trying to use the masks, instead of the mask itself. Please get help from the experienced forum members.

- ChicagoGranny

[ChicagoGranny]

1. Not entirely clear on why the "air solution" masks have their own category on the ResMed website as opposed to falling into their respective categories. If I get one full face mask, is the "air solition" Airfit F10 the one to go for or one of the ones in the "full face mask line"?

2. Which nasal mask? Ultra Mirage II? Mirage Activa or Vista? Something else?

How did you come to pick these masks that you mentioned? Just taking a stab?

would prefer to have a few masks to try

I don't recommend buying more than one mask to begin. It may take several nights to learn how to use a mask properly. If you have two masks, there may be a tendency to quit using the first one after one night and move on to the second one without any better results. Give a mask some time. If after a few nights you can't seem to resolve problems with the mask, the learning experience you just went through may be valuable in selecting a second mask.

My thinking is I should buy at least two masks, I am considering getting a nasal mask and a full face mask. ... a full face mask I'd think it might be invaluable when I have congestion

That's getting too far ahead. Let's get one mask working well before we start worrying about colds. Once you have a good working mask, you should be in a better position to make a good choice about a second mask for colds/congestion. (You may not need a second one at all. CPAP pressure tends to open congested nostrils.)

[Heart Jumping]

How did you come to pick these masks that you mentioned? Just taking a stab?

Yep, just a stab, not in any way set on them, that's why I asked. I looked at the ResMed website and those seemed to be the "tops" in each category and I'm guessing he's going to be bringing ResMed masks. I'll know in an hour!

[Julie]

Just make sure you try them while lying down - your face changes a lot then and it can make a big diff. with FFm's.

[Heart Jumping]

Can't respond to everything right now but one quick mention. I do suffer from some nasal congestion but not serious enough to cause mouth breathing (to my knowledge). Usually one nostril is partially to fully clogged and when I had an MRI done it was even commented on. I doubt it's relevant to mask selection since I still nose breathe, but mention it in case.

[Heart Jumping]

Thanks all. I ended up getting the AirFit P10. I also got the Mirage SoftGel as a backup. May not ever use the SoftGel, but it seemed to fit quite well, and it makes me feel safer to have a backup to switch to if I have any issues with the P10.