Activa and pressure setting

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:21 am

Hi, if my autopap is set very low (6) and I use an Activa, can it be effective? The cushion doesn't seem to expand very much at all, or rather does seem to flatten (stomach/side sleeping) as soon as I lie down after putting it on - and it does fill when I put it on, but do I need a much higher setting to keep it from collapsing when I hit the pillow? Do I have to go back to another mask - because raising the pressure unnecessarily doesn't seem right, of course. Thanks.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:29 am

Julie,

The Activa seals very well but it likly won't give you good results if you are a side/stomach, no matter what the pressure. The best thing for that is a nasal pillow interface like the Aura (Headrest) by AEIOMed or the Respironics Comfortlite 2 (make sure you're looking at the #2 and not the first Comfortlite).

Selena (but really Julie) · Post by **Selena (but really Julie)** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:28 am

Hi, thanks for the quick answer. I wonder if you could elaborate a bit on why the Activa isn't good for sleeping the way I do? Plus.. it's what I have now, and I can't just run out and buy something else right now - I'm more interested in being able to make this work. If it's impossible, well that's that, but if there is a better way, I'm all ears.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:42 am

Julie, I don't think it matters at all if the Activa "flattens" or the bellows doesn't fill out. The pressure of the air coming in is going to be "what it is" even if the cushion goes flat or is not expanding in and out.

The bellows cushion is to make the mask more leakproof, as Wader mentioned. However, even if the bellows cushion flattens and stops moving, the amount of air coming into/through the mask from the machine to you is the same.

Some people do find that breathing is more comfortable if they use a notch or so more pressure with some masks (not necessarily the Activa.) But even if the Activa doesn't stay ballooned out or continue expanding in and out when your face is on the pillow you're still getting the same airflow pressure coming through it from your machine. A flattened Activa cushion doesn't mean you'd need to raise the pressure at all.

if you like to snuggle face down into your pillow, just be sure you are not blocking the exhaust vents...on ANY mask. For that sleeping style, nothing beats Aeiomed's "Headrest" (the Aura) with its wonderfully designed exhaust coming out up high.

I second Wader's comments about the Aura and ComfortLite 2. Those are my two favorites for sleeping in any position.

BATPOO · Post by **BATPOO** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:43 am

I have been using the Activa for about 8 months and here is my experience.

With respect to pressure, I am on a pressure of 12 cm h20 and the mask inflates solidly against my face. A very low pressure might make it more prone to leaks. You will probably need to evaluate that yourself.

I am a fairly active sleeper and find that the Activa works very well for me for side sleeping. I am using one of those contoured foam pillows and I think that it tends to press against the mask less than a regular pillow. Also, I let the tube run down my chest and don't have a problem with it pulling on the mask.

BATPOO

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:46 am

Julie,

Click on the Mask picture at the bottom of my posts. You will see how it works better for side stomach sleeping. I think you would find that if you slept on your back the Activa would seal fine (even at 6cm). The reason that nasal and full face masks don't seal that well for side sleepers is that when you put pressure on the side of your face it distorts the shape of it. This makes it difficult for a mask that relies on an even seating surface to make a good seal.

Take a look at the online prices for the Aura... you may be able to afford a new one more than your think. You may also find someone on the forum willing to sell you a slightly used one.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:38 am

BATPOO wrote:I am using one of those contoured foam pillows and I think that it tends to press against the mask less than a regular pillow.

Excellent point about the type of head pillow a person uses, Bat.

I use a double-edge PAPillow. The contoured sides and bottom work nicely to allow nestling the face against the pillow and letting my Activa (and other masks) to hang over the scooped out sides and not bump the pillow.

Before the PAPillow, I used a contoured Tempur-Pedic (memory foam) pillow. Much like what you are using, probably. That worked well, too.

I'm an active toss'n'turn sleeper. I like to run the hose of any mask up overhead to keep the main airhose from tugging when I turn all the way over. Whatever works comfortably for each person is, of course, the route to go.

Selena (but really Julie) · Post by **Selena (but really Julie)** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:07 pm

Hi, RG thank you for the explanation of it being ok not to be inflated - that was my worry, because otherwise I like it (as well or better than my UM), and WTTM thank you for your ideas. I have considered the Aura enough to have copied all of RG's stuff about converting it long ago, and maybe in a few mos. when my insce. allows I'll go for one of them too, and have everything at hand. It's just there's no way to size the Aura from where I am, and I absolutely found the Swift to be useless for me, so it's still up in the air (no pun intended .

Moogy · Post by **Moogy** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:21 pm

I sleep on my side, and the Activa works fine for me. Just play with the arrangement of your pillow if it causes your mask to leak.

Moogy

reval · Post by **reval** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:31 pm

Moogy wrote:I sleep on my side, and the Activa works fine for me. Just play with the arrangement of your pillow if it causes your mask to leak.

For me too. My pressure if 90% of the time at 7 or below and I am a side-sleeper.

Lyn · Post by **Lyn** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:43 pm

I sleep almost exclusively on one side or the other & overall have no problem with the Activa leaking. If it does, I just give it a nudge & it's fine. In fact, I have more problems with leaking the few times I sleep on my back. The hose tugs at the mask & causes it to leak on the opposite side.

Also, I have used the Active with a pressure as low as 4 when I first started using cpap & had no problems. The cpap pressure doesn't make the mask expand. That happens when you exhale.

Activa and pressure setting

Activa and pressure setting

Activa and pressure setting

Activa pressure..