Best Mask for High Pressures....

[Lifeisabeach]

This is just an observation and you maybe know this already. Different masks will require slightly different pressure settings so achieve the same results. My experience is that full face masks require the most pressure, followed by nasal cushion and then nasal pillow. My P10 mask requires the least amount of pressure. I'm not trying to talk you into staying with nasal masks because I know everyone has different needs. Wish I had some more full face mask suggestions for you.

This is a good point. The ResMed machines also have a user setting to let it know what kind of mask you are using so it can modulate accordingly. That’s something to double check on.

[RogerSC]

Wanted to add that I was using the AirFit N30 for a while, then switched to the Dreamwear Nasal mask. Find the Dreamwear more comfortable than the N30, and just about as quiet (as long as the jet from the bottom vent isn't hitting my sheets *smile*). It is heavier, though, but not having the tube going off your nose makes a big difference in terms of perceived weight and freedom to move when laying in bed. And the Lanky Lefty showed in his review of the Dreamwear that he could run it to a pressure of 20cm H2O and didn't have any leak problems.

[radler]

Just chiming in to add my voice to the chorus of praise for Dreamwear! Both the nasal cushions and the FFM have done great at all the pressures I have experimented with. I actually have fewer leaks with the nasal cushion, because occasionally the FFM will move a little if I adjust my mouth or breathe weirdly though my mouth. With the nasal cushion, mouth breathing it too uncomfortable so I only breathe through my nose. When the FFM does leak, however, it’s only for a few seconds and stops when I stop moving my mouth. It’s not like I’m moving my mouth all night so the leak issue is very minor.

The Airfit F20 leaked a lot for me at even low pressures depending on how I was lying. I would roll on my side and immediately get air blowing into my eye or on my neck and couldn’t reposition to make it stop. Very annoying while trying to sleep. I think I also felt like the huge pressure all over my face made me subconsciously try to pull away from the mask in my sleep, resulting in more leaks, which made it even more uncomfortable and made me wake up.

It feels counterintuitive to me, but I think nasal pillows and cushions really are better for leaks even at high pressures so much of the time because there’s so much less space that has to seal snugly! I expected to have mouth leaks or for the puny little cushion to blow off my nose, lol, bit I really don’t have any issues with them surprisingly.

[Rob K]

This is just an observation and you maybe know this already. Different masks will require slightly different pressure settings so achieve the same results. My experience is that full face masks require the most pressure, followed by nasal cushion and then nasal pillow. My P10 mask requires the least amount of pressure. I'm not trying to talk you into staying with nasal masks because I know everyone has different needs. Wish I had some more full face mask suggestions for you.

This is a good point. The ResMed machines also have a user setting to let it know what kind of mask you are using so it can modulate accordingly. That’s something to double check on.

I totally forgot about the user setting since it's been a long time since I set it.

Edit: So what I read was that masks have different flow rates through the vents. You set the type of mask used so the machine can more accurately record how much leak there is. I don't believe the machine adjusts pressures. It just records the leak rate differently. That's explains why I still use different pressure settings for different masks in order to maintain my low AHI numbers.

[Rob K]

For any mask if you don't want to feel the weight of the hose on your face or get it out of the way for when you turn over at night, you can attach it to the top strap with some velcro or just run the hose under the strap like I do. I guess you could sew on a piece of elastic or something so that you wouldn't have to run the hose under the strap.

[Lifeisabeach]

This is just an observation and you maybe know this already. Different masks will require slightly different pressure settings so achieve the same results. My experience is that full face masks require the most pressure, followed by nasal cushion and then nasal pillow. My P10 mask requires the least amount of pressure. I'm not trying to talk you into staying with nasal masks because I know everyone has different needs. Wish I had some more full face mask suggestions for you.

This is a good point. The ResMed machines also have a user setting to let it know what kind of mask you are using so it can modulate accordingly. That’s something to double check on.

I totally forgot about the user setting since it's been a long time since I set it.

Edit: So what I read was that masks have different flow rates through the vents. You set the type of mask used so the machine can more accurately record how much leak there is. I don't believe the machine adjusts pressures. It just records the leak rate differently. That's explains why I still use different pressure settings for different masks in order to maintain my low AHI numbers.

Hmmm, I was going by something Pugsy posted at some point. I was able to dig up her post to further refresh my memory on it and apparently ResMed isn't very forthcoming on what the function actually does.
viewtopic/t177702/What-Does-the-Mask-Ty ... l#p1331474

So it does sound like your approach to adjust the pressure based on the type of mask is the more practical one. Certainly so if you get better numbers that way.

[Rob K]

I got my info from posts by Jay Aitchsee. Although they are posts from 3-4 years ago. After more reading, it sounds like maybe no one has figured out what that setting does.
viewtopic/t113139/What-does-mask-settin ... hines.html

Getting off topic. Not sure this is helping the OP any.

[joeljjk11]

This is just an observation and you maybe know this already. Different masks will require slightly different pressure settings so achieve the same results. My experience is that full face masks require the most pressure, followed by nasal cushion and then nasal pillow. My P10 mask requires the least amount of pressure. I'm not trying to talk you into staying with nasal masks because I know everyone has different needs. Wish I had some more full face mask suggestions for you.

What is your pressure with the P10 compared to a nasal mask? It seems like my ideal pressure for the Airfit N30 was 15-20 but I am thinking that based off of how I have been feeling with going back to P10, I may need to decrease the pressure slightly.

[Becca8104]

the only masks (nasal & FF) that doesn't leak for me at all, not even with high pressure of 20, is Resmed F30 & F30i. if you haven't tried those, I would advise it. I prefer the F30i only because of preferred hose placement (head vs nose). The F30 was an excellent fitting mask for me, but I got tangled in the hose. Switched to the F30i as soon as it became available.

[Rob K]

This is just an observation and you maybe know this already. Different masks will require slightly different pressure settings so achieve the same results. My experience is that full face masks require the most pressure, followed by nasal cushion and then nasal pillow. My P10 mask requires the least amount of pressure. I'm not trying to talk you into staying with nasal masks because I know everyone has different needs. Wish I had some more full face mask suggestions for you.

What is your pressure with the P10 compared to a nasal mask? It seems like my ideal pressure for the Airfit N30 was 15-20 but I am thinking that based off of how I have been feeling with going back to P10, I may need to decrease the pressure slightly.

My main mask is an N10. I also have a P10 that I use for camping because I can lower the pressure and get the same therapy which helps save on battery power. Wish I had some exact numbers for you but I don't. My pressure setting varies every time I use the P10. Normally I get set up in camp and turn the pressure down 2-3 cm and look at my ahi the next morning and adjust from there as needed. If it's an extended trip, over a week, I'll keep turning down the pressure and let my ahi creep up so I can make the batteries last. Takes a lot of battery power to go a week or two without recharging.

In the past I've temporarily used the P10 at home on occasion and not bothered changing the pressure settings. My ahi numbers were always lower with the P10.

If you switched to the P10 mask I would turn down the pressure 1cm and see how that affects your numbers and keep turning it down until the numbers start to creep up again. You can always turn it back up if things aren't looking good.

[joeljjk11]

Thanks for the suggestion! To be honest my AHI numbers are always horrible so at this point I really just go by how I am feeling mentally and physically. Typically when I adjust my machine and I have heartburn and feel irritable then I know my pressure is too low. If I feel overly anxious and jittery I know the pressure is too high. Lately I have been feeling a bit jittery.

Joel