new to cpap, help!!

[cacho]

I 've been diagnosed with Sleep apnea recently and have been using A CPAP machine for a month.

I have tried a Respironics Comfort GEl full face and one of the Res Med full face masks and I found them to be a nightmare! I cannot sleep at all because of the continuous air leaks no matter how much I try to adjust it.

Should I try every mask available in the market before I give up? Have most of you veteran CPAP users try many different masks before you found one that you liked?
What about the sizing of the mask? DO you need to accurately measure your face to find the right fit? The Home care agency from which I am getting the mask never measured my face. They just gave me a Large size mask...

Thanks for your help

Yoon

[terrydk]

I 've been diagnosed with Sleep apnea recently and have been using A CPAP machine for a month.

I have tried a Respironics Comfort GEl full face and one of the Res Med full face masks and I found them to be a nightmare! I cannot sleep at all because of the continuous air leaks no matter how much I try to adjust it.

Should I try every mask available in the market before I give up? Have most of you veteran CPAP users try many different masks before you found one that you liked?
What about the sizing of the mask? DO you need to accurately measure your face to find the right fit? The Home care agency from which I am getting the mask never measured my face. They just gave me a Large size mask...

Thanks for your help

Yoon

You should have 30 days to evaluate each mask to see if it works for you or not, if not take it back to the DME within 30 days and try another until you get one that works. It is their job and they are getting paid to get you set up correctly. They should also fit you with the correct size of mask. Did they go over the options of different types of masks that are available...full face, nasal pillows with and without mouth coverage, nasal masks etc....? It's possible that you need to try another DME if there are more available in your area.


Ideal setup is zero leaks but you can still get some good therapy with some small leaks. It is best however to strive for zero.

[Wulfman]

I 've been diagnosed with Sleep apnea recently and have been using A CPAP machine for a month.

I have tried a Respironics Comfort GEl full face and one of the Res Med full face masks and I found them to be a nightmare! I cannot sleep at all because of the continuous air leaks no matter how much I try to adjust it.

Should I try every mask available in the market before I give up? Have most of you veteran CPAP users try many different masks before you found one that you liked?
What about the sizing of the mask? DO you need to accurately measure your face to find the right fit? The Home care agency from which I am getting the mask never measured my face. They just gave me a Large size mask...

Thanks for your help

Yoon

Welcome to the forum.

That sounds like your biggest problem.......the idiots who are supposed to be helping you.
I haven't heard of very many people who had any luck with the ComfortGel FF.......lots of leaks. The ResMed full face masks are generally better......IF they're sized and adjusted properly. Bed pillows can also make a huge difference in mask leaks. There are some pillows that are designed for this therapy and some (like the one in my profile) that work good, anyway.

I found my ideal mask at the very beginning (and am still using it). I have tried a few others, but the one in my profile is the one I started and stayed with.
On the other hand, most of the users seem to need to try quite a few masks before they find their "best" one.

If you want to double-check the size of your masks, go to this link and use #5.

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-mask-sizing.php

And, don't give up. The number of options and variables are numerous.


Den

[DoriC]

Yes, size does matter and the DME should actually be trying different masks on you, preferably while lying down, if not they should have sizing guides on hand and not just eyeball. We tried several before we settled in with the Resmed UltraMirageFF. I'm afraid the ComfortGel was anything but. Good luck and welcome, Dori

[pb5927317]

I 've been diagnosed with Sleep apnea recently and have been using A CPAP machine for a month.

I have tried a Respironics Comfort GEl full face and one of the Res Med full face masks and I found them to be a nightmare! I cannot sleep at all because of the continuous air leaks no matter how much I try to adjust it.

Should I try every mask available in the market before I give up? Have most of you veteran CPAP users try many different masks before you found one that you liked?
What about the sizing of the mask? DO you need to accurately measure your face to find the right fit? The Home care agency from which I am getting the mask never measured my face. They just gave me a Large size mask...

Thanks for your help

Yoon

I am dealing with the same issues. My best fit is the Respironics Comfort Gel Nasal Mask. My mouth leaks so I have to tape it. I absolutely hate that. My 2nd best fit the the Mirage Quarto. 3rd is the Mirage Liberty.

