How Am I Doing?

[wacomme]

It's been a few weeks since I've started CPAP. I'm already grateful for this forum's help. You helped me find and install Oscar. And with a lot of hand holding, you got my wireless SD card up and working. Now I could use some help with how my sleep is progressing.

I started with the F30 mask and struggled with it for about a week. It leaked constantly - mouth and nose - and I was awake all night adjusting the fit so it wouldn't leak. I then moved to the P30i mask and it was so much better. However, after a few days the rim of my nose was so painful I was awake all night with nose pain. I then bought the N30i mask insert on Amazon and we so much happier. While the F30 also has nose pillows (size small pillows; mediums were impossible), the headgear is too big for me (I have a small head), and the whole fit just wouldn't make a good nose seal. Conversely, the N/P30i mask is size small and fits my face, and the pillows generally don't leak.

All was good, but my wife said I started snoring. Actually, I think air was leaking out of my mouth. So I tried a chin strap. No improvement. I then read about taping my mouth shut. I tried that and it worked. However, by the later morning hours I kept getting chipmunk cheeks. This kept me awake from about 5-7 AM. I tried to push my tongue to the roof of my mouth, but it continued to happen. So I returned to the F30 mask. More and more mask leaks and in the late morning I still had chipmunk cheeks - even with a full face mask! So I've returned to the N30i mask and taping my mouth. I still get chipmunk cheeks from about 5-7 AM, but I guess I'm getting used it to.

So attached is my Oscar chart from last night. How am I doing. What I've noticed is that I tend to have few episodes from 9-10 PM to about 3 AM. I then almost always wake up and go the the bathroom. When I return my sleep until about 7 AM is often disjointed - wake arousal and not sleeping as well as the first half of the night. This is also when I have the most apnea episodes. Anyway, I'd appreciate your comments, feedback, suggestions, etc.

Michael

screenshot-20200424-104637.png (287.48 KiB) Viewed 1274 times

[LSAT]

Leaks are fine...increase your minimum pressure to 7 and see if the O AND h events decrease and snoring stops. You can't do anything about the CA events.

[DreamDiver]

If you're mouth leaking, why not try an AirFIt F20? It doesn't push on your nose. You can download a pdf to print out that will allow you to determine if the small would be right for you. I wear a medium, and it runs just a tad smaller than I would expect, but I have almost no large leaks at night, so I'm not changing anything.

That along with a papcap would solve the mouth leaks and the chipmunk cheeks.

Nasal masks work for many, but full-face is great for otherwise unsolvable mouth leak. And the F20 is a masterpiece of design. (No I don't work for ResMed or PapCap)

[wacomme]

I have a chin strap, but it doesn't help me.

Also, I went back to my F30 mask (full face) and it still gave me chipmunk cheeks. So I don't see how the F20 mask would be an improvement over the F30 in terms of chipmunk cheeks. I was thinking about the F20, but if the F30 doesn't stop chipmunk cheeks, why would the F20?

Michael

[wacomme]

How do I increase the minimum pressure for my machine?

[Julie]

Go to Apneaboard.com and look for Clinician's Manuals on the front pg... scroll down til you see the exact model name/number of your machine (all words) and follow downloading instructions.

[DreamDiver]

I have a chin strap, but it doesn't help me.

F30 and F20 would work equally well with a papcap. I know of no other strap that works as well to combat chipmunk cheeks. The straps sit right over your cheeks and with the right tension, your cheeks stay put. All of the other chin straps? They are of no use to me either.

[wacomme]

I see. Good to know. Since a full-face mask (F30) doesn't improve my chipmunk cheeks over a nasal mask, I suppose I'll try the papcap with my N30i mask and mouth tape. I can't see why a F20 mask would be an improvement.

Michael

[jimbud]

How do I increase the minimum pressure for my machine?

Go here. Find your machine.

https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual

Good luck.

JPB

[DreamDiver]

I see. Good to know. Since a full-face mask (F30) doesn't improve my chipmunk cheeks over a nasal mask, I suppose I'll try the papcap with my N30i mask and mouth tape. I can't see why a F20 mask would be an improvement.

