Totally Confused

jgriddle · Post by **jgriddle** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:12 pm

I am very new at this and am confused about masks. I first tried the Marage Quatro and it leaked and kept my wife awake. I went back to my DME and they swapped it for a F&P 532. It leaked really bad and dang near put my eye out with the wind. I tried adjusting it for several days with no improvement. I looked around here for an answer until I saw someone talking about a Mirage Liberty. Now this seemed like the best of both worlds. I have never tried one of these nose pillows but I liked the fact that it covered my mouth as I breath alot though it. I guess I need some advice on masks before my DME gives up on me.
Thanks for any help anyone myght have to offer.
Jerry

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Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:42 pm

Jerry,
Don't get discouraged with your mask fitting, it takes at least a week to find out whether the mask is right for you. sometimes adjusting the adjusting points will help, and I know that can be quite annoying till you find the right setting because of your sleep being interrupted, another thing as far as suggestions go each persons face structure is different so what may work for me won't for you, you have an advantage being your supplier will change them off, mine didn't and would have to wait six months for insurance to pay for a new one. I have four masks sitting in the closet that were not good for me, I am using the Swift 11, and most nights it works fine, notice I said most nights, even though I have learned the adjustments and have marked the straps with whiteout so I have a reference point to return to, I still get a night every so often, that when I turn on my pillow I dislodge the seal, and wake up half a sleep to correct it. I also use a chin strap and that helps with the mouth breathing, the Swift for me is the quietest mask, I have tried doesn't bother me or my wife. Good luck soon you will have it worked out, this is a great place for help keep asking, the person that could be helping you might not always be on the forum, and miss your post, hang in there.
Ed

goose · Post by **goose** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:16 pm

Hang in there!!!! Mask fit is probably the most callenging part of the treatment. You just have to keep monkeying around with it until it works.
If your DME will provide you numerous tries it's great, but some will limit the number of masks they will provide.
As an example, I get a new mask every 90 days and I'm supposed to have a 30 day trial with each mask. I haven't tested how many times I can turn one back in for a new one during that 30 day period.

I'm not a mouth breather so I have a selection of nasal masks both with pillows and without......My first mask was a ComfortGel, and once I got it adjusted it worked pretty well - it hurt my upper teeth at times and had eye leaks using the medium interface -- I'm going to buy, out of pocket, a size small interface to see if it improves the performance.
I presently use a EVO Headrest (Aura or whatever it's called today). It is a nasal pillow mask and it works really well for me. The downside for me is that it's noisy.
I also have a FP431 for a full face option if my nose is totally plugged (so far haven't needed it) due to allergies.

Having said all of that, what works for me may not work for you. Keep at it and you'll find one that works for you. Soon you to will have a drawer full of masks....
You are in search of the Holy Grail of xPAP.......

take care and keep us up on how you're progressing and what you are finding.....

cheers
goose