I hate CPAP

Needsdecaf · Post by **Needsdecaf** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:49 am

Or to be more precise, I hate CPAP interfaces. I can't get consistent results with any interface.

I started with a Swift II. It was leaky, and terrible for side sleeping IMO.

Moved to an Opus. Got that to work fairly well, although it still leaked. Added some stabilizing straps, that helped. The vent was still very noisy, and I learned what mouth leaks were.

Started taping, went through a week or two of trying different tapes, etc. Got one that finally worked, but hate taping - hate the residue, the fact that my mouth is sealed shut, etc. Plus I couldn't get rid of the leaks.

Switched to a Liberty to eliminate the mouth breathing. Couldn't get it to stop leaking for a bit. So I added mack's to the mouthpiece and discovered taping the pillows to my nose works well. I've been doing that for the last month.

This week has been a disaster. First thing was I forgot to refill my HH one night, which is a must as the on-board HH only holds enough water for 1.5 nights. So I woke up feeling terribly dry.

The next day, I noticed that I had red marks around my mouth for the first time, EVER! They were there all day, up to the time I went to bed. Why? I cleaned the mask and changed the Macks. But when I went to bed last night, I couldn't get the damn mask to seal worth a damn.

I am so sick of this, sick of having to tape something to my face every night, having tape residue on my nose until noon.

Arrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Only good thing is that my average leak is less than 5 L/M over the base rate of my mask, and my 30 day average AHI is 1.7.

Hurricane · Post by **Hurricane** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:25 am

Keep working at it, and get rid of that negative attitude, most of us have had many things to work out with this new way of life, but eventually the light at the end of the tunnel appears, the less things you put on your head, or mouth the better, make sure you give each new procedure a chance, before switching applications. I'm not being harsh, but this is not a easy thing to adjust to, till you find the right set up for you, try to go as simple as possible, so that you don't have to spend a half a hour preparing for sleep, keep us posted.
Ed

houltkin · Post by **houltkin** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:51 am

Does anybody out there have this problem? You wake up several times because your "mask du joir" is leaking or uncomfortable and you switch to another mask. I have found that, although I have my favorite (IQ), I still sometimes have to switch masks in the middle of the night.

Currently I have a full face, a nasal mask, and the old standby sleepweaver for the nights when nothing is comfortable and there is an outside chance I can get it to seal. Anyway, I use all three at different times.

tnmom · Post by **tnmom** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:42 am

well......

I don't LOVE it. I would much rather not to NEED xpap therapy.

But it is what it is. I do need it. I feel better when I use it (even though it is rarely all night, some is better than none!). I almost always wake up with dry eyes because it always seems to end up blowing my eyes.

It certainly isn't something I would choose to do just for fun, but the fact remains that it is keeping me healthier and hopefully keeping me around longer for my kids, so I'm very grateful for xpap.

Needsdecaf · Post by **Needsdecaf** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:54 am

Hurricane wrote:Keep working at it, and get rid of that negative attitude, most of us have had many things to work out with this new way of life, but eventually the light at the end of the tunnel appears, the less things you put on your head, or mouth the better, make sure you give each new procedure a chance, before switching applications. I'm not being harsh, but this is not a easy thing to adjust to, till you find the right set up for you, try to go as simple as possible, so that you don't have to spend a half a hour preparing for sleep, keep us posted.
Ed

My negative attitude stems from the fact that a setup that has been working relatively well for a month all of a sudden seems to be going south.

I actually don't mind the hose, the treatment at all. I am used to it, and can't sleep without it. I have no issues any longer from having to wear equipment to bed, the hose doesn't wake me up, I sleep fine with the pressure going. I am quite adjusted to the lifestyle, that's not the problem.

The problem is that I'm getting sick of trying new things to stop leaks. This is ridiculous. Does anyone try these masks before they're introduced? How many interfaces do I have to try to find one that works? I'm up to 4 now, in 2.5 months.

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RiverDave · Post by **RiverDave** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:21 am

It sounds to me like you have changed something with regard to fitting the mask. I've found that even the most subtle change can cause me to leak (and the mask, too )

On the other hand....

If you are a mouth breather and you can't get the pillows to seal, and you don't want to tape, it sounds like it's time to try a FFM.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:33 am

[quote="Needsdecaf"]Or to be more precise, I hate CPAP interfaces. I can't get consistent results with any interface.

I started with a Swift II. It was leaky, and terrible for side sleeping IMO.

Moved to an Opus. Got that to work fairly well, although it still leaked. Added some stabilizing straps, that helped. The vent was still very noisy, and I learned what mouth leaks were.

Started taping, went through a week or two of trying different tapes, etc. Got one that finally worked, but hate taping - hate the residue, the fact that my mouth is sealed shut, etc. Plus I couldn't get rid of the leaks.

Switched to a Liberty to eliminate the mouth breathing. Couldn't get it to stop leaking for a bit. So I added mack's to the mouthpiece and discovered taping the pillows to my nose works well. I've been doing that for the last month.

