Nasal mask use and mouth leak

[DaveL]

Nate, I can't tell. It came without packaging. There is no label on it.
It's intended to be used on a back pack that is a baby-carrier.

It feels like foam within it...

Hope this helps.

The video on the MEC site shows the carrier in use, and shows the pad in place. I have no idea if the pad is fire retardant, or what the material is within. I like it so much I bought a spare one, when I last visited Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Dave

[NateS]

Nate, I can't tell. It came without packaging. There is no label on it.
It's intended to be used on a back pack that is a baby-carrier.

It feels like foam within it...

Hope this helps.

The video on the MEC site shows the carrier in use, and shows the pad in place. I have no idea if the pad is fire retardant, or what the material is within. I like it so much I bought a spare one, when I last visited Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Dave

Dave, do you simply put a velcro strap around your cheeks and over the top of your head to hold the pad under your jaw, or do you use it as an addition to the papcap, using their cap and their strap?

Nate

[gregoriomunita]

You have the S9 AutoSet...so a full data machine and I see you show that you have ResScan software now.
Have you figured out how to use it so that you can get the detailed graphs...looking specifically for the leak graph.
Not worried so much about the 95% leak number because sometimes that makes things look worse than it is.

Here's a video on how to manage ResScan and get that detailed data.
First make sure that the AutoSet is set to record all the detailed data. The default from the factory is for only the summary usage.
Go to the Clinical Menu
Here's how if you don't know how
http://www.apneaboard.com/resmed-s9-cpap-setup
And make sure that Sleep Quality is set to "On" and not "Usage"
Here's the video
http://montfordhouse.com/cpap/resscan_tutorial/
Pay special attention for the download directions to change it to show "all detailed data" as the default is for summary usage.
Then you should have leak line graphs available in the detail report section.

Your S9 machine reports excess leak only and your leak number you want to avoid is 24 L/min.
There's a red line that makes it easy to see on the graphs.
ResMed is the only machine that removes the mask's intentional vent/leak rate prior to leak reporting. That's just the way they do things.

I have an explanation about how the 95% leak (just means the leak was at OR below that number for 95% of the night) can sometimes look ugly when maybe it was only briefly ugly. Look at my number 4 post as it shows examples of one of my leak reports that the overall 95% number looked bad but I really didn't spend all that much time above 24 L/min. I am 99.9% certain that my leaks are from mouth breathing. I use nasal pillow mask and they never move...the mouth is the only other possible culprit. So see if you go above 24 L/min and if you do how much time do you go up there and how far above it. Then we decide just how much of a negative impact your possible mouth breathing/leaking is having on therapy.
viewtopic/t88983/Pugsys-PointersSleepyH ... nding.html

Hi Pugsy, I have been battling with the configuration of the Rescan to work with detailed information you suggested. Even it is now set to "on" instead of "Usage", it doesn´t display the detailed information for 1 selected day. I will display my main configuration in the S9 and other images of Rescan preview.















For what you have said I am under the 24 L/min in the 95% range.

Thanks again for all. G.M.

[DreamStalker]

There is a difference in mouth breathing and mouth leaks. Mouth leaks is when the air comes out of your mouth. I have no problem with mouth leaks until the pressure goes up high on my apap.

Very true. Too many members here use the terms interchangeably (and erroneously). Most if not nearly all people are unable to breathe in through their mouth while using a nasal or pillow type mask under CPAP pressure. Under CPAP pressure, what sometimes/often happens is air "leaks" out of the mouth. The OP used the term correctly, some of the responders, not so much.

[Pugsy]

I have been battling with the configuration of the Rescan to work with detailed information you suggested. Even it is now set to "on" instead of "Usage", it doesn´t display the detailed information for 1 selected day.

I bet you aren't telling the software to download "all detailed data" prior to the download. The default download is for summary usage only. You have to tell it to go get all the detailed data.

At this prompt right before you download..change it to all data and make that the default...make sure you put the check mark in the spot where you get the message "this will take up a lot of space on your hard drive"....you don't care...DMEs who have 100s of patients might care.
Wording is "include equivalent number of high detailed rate storage sessions"




Your 95% leak number...well under 24 L/min. I doubt that mouth leaks are significant enough to impact therapy. Now if they wake you up then they are disturbing sleep and we don't want that but if you are sleeping well....if you are mouth leaking it doesn't appear to be enough to negatively impact therapy.
Your AHI is good. 95% number is good...
If you are feeling good, sleeping good...I wouldn't be worrying about any minor mouth leaks.