Michael

You could do that. Except the since the F30 covers your mouth and the N30i doesn't, so you wouldn't have to tape with your F30. If you're going to buy a papcap and you already have both masks, why not try it with both? Tape with the N30i, no tape with the F30. One of these combinations is bound to reduce chipmunk cheeks. Maybe both. Then you would have a couple alternatives in case your nose gets tired of one mask or the other.

Where I'm coming from: I generally prefer not to have nothing pushing on my nares. My nose ends up sore. The F30 may have been designed to alleviate a lot of that. Much like the Hybrid was a huge leap over the Liberty, but I've found respite in full face masks for their pressure equilibrium between mouth and nose, thus reducing mouth leak and dry mouth. It's easier for me to keep my mouth closed with a full face, even though I'm breathing only through my nose. I never breathe through my mouth. It's just that when I have a nasal mask, I can't clamp down well enough while I'm unconscious to keep the air from escaping between my lips. It's not possible for me. And tape is out of the question because my skin reacts to most tapes. So... yeah. Full face works best with the mouth closed and breathing only through the nose. Having tried nasal masks and tape, I have a hard time understanding how most people prefer this over the ease of simply covering the mouth so you can breathe easily through your nose. It's just physics.

Chris

[wacomme]

Thanks for the info. I much prefer the N30i over the F30 mask, primarily because the F30 mask frame (not the pillows - they're size small) is way too big for my face and because it leaks like a sieve no matter what I do. But I also like the hose on top of my head rather than in front of my face.

The F20 might solve the leakage issues, but there's still a hose in front of my face. I'm leery of the F30i because of the nasal pillows; while they work for me with the N30i, they leak all over then place with the F30 mask.


Michael

[wacomme]

I set the minimum pressure to 7.

[DreamDiver]

Thanks for the info. I much prefer the N30i over the F30 mask, primarily because the F30 mask frame (not the pillows - they're size small) is way too big for my face and because it leaks like a sieve no matter what I do. But I also like the hose on top of my head rather than in front of my face.

The F20 might solve the leakage issues, but there's still a hose in front of my face. I'm leery of the F30i because of the nasal pillows; while they work for me with the N30i, they leak all over then place with the F30 mask.


Michael

Large leaks are the first step for sure.
Yeah, unfortunately they don't make an F20i...
Perhaps one of our other forum members will over another alternative.

Chris

[wacomme]

Ok. After several night of taping my mouth for the N30i mask, the tape is starting to irritate my skin a bit (not too much, but with continued use it could be aggravating), and my wife hates the taping because I literally cannot talk. So, long term, I'm not sure if taping and nasal pillows are the best option for me. I need the tape with nasal masks because air seeps out of my mouth. And chin straps don't help.

The F30 mask is an absolute no. The mask frame is too big for my head and the mask leaks everywhere.

The F20 mask seems old-school, but it might work - just don't like the hose in front of my face.

The F30i is a possibility - a bit concerns the nasal pillows will leak like the F30. However, I don't have this problem with the N30i - might be due to frame size.

And then there's the concern with chipmunk cheeks. It happens with both my F30 and N30i masks. It only seems to happen from about 5 AM to 7 AM, but it's constant during those hours. And when I happens I think air is getting into my stomach; I burp a lot in the morning when I awake.

I might try the papcap - to push on the cheeks to prevent chipmunk cheeks. However, the reviews on Amazon say the small cap is often too big for large heads; and I have a very small head. I have doubts it'll fit me.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? What should I try next?

Michael

[DreamDiver]

...

I might try the papcap - to push on the cheeks to prevent chipmunk cheeks. However, the reviews on Amazon say the small cap is often too big for large heads; and I have a very small head. I have doubts it'll fit me.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? What should I try next?

Michael

You could talk to Bret, (SleepGuy, owner of Pur-Sleep, who makes the cap). He might figure out a smaller cap. Also, I'll bet if you talked with Karen (Pad A Cheek) from PadACheek, she'd think of something. She might even make you something similar to a papcap but much smaller. Can't hurt to ask them, right?

Chris