ADVICE PLEASE from Dreamware FFM USERS…

[NateS]

I've changed the title of this thread to make it a little more clear that I am seeking advice from cpap-talkers who are USING the Dreamware FFM successfully. Sure would appreciate some tips and advice from folks who like the mask and are successfully using it.
I ran "Mask Fit" on the mask this morning and ironically it reports a giant happy face saying good fit. During the night the mask doesn't constantly leak. It periodically leaks about once every hour or so, and then seems to self-correct after a few minutes, but the noise of that process wakes both of us up.


After years of Happy Green Faces, most recently with my original Dreamware Mask and a forehead headband over my mouth, I switched to the Dreamware Full Face mask in order to get rid of the constant slippage of the headband over my mouth and the constant annoying upward slippage of the back headband of the original Dreamware.

With the switch to the Dreamware FFM I got the stability I wanted and needed in the mask because the two back bands perfectly encircle the back of my head, and the added mouthpiece seems to perfectly encircle my mouth. I expected my leak numbers to get even lower than they were with that annoying headband over my mouth.

But to my surprise and disappointment, I have gone from relatively silent nights and Happy Green Faces to nights punctuated with periodic loud raspberries coming from the mouth enclosure, and most disappointing of all, a string of Angry Red Faces greeting me every morning!

If at all possible, I am determined to make the D/FFM my mask of choice, as it has come closer to solving my mouth breathing than anything else (various cloth pieces, chinstraps, taping, neck collar, etc.) tried over the years, while retaining the comfort of the fit under my nose. So I am really really disappointed and frustrated.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to deal with the periodic randomly-spaced loud raspberries? And what can I do to eliminate all the mask leakages coming through the mouth portion of the mask? I have tried Remmmzs with no help and even taping my mouth under the mask. Also, I have been playing with the adjustments to the headbands, tightening and loosening, to no avail so far.

Any suggestions and help would be very much appreciated!

Best wishes, Nate

PS - I did at the same time have to switch from a 7 year old ResMed 9 ASV (went over MTBF) to a ResMed 10 ASV, but I can't imagine this contributing to the problem as the settings are the same.

PPS - When I say "periodic randomly-spaced loud raspberries" I mean that everything will seem to be going along fine; near total silence and then bang! even though I have not to my knowledge moved an inch in any direction.

[jpop]

If you squeeze the mask, pinching from above where the frame connects to the bottom towards your chine you can see where the inner support makes an acute bend, and for me that was the exact point of the leaks and slobber air blowing on my cheeks. I thought about cutting some small slices above and below the kink so as what ever jaw movement was causing it to move and leak wouldn’t promote the hard bend and leaks.

[NateS]

... I thought about cutting some small slices above and below the kink so as what ever jaw movement was causing it to move and leak wouldn’t promote the hard bend and leaks.

Did you try it? Did it work?
Can you please elaborate on your experience after you thought about it?
Nate

[jpop]

Did you try it? Did it work?
Can you please elaborate on your experience after you thought about it?
Nate

I didn’t try it as I was bouncing back and forth between the medium wide and the large mask. I would go to sleep each night thinking I had it and 3-5 hours later cheek leak again. Pulling the straps tighter would only make it worse but buy me a few more hours. Then the gel pillows showed up and I’m making them work until I’m at a comfortable place to experiment again with the FFM. I have my issues with the gel pillows, but being early in my therapy I’m not in a place where I can afford 6+ AHI with the FFM vs 1.3 with the gel pillows.

Oh and one other thing I considered was a sports mouthpiece to keep the seal a bit more consistent with jaw move ment, but never got that far.

[NateS]

Thanks jpop for your ruminations. I've changed the title of this thread to make it a little more clear that I am seeking advice from cpap-talkers who are USING the Dreamware FFM successfully. Sure would appreciate some tips and advice from folks who like the mask and are successfully using it.
Best wishes, Nate

[Okie bipap]

I used that mask for several months before going back to my F20. I did not have a problem with leaks, but I shaved my beard off when I started treatment. Have you tried using a mask liner? I made my own when I was using that mask. They look kind of strange, but the worked for me. Mask liners may not stop the leaks, but they usually make them less noticeable and often stop the mask farting. If you would like to try making one to see if it works for you, send me a PM with your email address and I will send you a copy of the pattern I used.

[NateS]

Thank you, Okie! That would be great!
Check your mailbox for my pm with email address.
Regards, Nate

[mets123]

I use this mask with success. Only issue I have is that I have to adjust the top straps rather tight. If I don’t the top headgear moves when I turn from side to side. I tried the small frame but was too small. As far as leaks no problem but I found if there are leaks a slight upward movement on the mask helps.

[ClayL]

I have using the Dreamwear FFM for a few months - I used the Amara View FFM before that.
The way I have mine adjusted I have to pull the bottom straps down in the back to stop the leaks. None of the straps are very tight.

[NateS]

Thank you, Okie! That would be great!
Check your mailbox for my pm with email address.
Regards, Nate

Hi Okie, just to let you know I haven't received the pattern yet, although I pm'd you my email address. Whenever you have time, I would appreciate it.
Thanks, Nate

[NateS]

I use this mask with success. Only issue I have is that I have to adjust the top straps rather tight. If I don’t the top headgear moves when I turn from side to side. I tried the small frame but was too small. As far as leaks no problem but I found if there are leaks a slight upward movement on the mask helps.

Thanks for that tip, mets! When you pull the mask upward, what part are you pulling?
The frame?; the headgear? The nasal part? The mouth part?
TIA for your clarification.
Regards, Nate

[NateS]

I have using the Dreamwear FFM for a few months - I used the Amara View FFM before that.
The way I have mine adjusted I have to pull the bottom straps down in the back to stop the leaks. None of the straps are very tight.

Thanks for that suggestion, ClayL. Maybe I should loosen the straps?
Will try.
Regards, Nate

[Haley]

I have been using the Dreamwear Full Face Mask since I started. I love it and could not wear one that covered my nose so I was glad when my sleep specialist let me try one. I have struggled with many leaks and a lot of large leaks. I did not give up because I knew that if I could not make this mask work then I would not be able to continue with therapy. On ApneaBoard there is a poster named BonJour who wrote an instructional article called Mask Primer. He goes step by step in fitting your mask to be leak free. If you find a post from him it will be under his signature or I am sure you can use the search tool to find it. My boyfriend and I used the article and went step by step in fitting my mask correctly. We had the straps too tight and thought we were stopping leaks from the bottom by tightening the bottom straps when the opposite was true. My leak rate decreased dramatically and I have only had a few short timed large leaks. I hope this helps.

[mets123]

Nate when a leak occurs I either adjust the cushion upwards or move the headgear slightly up on my head.

[NateS]

I have been using the Dreamwear Full Face Mask since I started. I love it and could not wear one that covered my nose so I was glad when my sleep specialist let me try one. I have struggled with many leaks and a lot of large leaks. I did not give up because I knew that if I could not make this mask work then I would not be able to continue with therapy. On ApneaBoard there is a poster named BonJour who wrote an instructional article called Mask Primer. He goes step by step in fitting your mask to be leak free. If you find a post from him it will be under his signature or I am sure you can use the search tool to find it. My boyfriend and I used the article and went step by step in fitting my mask correctly. We had the straps too tight and thought we were stopping leaks from the bottom by tightening the bottom straps when the opposite was true. My leak rate decreased dramatically and I have only had a few short timed large leaks. I hope this helps.

Thank you, Haley. I will follow up with your advice and see what happens.
Best wishes, Nate