Need help with large leaks

[SleepingStormtrooper]

Hi,

I have been having a -lot- of leaking lately, and wanted to get the thoughts of the people on this forum. Thank you in advance for your help!

First, let me say what has been typical for me. I have been using CPAP therapy several years, and leaking has always been a major challenge. I have never felt like I got it under control. I have tried 7 masks, and each time I faced a dilemma between a 'loose' fit approach that my DME urged me to use (i.e. to have the cushions balloon and let the mask float on my face), and a 'tight' approach. I have always tightened my mask to a point where it would not blow into my eyes in particular. But getting it to that point required a lot of tightening, and left me with sores within days on most masks. It is hard to say whether I was fitting things correctly without good supervision, though I never felt like I was getting that at my particular DME. (I finally switched, and will see a new one in April.) I have watched a lot of fitting videos and believe I am doing it correctly, and have tentatively concluded that my face is not well-suited to many masks. My nose is fairly narrow, is above-averagely large (though not greatly so), and the sides of my nose have inward depressions/dimples near my eyes. I think the combination of these things is why I get a lot of leaking there; the cushion cannot press against the sides of my nose as strongly as it needs to. I periodically try new masks, but have always returned to the Quattro FX as the one that gives me the fewest issues. The status quo until recently was that I would use this mask, making it quite tight (my DME actually said they'd never seen a mask so tight), with results that are sometimes good and sometimes still gave a lot of leaking. Often I need to take my mask off once during the night to wipe off skin oils to get it to seal well again.

Now in the last 3-4 weeks the leaking has gotten worse, and that really puzzles me. I put Sleepy Head reports below to show the range I am having. Things typically are okay for the first couple hours or more, and then the large leaks begin and occur throughout the night. I'm unconscious and so far haven't figured out what is changing during the night to bring this on. Any thoughts appreciated. I have not received as much guidance on my CPAP therapy as I should and am probably missing some obvious things, but any thoughts are appreciated.

[zonker]

Hi,

I have been having a -lot- of leaking lately, and wanted to get the thoughts of the people on this forum. Thank you in advance for your help!

howdy.

two things-

do the leaks wake you up?

have you tried mask liners?

[SleepingStormtrooper]

Hi,

I have been having a -lot- of leaking lately, and wanted to get the thoughts of the people on this forum. Thank you in advance for your help!

howdy.

two things-

do the leaks wake you up?

have you tried mask liners?

Thanks. I wake up during the night though I'm not sure if it's because of leaks or because of events.

I tried mask liners, but the moment I put them on and turned on my cpap I immediately thought they were absurd... I felt leaking from everywhere! Is that normal?

[zonker]

Thanks. I wake up during the night though I'm not sure if it's because of leaks or because of events.

I tried mask liners, but the moment I put them on and turned on my cpap I immediately thought they were absurd... I felt leaking from everywhere! Is that normal?

honestly, i don't know. the mask liner suggestion was due to what you said here-
"Often I need to take my mask off once during the night to wipe off skin oils to get it to seal well again."

i was thinking that the mask liners would cut back on that.

i'm also thinking that what you could do is, when you wake up during the night, turn your machine off and right back on. this "break in service" will show up in your charts when you look the next day. you can see if you had a leak event at that point or not.

good luck.

[SleepingStormtrooper]

Thanks. I wake up during the night though I'm not sure if it's because of leaks or because of events.

I tried mask liners, but the moment I put them on and turned on my cpap I immediately thought they were absurd... I felt leaking from everywhere! Is that normal?

honestly, i don't know. the mask liner suggestion was due to what you said here-
"Often I need to take my mask off once during the night to wipe off skin oils to get it to seal well again."

i was thinking that the mask liners would cut back on that.

i'm also thinking that what you could do is, when you wake up during the night, turn your machine off and right back on. this "break in service" will show up in your charts when you look the next day. you can see if you had a leak event at that point or not.

good luck.

Indeed, I wanted the liners to work for exactly that reason. I will give them another try and see if I can get them to work - thanks for the suggestion!

Also, great idea about turning the machine off! I will definitely try that too. Yes, I've often wondered how to connect certain minutes in the graphs with awakenings I remembered from the night.. great trick.

[zonker]

Also, great idea about turning the machine off! I will definitely try that too. Yes, I've often wondered how to connect certain minutes in the graphs with awakenings I remembered from the night.. great trick.

full credit for that idea goes to pugsy.

let's see what you find out tonite, then.

[Pugsy]

Any chance we are dealing with the extra challenges that facial hair cause?

[SleepingStormtrooper]

Any chance we are dealing with the extra challenges that facial hair cause?

At times I've wondered about that, but I think I can rule it out... I'm encountering the issues even when my 'beard' is just stubble, and the most frequent place for leaking is near my eyes, and then sometimes my cheeks. (In a place where there is no hair.)

Quick update: I am putting a liner on my mask and am going to make another attempt at that tonite.

[Architect]

Hmm, you may be having same issue I had years ago, specially you stating happens with 7 different mask.

After face measurement I was given a large Quattro, I had non stop leaks, and tightened straps so tight, I had indentions in my face, and strap scar back of my neck. This went on for months, till I suggest to sleep clinician to let me try a medium size. Bingo !!! Mask was a perfect fit. After a few adjustments, medium mask size never leaked. I was no longer awaken with turbine winds blowing into my eyes.

I was so tired of people asking me what happened to my face, cause my mask straps were so tight

[SleepingStormtrooper]

Hmm, you may be having same issue I had years ago, specially you stating happens with 7 different mask.

After face measurement I was given a large Quattro, I had non stop leaks, and tightened straps so tight, I had indentions in my face, and strap scar back of my neck. This went on for months, till I suggest to sleep clinician to let me try a medium size. Bingo !!! Mask was a perfect fit. After a few adjustments, medium mask size never leaked. I was no longer awaken with turbine winds blowing into my eyes.

I was so tired of people asking me what happened to my face, cause my mask straps were so tight

Oh wow - glad you found the right size!! So whenever I'm measured I am squarely in the medium range. But of course I could still use another size; sizing down (or up) could still 'just work' regardless. I will keep that in my mind at my next fitting... thanks!