I am about to give up on all masks!!

kjarels · Post by **kjarels** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:50 am

First of all I am a mouth breather but every mask I have tried never seems to work and I have tried many. The full face never seem to seal, if I use the pillows with chin strap I still have bad nasal congestion so the therapy is probably not doing me much good. I am using the Activa right now and my nasal passages were so clogged this morning and with the chin strap its a wonder if I am alive today. lol I have to laugh about it because like I said I have tried every mask out there. I now have the Activa and the Hybrid and the Hybrid is by far the worse mask I have used. I returned my Quattro about 3 weeks ago because it would not seal. Does anyone have a mask for me??? LOL if so please send it air mail.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:55 am

Have tried rinsing you sinuses daily to help with your congestion?

O.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:37 am

Keep in mind that you need to have masks (especially the full face ones) properly fitted and adjusted. In addition to that, they need to be clean (oil free) as well as you face too. Then there is hose management ... how the hose is routed from your machine to your mask and the pillow you use to sleep on.

Yes, finding the right the mask interface is by far the most difficult part of the treatment, but not give up so easily ... the consequences of giving up are far more unpleasant than trying to make the therapy work.

Give more specifics as to the issues you are having with your mask(s) and there are many here who have most likely worked through those very same issues.

... and yes, as ozij suggested, try nasal saline rinsing for the sinus congestion, it really does work if you give it time and effort.

Best of luck.

wolftracker · Post by **wolftracker** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:39 am

it is kind of hard to provide any help without more information

what is your face shape and size ...
describe as much about your face as you can

what is wrong with the hybrid ...

there are a lot of ppl who love it and lots who hate it

i have used it for over a year and it works great for me

the liberty mask is like the hybrid

so the more info you provide the better the help we can give you

my .02

wolf

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:18 am

Hang in there ! I think I've tried every full face mask out there. All of them would leak so much I couldn't sleep. What I discovered about the full face masks is that the bottom strap would have to be so tight to stop the leaking that it would pull my lower jaw back, thus reducing my already tight airway. Plus, I would wake up with a bloody lower lip where my top teeth were clamping down. The Hybrid was the worst. I also got a defective Hybrid that did not sit in the seal correctly, so check for that.
The Activa is supposed to have the best seal, and it does if I don't move my head. I have the special APAP pillow and my hose strung over my bed. When I roll over to my side, it leaks, but if I can sleep through the noise, I notice that the leaks don't negatively affect my AHIs as much as the FF masks.
I've tried the ComfortLite II, with extra straps running under my chin to keep it from sliding up and another around the front to keep it from shifting. I've tried it with and without the Mack silicone plugs lining the edge. I still wake up with a cut across my nose and leak lines that do not have any straight horizontal at all.

My mask collection has grown to 5 , not counting the dozen or so that I have tried in the sleep lab and borrowed from the DME.

I'm not going to give up, but I wish I could find the right mask so that I can get on with my life,

I think it would really help if everyone would post their photo as thier avatar, so that we can see what mask fits what kind of face.

Rested Gal, I think I'm going to try yours next.

OutaSync · Post by **OutaSync** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:20 am

That was me. I swear I logged in.

Fuzzy Guest · Post by **Fuzzy Guest** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:06 pm

I have the same problem, kjarels. Nasal pillows worked great for me, but I couldn't keep the lip seal. I've tried chin straps, extra straps, taping, polygrip, and polygrip strips, and none of them helped. I can't find a FF mask that fits. I currently have a Quattro, and I've adjusted it every which way, tight, loose...I might as well have a colander on my face. I've given up trying until insurance will buy me a new mask in January. I have no idea which one to try next, though.

jsmythe · Post by **jsmythe** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:47 pm

Anonymous wrote:Hang in there ! I think I've tried every full face mask out there. All of them would leak so much I couldn't sleep. What I discovered about the full face masks is that the bottom strap would have to be so tight to stop the leaking that it would pull my lower jaw back, thus reducing my already tight airway. Plus, I would wake up with a bloody lower lip where my top teeth were clamping down. The Hybrid was the worst. I also got a defective Hybrid that did not sit in the seal correctly, so check for that.
The Activa is supposed to have the best seal, and it does if I don't move my head. I have the special APAP pillow and my hose strung over my bed. When I roll over to my side, it leaks, but if I can sleep through the noise, I notice that the leaks don't negatively affect my AHIs as much as the FF masks.
I've tried the ComfortLite II, with extra straps running under my chin to keep it from sliding up and another around the front to keep it from shifting. I've tried it with and without the Mack silicone plugs lining the edge. I still wake up with a cut across my nose and leak lines that do not have any straight horizontal at all.

