Sleep study costs and expectations

[zonker]

i have the same rig as yours and have zero leaks. so, no, it's not an exhaust thing.

The leak is so steady at 8.0 for hours/nights, that I wonder if there is a small leak in a connector or a pinhole in the hose.

I think you nailed it. I went back in the charts and there is a noticeable difference after I got my replacement setup. I have no idea where the leak is or if I should even bother trying to find it. Can I just leave it and replace everything later when It wears out more? I mean does a leak that small make a difference?

nah. as others have said, it shouldn't make a dimes worth of difference to your therapy.

[Sluggish]

Ok well I guess it’s nothing to worry about.
I’m trying to rule things out and having a hard time finding anything that hasn’t already been examined.

With the exception of going to bed earlier I’m not sure what else to try. I just never seem to feel rested with the exception of a couple of lucky nights a month. My options feel very slim at this point. I can’t tell if CPAP is even helping but it doesn’t really feel like it is after over a year of this.

[Sluggish]

I do not have any backup gear as was suggested. I guess I need another P10.
Maybe I'll try a FFM. I am thinking Airfit F20 because of the quiet elbow and memory foam seal. Then maybe if I don't see any improvement or difference I will use the insurance for a replacement P10.
I've had enough leak free nights to think I really don't need a FFM but maybe it's worth a shot even if just for the convenience of not having to tape up every night. Who knows?

[NoOnesPerfect]

I do not have any backup gear as was suggested. I guess I need another P10.
Maybe I'll try a FFM. I am thinking Airfit F20 because of the quiet elbow and memory foam seal.

The Airfit has a silicone seal. It’s the AirTouch that has memory foam. I have both, but very much prefer the memory foam so far - it doesn’t last as long, but I find it to be more comfortable. They use the same frame and headgear too.

[Sluggish]

I do not have any backup gear as was suggested. I guess I need another P10.
Maybe I'll try a FFM. I am thinking Airfit F20 because of the quiet elbow and memory foam seal.

The Airfit has a silicone seal. It’s the AirTouch that has memory foam. I have both, but very much prefer the memory foam so far - it doesn’t last as long, but I find it to be more comfortable. They use the same frame and headgear too.

Curious... are you a side sleeper?

[NoOnesPerfect]

Curious... are you a side sleeper?

Yes

[Sluggish]

Curious... are you a side sleeper?

Yes

Thanks! I am too. I have heard about difficulties with the seal breaking on FFM's for side sleepers etc.. D id you find the silicone version was more leak prone or just less comfortable?
I was looking at the Airfit with foam seal and it says the memory foam only lasts 30 days. Have you found this to be accurate? Seems like a bit much at $60 replacement cost (for those of us with bad insurance anyway).

[djams]

I was looking at the Airfit with foam seal and it says the memory foam only lasts 30 days. Have you found this to be accurate? Seems like a bit much at $60 replacement cost (for those of us with bad insurance anyway).

I could get 60 days out of one when I was using them. Really depended on the night time ickies that I got on ir.

Shop around, not $60.
AirTouch™ F20 Cushion (Medium) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MRSXLN/re ... .CbGPKZ3V6

[NoOnesPerfect]

Thanks! I am too. I have heard about difficulties with the seal breaking on FFM's for side sleepers etc.. D id you find the silicone version was more leak prone or just less comfortable?

Finding a side sleeping position that doesn't break the seal wasn’t that tough - if you toss and turn, it could be a real problem though.

The silicone was far more leak prone for me, and since I had to tighten the straps a LOT to eliminate the leaks from higher pressures, the foam was also quite a bit more comfortable.

I haven’t been using the mask long enough to determine its durability. If it turns out to be too fragile, I may also try one of the hybrid masks.

[Sluggish]

Thanks! I am too. I have heard about difficulties with the seal breaking on FFM's for side sleepers etc.. D id you find the silicone version was more leak prone or just less comfortable?

Finding a side sleeping position that doesn't break the seal wasn’t that tough - if you toss and turn, it could be a real problem though.

The silicone was far more leak prone for me, and since I had to tighten the straps a LOT to eliminate the leaks from higher pressures, the foam was also quite a bit more comfortable.

I haven’t been using the mask long enough to determine its durability. If it turns out to be too fragile, I may also try one of the hybrid masks.

Even at $30 they're expensive. Reading some reviews there are even folks who say the memory foam splits after a couple of weeks. I wonder if anything can be done to prolong the life of the memory foam. Mask liners perhaps? Cleaning? I'd like to hear from more people who have used this for a while. I'll do some digging.

[NoOnesPerfect]

Expensive is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. My insurance company says they will cover the monthly replacement (I’ll believe that when I see it happen), but for me $30 would be a reasonable price to pay for a month of good sleep. I may have to move around some other priorities of course. YMMV, and I certainly understand that your circumstances are likely to be different from mine.

[palerider]

Reading some reviews there are even folks who say the memory foam splits after a couple of weeks.

Yeah... When I got my first mask, a Resmed mirage Quattro, those same people said the cushion was really delicate and would tear easily...

I was still using that same cushion, 5 years later when I changed to a different mask...

Some people are just a lot harder on masks than others.

[Okie bipap]

I don't remember who it was, but one member of the forum said he was using a mask liner from padaheek, and he was using the same Air Soft cushion for several months. Might be something to look into.

[djams]

Even at $30 they're expensive. Reading some reviews there are even folks who say the memory foam splits after a couple of weeks. I wonder if anything can be done to prolong the life of the memory foam. Mask liners perhaps? Cleaning? I'd like to hear from more people who have used this for a while. I'll do some digging.

I used the memory foam cushion for 8 months. Never had one split.

Mask liner could certainly prolong the life - just by keeping the grungies off the foam. Me and mask liners never got along, but there are plenty of folks here who swear by them. Like everything else - YMMV. It's a good thought.

Not much you can do cleaning-wise. You can't get the memory foam wet. Just wipe it with a baby wipe every morning.

[Sluggish]

All of this helps. Thank you all very much. I actually really like the P10 and am still a bit reluctant to try a FFM for some reason.

I have been doing some thinking about my leaks. To review, I wear a bite guard, tape my mouth closed, then wear a chin strap from Amazon, and lastly the P10 mask. I am pretty convinced the leaks are mostly mouth leaks because even the smallest leak from the P10 seems to wake me up. Sometimes the mouth leaks wake me up and sometimes they don’t. Usually everything is fine when I go to bed and in the morning I wake up with an area of tape that has been sacrificed letting air out. This seems to happen regardless of what type of tape I use.

I’m trying to better understand the mechanics of nose breathing. I was noticing that my tongue is always against the roof of my mouth and it forms a seal that helps channel air down my throat. I have noticed that if I ever let my tongue drop, my cheeks instantly puff up with air. I have pondered the idea that this could be what’s happening when I fall asleep and the air pressure in my cheeks eventually breaks the seal in the tape. It seems all of this can still happen with my jaw closed. Also I would imagine that any time my airway closes in an apnea event it also causes a back flow of air into my mouth and cheeks etc.. I am starting to think that this is why the tape seal breaks and not necessarily because my lower jaw is dropping. Can anyone expand on my theories? Is it possible my tongue drops as soon as I relax into sleep?