Air Leaks

[stopsnoring]

So I really paid attention to the leaks I am having with my mask. Last night it woke me up and it's not making the 'farting' noise (LOL) but more of a gushing of air. I wonder if the mask it too big for me? After that, I try to seal it and go back to sleep, but it doesn't seem to stay. So I end up taking it off.
Also, someone mentioned in my post yesterday about not using moisturizer on your face at night. I always use one, so it will be hard for me to stop that. I did not put any on last night, but I didn't feel that that even made a difference.
Thanks for listening and any input.

[Bama Rambler]

I see that you have the MQ (Mirage Quattro). What size are you using?
What shape would you consider your face to be?

[stopsnoring]

I am using a small. It's hard to say about face shape...I guess oblong.

[old dude]

So I really paid attention to the leaks I am having with my mask. Last night it woke me up and it's not making the 'farting' noise (LOL) but more of a gushing of air. I wonder if the mask it too big for me? After that, I try to seal it and go back to sleep, but it doesn't seem to stay. So I end up taking it off.
Also, someone mentioned in my post yesterday about not using moisturizer on your face at night. I always use one, so it will be hard for me to stop that. I did not put any on last night, but I didn't feel that that even made a difference.
Thanks for listening and any input.

FWIW in my case leaks didn't stop until I instituted a strict protocol of washing my face with soap and very warm water right before bedtime, followed up by diligent washing of my mask seal every morning with warm/almost hot water and baby shampoo. These two things typically give me a very nearly leak-proof seal on my Quattro Air FFM. Moisturizer or lotion of any kind would be completely out of the question, as it would undo what I'm accomplishing with this regimen.

I might add that my leaks were about as bad as they get, usually getting 50-80% large leaks in any given night.

YMMV of course, and for you it may be just a matter of finding a mask that likes your face and you can continue the moisturizer-but I'd try what I'm suggesting first just to see. It won't cost anything to try it, as opposed to the boneyard of failed masks residing in my closet.

[stopsnoring]

Is there a place that tells you what the abbreviations stand for? Being new to this, I'm having a hard time. I have no idea what "FWIW" or "YMMV" mean

[Julie]

Nothing to do with Cpap... FWIW means 'for what it's worth', but not being a mobile phone texter, I'm not sure what the other one means either. People should spell out things when they're not on their phones!

[old dude]

Nothing to do with Cpap... FWIW means 'for what it's worth', but not being a mobile phone texter, I'm not sure what the other one means either. People should spell out things when they're not on their phones!

Sorry I thought if in my very limited internet savvy I knew it then everybody would. Your Mileage May Vary.

[Bama Rambler]

Most of those abbreviations came about before phones were the rage. A lot of them started in chat rooms on the net.

AAK -- Alive And Kicking
AAR -- At Any Rate
ADN -- Any Day Now
AFAIK -- As Far As I Know
AFK -- Away From the Keyboard
TAFN -- That's All For Now
BAK -- Back At Keyboard
BBL -- Be Back Later
BBS -- Be Back Soon
BCNU -- I'll Be Seeing You.
BF -- Boyfriend
BEG -- Big Evil Grin
BFN -- Bye For Now
BR -- Best Regards
BRB -- Be Right Back
BRH -- Be Right Here
BTA -- But Then Again....
BTW -- By The Way
btw -- BeTWeen you and me ...
CU -- See You
CUL8R -- See You Later
CUOL -- See You On Line
FOCL -- Falling Off Chair - Laughing
FUD -- Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt
FWIW -- For What It's Worth
FYI -- For Your Information
GF -- Girlfriend
GMTA -- Great Minds Think Alike
GTR -- Got To Run
HAGO -- Have A Good One
HTH -- Hope That Helps
IAC -- In Any Case
IB -- I'm Back
IDK -- I Don't Know
IMHO -- In My Humble Opinion
IMO -- In My Opinion
IOW -- In Other Words
JK -- Just Kidding
L8R -- Later
LOL -- Laughing Out Loud
LYL -- Love You Lots
OT -- Off Topic
OTOH -- On The Other Hand ...
PEBCAK -- Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard
PPL -- People
ROFL -- Rolling On Floor, Laughing
RTFM Read The "Flippin" Manual
SO -- Significant Other
TAFN -- That's All For Now
TMI -- Too Much Info.
TTFN -- Ta-Ta For Now
TTYL -- Talk To You Later
YMMV -- Your Mileage May Vary
YW -- You're Welcome

[stopsnoring]

Thanks! Guess I need to work on my lingo

[teachcsg]

I agree with 'old dude' post. If you were my patient I would suggest and do the following;
1. refit the mask - size your face using the sizing gauges for that mask developed by the manufacturer. The quattro does come in an x-small size or you may need a medium??

