Mask Leakage

fehler · Post by **fehler** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:16 pm

hi
i have a question about my naael mask the comfortjel. There is a lot of air leaking out of the plastick tubing where the quick disconnect attaches to the mask, is this normal or is that a problem. Also can some one give some advice on how to tell where my mask is leaking. According to my macnine my leak rate is 37 the mask is rated for 27 i use pantyhose to keep my mouth closed and cant feel any air out of the mask.

Frank

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KingdomeMariner · Post by **KingdomeMariner** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:19 pm

I used the comfort gel for awhile, and yes, it is normal. The vent is there to so CO2 can be released, thus not building up in the mask. The leaking out of this vent is figured in the leak rates for each individual mask, which can be found on this site. Hope that helps!

fehler · Post by **fehler** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:21 pm

Thanks KingdomeMariner

fatfeminist · Post by **fatfeminist** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 6:46 pm

fehler, i just wanted to tell you that i also have the comfortgel, and the first couple night i was like WTF!!! with all that cold air pouring out of the front. my RT hadn't warned me or anything, but then upon reading a little on the internet and viewing some of the diagrams i figured out that was the vent, and i felt a lot better...

the weird blowing still makes me uncomfortable if i move and it starts to hit me though.

just wanted to share that i had the same worry.

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:00 pm

It does appear that your leak rate is a little high if it is rated at 27 and you are actually at 37. Figuring the mask is probably the hardest part of getting our therapy going in the right direction.

What are your other numbers looking like? How are you feeling?

It is possible even with a pantyhose strap you could be leaking from your mouth.

You do NOT want to cover the exhalation port as you need it to remove the co2 from your mask, but you don't want it leaking so bad that your treatment is ineffective.

fehler · Post by **fehler** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:09 pm

According to my machine my AHI nombers are real good .8 and i am feeling better but not as good as when i had my sleep study with the cpap.

Frank

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:21 pm

You are on the right track it appears.

Do you read your numbers from your machine or do you have the software?

fehler · Post by **fehler** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:25 pm

my machine

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:39 pm

It can take several weeks to a few months to get to feeling totally up to par. I have been on xpap since the end of August and have some very good days and then have some really crummy days still.

sburke91 · Post by **sburke91** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 5:31 am

This is very interesting. I just started with my BiPap. I'm using the exact same mask and get the exact same leak rate (37). My average AHI shows to be .7.

So either both of us aren't leaking much and have an accurate leak rate indication on the display, or 37 is the max the unit will display for leak rate

This is all read from the display on the machine--my smart card reader is somewhere between HK and here at the moment.

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Armini about every other week for travel.