[gregoriomunita]

I have been battling with the configuration of the Rescan to work with detailed information you suggested. Even it is now set to "on" instead of "Usage", it doesn´t display the detailed information for 1 selected day.

I bet you aren't telling the software to download "all detailed data" prior to the download. The default download is for summary usage only. You have to tell it to go get all the detailed data.

At this prompt right before you download..change it to all data and make that the default...make sure you put the check mark in the spot where you get the message "this will take up a lot of space on your hard drive"....you don't care...DMEs who have 100s of patients might care.
Wording is "include equivalent number of high detailed rate storage sessions"




Your 95% leak number...well under 24 L/min. I doubt that mouth leaks are significant enough to impact therapy. Now if they wake you up then they are disturbing sleep and we don't want that but if you are sleeping well....if you are mouth leaking it doesn't appear to be enough to negatively impact therapy.
Your AHI is good. 95% number is good...

If you are feeling good, sleeping good...I wouldn't be worrying about any minor mouth leaks.

Well Pugsy, once again thank you very much for all your help and time spent. You won the bet, I didnt had it selected as you said. I will continue analizing if this continues, but till know I have been a lot better. Cheers!!! G.M.

[DaveL]

First, I don't mean to hijack the thread.
My leakage is through my mouth. I am a sometimes mouth breather.

After using chin straps and a cpap cap for a few years, I came across a pad that solves mouth breathing for me.
I bought a new mask.

Those 2 steps combined have worked well for me.

Nate here's my answer to your question below!

Nate, I found a short strap from a pack. I simply hold that with the velcro on the pad and do the strap up around my neck, under my chin. (It's where a tie would go, if I still wore ties. Strap is 1-1/2 inch wide. It's long enough to go around my fat neck.

I don't use my cpap cap anymore.

Nate, I can't tell. It came without packaging. There is no label on it.
It's intended to be used on a back pack that is a baby-carrier.

It feels like foam within it...

Hope this helps.

The video on the MEC site shows the carrier in use, and shows the pad in place. I have no idea if the pad is fire retardant, or what the material is within. I like it so much I bought a spare one, when I last visited Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Dave

Dave, do you simply put a velcro strap around your cheeks and over the top of your head to hold the pad under your jaw, or do you use it as an addition to the papcap, using their cap and their strap?


Nate

[NateS]

First, I don't mean to hijack the thread.
My leakage is through my mouth. I am a sometimes mouth breather.

After using chin straps and a cpap cap for a few years, I came across a pad that solves mouth breathing for me.
I bought a new mask.

Those 2 steps combined have worked well for me.

Nate here's my answer to your question below!

Nate, I found a short strap from a pack. I simply hold that with the velcro on the pad and do the strap up around my neck, under my chin. (It's where a tie would go, if I still wore ties. Strap is 1-1/2 inch wide. It's long enough to go around my fat neck.

I don't use my cpap cap anymore.

Nate, I can't tell. It came without packaging. There is no label on it.
It's intended to be used on a back pack that is a baby-carrier.

It feels like foam within it...

Hope this helps.

The video on the MEC site shows the carrier in use, and shows the pad in place. I have no idea if the pad is fire retardant, or what the material is within. I like it so much I bought a spare one, when I last visited Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Dave

Dave, do you simply put a velcro strap around your cheeks and over the top of your head to hold the pad under your jaw, or do you use it as an addition to the papcap, using their cap and their strap?


Nate

Thanks for your further explanation, Dave.
So it sounds like you wear it around your neck, similar to a cervical collar, rather than over your head.
Thanks.

Nate

[DaveL]

Yes Nate. Very comfortable. Pad is great. Need to consider changing/modifyng the strap.

take care
DaveL

[DaveL]

Nate it's beautifully comfortable. Not hot at all.

[DaveL]

My pad is really working well. No sign of mouth leaks.
I did experiment with other straps. Turns out the first one was the best, and I've gone back to that.
Other ways to do this? As Nate said, cervical collar?
I've never tried one.

Background, I have thinning hair and a bald spot. Frankly, chin straps don't work. The Cpap cap works; however, it too moves on me during the night.

I like the pad better.