2. if mask is the correct size - Try 'mask liners' you can find them on the host website (https://www.cpap.com) ick your mask and the right size. Many people make their own using thin cotton shirts or even denim material.

3. Recommend (strongly) not using lotion and washing face before going to bed. Washing mask as well

4.If we tried a new mask (i.e. simplus mask or amara) and you still had a lot of leaks (and we have done all above) possible try a nasal mask with chinstrap or a 'hybrid mask" like the Resmed Liberty

5. Honestly-usually a different will work-it will fit your face better...having said that the quattro full face mask (ffm) are pretty good mask at sealing.

[Bama Rambler]

Finding the right mask is the hardest part of all of this endeavor. Like Teach said, use the sizing guide to make sure the mask is the right size and go from there. Like Old Dude, I have a closet full of masks that I've tried and one of them is the MQ. I'm now using the Simplus and still looking for the prefect mask.

[Kennerly]

Stopsnoring, some additional thoughts about the mask:

- I believe the various Quattro ffm sizes are all same width. (I know the md and lg are the same width.)

- If the contours of your face are such that your cheeks fall away where the edges of the cushion leak the mask is just too wide, meaning it's designed with a "flatter" face in mind.

- It might be worthwhile to try to isolate your ability to get a seal with the mask from the effects of side sleeping. If you lay flat on your back with your machine set on "mask fit" (your high pressure) can you get a good seal that lasts? Without having to crush your forehead or nose? What if you move your head side to side some while still on your back?

If you can get the above to work the mask may have some potential. Maybe with a specially made CPAP sleeping pillow you can get it to work while on your side.

If it leaks while you're on your back you'll have a devil of a time with it while side sleeping.

[Kennerly]

BamaRambler wrote: "A few people have complained about the MQ (Mirage Quattro) doing a number on their nose. I have one of them and will tell you that it's pretty narrow at the apex of the nose section. It actually pinches off my nose some and I can't breathe through my nose with it on. Since I'm a mouth breather anyway that's not a huge issue for me.

I'm currently using a Simplus and it's a good deal wider at the nose section than the MQ is."


After you wrote this BR I got my old Quattro out. What I had forgotten is that I always had to wear it high up on my nose because If I wore it any lower it would pinch my upper nostrils closed some as you said. At the end of the day it was wearing the mask high to avoid the pinching that led to the leaks into my eyes.

So Stopsnoring I would amend what I posted earlier about the differences between the Q and the Qfx. The fx is designed to ride a little lower on your nose, and therefore it actually has a wider channel at the top than the Q.

BR: How would you compare the Simplus to the Quattro in terms of width and possible leaks at 3:00/9:00 positions? And in general? Have you also tried the Qfx?

[Bama Rambler]

The Simplus is definitely wider at the apex than the MQ is. My problem wasn't with leaks at the 3 & 9 o'clock position. My problem with the MQ was that it would slide up on my face during the night and leak into my eyes. The Simplus doesn't have that problem nearly as bad. It also fits my face better.

I haven't tried the QFx, so I can't comment on it.

[stopsnoring]

You guys are awesome! Thanks for all of this information. I'm really going to have to sit down and read through it all again to educate myself.

I feel pretty good today. I feel ok in the mask other than the fact that i am waking up at 3am every night with an air leak and i can't get it to seal again, so I just take it off. I have an appointment on Friday, so I'm hoping she can help me out with that.

TEACHCSG - you recommend not washing your face before bed? What about if I wash it a few hours before bed. I can't not wash my face at the end of the day. I'm really having a hard time not putting moisturizer on at night, but I'm doing it.