Mirage Quattro Leaks/side sleeper

[caffeine please]

Hello. I searched the posts before posting this! Can someone describe in detail or send a photo of how the earplugs are applied? I too have been struggling with leaks every night and rather than trying to readjust the mask in the middle of the night, I just take the darn thing off. Or is there a ffm that works better for side sleepers. I have been struggling with leaks now for about 1 1/2 weeks now. I'm fairly certain I have the right size (XS) as I have a very small face. I tried to wear it tight/loose etc but I too am a side sleeper and the leaks seem to occur most when I am on my side. I had a nasal mask previously which I loved but my mouth was dropping open and waking me up and I did not want to go the chin strap route.

Thank-you. Kim

[nomad]

Where is the leak coming from exactly? Oh, and what earplugs are you talking about?

[carbonman]

CP, I hear you.
I am a side sleeper, too.
I tried to make the Quattro work, but could not.
It has the look, feel and engineering to be THE mask.
I found it to be very "fickle".

I finally gave up and use an UltraMirage.
It's a blue collar mask. It works.

I have developed a way to kind of turn my face/mask into
the pillow. I kind of sleep on the mask.
I don't know how to explain it.
It kind of pushes my face into the mask and
I get no leaks. It has to be at just the right angle,
or it hurts my face. When it is at the right angle,
I don't even notice it anymore.
It has almost become a natural motion when I rollover.

Cpap is such a strange and bizarre world.

[Wulfman]

Go up to the Search line (above) and type in the word "Teflon". You'll get lots of reading on the Quattro and its leaking problems.

Den

[GuyK]

I now use a Quattro (I need to change my equipment list) -- when the R/T dropped it off and adjusted it for me, he said "these things are worn much tighter than the one you've been using." I didn't believe him, and promptly loosened it up a bit. He had it at a very tight fit, and overall, yes, I find it has a tighter fit than the F&P FlexiFit.

I'm a side sleeper. Both sides, and my back and partially onto my stomach (I move around a lot). Overall, I find my leak rates are much lower than I had with the other mask. I do sometimes notice a little bit of leakage on one particular side of the mask, and so I just move the mask a bit and it goes away. Overall, I find the opening on the mask to be just a little too small for me (it is an S, and when the R/T measured me, he said "S or XS, you're borderline"), I get a little bit of irritation on the bridge of my nose, and I get a little bit of nostril collapse on the side that sometimes leaks a little.

Could it be that you just have a poor fit overall?

Guy

[kayakdoc]

CP, I hear you.
I am a side sleeper, too.
I tried to make the Quattro work, but could not.
It has the look, feel and engineering to be THE mask.
I found it to be very "fickle".

I finally gave up and use an UltraMirage.
It's a blue collar mask. It works.

I have developed a way to kind of turn my face/mask into
the pillow. I kind of sleep on the mask.
I don't know how to explain it.
It kind of pushes my face into the mask and
I get no leaks. It has to be at just the right angle,
or it hurts my face. When it is at the right angle,
I don't even notice it anymore.
It has almost become a natural motion when I rollover.

Cpap is such a strange and bizarre world.

Caffeine -- like Carbonman, I use the ultramirage FFM and the nasal-only. I am a side-sleeper most of the time. I ALSO "push" into the pillow and that takes care of leaks on that side.

I have found that using my old Temperpedic pillow -- which I had put away thinking it was used up -- works better than other pillows for side-sleeping with a mask on -- I go to sleep on one side with the edge of the pillow more or less at my cheekbone and the mask just edged on it or just off of it. This usually lets me go to sleep without too much trouble. I do awaken a couple or more times in the night if I turn over and pop the seal -- but I pull it away from my face, reseat, and position my head re: pillow and poof, back to sleep.

I find that when I turn over onto my back, leaks will develop -- from the flesh falling away from the bone due to gravity, I imagine -- but a jiggle or two often fixes that. If it doesn't, I go onto the other side...I have also put a small piece of cottom ball between the soft and less-soft parts of the mask seal when I have a consistent leak or irritation on one place, as I do with the nasal-only mask. I, too, went to the FFM because my mouth was popping open and I didn't want to keep taping it shut. Plus, allergy season is coming and I can't always breathe out my nose.

Good luck.

I am getting red lines on my nose/cheeks some mornings from "pushing" into the pillow too much, and today actually put some concealer over it because it hadn't gone away by the time I was leaving the house.

[kayakdoc]

Carbonman, what did you mean when you said the ultramirage was a "blue collar" mask? Thanks.

[caffeine please]

Thank-you everyone for your replies. I can really see why, if someone is not patient and persistent, the compliance rate for these machines is so poor. It helps immensely to know I am not alone.

Nomad: the earplugs I am referring to were referenced here in other posts (Macks silicone plugs). I don't even know if that is a solution for me. I'm not sure where the leaks are coming from but sometimes hear hear that "mask fart" noise

Like others, my leaks seem to occur when I go from my back to my side or on my back, just turn my head. I have found placing my head on the edge of the pillow does help but in the night that is not where my head is.

