Masks, masks, masks!

jshuler43 · Post by **jshuler43** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:35 pm

I'm a new APAP user and totally confused with all the choices of masks there are. I sleep on my side, but need to turn during the night - will this be possible with the masks?

My report said that I tend to breathe through my mouth, so I'm not sure if I need a mask that covers my mouth.

Of course, I would like the least cumbersome mask and be able to wear it while watching television before I go to sleep. I also read about a mask that you could disconnect easily to get up during the night.

I measured my face according to cpap.com and got a list of about six masks - mostly small. I didn't see any of the popular masks that most people list, so I wasn't sure if they don't list all the masks or that I can only wear a few.

Also, during the study with the CPAP on, it was hard to talk. Is this the case for all masks?

Thanks for any input!

JCraig · Post by **JCraig** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:03 pm

jshuler43 wrote: Also, during the study with the CPAP on, it was hard to talk. Is this the case for all masks?

Yeah, it always feels weird talking with the xPAP running.

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:43 pm

I personally find true side sleeping a bit of a challenge. I seem to be getting better at it as time goes on. I have read others here that seem to do quite will side sleeping. For what it is worth I seem to do about the same on the side issue with my ultra mirage full face and my swift nasal pillows.

You say your report says you breath through the mouth. Did you use a full face mask or a nasal mask for the sleep study (I am assuming that is the report that you are referring to).

I think that many of us have mouth leakage issues with nasal masks. I can't imaging actually breathing through my mouth with a nasal mask on, just losing air from the machine through my mouth. With a full face mask you would be much more able to actually "breath through your mouth".
So without knowing what you used for the study it is hard to know what they mean.

I always thought I was a mouth breather. And with nothing pumping air up my nose, I believe I was. I slept with my mouth hanging open. When I use a full face mask I do the same thing. I found that I actually perfer my swift nasal pillow system and have no trouble using my nose when my machine is pumping air it. (I am at 13)

So, don't rule either one out until you try. Goes back to what you tried at the sleep study and what that comment means.

Many of us use chin straps (or homemade chinstraps) and/or tape to keep our lips shut to avoid air leaking out the mouth. If this is what the report is referring to (mouth leakage) there are ways to control this and allow most to use a nasal interface.

You have to find out what is best for you, Full Face or nasal.

I find the nasal pillow much nicer for watching TV or reading than my full face mask.

justsharon · Post by **justsharon** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:18 pm

I'm just a newbie but here's my 2 cents. My sleep study showed that I am a 100% side sleeper. I use the Comfortlite 2 with nasal pillows and have no problem staying on my side. And yes I find it very hard to talk.....all that air rushing out of your mouth is strange.

Best of luck,
Sharon

jshuler43 · Post by **jshuler43** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:06 pm

snoregirl wrote:
You say your report says you breath through the mouth. Did you use a full face mask or a nasal mask for the sleep study (I am assuming that is the report that you are referring to).

My first study said that I breathed through my mouth. But I haven't gotten my second study with the CPAP back yet. But I think I had the same experience that you did. I thought I kept my mouth shut because of the nasal CPAP, it felt strange to open my mouth. Course I didn't know I opened my mouth the first study, so I'm not sure what I did when I was asleep.

I think I will go with the nasal masks before I resort to the full face mask. Thanks!

I'm not sure if I'm a true side sleeper, I probably am half on my side and half stomach. I'm curious how I will do when I turn back and forth with the CPAP.

jshuler43 · Post by **jshuler43** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:08 pm

justsharon wrote:I'm just a newbie but here's my 2 cents. My sleep study showed that I am a 100% side sleeper. I use the Comfortlite 2 with nasal pillows and have no problem staying on my side. And yes I find it very hard to talk.....all that air rushing out of your mouth is strange.

Thanks for the input! There seem to be just a few masks that everyone seems to like - the Comfortlite looks very intriguing.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:16 pm

jshuler43 wrote:
snoregirl wrote:
You say your report says you breath through the mouth. Did you use a full face mask or a nasal mask for the sleep study (I am assuming that is the report that you are referring to).

My first study said that I breathed through my mouth. But I haven't gotten my second study with the CPAP back yet. But I think I had the same experience that you did. I thought I kept my mouth shut because of the nasal CPAP, it felt strange to open my mouth. Course I didn't know I opened my mouth the first study, so I'm not sure what I did when I was asleep.

I think I will go with the nasal masks before I resort to the full face mask. Thanks!

I'm not sure if I'm a true side sleeper, I probably am half on my side and half stomach. I'm curious how I will do when I turn back and forth with the CPAP.

jshuler43 · Post by **jshuler43** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:30 pm

Goofproof wrote:
If you breath through your mouth, you need a FF Mask, If you don't use a ff Mask, you will need to tape your mouth shut, if your mouth opens you loose the pressure needed for treatment. The mask is for treatment, you need to get the talking done before you put the mask on, you can yell FIRE, with the madk on if necessary.

