Need help with Mask AirFit F30i Full Face CPAP

[Dzyan]

Hi all. I am new to CPAP. I bought myself an AirFit F30i Full Face CPAP Mask. I'm concerned about the two rows of small holes in the front of the mask. Air escapes through these holes and the necessary pressure is not created. My device is Prisma SMART and cara full face mask. I taped the holes in the AirFit F30i mask for fear that I would leak from these additional holes and not get the pressure I needed. Please help me to find out why the manufacturer made these holes and should they be sealed with adhesive tape?

[Greenbuyer]

If you tape those holes, where does your expelled CO2 go?

[Dzyan]

To be honest, I'm confused. After all, as far as I understand the whole point of CPAP is air pressure, which expands my spasmodic airways. And through these holes in the mask all the pressure escapes. The cara full face mask has a valve that closes when you inhale and opens when you exhale. The AirFit F30i mask has two similar valves and two outlets next to them. I don't understand anything, tomorrow morning I will call the seller of the mask.

[ozij]

To be honest, I'm confused. After all, as far as I understand the whole point of CPAP is air pressure, which expands my spasmodic airways. And through these holes in the mask all the pressure escapes. The cara full face mask has a valve that closes when you inhale and opens when you exhale. The AirFit F30i mask has two similar valves and two outlets next to them. I don't understand anything, tomorrow morning I will call the seller of the mask.

Remove the tape immediately.

You are confused indeed.
Look at the manual for your present CARA mask:
https://lmt-downloadcenter.hul.de/en/fi ... ll-face-2/

4.3 Exhalation system
The mask has an integrated exhalation system. The
link and mask body are shaped so that there is a gap
between these parts. The exhaled air can escape
through this gap

The look an the manual that came with the F30i. Or search for it on the internet.

The holes you consider taping are the F30i's exhalation system.
You CPAP blows air all night long to create the pressure needed to keep your airway from collpsing. The exlation holes are taken into account when the pressure is created by the machine.

Do not tape any opening on any mask

All CPAP masks have exhalation systems

[Dzyan]

Thank you all, you put my mind at ease! My hospital is very weak in selecting a mask for its patients. They sold me the Cara Face mask in size L and I feel it is too big for my face. According to this drawing from BMC, my size is M, which is 9 cm.


In order not to create another topic, I want to ask you. I'm planning to try a nasal mask and can't decide between the ResMed Airfit N30 or the AirFit P10. Mask AirFit F30i is quite comfortable for me, but I feel irritation on my skin from the side silicone air ducts + I am very sensitive to external irritants and I need maximum comfort to sleep. That's why I want to try the nasal mask. I breathe and sleep at night with my mouth open, this habit is due to the fact that in childhood I had a twisted nasal membrane with bad nasal breathing. I have been operated on twice and can breathe through my nose, but the habit of breathing through my mouth remains. I plan to try duct tape or the Knightsbridge DUAL BAND Anti Snoring Chin Strap to get the air out of my mouth.

1. I like the ResMed Airfit N30 mask, but I have concerns about the reliable fixation of the mask during sleep, when the openings of the mask may not coincide with the openings of my nose. With the AirFit P10 mask, I am concerned that the nose pads will cause me discomfort. In your opinion, which of these two masks would suit me better?

2. The seller of the mask said that if they turn off the light, then I should start breathing through my mouth so as not to suffocate. Question, will I not suffocate using a nasal mask with a taped mouth if the lights are turned off?

[Pugsy]

Question, will I not suffocate using a nasal mask with a taped mouth if the lights are turned off?

Not if you are breathing through your nose and the mouth breathing is strictly out of habit and not out of a real physical need.
Now if you can't breathe through your nose enough to be comfortably moving the air and you just have to supplement breathed air with mouth breathing...that's a whole different story and if you can't move enough air through the nose then you will HAVE to mouth breathe and that means a full face mask.
Physical need vs just habit.

I like the ResMed Airfit N30 mask, but I have concerns about the reliable fixation of the mask during sleep, when the openings of the mask may not coincide with the openings of my nose. With the AirFit P10 mask, I am concerned that the nose pads will cause me discomfort. In your opinion, which of these two masks would suit me better?

Any nasal pillow mask (like the P10) shouldn't cause discomfort to the nostrils as long as it is correctly sized and fitted.
The most common error made by people who use any sort of nasal mask (cradle cushion or pillows) is people simply crank it down too snug. People also tend to try to use a nasal pillow in a size that is too small. Too small and the pillow can try to crawl up inside the nose and that will hurt. I can't use a P10 XSmall for that reason but if I use the Small size it won't do that and it is quite comfortable.

I have used both the N30 and P10 in the past. They both have some pros and cons. The N30 is quite comfortable but it isn't nearly as stable as the P10. The N30 can slide around more. Both are silent in terms of venting noise.
Sizing on the P10 nasal pillows is going to be more critical than with the N30 cradle cushion which is more forgiving in the sizing department.

[zonker]

Hello, I read in your signature that you use the AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear. I also want to try this mask, but I sleep with my mouth open, a nasal septum surgery habit. Although I breathe through my nose. Could you please tell me what bandage you use?

here is what i use, with some modifications-

viewtopic.php?p=1089718&f=1&t=112758&p= ... s#p1086296

this has worked a treat for me going on six plus years now.

good luck!

[Dzyan]

Got a BPAP system, it's kind of scary. She inflates my mouth and mask like a ball. The mask rhythmically presses against my nose. There are air leaks that I cannot remove.

