Resmed AirFit P10 First Night

[Slartybartfast]

After nearly 4 years of wearing, every night, one of my three nasal pillows masks, the Opus 360, Swift FX and Aloha, I have been bothered by the fact that each of them vents air from the nasal pillows in a more or less concentrated stream. The stream annoys my bed partners (wife and cat), and the noise the stream of air makes when it impacts on sheets, pillow case, even my arm, are enough to awaken me. So I have taken to sleeping on my side so the jet passes off the side of the bed and diffuses noiselessly into the bedroom. However, I have noticed that the image of my face, as seen in the Bat-room mirror each morning, has begun to resemble, ever so slightly, that of a flounder, you know, with eyes on one side of the face. Or was it just my imagination?

Regardless, it seems that it would be best to not sleep in the same position all night, every night. So I posted a query to the forum asking whether any of the manufacturers offers a nasal pillows mask which features a diffused exhaust stream. Pugsy and others immediately responded that the ResMed AirFit P10 was what I was looking for. Three cheers for the efficiency of the internet!

I received my Air-Fit P10 yesterday from CPAP.com. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... mments#tab

Of course, even though there were bills to pay and a cat litter box that needed to be scooped, I immediately had to try it on. Changed out the Medium pillows for the included Grande, strapped that sucker on and adjusted the headpiece. I noticed the tension on the straps was more than I would liked it to have been and no amount of fiddling with the spacing of the straps reduced the tension to the point at which I felt comfortable. I guess I have a big head. I think I might strap it around my daughter's volleyball for a week or so and see whether that loosens the strap.

I lay down and connected the hose to my S9 Autoset and gave a few breaths and it dutifully started up. It had been a long day at work and I needed a short nap. After fiddling some more with the strap to loosen it to the point at which it wasn't unbearable, I checked the air flow from the exhaust vents and found that with my hand a couple inches from the pillows, I couldn't detect any air movement. Three cheers for ResMed for coming up with a mask that doesn't blow a concentrated stream of air.

I awoke this morning having slept very well. I wasn't aware of the mask during the night and the wife and cat had no complaints. The lack of a swivel connection between the short hose and the mask didn't cause any problem. Aside from the strap being a little too tight, I'm pleased with the mask.

[Pugsy]

The strap being a little too tight was the only drawback that I experienced with the P10 and I don't have a big head but I was coming from using the Tap Pap which has no headgear at all so I didn't know just how much of it was the tension and how much was just the fact I hadn't used any headgear in probably 10 months.

I found it took me about 4 nights for the tension to be less of an annoyance or either I adjusted to it. I think it stretched itself out a bit though. It's quite loose now after 6 months of use. In fact I have washed it a couple of times in hot water in an effort to get a little bit of tension to return (and it did help).

Try the volleyball trick or something similar to stretch it out a bit. It will give or stretch a little over time.
Also Ems discovered if she routes the hose up and around the bed pillow and down to her face/nose (laying on the mattress) the the tension is reduced to a more comfortable level for her needs. I have always routed any of my mask hoses that way so I don't know just how much of a difference that would make but worth a shot if the hose is currently routed across the chest or something like that.

[Slartybartfast]

Ok, I'll leave it alone and see what happens over the next week or so. I route the hose from the machine, behind a lamp, and then under the covers. It's cool enough here at night that I can get rainout in the short hose, so I keep everything covered as much as possible. I wear the straps on my other masks very loose, and as long as I keep my nose hairs trimmed (too much information?) I don't have a problem with leaks.

The swivel attachment on my other masks has always been sort of a weak spot in the design. They don't rotate through more than about 120 degrees, and when they're at the limit of their travel they either leak or cause noise, especially as the swivel wears with use. So the direct connection to the P10 pillows is something I welcome.

The wife was on the fone with one of her gal-friends yesterday when I unpacked my mask and started wearing it around. She was telling her friend how her hubby was walking around the house "swinging his hose," and that elicited a conversation about sleep apnea, snoring, etc. It turned out her friend has been putting off getting a sleep study, and after talking to my wife, she said she was convinced that it was time to find out why everyone says she ought to have one.

