Another Quattro Question..Thanks for all Help

[gw]

My face is kind of big and round and with the medium Quattro which I was fitted with, the air is making the loud horn blowing sound right around the the area to the right and left of my mouth. I tried for a hour on the second night to get it adjusted. Wiped it clean, washed my face, and did everything recommended short of making the cloth gasket and putting it between. I even tried to stuff tissues in the areas leaking. Nothing worked. I ended up putting on my old nasal mask and taping my mouth.

Such a waste of money, but Apria says they do not take masks back.

Any thoughts on what to do?

[Snoredog]

My opinion:

Your Quattro sounds too Small.

The UltraMirage Full Face is a 10 times better mask than the Quattro. I still have several of the UMFF and used them more than 3 years, I couldn't use that Quattro a week. Why?

1. Leaks from the elbow, if it didn't leak around the elbow swivel itself it leaked from the anti-asphyxia flapper valve. This seems to be a bigger problem under lower pressures and/or if you are a shallow breather. That sucker woke me up every morning I used it with the "mask off" leak alarm sounding on the machine only to find all the CPAP pressure escaping from the elbow, I'd feel around trying to find the leak and it was friggin everywhere!!

2. They narrowed up the forehead support, they also changed the way the cushion connects to that same support, damn silicone forehead support would not stay in the bracket! Then you couldn't put the mask on without releasing both top straps or it would cause it to pop out (stupid design).

3. Forehead adjustment knob: While it seems cool, that stupid knob was like a steering wheel, I'd adjust on that damn thing all night long and still not find a position that worked. The UMFF had 3 slots, one always worked and I didn't have to adjust it every night, once set it stayed where you set it. Who cares there is markings on the Quattro, you cannot see those when wearing the thing.

4. Exhaust port/Noise: With the Quattro they changed the exhaust from the UMFF, they moved the exhaust down from where it came out on the UMFF, they used this square hole checker board exhaust. I used the Quattro one minute and the UMFF the other, the Quattro was LOUDER than the UMFF hands down. Then the Quattro blows out a stream of air about 12" away like a unicorn, your partner will love that.

5. Elbow Anti-Asphyxia Valve: With the Quattro, they changed the design of this valve, the UMFF did not use a flapper-style valve. UMFF used slots around the swivel on the elbow and used a Venturi like design, with loss of CPAP pressure your exhaled air flowed out those slots. With the Quattro it uses a flapper style valve, under lower pressure this valve gets confused and you may wake up finding your CPAP pressure going out the by-pass valve in the elbow.

Headgear was pretty much the same on both masks, good quality but they did away with the top Quick Release clips and you have to unhook the strap from a hook, it saves your strap tension at top but doesn't work as well as the quick release clips found on the bottom straps.

Cushion: Both cushions are good, I give the slight advantage to the Quattro's cushion it did seem to seal a tiny bit better than the UMFF but it also leaked everywhere else so that was difficult to ascertain.

Personally, I wouldn't give you $.29 cents for the Quattro. If you can size it correctly (always get it larger vs smaller) the Somnotech FF is better than both on noise, elbow and ability to seal with the least strap pressure. However, its cushion is stiff by comparison and many find it uncomfortable so be forewarned. I used a Medium in the UMFF and Quattro, I needed a Large with the Somnotech, but it doesn't work for everyone (I prefer the Soyala nasal and learned not to mouth breathe).

[track]

I prefer the Soyala nasal and learned not to mouth breathe

Please share your secret on how you learned not to mouth breathe.

[Snoredog]

I prefer the Soyala nasal and learned not to mouth breathe

Please share your secret on how you learned not to mouth breathe.

No secret,
- concentrated on keeping my tongue planted into the hard palate,
- made sure any nasal congestion was being addressed including a rhino rinse before bed if needed,
- concentrated on breathing thru my nose even during the day
- used taping my mouth to help the process after a while I didn't need the tape,
- used machine reports to monitor leak progress
- enabled the audible mask off alarm on the machine,
- learned how to manipulate the tongue with the soft palate to maintain that seal while under CPAP, found I could drop my mandible nearly an inch before that seal was broken.

Practicing that at every chance I could did it for me. I know after 8 years on this therapy I get better therapy using a nasal mask, less hassles with leaks, more comfortable and much lighter interface.

I also smoked more than a pack of cigarettes for more than 25 years, tried quitting that at least a dozen times, after the first stroke it motivated me to try a bit harder, its been more than 8 years now since I had my last smoke. Zyban sure helped that process a long.

I had nasal surgery to fix a deviated septum and turbinate reduction more than 25 years ago, found most of my nasal congestion was caused by allergies after regular use of the saline rhino rinse that was resolved. I have a BlueAir HEPA filter in my bedroom which runs 24x7 and gets its filter replaced every 6 months and vacuumed in between changes.