Interestingly enough, I did just get a tempurpedic pillow and was going to sell it on ebay as it is not what I thought I could use but maybe that will be just the thing.

I did clean my mask well this morning in the event that dust or whatever on it could be contributing to the leaks.

I am going to try all of your suggestions. Unfortunately I don't think I have alot of mask options as my face is very small and I am a mouth breather. I keep remembering what someone said (once you go to a ffm you never go back)!!! Maybe the ultramirage ffm (nasal only) is what I should try. I'll have to look into that as I am not sure how that works.

Thanks again everyone for you support and advice. Kim

[Wulfman]

Maybe the ultramirage ffm (nasal only) is what I should try.

There is no such thing. It's either a nasal mask or a full face mask.

Nasal version:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... -cpap.html

Full face version:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html


Den

[Arizona-Willie]

I've been using the Quattro for some months now and it is the best mask I ever had .... far and away.

But then I have somewhat of a fat face.

I started with the medium size and have downsized to the small.

I discovered ( think I read it somewhere ) that the bottom straps need to be pretty tight on this mask and the top not quite as tight and you can adjust it with the gizwidget on the nosepiece.

Most nights the software shows my leak rate as zero all night long. Some nights it will leak a little bit.

I too sleep on my sides primarily but also some on my stomach. This mask seems to adapt well to whatever I do to it.

Push it in the pillow ... no problem.
Lay on my side no big deal.

The only problem I have encountered is a bit of pressure on the bridge of my nose ( and I posted some pics on a possible solution for that-- works for me ) and it tries to ride up a bit during the night. I have discovered I can start out with it much further down my face than I thought.

Some nights I may wake up and pull it down a bit.

But basically what it comes down to is I would fight anyone who tried to take these beauties away from me.

Since I got the Quattro my numbers have greatly improved.

[yorkiemum01]

Thus far, I've had best results with the Quatrro, and the UMFF is my backup mask. As far
as the pillow is concerned, I used the Chiro-Flow pillow and scrunch the up near my cheek (side sleeper)
allowing my mask to sit off the pillow. Many have had great results also with tweeking their
memory foam type pillows, as I've read on alot of posts. Its truly a 'trial and error' for a personal fit,
but remain patient, and persistant....it'll be worth it. Best wishes.

[carbonman]

like Carbonman, I use the ultramirage FFM and the nasal-only. I am a side-sleeper most of the time. I ALSO "push" into the pillow and that takes care of leaks on that side.
-- I go to sleep on one side with the edge of the pillow more or less at my cheekbone and the mask just edged on it or just off of it. This usually lets me go to sleep without too much trouble. I do awaken a couple or more times in the night if I turn over and pop the seal -- but I pull it away from my face, reseat, and position my head re: pillow and poof, back to sleep.

I am getting red lines on my nose/cheeks some mornings from "pushing" into the pillow too much, and today actually put some concealer over it because it hadn't gone away by the time I was leaving the house.

doc, good explanation.
That's pretty much the way it works for me.

Carbonman, what did you mean when you said the ultramirage was a "blue collar" mask? Thanks.

I am easily seduced w/bright colored objects and gadgets.
I love toys.
I love the way the Quattro looks and the engineering of the mask.
It looks cool and has that neat adjustment thingie for the forehead pad....
but, holy crap, batman, I couldn't make it work consistantly for me.
.....and I tried.......and man did it piss me off.

...and you guys that are using the Q w/success piss me off too....

The UltraMirage is just the plain Jane.
No cool colors, no neat adjuster, no flash....
it just works. Its a blue collar mask.....it just gets the job done.

.....and just out of curiosity, are you a doc that kayaks,
or someone who repairs kayaks?

[nomad]

I discovered ( think I read it somewhere ) that the bottom straps need to be pretty tight on this mask and the top not quite as tight and you can adjust it with the gizwidget on the nosepiece.

That's the way I wear mine... loose on the top strap and somewhat snug/ tight on the bottom and it works great. In fact, the top strap is so loose, the forehead pad barely touches my head. The Quattro basically "floats" on the bridge of my nose.

[luke]

I do think that there is such thing as "break-in" with a mask.
My Quattro seems to fit better and leaks less the more I use it.
However I still have the problem of my jaw dropping open after falling asleep
and the mask puffing some air on both sides at the lower end. Guess I will have to
use some sort of chin-strap or pap-cap to keep my jaw closed.
Other than that I like it.



Luke

[SeaPappy]

I have found that hose position is one of the biggest contributing factors in the Quattro leaking issue. It seems that the hose will exert enough pressure to tilt the mask just enough to break the seal on the opposite side, so over the years, I have learned to move the hose with my movements in bed. Just a couple of pennies thrown out there.

James