I have tried about 4 others. Hans Rudolph is my next attempt.

In any case, something that is helping, and I only tried it last night so far is Lansinoh, which is a really sticky Lanolin, and found among the breast pump feeding accessories.

Its sticky and helps the seal alot. I would think some good udder cream, would be similar and cheaper...may have a little more smell though...just depends.

Today I also bought a comfort curve pillow..I think that will be a little better as well, but I will likely buy a pillow for cpap masks next week.

[fidelfs]

I know everybody is different, I had tried different mask even the one you mentioned. I am giving up the full face masks altogether, they have more leak problems than nasal or pillow.
I have learned how to keep the tongue up so it close any air leak even if I open my mouth.

The problem of those masks in my opinion is the place where the straps connect to the mask, and also the weight of the mask. If the full face mask is to heavy then it is uncomfortable for the user. It needs to be heavy to maintain the mask in place.

I tried to resmed softgel nasal mask, it is great because it is heavier than a full face mask, but because the size it does not bother you much and the nose bridge does not have a problem. The feeling is different because the weight, but let me tell you after a night with the Ultra Mirage Full face leaking at least 45% of the time out of 8 hours, versus leaks from softgel considered normal, I take the nasal softgel mask.

Give it a try, use chinstrap, tape, and learn how to close the mouth and your life will be easier.

Resmed mirage softgel nasal mask. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Cacho,

I did very well on a Comfort Gel Nasal Mask - it was quite comfortable and I was able to sleep all night from the begininning. The only thing was, I needed a space on my pillow for the mask/tube, so I purchased a Countour CPAP pillow. It has 2 generous cutouts on the bottom corners to allow space for your mask/tube. Here is a link for it if you would like to check it out:

http://www.contourliving.com/c-38-cpap-supply.aspx

My DME brought me a Swift LT for her with nasal pillows which I was unable to use for about a month, but last night I finally had success with it. What is nice about this type of mask is that you can truly put your whole cheek on the pillow without needing a special pillow for it.

I think that being successful with CPAP is vital to our health and the good part is, that there are lots of people on this forum who are ready to help you on your journey.

Wishing you continued good health,

Jersey Girl

[builta]

Hi,

I started my "adventure" into XPAP about a year and a half ago. I have only used full face masks and have tried quite a few. At first it was a struggle. About three months in, in early 2009,I discovered this web site. My understanding exploded with their help and advise. The members are wonderful and alway help. Lean on us until you figure things out--Believe me you will.

My original mask was a Resmed Quattro. It took me about two weeks to get it adjusted as I always wanted to over tighten it--this causes leaks and marks on your face and nose. After getting it settled in, I found that I was suffering from the "cherry red sore" on the bridge of my nose (a very common issue with full face masks.) I worked with both my "Sleep Doc," the DME and "lurked the fool" out of this web site. Must have sampled (read that tried out a mask for about a week at a time) for what seamed to me to be forever. Let me tell you each of these "new masks" was its own experience in "bad night's' sleep." I tried different sizes of Quattros, Ultra Mirages, Fisher and Paykel 431s and 432s, Probasics Zzz, Hans Rudolf 7600, and Respironic Comfort Gel Full.

What I actually found was that after about two months of mask trials that I had started to actually learn how to properly adjust the masks to make most any mask work for me (if it was the right size--it wouldn't leak much). The biggest issue that I had was, just like almost everyone, that I was adjusting the masks' headgear too tight. I am a side sleeper and I discovered that the mask had to be pretty loose and that I had to "adjust my face into the mask" when I changed position (I call it "snuggling into the mask".)

I finally settled on the Fisher and Paykel 432 and used that for about three months. It pretty much allow me to eliminate the red spot on my nose, but as my pressure sometimes climbs to 17CM, the cushion would end up "blowing itself out of the frame." This is a real pain to try to fix in the middle of the night. I played with several fixes but eventually became frustrated with it.