The comfortfull 2, worked good for me side sleeping and it has a quick disconnct on the hose. Jim

Ohhh, I guess I'm going to have to break down and go to a place that has the masks to try on. I live about an hour away from one and it's hard for me to be out much, but it sounds like there are several different masks to consider - full face and nasal. Maybe I will do what some people do and get several to switch around.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:48 pm

Of the two kinds, full face and nasal, each kind has four or five popular masks.

The problem is mouthbreathing, if you do it you can loose the benefits of treatment.

The two sure ways to stop mouthbreathing are, use a nasal interface with mouth taping, our use a FF Mask. The FF Mask still allows mouthbreathing, which is still bad, but it keeps the pressure in your airways so you can breath.

The also have the Hybrid Mask that combines the features of both types, some swear by it, and others swear at it. You can Search at the top of the page about masks. You can also go to cpap.com and look at them. The more you read the better informed you will be. Jim

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:19 pm

jshuler43 wrote:
justsharon wrote:I'm just a newbie but here's my 2 cents. My sleep study showed that I am a 100% side sleeper. I use the Comfortlite 2 with nasal pillows and have no problem staying on my side. And yes I find it very hard to talk.....all that air rushing out of your mouth is strange.

Thanks for the input! There seem to be just a few masks that everyone seems to like - the Comfortlite looks very intriguing.

But be sure it is a ComfortLite 2, as the Comfort Lite is OK but not as good as the 2. (At least in my opinion and that of several other users, especially Rested Gal.)

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:23 pm

jshuler43 wrote:I sleep on my side, but need to turn during the night - will this be possible with the masks?

Yes. But it will help tremendously if you rig up a way to hang the main air hose up out of your way. Here are some ways people have done that:
LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose

jshuler43 wrote:My report said that I tend to breathe through my mouth, so I'm not sure if I need a mask that covers my mouth.

As the others have mentioned, if the report mentioned that, then you probably should use a FF mask that covers nose and mouth together, or the Hybrid FF that covers mouth and has nasal pillows. I tape my mouth so that I can use masks that I find more comfortable than FF masks. If I didn't tape, I'd have to use a FF mask all the time.
Links to: Mouth leaks - Air Leaks - Tape - DIY Guard

jshuler43 wrote:I measured my face according to cpap.com and got a list of about six masks - mostly small. I didn't see any of the popular masks that most people list, so I wasn't sure if they don't list all the masks or that I can only wear a few.

I wouldn't pay any attention to the sizing guide recommendations, or the fact that it didn't recommend some popular masks for you. Choose the mask you want to try from all masks, not just the ones that the guide mentioned. A mask that it didn't recommend for you might very well be one that would work best for you. At best that guide is useful (imho) only for showing you how to measure your face...not for its actual "recommendations."

Here are links to some rather extensive discussions on the board about several masks:
LINKS to MASKS - nasal mask, nasal pillows, nasal prongs

Good luck, and welcome to the board!

Oh, as if that's not enough reading for you to work your way through, here's some MUST reading!

Mile High Sleeper's great information resource for new cpap users.

Patrick A · Post by **Patrick A** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:09 am

I am more confused than I was when I got up this morning maybe I should drink more coffee
the choice of masks is never ending.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:35 am

You are getting some good advice BUT....trying on different masks initially is the way to go. I would have traveled 2 days for a proper fitting to avoid this 'trial and error' which can be very costly both financially and emotionally. If you can get properly fitted by trying different masks, go for it! Good luck.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:28 am

rested gal wrote:(snip)

jshuler43 wrote:I measured my face according to cpap.com and got a list of about six masks - mostly small. I didn't see any of the popular masks that most people list, so I wasn't sure if they don't list all the masks or that I can only wear a few.
I wouldn't pay any attention to the sizing guide recommendations, or the fact that it didn't recommend some popular masks for you. Choose the mask you want to try from all masks, not just the ones that the guide mentioned. A mask that it didn't recommend for you might very well be one that would work best for you. At best that guide is useful (imho) only for showing you how to measure your face...not for its actual "recommendations."

(snip)

I'd just like to second Rested Gal's opinion of the selector on cpap.com. After I'd tried 4 different interfaces at home for at least 2 weeks for each, I found the measurement guide and selector. While it offers suggestions, none of the ones I had tried were on my list!

What I wish was listed with each mask is the type of features for which it was designed. For example, the ComfortCurve looked really interesting to me and I kept looking at different sites that featured it. On one, it specified that the ComfortCurve was not made for fleshy faces, or high cheekbones, etc. WELP, that eliminated me. I could have spent a lot of that time looking at the Internet sites for masks/interfaces in a different, more productive way.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap.com

salmon · Post by **salmon** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:19 pm

I just started using the Fisher and Paykel 432 which replaces the 431 full face mask, and I like it so far. It has a foam cushion in the seal which keeps it from mashing down on your nose, aleviating that discomfort. If you are not too claustrophobic, I find this mask actually comfortable and relaxing to wear.

Masks, masks, masks!

Masks, masks, masks!

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Re: Masks, masks, masks!

Re: Masks, masks, masks!

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