Another convert? Time will tell.

[Nick Danger]

I had the same experience you have had with the Airfit pillows. It took mine about a couple of weeks (alternating nights with my Swift FX pillows to give my nose a rest) to stretch out and not feel so tight. I love them, now, and haven't worn the Swift FX in over a month. I'm sleeping much better because my wife isn't elbowing me to turn over when the vented air hits her.

[Slartybartfast]

Update: It's been just under 2 weeks and the headgear tension has moderated so that I no longer am aware that I'm wearing the mask. Without a doubt, it's the most comfortable of my (now) four pillows masks, and I don't see any reason to use the others anymore. The improvement in my sleep from not having to adjust my head on pillow/position of covers to avoid the noisy exhaust jet is immense. I can sleep prone with my head turned to one side with no problem.

Two thumbs up for the AirFit P10 pillows mask!

[bryansong]

Can you used this mask with the hose routed over your head? Is there a way to anchor it on top to the headset?

Bryan

[chunkyfrog]

Can you used this mask with the hose routed over your head?
Yes.
Is there a way to anchor it on top to the headset?
The mask has no swivel so that would likely be awkward.

Bryan

This past weekend, we stayed in a hotel, and I used a chain of silicone "bandz" duck taped to the top of the hotel headboard.

[ems]

Update: It's been just under 2 weeks and the headgear tension has moderated so that I no longer am aware that I'm wearing the mask. Without a doubt, it's the most comfortable of my (now) four pillows masks, and I don't see any reason to use the others anymore. The improvement in my sleep from not having to adjust my head on pillow/position of covers to avoid the noisy exhaust jet is immense. I can sleep prone with my head turned to one side with no problem.

Two thumbs up for the AirFit P10 pillows mask!

You catch on quickly! It's the best mask out there... well, for me anyway! Last nite my AHI was 0.3 with leak line barely noticeable.

[Physician]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=98709&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[chunkyfrog]

I would like to insert here, that individual fit is essential to taming leaks.
Our faces are not alike, and masks do not come in enough sizes/shapes.
One size does not "fit all". --never did, never will.
But, as usual, no one is listening!

[Pugsy]

There's always going to be lovers and haters of any mask out there but in terms of haters with the P10 they are definitely in the minority.

Slarty....I figured you would do well with the P10 once you got past the strap tension thing. Glad it worked out well for you.

[poppi2]

Can you used this mask with the hose routed over your head? Is there a way to anchor it on top to the headset?

Bryan

I wear the PapCap and use its top loop to attach the hose.

[Matt40]

I would like to put a plug in on the P10 also. I'm newly diagnosed and have been having trouble with getting acclimated. Started with a full face mask (Airfit F10), switched to a hybrid (Mirage Liberty) and finally tried the Airfit P10 last night. Wow what a difference, I averaged anywhere from 2 and a half hours to a max of 5 hours with the other masks. With the P10 last night I slept for 7.6 hours with an AHI of 5.4. I have a small head so I don't have the problems others may have had with the straps being tight, if anything I'm wondering if it will be to loose at some point. It works for me.

[The Latinist]

I have a small head so I don't have the problems others may have had with the straps being tight, if anything I'm wondering if it will be to loose at some point. It works for me.

Mine has loosened, but not excessively. Sometimes when I put it on I wonder if it will dislodge in the night, but that has yet to happen. My leaks are still averaging 0.3 L/min.

[Slartybartfast]

There's always going to be lovers and haters of any mask out there but in terms of haters with the P10 they are definitely in the minority.

Slarty....I figured you would do well with the P10 once you got past the strap tension thing. Glad it worked out well for you.

My RN wife sees people coming through Post Op every day with their own CPAP/APAP/VPAP machines. She's had conversations with lots of enthusiastic patients and family members who sing the praises of xPAP use and what it's done for them, or for their loved ones.

Some people are made for xPAP. I consider myself fortunate!