This week has been a disaster. First thing was I forgot to refill my HH one night, which is a must as the on-board HH only holds enough water for 1.5 nights. So I woke up feeling terribly dry.

The next day, I noticed that I had red marks around my mouth for the first time, EVER! They were there all day, up to the time I went to bed. Why? I cleaned the mask and changed the Macks. But when I went to bed last night, I couldn't get the damn mask to seal worth a damn.

I am so sick of this, sick of having to tape something to my face every night, having tape residue on my nose until noon.

Arrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Only good thing is that my average leak is less than 5 L/M over the base rate of my mask, and my 30 day average AHI is 1.7.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:34 am

[quote="Needsdecaf"]Or to be more precise, I hate CPAP interfaces. I can't get consistent results with any interface.

I started with a Swift II. It was leaky, and terrible for side sleeping IMO.

Moved to an Opus. Got that to work fairly well, although it still leaked. Added some stabilizing straps, that helped. The vent was still very noisy, and I learned what mouth leaks were.

Started taping, went through a week or two of trying different tapes, etc. Got one that finally worked, but hate taping - hate the residue, the fact that my mouth is sealed shut, etc. Plus I couldn't get rid of the leaks.

Switched to a Liberty to eliminate the mouth breathing. Couldn't get it to stop leaking for a bit. So I added mack's to the mouthpiece and discovered taping the pillows to my nose works well. I've been doing that for the last month.

This week has been a disaster. First thing was I forgot to refill my HH one night, which is a must as the on-board HH only holds enough water for 1.5 nights. So I woke up feeling terribly dry.

The next day, I noticed that I had red marks around my mouth for the first time, EVER! They were there all day, up to the time I went to bed. Why? I cleaned the mask and changed the Macks. But when I went to bed last night, I couldn't get the damn mask to seal worth a damn.

I am so sick of this, sick of having to tape something to my face every night, having tape residue on my nose until noon.

Arrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Only good thing is that my average leak is less than 5 L/M over the base rate of my mask, and my 30 day average AHI is 1.7.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:37 am

[quote="Needsdecaf"][quote="Hurricane"]

The problem is that I'm getting sick of trying new things to stop leaks. This is ridiculous. Does anyone try these masks before they're introduced? How many interfaces do I have to try to find one that works? I'm up to 4 now, in 2.5 months.

houltkin · Post by **houltkin** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:38 am

The problem is that I'm getting sick of trying new things to stop leaks. This is ridiculous. Does anyone try these masks before they're introduced? How many interfaces do I have to try to find one that works? I'm up to 4 now, in 2.5 months.

My thoughts exactly. I've tried 6 in 6 weeks. 3 from the DME and 3 from cpap.com. I think it's like everything else, if you don't fit the 95th percentile, it just isn't gonna be as successful. But I keep going because I really want the therapy every night.

ww · Post by ww » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:56 am

The Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask comes in 6 sizes and there is a 3D sizing template to be sure you get the right one available from ResMed. I also wanted the Quattro, but it does not fit as wide assortment of people as the UMFF and has leak problems around the elbow and some have expressed concern about the aphyxication flapper not sealing.

sleeplessinaz · Post by **sleeplessinaz** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:29 pm

Hi There---please hang in there. Most of us hate the CPAP but we do it because it makes us feel better in the follow day. I must have a night stand full of masks that i have tried!!! I bet I have about 6 or 8!!! Luckily I have really good insurance to cover this --it is hard to find one that you like and one that is comfortable. After trying a bunch I am back to the one I had the sleep study with!!!! LOL! The godo OLE F & P Flexifit 407!! I like the comfort Gel too but for some reason after a few nights of it --it seems to be really heavy --like I have a Karl Maldon nose!! SO then I go back to the 407. My newest mask is the OPI LIFE. I like it but still have issues with it but I still try it out every week to see what I might be doing wrong ---so HANG IN THERE--it will be worth it in the end for your health and general well being,
Carrie

danmc · Post by **danmc** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:26 pm

Yep, I'm new too and found all the same things. At first I thought the swift and opus had to be designed by ford - too many leaks to be accidental

What I found eventually was that any suggestion of hair at the base of my nose made the things leak - I had shaved for a full mask but it grew back after a while and I didn't think it would matter for nasal pillows. But it did, had to shave a few millimeters off the top just at the base of my nose all the time.

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:39 pm

I have used a Breeze mask for the past 11+ years and have no problems with leaks.

I cannot imagine ever using anything else.

Some have problems getting it to work and it can be a bit of a problem to tune it up.

Works for moi.

Needsdecaf · Post by **Needsdecaf** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:21 pm

MrGrumpy wrote:
BTW, the Liberty is a poor choice for a full face mask.

Fred

I really find the FFM and Nasal Mask's forehead rest to be very uncomfortable. I started on the Ultra Mirage II (I declined to mention that mask since I hated it so much but it was number 1 of 4 in the numbers mentioned above).

I may have to suck it up, though. Or try a Swift LT and the new PapCap.

I hate CPAP

I hate CPAP

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Re: I hate CPAP

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