Perplexed

[zinnia]

Started off with a pillow mask the end of November. I loved how small it was. I wasn't getting enough air and never slept with it. Switched to a nasal pillow and felt relieved with more air and was able to sleep with the C-Pap for the first time. Then I started getting air in my cheeks and extremely dry mouth. Therapist said I must be breathing through my mouth. Excessive leaks well over 24 into the 50's and 60's on my reports. I tried a silicone full face mask (just over the nose and mouth, not up to the bridge of my nose) Finally got very good reports but leaking into my eyes and around my jaw - no matter how tight the straps were set. My face felt all mushed. I got another full face mask to try up to the bridge of my nose and it was leaking all night and getting a Angry sad face for my leak rate. Just woke up at 2 AM and took it off and here I am looking for advice. Feeling very disappointed. Ive gone into this with a very positive attitude but can't seem to find a good fit. I asked a few people I happened to see at the store and asked them their experience and they said they got used to the 1st mask they tried.

[Julie]

Have you tried liners (see Padacheek.com) which can fill in between the mask and you to help with leaks - I'm thinking of the previous mask you tried... Also overtightening prevents the silicone from inflating properly to do its job. Most of us have had to try lots of masks before finding the right one (or ones) and you do need to try more FF ones to get a better leak rate and seal... a PITA for sure, but once you have it working better, you'll feel better too.

[Sheriff Buford]

If you want to make a temporary liner, trace the mask on a piece of paper and cut a liner out of an old t shirt. If it works, check out a permanent liner from padacheek.com.

Sheriff

[Muse-Inc]

Click on my mask in my signature. It has pillows and an oral cushion that covers your mouth, so it is a full face mask (FFM) but does not cover your nose hence the name Hybrid. Because it is a FFM, you can breathe thru your nose or mouth without losing therapy air. There are 2 other hybrid-style FFMs: Liberty and Amara VIew. Our host http://www.cpap.com sells all of them and I believe you can get return insurance if the mask does not work.

[Pugsy]

Started off with a pillow mask the end of November. I loved how small it was

witched to a nasal pillow and felt relieved with more air and was able to sleep with the C-Pap for the first time

Not sure what you meant by "pillow mask" unless you are referring to what we normally call a nasal cushion mask where the nose itself is enclosed in the mask. Like this one.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/wisp-n ... ck-pr.html

If you are getting excessive leak reports (Mr Frowny face) even with a full face mask and leaks are waking you up with the full face mask then either it is the wrong size, fitted incorrectly or simply not a good choice for your facial structure.

It can be a challenge with leaks and full face masks because there is so much more surface area of the mask having to touch the skin and need to be kept sealed.
Then people make the mistake of cranking it down super tight in an effort to keep it sealed and that is actually counter productive. Most of these full face masks need to inflate to create a seal and when cranked down too tight they can't inflate.
So sometimes there is a fine line between tight enough to get a good seal and too tight so it can't inflate.

So review the mask fitting videos for whatever mask you are trying to use now.
Confirm that you have the correct size cushion for the mask by printing off a template for size (most full face masks have these sizing templates available) because if it is the wrong size it's not likely to ever work despite doing everything else correct.
Consider adding a mask liner which you can make your own or buy ready made. For some they help ...and some they don't but worth trying.

In the future it would really be helpful if you told us exactly which mask brand and model you are trying so we can maybe offer more specific hints known to that particular model.