Getting major leaks with Quattro FX.

[DougVK]

The first 3 nights all was fine with leaks, only small minor leaks. Last night however was different. I tested the mask before I went to bed with the highest pressure and all seemed fine, I laid down and went to sleep, and with in an hour I am awaken by a massive leaks. I fixed the problem, and go back to sleep, with in another 30 min same thing another big leak. I was up all night yesterday trying to fix leaks that keep springing up. I suspect the mask isn't able to hold the pressure forever and just gave out. What I don't get is it worked fine the prior three nights.

The leak is ALWAYS in the same place, just at the bridge of my nose. That is where it always fails.

[JeffH]

Get Padacheeks mask liner. I have two of them and they work like a charm. My leak rate is always really low. They have made wearing a FFM possible for me.

http://www.padacheek.com/PAC_Maskliners.html

Good luck

JeffH

[bayourest]

i am not sure what to suggest but I wonder if you could alter the placement of the mask a little bit. you may have it too high on your nose? can you contact your DME for a re-adjustment/fitting? It sounds like that might be needed as well. You might need to re-adjust your straps. I found it worked if I made the bottom straps quite snug, and the upper not as snug. That may work for you or it may be the opposite. I think a chance to get re-fitted now would be helpful. Again , I recommend a liner from padacheek. this helps the comfort tremendously.

[DougVK]

i am not sure what to suggest but I wonder if you could alter the placement of the mask a little bit. you may have it too high on your nose? can you contact your DME for a re-adjustment/fitting? It sounds like that might be needed as well. You might need to re-adjust your straps. I found it worked if I made the bottom straps quite snug, and the upper not as snug. That may work for you or it may be the opposite. I think a chance to get re-fitted now would be helpful. Again , I recommend a liner from padacheek. this helps the comfort tremendously.

The problem is the next size up is medium and while I havent tried it, I suspect it would sit above my eye, which is too high. I think one problem is when I lay on my side, the pillow might be slightly ajarring the mask.

[MyronW]

I've had the FX for about 6 weeks now. I bought a Medium out-of-pocket first, and the leaks were bad. I had to cinch the straps down uncomfortably tight. The sizing gauge said I needed a Small, so when I had the opportunity for my insurance co. to buy me one, I got the Small. Huge improvement.
Most nights are pretty good with leaks. Last night wasn't.
This is what I have found helps:
A clean face and mask. Every night I wash my face with Neutragena soap, and in the morning I wash the mask seal with it. If I don't, the skin oils lubricate the seal and it slips out of position. When my face and mask are clean, it stays put.
When I put the mask on, I place the mask on the bridge of my nose at an angle like the instructions say, and I try to always locate the bottom of the mask in the pocket between my lip and chin, right where the sizing gauge goes. I figure there must be a reason they use it as a location point, plus it helps me be consistent with mask placement.
I have noticed that I have more trouble with leaks on the weekend, on days when I haven't shaved. The stubble seems to break the seal easier.

I'm going to get some of those Padacheek liners and try them. They sound interesting.

[Bugdude]

I had the same problem when I got my FX. The solution for me was to get a larger-sized headgear: this allowed the mask to sit properly on my nose and not ride up.

[marcosv]

The first 3 nights all was fine with leaks, only small minor leaks. Last night however was different. I tested the mask before I went to bed with the highest pressure and all seemed fine, I laid down and went to sleep, and with in an hour I am awaken by a massive leaks. I fixed the problem, and go back to sleep, with in another 30 min same thing another big leak. I was up all night yesterday trying to fix leaks that keep springing up. I suspect the mask isn't able to hold the pressure forever and just gave out. What I don't get is it worked fine the prior three nights.

The leak is ALWAYS in the same place, just at the bridge of my nose. That is where it always fails.

FWIW, at a local AWAKE meeting, a ResMed rep told me that the Quattro FX mask would never work for me because the bridge of my nose was too small to allow a good seal at that point. She recommended the original Quattro.

She also said that the Quattro FX mask is different from other masks in how you fit the mask. With other masks that have a double wall seal, you'd turn on the machine and with air flowing, pull the mask from the face and reposition it to get a good seal. With the Quattro FX, you're supposed to put the mask on starting with the top of the mask positioned perfectly at the bridge of your nose and then rotate the mask down over your nose.

[DougVK]

I had the same problem when I got my FX. The solution for me was to get a larger-sized headgear: this allowed the mask to sit properly on my nose and not ride up.

I think this was my issue, I was using the medium, and just switched to the large headgear I have. I was riding the mask to high up by nose. Before, my vision was still being obstructed by the straps, and now it isn't. So I am now using a small fx with a large headgear which seems a bit odd, but it seems to work.

[70sSanO]

I have a Quattro FX Medium and it is slightly too big for me as the top arms of the spring frame where the top strap attaches runs just below my eyes. I tried a Small, which is technically a better size, so it would run lower under my eyes. However, the Small pinched my nose on the sides and made it tough to breathe through my nose. Not exactly a good thing when it comes to therapy, so I went back to a Medium.


DougVK,

Does the large headgear set the top straps lower on your head, (closer to your ear) or does it just have longer straps?

The one thing I have harped on is that the FX headgear tends to pull upward as much as back, and that is a major problem in keeping the mask in place and eliminated leaks at the bridge of the nose.

John

[owba]

I used this mask during my sleep test, a medium with large headgear. During the night I had leaks out the top on each side of my nose because even with the large headgear it kept riding up. I didn't know much about all the equipment out there so I went with this mask when I was outfitted at my DME. I was sized for a small mask and used the regular headgear that comes with it. I had the sam issue, leaks out the top of the mask. I was finding two things contributed.

1-Lying on my side the pillow was pushing on the whole side of my face that I was laying on and distorting the perfect fit I had for the mask when laying on my back or sitting. I even bought a cpap pillow with the corners cut out, but the pillow pushing on my cheek still distored my face enough to break the seal above my nose.

2- I found even when lying on my back the mask would ride up within 30 minutes of lying down and I would get a break in seal.

These two things together made it impossible for me to use this mask. I think if you have just the right bridge angle coming down off your nose etc, this mask will work well for you, but if you don't your sunk. I wasn't sure what to try next because I really liked this mask due to its limited profile on my face. I ended up trying the Swift FX nasal pillows and they have worked for me. Hopefully you have a situation where you can try many setups till you find the mask that works for you.