Quattro and a sore nose

[TWolf]

I was using the Breeze with tape to stop my mouth leak but wanted to get off the tape. My six months were up in November so my insurance would pay for another mask and I decided to try a full face. I had tried a few full faces for fit before that and souldn't find one that either didn't KILL my nose, leak badly or both. My DME gave me a Quattro to try and glory be it was both comfortable and it fit well. I've been wearing it for about 2 1/2 months with little problem. It was making my nose a little sore but I picked up the pad-a-cheek forehead and nose bridge pad and it helped. I also put some of that ear plug silicone putty in the point at the top of the mask.

Now, with CPAP masks being CPAP masks, of course for no reason it is fitting like it's a different mask. I haven't done anything differently. I wash my face well every night. I wash the silicone facepiece everyday. I haven't played with the straps in any major way. But now, it's rubbing my nose raw and leaking like crazy.

Anybody have any ideas?

Also, I thought I've been doing it right but now I'm not so sure - can anyone tell me (or better yet, post a picture) of how the pad-a-cheek nose bridge thingie is supposed to be worn? Where is it supposed to lay on the silicone facepiece when you put your nose in it?

Thanks much.

TWolf

[defrankc]

I've been using the Quattro myself since early December, and in my opinion the mask is about two steps away from usable, and one step away from engineering disaster. Honestly, I don't think they built the thing correctly or just didn't bother finishing the job to get something out on the market.

I have had the same problem as you with my nose. It's gotten pretty bad, from word-go though with my nose and I've had various degrees of sores on my nose for the past three months. I've tried a small piece of moleskin big enough to fit over the bridge of my nose folded over on itself and held on with a piece of cloth tape (with the tape cut into a triangular fashion to fit on nose and still allow mask to seal above it) and that works pretty well.

Also have had good success with a simple band-aid with sides cut until there is just a smidgen of adhesive left, and then use the PadACheek on top of that.

As for the PadACheek....you just put it in place so that the thin part sits in the "hollow" made by the longish-silicone membrane at the top, with the part that starts to expand out drooping slightly into the mask....when the air is on, the membrane will expand and push the PadACheek into place.

Unfortunately, the best thing that I ever did to make the Quattro comfortable was buy a ComfortGel nasal mask with a chin strap

[dutchbrown]

TWolf, being a user of the Quattro myself, maybe you just slept on it "wrong" one night? Reason I say that is that I do not have any soreness, just a little redness on my nose each morning... but one night it must've been out of adjustment or something, I slept on my side, and my nose was pretty sore... rather than just use it again and make it worse the next night, I went with the Comfort Gel & Chin Strap for a night, then back to the Quattro and all was fine. You might have just irritated it and then each night it got worse and worse. If it's an option for you, if you have another mask, maybe switch for a few days and wait for the irritation to subside and go back.

[deglorious]

Hi, I've discovered the way to get rid of a sore nose is to do the following:

1. Wash my face right before I go to sleep. Use a clean mask (I use Dawn even though there are some that say use baby shampoo).

2. Put the mask on maximum adjustment -- I think that's 24. It gets it off the bridge of the nose the most.

3. Put the mask on chin first then forehead section. I discovered that by doing this the mask sits up a bit higher on my forehead thus getting it off my nose.

4. I don't have leaks and I haven't had to use my Padacheeks Nose Bridge Protection Pad either.

I've been doing this for 2 months with success. Good luck.

Deglorious

[Organplayer]

Ditto to degloriopus' comments except:

I do use the padacheek nose bridge pad and it does help me.

I have been a Quattro use for seven months and i love it. A few nights ago, I tried using my Swift nasal mask. Just couldn't do it. Got up and put the Quattro back on.

My .02.

Kevin

[Wulfman]

Three possible reasons.....Wrong size, too tight or not adjusted properly.

I adjust the forehead piece on my UMFF and Quattro masks to the full-upright position. I wear the forehead straps very loose and whatever tension needed is on the bottom straps. These masks need to be worn fairly loosely. That allows the seals to expand with the air pressure to get a better seal.

Den

[TWolf]

Thanks for all the responses folks. I appreciate the help. Last night I went back to my Breeze and mouth tape in order to give my nose a rest. I think I'll have to do that for several days. It was easier to go back than I thought it would be. Actually slept pretty well.

I'll have to revisit the adjustments on the Quattro when I can wear it again. I may be doing it wrong. I have been wearing it tighter than what you describe. I'll have to play around with it.

Does anybody know how often the silicone facepiece should be replaced? I was wondering if that could be part of the problem since everything has been okay until now.

Thanks again!

TWolf