New User - Nasal Mask Gets Sweaty?

[HomerGuy]

I'm about two weeks into my new CPAP. My prescribed pressure is on the low side (6cm) and I am using a nasal mask. I tried the pillows during the titration study and just couldn't get comfortable with them.

I have no problems falling asleep with the mask on. I'm not claustrophobic, don't have trouble exhaling, and don't find it that irritating.

My problem is that I can only get to about 3-4 hours of sleep before the mask becomes uncomfortable. It feels like there is too much heat and humidity or something, and then I feel my skin getting moist where the mask touches my face. This feels irritating and I end up pulling the mask off after 3-4 hours.

Any tips? I have the humidity set to 4/8, using a standard hose, F&P ESON nasal mask, Airsense 10 SutoSet in CPAP mode.

I suppose I can try reducing the humidity level, but I wake up so dry already.

I do feel like the machine is helping, so I have a strong desire to make this work.

[K8TEK]

What kind of machine are you using?

[HomerGuy]

Added equipment info to my signature.

Using the Airsense 10 AutoSet with an ESON nasal mask.

[K8TEK]

It sounds like you are experiencing rainout. The climateline hose helps significantly with this.

With the climateline hose you can set your climate control to auto and eliminate rainout.

See the link below...
http://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/ ... sa_eng.pdf

[Cardsfan]

I had that sweaty skin feeling. I got some mask liners and that helped. Instead of the silicon/plastic on your skin, cloth is between your skin and the mask. It helped quite a bit, and feels much more comfortable.
I got them from http://www.padacheek.com. Also our host, https://www.cpap.com sells mask liners.

The lady at padacheek is very helpful. I'd call her and ask if she has a mask liner for your particular mask.

[ChicagoGranny]

I suppose I can try reducing the humidity level, but I wake up so dry already.

Where is the dryness? Nasal passages? Throat? Mouth?

[HomerGuy]

Thanks for all the tips.

I really want to get this to work and feel frustrated that it feels like I am regressing. The first night I went 6+ hours on the machine. Ever since then I have been luck to hit 4 hours. Last night was only 2.

I have no issues falling asleep, or with breathing, claustrophobia, or the head gear. But at some point in the night the mask becomes irritating to my skin and I pull it off when I am sleeping.

I'm going to look into the padacheek product and maybe trying another mask.

The dryness that I mentioned in in the nasal passage. I've only experienced rainout one time, and that was a night when I cranked the humidity all the way up to 8/8. I had water in the hose making a gurgling sound

I'm going to experiment with humidity levels to see if that has any correlation to the sweaty/itchiness I'm experiencing. I'm going to try low/no humidity tonight.

[Grace~~~]

Hi HomerGuy~~~

I was given the same machine and mask as you when I started a few months ago.

I had absolutely no experience of cpap and was only shown three masks, (one full, on nasal, one pillow) and only had them on my face for less than one minute. I also had never had a titration study so had never experienced a mask in any way.

I ended up with the eson nasal.

I fortunately found this CPAPTALK group and I was able to make adjustments to my settings which helped me a lot. I was suffocating at 4 with the ramp so I turned it off. I found I liked a little EPR. I adjusted my pressures, etc.

...but the BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT?
Was that I got a different mask! OMG SH!!!

For *me* the difference between the FP eson nasal and the DREAMWEAR mask is ???? is well ... I can't even think of a word for it?
The DREAMWEAR is just so much more comfortable for me.

However, I am still having SERIOUS leaking issues with the DREAMWEAR and I haven't really addressed those yet because I am so afraid that I will find that the leaks can't be resolved with the DREAMWEAR and I need to find another mask. I don't know if I could continue therapy with the ESON. Especially now that I know the difference.

I am in thick sticky, humid Florida. So the idea of adding humidity freaked me out. However, I did get a little dryish and so I tried what they call "passive" humidity here. I just put the distilled water in but kept heat off. I think it is a little better than just no humidity at all (for me).

This all takes a lot of effort to learn and get right.

[K8TEK]

I have been through quite a few masks.

Fisher & Paykel HC407
Resmed Mirage Activa
Philips Respironics ComfortLite 2
Philips Respironics Comfortgel Blue
Resmed N10
Resmed P10

The worst mask I used by far is the Mirage Activa, followed by the ComfortLite 2. I love the F&P HC407, but the silicon coated sponge didn't last but a month, and insurance refused to pay for more than 2 every 3 months.

My point is maybe try another mask and find one that you are comfortable with. Talk with your respiratory therapist.