So, I successfully transitioned to the Respironics Comfort Gel Full and used that for about nine months. I liked the mask and it worked well for me. What I found was that the Gel and Cushion would only last for about two and a half months before I had to replace them (or start to suffer from increasing leaks.) Although not a killer for me (as my insurance would give me a new mask every three months), I really didn't care for the bulkiness of the mask.

So, I changed back to the Quattro about three months ago and found that my nose had, at some point, toughened up to the presence of the Quattro cushion and I have been happy ever since.

I found that with each mask I had to go through a transition period of several days to get the "loose fit" correct. I also found that as I turned I had to train myself to "snuggle" back into the cushion a little to ensure a leak free seal. This mostly works for me with most masks.

[kewpieliz]

I've been through quite a few masks myself. My DME didn't try very hard to help me find a mask that worked. I went through several through the sleep lab, and finally by roundabout way got the DME to let me try on others. I like the Opus 360 for overall comfort, but can't stand the air blowing directly in my nose. My favorites are the Mirage Vista, (which covers the nose but doesn't have the forehead brace), and the Mirage Quattro. I switch back and forth between them to give my nose a break in between. I'm generally a mouth breather, but something about where the Vista hits my top lip helps me keep my mouth shut. My leak rate has been fairly low (I learned how to access that information on the S8 thanks to this forum). I also like the Vista because I can watch TV with my glasses on while I have the mask on.

Be patient with yourself as well. Besides getting used to having something on my face and being tied by the hose, it was hard to get used to the pressure of the air. My current pressure is 10, but my prescribed pressure is 12. I asked to have it lowered until I could adjust to the mask as the air seemed to be blowing out the seal in the mask. It retrospect, the mask probably wasn't adjusted correctly. The previous poster is correct about not overtighening the straps. There is an almost "magical" spot where it works, I fall asleep fast, and I stay asleep. I like to sleep on my side and have to be careful when I roll over not to break the seal.

I have only been on CPAP therapy since September 2009 and I still consider myself a newbie. Only recently have I managed to get my hours up to 6 or 7 hours a night with the CPAP on. Each good night with it is another step towards better health. I'm looking forward to that day.

Don't be afraid to tell the DME and/or sleep lab when you have problems. I told the lab, but felt like I was hitting a wall with the DME and gave up too soon. One day I had enough and it was either find a solution or quit. I even called the sleep lab in another insurance group! I finally called the nurse for my insurance company because I was having so much nasal/sinus problems I couldn't tolerate it. She called my DME and all of a sudden they were willing and able to let me try on anything I wanted. Go figure.

Good luck, and keep trying!

[Muse-Inc]

You might investigate the RespCare Hybrid mask. It has the comfort of pillows with the security of not losing therapy air if you mouth breathe because it covers your mouth. Getting a good fit is fairly easy as it comes with 3 sizes of pillows and 3 sizes of oral cushion; the pillows can be set at 2 heights.

[sleeplessBoston]

Welcome to the world of Sleep Apnea. I have only been a CPAP user for 2.5 months & I am already feeling the results. I have to admit the first couple of weeks were pure misery. Unable to fall asleep, waking up to strange noises from the machine, hating that thing on my face, etc. It turned out I was lucky. My tech was persistent & gave me a good machine. She spent time looking at the shape of my face, listening to my concerns & we decided to start off with the Swift LT for her nasal pillows. I am now happy to report that I am using the machine about 90-95% of the time & the Dr.is pleased with my numbers.
I never thought I would be happy listening to my/the machine breathing noises but now they are quite soothing & work as white noise to help me relax. I have added a chin strap as my husband reported some light snoring & mouth breathing but even the chin strap isn't as intrusive as changing to a full face mask. He is able to sleep better because I am sleeping better.
Once you get the right mask & allow your body to adjust to all the strange stuff you will start feeling the results. I now wake up refreshed & the bed sheets/blankets are no longer tied up in knots every morning.
I was a true skeptic and now I am a true believer. Will I still have bad nights & throw the nasal pillows off - sure. But when I do I know that in the morning I wish I had persisted & kept it on.
Keep trying, sweet dreams are worth it.