Leakage - a new way of life?

[dgsupersleepy]

I am new to CPAP, and have been doing it for 3 weeks. I have tried various adjustments to my Resmed Mirage Activa Nose Mask(makes me want to sing the yogurt song every damn time I say it) but I still have leaks throughout the night with various movement. For instance, when laying on my back and turning my head the other way, turning over to my side, attempting to sleep on my stomach (doesn't seem to work at all), and at various other movements. I sleep pretty well overall, but still get annoyed by the leaks. They aren't usually big leaks, but they still wake me up and insist on adjustment.

So is that just the way it is, or is there such a thing as a perfect fitting for a mask? I have tried jamming it to my face, and the opposite, and many in-between. Now I have an in-between setting and I'm afraid to adjust it again to find out if it will be better, even though I still have leaks as described above.

[RipVW]

Yeah, eventually you might find the perfect "no leak" formula. I finally did--right mask, right strap adjustment, perfect pillow combination, a chinstrap I invented . . . Oh, it took a long time, and my formula probably won't work for anyone else. Just the nature of all this, I suppose. Forever in search of the "holy grail" of "no leak land" :<)

[Wulfman]

I am new to CPAP, and have been doing it for 3 weeks. I have tried various adjustments to my Resmed Mirage Activa Nose Mask(makes me want to sing the yogurt song every damn time I say it) but I still have leaks throughout the night with various movement. For instance, when laying on my back and turning my head the other way, turning over to my side, attempting to sleep on my stomach (doesn't seem to work at all), and at various other movements. I sleep pretty well overall, but still get annoyed by the leaks. They aren't usually big leaks, but they still wake me up and insist on adjustment.

So is that just the way it is, or is there such a thing as a perfect fitting for a mask? I have tried jamming it to my face, and the opposite, and many in-between. Now I have an in-between setting and I'm afraid to adjust it again to find out if it will be better, even though I still have leaks as described above.

Maybe you just need a different bed pillow.......seriously.
There are a number of pillows that work well for XPAP users. Some of them are listed in this thread.

viewtopic/t34397/AFLEX-w-Cmfrt-2Cant-sl ... eeper.html

Den

[daddyof7]

Welcome to the group! Sounds like you are in the same boat that I'm in...no matter how I adjust ANY mask, it leaks. I read posts about buying this and that to stop leaks but it sounds like I would spend all night prepping to finally get sleep after paying outrageous prices for these masks that LEAK! Maybe I should try super glue and permanently affix it to my nose and be done with the leaks!

Hope you get better results soon!

Blessings,
Curt

[dgsupersleepy]

Thank you for the replies and the link to the other thread.

I was considering the double pap pillow, but was not sure about it for $65. I read all the reviews and they were mixed as to whether it was worth it or not. I really spend most of my time sleeping either on my back (when my wife isn't home), or on my stomach and back (when she is home- don't ask I dunno why), but I most enjoy the stomach sleeping and always have. I sleep more on my back b/c of the CPAP, but would rather sleep on my stomach. It just seems to leak too much when on my stomach. Has anyone found that the double pap pillow worked well for stomach sleeping too?

So leaks are just the way it is then? Maybe I will try super glue!!!

[DaveMunson]

I wake up if my Activa mask leaks. Is the mask tight enough? I know it must be loose and seal with the air pressure, but do you have it secure enough? Not too loose. It needs to be just right.

Do you have enough air pressure? The Activa is more a "high pressure" mask. At low pressures, it don't fill the cushion which will not seal against your face. At higher pressure, it is the best mask out there. As the pressure increases, it is more secure against your face. At low pressure the bubble is not as secure and leaks horribly.

Wash your face at night. Oily skin will make it easier for leaks to happen.

Adjust the straps and forehead support so the mask fits as best possible. If the straps are unequal left / right, you are going to have problems. For a new mask I will adjust the forehead support one click and tighten the left and right equal right up to my face. Take the mask off and back off the left & right strap a bit. I than put it under pressure and see how it feels.

Not caring what the manufacturer says, it will leak if you press against it during the night like if you go on your side and it touches the bed / pillow. Most times anyway. The bubble like cushion blows out if pressed against the pillow. Sleeping on your stomach? Forget it.

Mostly, if it leaks on your eyes you have the support messed up and maybe the straps. When you wake up, did the mask "ride up" your face? That is another strap I think that needs to be set correctly. If it blows out the side, it is touching something or the pressure ain't high enough.

I have somewhere over 8000 hours on this mask model. Took a few thousand (I am stubborn and hard to change) to learn how to sleep on my side with this thing but it is possible. Find a good mask and learn how to live with it.

[dgsupersleepy]

I'm actually worried it is too tight. The leakage always happens out the side, and often when on my back and just turning my head from one side to the other. Maybe too tight then? I also notice more leaks in the beginning as I ramp up, so maybe I need to have them tell me how to push the ramp up a little. My mask actually "rides down" instead of up.

I don't remember how they set it for me in the beginning, but I ended up changing it the next night. Now it is pretty tight against my skin just under my nose (which probably contributes to my chapped skin there) and pushes down over my lips to where if I make a fish face, I touch it. Even though it isn't the most comfortable, it has reduced the leaks the most. I also have to put on either KY or some Burt's or my skin hurts like h-e-l-l in the morning.

No stomach sleeping? That sucks. Would the nasal pilllows allow stomach sleeping by chance?

I also notice much of the leaking out the sides comes from touching a single blessed thing against it which is why I wondered if the double pap pillow might allow stomach sleeping.

[alnhwrd]

The Activia is supposed to be a great mask for those who move around in their sleep. I have heard that you have to be sure not to have it too tight for it to work correctly. But I have never used it so I cannot speak with authority on its use.

What I can speak about, and what has worked for me very well, is the use of Mack's Silicone Ear plugs. You can get them in your local Walmart, Walgreens, Riteaid, etc. Just take a lump of the putty, break it in half or thirds, and roll it out between your hands into a rope about 1/8 of an inch. Place it on the cushion all the way around where it touches your face to make a gasket. Put it on and kind of smoosh it down. It should conform to your face and provide an extra bit of seal. Best of luck!

[dgsupersleepy]

I had heard it was supposed to be good for people that move around a lot too, but haven't really found that to be the case yet. I went ahead and fiddled with it last night, and ended up just turning it off after 30 minutes of leaks. I knew I should have left well enough alone but didn't. I also knew it was too tight on my face, so I thought I'd try to loosen it up and get it right. Obviously, I didn't win last night.

I'll have to give the ear plugs a try. I had never heard of that. Thank you.

[SleepyNoMore]

I had heard it was supposed to be good for people that move around a lot too, but haven't really found that to be the case yet. I went ahead and fiddled with it last night, and ended up just turning it off after 30 minutes of leaks. I knew I should have left well enough alone but didn't. I also knew it was too tight on my face, so I thought I'd try to loosen it up and get it right. Obviously, I didn't win last night.

I'll have to give the ear plugs a try. I had never heard of that. Thank you.

I know what you mean about the leaks!
I bought SleepyGuys/Bret's (Pap Cap & Chin Strap) he's a forum member here and he also sells Pur-Sleep Oils to help you be able to tolerate cpap better and also helps you sleep better...
I don't use the chinstrap only the cap and that has almost totally solved my masks from slipping around and leaking, I just put the cap on my head and put my mask on top of it and it really helps.
I get way more sleep than I used to, you can check out the Pap-Cap at www.pur-sleep.com !
Goodluck and keep us posted!

SNM