Are BPAP owners familiar with these issues? Perhaps they are related to a large difference in pressures that are installed on the device?
I don't know how to check the settings of my device Prisma 25S.

The replacement of the device was due to the fact that I was suffocating in the CARA mask during the soft start on CPAP. At the time, I did not understand that the cause of my shortness of breath was the imperfection of the CARA mask and thought that BPAP should solve this problem. But after I got the new AirFit F30i mask, I had two great nights on CPAP, and I didn't have any breathing problems. But the replacement was agreed, so I decided to try BPAP.

[zonker]

I don't know how to check the settings of my device Prisma 25S.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/15346 ... Smart.html

and it's bilevel, not bpap. just so you know!

[Dzyan]

I am confused, please explain to me what is the difference between a BiPAP machine and a Prisma 25S bi-level machine?

[zonker]

I am confused, please explain to me what is the difference between a BiPAP machine and a Prisma 25S bi-level machine?

bipap is a trademark of philips resperonics brand of bilevel machine.

[Dzyan]

Not if you are breathing through your nose and the mouth breathing is strictly out of habit and not out of a real physical need.
Now if you can't breathe through your nose enough to be comfortably moving the air and you just have to supplement breathed air with mouth breathing...that's a whole different story and if you can't move enough air through the nose then you will HAVE to mouth breathe and that means a full face mask.
Physical need vs just habit.

I received the P10 mask and tested it with BiPAP turned off. Due to the lack of any holes in the mask and with a taped mouth, it is quite difficult to breathe. I'm afraid I might suffocate at night because we're at war and they might turn off the lights. I think it is worth buying batteries for uninterrupted power supply of BiPAP. Please advise batteries that can ensure uninterrupted operation of BiPAP.

[Pugsy]

I received the P10 mask and tested it with BiPAP turned off. Due to the lack of any holes in the mask and with a taped mouth, it is quite difficult to breathe. I'm afraid I might suffocate at night because we're at war and they might turn off the lights. I think it is worth buying batteries for uninterrupted power supply of BiPAP. Please advise batteries that can ensure uninterrupted operation of BiPAP.

The P10 does in fact have vent holes in the mask. The vented air is diffused but it is vented.
You won't suffocate but I will admit that moving enough air to be comfortable is a lot of work and for some people they will think that they are suffocating.

I don't do batteries at all so someone else will have to help you with a battery idea but Bilevel machines use a lot more power (depending on the settings) and humidifiers are power hogs as well so I suspect you will need a good sized battery to last all night.

Where are you located?

[Dzyan]

The P10 does in fact have vent holes in the mask. The vented air is diffused but it is vented.
You won't suffocate but I will admit that moving enough air to be comfortable is a lot of work and for some people they will think that they are suffocating.

Thank you, I understand you. To calm myself, I disconnected the device from the power supply and breathed with difficulty for 10 minutes, while monitoring my level of oxygen in the blood. The level was kept at 95.

I don't do batteries at all so someone else will have to help you with a battery idea but Bilevel machines use a lot more power (depending on the settings) and humidifiers are power hogs as well so I suspect you will need a good sized battery to last all night.

I had a problem when I switched from CPAP to Bipap. My cheeks inflate and deflate like a frog that croaks, which is very annoying and interferes with sleep + the fan makes noise when it builds up pressure. My top pressure
breath (IPAP) is 12. Bottom pressure exhalation (IPAP) is 4.
Do you think that if you increase your bottom pressure from 4 to 8, the effect of puffing up your cheeks will disappear?

Where are you located?

I'm from Ukraine

[Pugsy]

I'm from Ukraine

I suspected as much but wanted to confirm. My heart goes out to you and yours.

What were your cpap settings? All of them?
And what are your bilevel machine settings? All of them??? Are they fixed or auto adjusting.

My top pressure (IPAP) is 12. Bottom pressure (IPAP) is 4.

Are you saying that your IPAP (inhale) is 12 and bottom pressure (called EPAP/exhale pressure) is 4?
That means your PS/pressure support (which is the difference between inhale and exhale) is 8 and that's extremely high PS for someone with plain old obstructive sleep apnea. Definitely could be contributing to the chipmunk cheeks and to be honest....not the best settings for OSA anyway and could potentially cause additional problems with central apneas.
This would be fixed settings.

But maybe you are using auto adjusting settings?????

I am not familiar with your particular brand bilevel machine but I am familiar with bilevel machines in general since I have used one for years.

Do you know how to get into the clinical menu settings area where you can see ALL the settings and/or make changes to mode or pressures or whatever?

Are you using a humidifier at all?

I know lots of questions but we/I need more detailed information to have the best chance of maybe helping you get to where you are comfortable with this therapy.

If using fixed mode....where EPAP is 4 and IPAP is 12 and PS is 8.....for sure reduce PS down from 8 to maybe 4.
So yes...EPAP set to 8 and IPAP set to 12 (assuming fixed mode) would be an acceptable settings choice for several reasons and one is maybe helping with chipmunk cheeks but I can't guarantee it since I know people using 5 or 6 cm pressure and no PS and they still get chipmunk cheeks....but hey....it's worth at least trying.

Do you know if this bilevel machine has other modes available? If so, what are they?

Someone else will have to help with battery discussion. I have zero experience with batteries.
Where you are at in Ukraine are you experiencing rolling black outs where you know when the power will be back on or is it a situation where you could be without power for 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week or whatever?