My mask collection has grown to 5 , not counting the dozen or so that I have tried in the sleep lab and borrowed from the DME.

I'm not going to give up, but I wish I could find the right mask so that I can get on with my life,

I think it would really help if everyone would post their photo as thier avatar, so that we can see what mask fits what kind of face.

Rested Gal, I think I'm going to try yours next.

_________________
I also had the same problems with all the FF masks that I tried, they LEAKED, badly.My pressure is set at 17, I am very anxious to see if I can use the Hybrid.Not sure that it will work for me at this pressure.

At the moment I use Activa and Comfort Gel, I love both, but I need a FF to use when my nose is clogged, I have allergy problems bad. I orded a ComfortFull and am anxious to try it. I have a round face, and I think that is why the FF wont seal as they should.

I love the Activa, no leaks at all. I have found that the looser the straps, the better the seal.Sounds like you may have had the straps a little to tight. The tighter , the more leaks it has.

The Comfort Gel is much smaller and lighter weight, and I get a great seal with it also.The FF that I have now is the Ultra Mirage, feels great, but leaks like a sieve.

I am still so new to all this, it is hard for me to know how to tweak a mask and get it to work. But I also guess I feel that if I pay so much money for a mask, I don't want to cut on it to change it.

(I also tried to use my photo as my avatar, but this wont accept it because it is not below or at 15kb. and I dont know how to change that. I only have a couple of pics of my in my pictures folder to use.)

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): activa, hose, DME, seal, APAP

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:56 pm

Fuzzy Guest wrote:I have the same problem, kjarels. Nasal pillows worked great for me, but I couldn't keep the lip seal. I've tried chin straps, extra straps, taping, polygrip, and polygrip strips, and none of them helped. I can't find a FF mask that fits. I currently have a Quattro, and I've adjusted it every which way, tight, loose...I might as well have a colander on my face. I've given up trying until insurance will buy me a new mask in January. I have no idea which one to try next, though.

FG,

Did you use Teflon tape to wrap both ends of the elbow? If not, they can FEEL like they're leaking everywhere......just ask Mindy or anybody that's got one.

Den

Vettecraze · Post by **Vettecraze** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:44 pm

Have you tried the Liberty Full face?, it looks like the hybrid but they are not the same. I have them both and I can use the hybrid but I does not work as good as the Liberty works on me.
I know how you must feel; I tried a few masks myself and was not happy until I bought the Liberty.

jsmythe · Post by **jsmythe** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:44 pm

Vettecraze wrote:Have you tried the Liberty Full face?, it looks like the hybrid but they are not the same. I have them both and I can use the hybrid but I does not work as good as the Liberty works on me.
I know how you must feel; I tried a few masks myself and was not happy until I bought the Liberty.

What is your pressure set at? Liberty just wouldnt work for me @17.

Fuzzy Guest · Post by **Fuzzy Guest** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:17 pm

Wulfman wrote:
FG,

Did you use Teflon tape to wrap both ends of the elbow? If not, they can FEEL like they're leaking everywhere......just ask Mindy or anybody that's got one.

Den

It probably leaks there, too, but it definitely leaks out the sides. If I lie very still, on my back, I can sometimes get the side leaks stopped, but any movement at all will make it leak into my eyes. Also, I sleep on my left side, and IF I can get the leaks stopped, it pokes me in my right cheek in that position. I cranked it down tight once, and it didn't leak, but my head was pounding in just a few minutes. Oh yeah, one other thing I tried...a different pillow...didn't help. This one is just not going to work for me.

wabmorgan · Post by **wabmorgan** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:22 pm

Might be worth consulting an ENT about the nasal conjestion... if you haven't already done so.

As for MASK..... I wish I knew a better answer... but thus far the Activa has been best for me.

Vader · Post by **Vader** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:29 pm

Wulfman wrote: Did you use Teflon tape to wrap both ends of the elbow? If not, they can FEEL like they're leaking everywhere......just ask Mindy or anybody that's got one.

I haven't found one other mask that I've been as pleased with, as my Quattro.
After four months of continuous use, I still have not had ANY problems at all. No leaks in the elbow or anywhere....

Vettecraze · Post by **Vettecraze** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:14 am

My machine is an A-flex auto, and the Liberty works fine at 17. Keep in mind that at 17 is almost impossible to be 100% leak free, that is whithout painfully over adjusting the straps. But you do have a point jsmythe my average pressure on auto is only 7.

I am about to give up on all masks!!

I am about to give up on all masks!!

help

have you

Re: have you

My pressure

Mask