new machine, very high pressure & mask problems

[slimey42]

Good morning

some history: I've been using cpap for 7 years, swift xl mask. I had no problems, and in that entire time (after about a week of getting used to it) I didn't sleep a single night without it. Went for a sleep study as a follow up, and they needed to do some serious adjustment to my therapy.

I got my new machine last night. resmed s9, and the therapist sent me home with the kind of mask that goes over both nose & mouth. I told her I did not like that kind of mask, I really wanted to use the nasal pillow mask and she said it wouldn't work with my pressures. my pressure is very high, something like 21/24.

unfortunately, all my equipment is at home and I didn't write down the specifics. so I'm going by memory. I think think the mask is a simplus. They tried both a medium and a small on me at the place, the small fit my face better but the medium had less leaks - sitting up. so I went home with a medium. I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. I could read with it on.

Ramp set to 20 minutes. by the time it ramped up, the mask was leaking like MAD. I tried. I tightened the mask so much though to stop the leaks it was hurting my face. The pressures were so high, when the machine switched to the inhale, the mask felt like a giant alien sucking my face. I ended up taking the thing off, plugging in my swift fx and sleeping that way. it was FINE. The therapist said the pressure in my nose would bother me. nope. I know that I had a lot of mouth leaking, because my mouth was super dry when I woke up.

if I can fix that (was thinking the cap style chinstrap would be the first thing to try), is there any reason I can't just insist on using the swiftfx? If this were your situation, would you bother to try the small size of the Simplus mask to see if that fits better while lying down?

Second question - this was my first night on this kind of (bi-pap I think?) machine, where the pressure changes as I breathe in or out. it felt like it was changing too soon, and i was having to cut my inhale short. Once I got used to it it was ok, it was just a little disconcerting. how does the machine know when to change the pressure?

[LSAT]

It's your therapy...It's your money. They cannot dictate what mask you must use. You choose whatever mask is most comfortable for you.

[Okie bipap]

There is nothing that says you cannot use nasal pillows with higher pressure. When I first started my treatment, I developed a large sore on the bridge of my nose where the mask rubbed. They suggested I try nasal pillows and my pressure starts at 20 and goes as high as 25 cm H2O.

[slimey42]

I've called the supply place and they're sending me a new swift fx mask and a chinstrap.. which I will just have to get used to I think, if it helps resolve the mouth leak problem I had last night.

thanks. I'm not very assertive, so it was hard to fight back for the mask i knew i wanted when i was there yesterday.. they kept telling me the nasal pillow mask wouldn't work...

[Nin6]

I've got a Simplus FF mask and find that at higher pressures it leaks. I also have some other Resmed FF masks, and the silicone seems to be firmer in them. Luckily I don't have to use high pressure, but if I did, I don't think I would use the Simplus. It "flaps in the breeze" too much at high pressure for me. The Simplus is more comfortable for me because it's softer.