SOOOO many masks and I am so confused...HELP PELASE

[wendyk65]

I have been on the CPAP for over a year now. I have missed probably 8 days in the last 16 months...so I am really trying. My first mask was the F20 for her. I had leaks with this waking me up with glubbing noises on my face. AND I hate all the marks it left on my face. THEN the lady at Apria said I had wrong size. STILL had glubbing noises on my face and it woke me. I bought the strap protectors from Pad-A-Cheek but my face is still lined with marks that take half the day to go away...I am becoming more self-conscious about them because they are NOTICEABLE...

when it was good to get a new mask I wanted a hybred because I am a MOUTH BREATHER, but she talked me into the Amara View. BUT with all the straps my face is like a scar zone. I also developed a sore on the side of my head from the straps. I put on the pad-A-cheek and that made the sore on my head go away, but really little help with the marks on my face.

I am a side sleeper and so I do not know if that is the problem. Sometime in the night I do change sides...sometimes after I am awaken by the glubbing on my face sometimes I just wake up.

HELP...I am at a loss as to what mask to try for side sleeper mouth breather.

I have taped my mouth closed and still wake up with a desert for a mouth...which I know is not good for you, i.e. that dry mouth every night. I do not think the chin strap works because I still have dry mouth. I am diabetic so maybe the dry mouth is from that and I should still tape mouth.

BUT I do not know how to find the best mask for me. I thought the Amara view would be great, nasal pillows versus up the nose, but the comfort level with all the straps is just not here.

I thought of just getting the silicone for the F20 or trying the TapPap because it has no straps at all and seemed like FREEDOM....I know everyone is different so what works for some might not work for others but there has to be a better way to find a mask....I did try a couple from a company that allowed returns but it was like a needle in a haystack.

one site had a forum of users and a guy had issues some like mine and he loved the Dreamwear full mask...but I read a lot of people with leak issues.

I am a side sleeper
I am a diabetic so probably dry mouth from that because I have dry mouth during the day.
I FAITHFULLY use the machine.

I do not always feel rested when I wake up but my numbers are really good with either of the masks.

I have times I have ugly red face from mask leaks, but not that many because it wakes me and I adjust.

I just want to be comfortable
have no marks on my face so with as few straps as possible....
sleep without being woken up by the mask issues.


HELP.....

[Sissy63]

I have tried 7 masks (all types) in 3 months and finally settled with the Swift FX pillow. I was also a mouth breather and was originally on a full face mask. I tried two and just did care for them. They leaked like crazy Nd left marks on my face.

At first I did tape with the pillow mask, but now I find I do breathe through my nose and the use has been put away.

It might be worth trying pillows and see if you in fact do keep your mouth closed. I was pleasantly surprised that I do and find the Swift FX about as comfortable as a mask is going to be. I went through CPAP.com so that I could return them if they did not work.

Best wishes!

[Julie]

And running an ice cube over the marks in the a.m. speeds up getting rid of them.

[Rayan]

I have gone to the Airfit P10 pillow mask and also sleep on my side. It’s been a life changer. P10 has a few minor bumps to get used to but the benefits outweigh the negatives.

[zonker]

welcome, wendy!

when you get a chance, please read this-

viewtopic/t172378/Sticky--Newbies-PLEAS ... STING.html

your therapy isn't optimized. if you could give us some more info, as it says in the link above, the experts here could help you.

i'm not one of those experts, but i can relay a tip on helping with dry mouth. at your local drug or grocery store, look for Xylimelts. it's in with or near the toothpaste. it's a lozenge that you put between teeth and cheek. it slowly melts through the night and stimulates saliva.

works for me and it may work for you.

good luck!

[realshelby]

Reading what you are going through brings back my first efforts...

I was told I was a mouth breather. So we will fit you with this full face mask. You will use it and never question our recommendation.....

Leaks were far worse with the two full face masks I used.

Don't accept you cannot learn to breathe only through your nose. If you have clear passages, you can adapt to it. I found the nasal pillow masks like the P 10, Swift FX, Bravida, and the nasal version of Dreamwear to be quite a bit more comfortable and less prone to leaking.

The ResMed P 10 is probably the most universally accepted "favorite" nasal pillow mask. Certainly one of the better ones as far as leaving marks. Give it a try, you might just be pleasantly surprised!

[Holden4th]

I'm also a mouth breather but use a nasal mask.

You can train yourself to breathe through your nose and there are threads on this forum that tell you how to do it. It took a bit of time but this now works for me. To aid this I use a soft cervical collar which prevents chin droop and helps to keep the mouth closed. I've read on this forum that taping will add to this as well.

I use the Dreamwear and alternate between the nasal mask and the nasal pillows.