No idea what happened with my S8 Elite II last night!

[teresamichele]

I went to bed like normal last night - filled up the humidifier to the normal level, got my pillows situated, and put my mask on. I always use the mask fitting feature on the Elite, so I held the button down and was messing with it (I'm having problems with it on the right side of my chin for some reason). I don't remember if I ever turned off the mask fitting feature, but I woke up about 3:30 having to go to the bathroom. My mouth and throat felt like I had swallowed some sort of horrible drying agent. My humidifier - which I always "pre-heat" - is set on 3 of 6.

I went back to bed, turned the humidifer up to 4, and went back to sleep till 5 or so. I felt better when I woke up - the dryness was gone. I checked the leak rate and whatnot, though, and it was .62 - I'm normally closer to .02 and anything over .4 is supposed to be bad. It had also been .62 at 3:30.

So I'm wondering if the mask fitting feature never turned off because I never got a good seal. The humidifier seemed to have a lot of water in it this morning, and given how I felt, I can't imagine it was working as well as normal.

I know - one night does not a trend make - but it was just so weird! Here's hoping tonight isn't nearly as odd - I don't like feeling like I swallowed sand!

[Slinky]

I seriously doubt the Mask Fit feature had anything to do w/last night's experience. I've had the S8 Elite, S8 AutoSet Vantage and now the VPAP Auto. All have the Mask Fit feature and I've forgotten since I haven't use that feature for so long but they only stay in that "mode" about 5 minutes (I'm not positive of the length of time) then reverts to running at your normal therapy settings. I would not expect the S8 IIs to be any different in this regard.

I would be willing to bet that that dry mouth and high leak rate was caused by the problems you were having w/your Quattro at your chin. That is the MOST LIKELY CULPRIT! How long have you been using the Quattro? Maybe it is time to replace the cushion?? If you've taken it apart to clean it maybe it wasn't put back together quite right? Maybe your headgear straps have stretched and need to be re-adjusted, replaced?

[PST]

One time when something like that happened to me, I found that I hadn't closed the humidifier cover with a firm click. Air was leaking out of the humidifier instead of all going through the hose.

[GaryG]

One time when something like that happened to me, I found that I hadn't closed the humidifier cover with a firm click. Air was leaking out of the humidifier instead of all going through the hose.

Yeah, I've done the same thing too. Searching for a leak at my mask, when my cover on the humidifer wasn't clicked closed.

[Slinky]

Whenever I've forgotten to close the humidifier cover it has bounced and chattered so bad the first time it happened after I'd fallen asleep I darn near hit the ceiling!!!! Its nice to know I'm not the only one who has forgotten to do so!

[SkylineUSA]

Just to add, the mask fitting feature turns off automatically after a few minutes, and then goes into the normal ramp mode.

[PST]

Slinky mentioned not putting the mask back together right. I had a horrible leak problem one night recently using the Mirage Quattro. I took the cushion assembly out to wash it. It's easier than washing the whole mask, and as far as I'm concerned, just the part that touches my face needs it every day. Anyway, when I put it back together, I got the two blue tabs on the sides right, but not the little one at the bottom. It wasn't fully clicked in, and as I moved around during the night, sometimes the mask stayed sealed to the cushion and sometimes it didn't. When I downloaded data, it showed everything pretty good for parts of the night, but the leaks literally off the chart for long stretches.

[teresamichele]

I actually fell asleep for most of the night last night without the CPAP (totally on accident) but I woke up at 5 all groggy and gross feeling. I went to the bathroom, came back, popped the green plastic part out of the mask, wiggled the cushion, and popped the green plastic back in.

Not only did my leak rate go down, but for the three hours I had the mask on (woke up again around 8am), I didn't get the "whistling" leak on the side of my chin (which had been present for several days, including before the last time I washed it).

Here's hoping tonight goes just as well...but I sleep with the CPAP all night!

[Slinky]

Fortunately, I don't have a mask you can or should take apart. But IF I DID have a mask that could be taken apart I wouldn't. Heck, you don't need to take a mask apart to wash just the cushion!!! I don't even really wash my mask, I just wipe the cushion w/warm water and baby shampoo and wipe rinse w/warm vinegar water - or often just wipe it with a damp wipe or cloth.