Hello, new here!

[Fiji_22]

Hello again, Fiji. Sorry to hear you're having problems with your Airfit F20 mask. (Could you put your machine and mask information in your profile so it'll be right there when people read your posts?)

My first suggestion is that you try a mask liner. Google "Airfit F20 mask liner" to get started. If you haven't already, you can also take a look at videos on line about fitting this mask.

I'm also curious: do you breathe through your mouth during the day? If you don't, you might be able to use a nasal mask or nasal pillow interface. They have less contact with your face and thus fewer ways to leak.

Hello and thank you for the reply. I will be sure to google that. I have put the machine and mask information in my profile now, I hope I did it right and that you are able to view it.

Well, I breathe mostly through my mouth but sometimes my nose too, I think it's a combination of both. I am used to breathe through my mouth more I believe, but sometimes I do tend to breathe through only my nose when I am just about to fall asleep (without the mask).

[Fiji_22]

Mask issues....that's IMHO the hardest part of the cpap journey.

Where are you located?

Can you normally breathe through your nose just fine or do you have chronic nasal congestion issues day and night causing you to physically need to breathe through your mouth?

Did you get the heated hose with your machine? If you did...what temperature did you set the machine hose air to deliver?

Hello Pugsy,

It seems to be like that!

I am located in Scandinavia currently, it is the end of summer here but right now it is very hot but it gets more cold in the night. I will be here for at least some more months, so I need to get this figured out here.

I breathe through both my nose and mouth in the day. I have a bit of a congestion sometimes, but nothing to the point that I can't breathe through my nose at all like some people.

i have the Resmed Climatline air heated tube. Is that what you are refering to? Sorry, I am a newbie. I set the settings you recommended but have also played around with it a bit. It still blows cold air in my face. The machine warms up and I can see on the display that it's working so it is not an issue of that sort.

[Pugsy]

With the ClimateLine hose plugged in and attached to the machine you should be able to adjust the hose air temperature so it isn't so cold feeling.
Now bear in mind that even the maximum hose air temp of 86 degrees F....30 Celsius ....is still going to be cooler than your own body temp so it might feel cooler but shouldn't feel cold.

You need to set the hose temp to maximum and the heated hose has to be attached to do it.
https://www.respshop.com/manuals/ResMed ... %20her.pdf

If you haven't adjusted the hose air temp....you need to do that. The default is quite low if you don't change it manually.

Remember the machine starts out with room air temp and if your bedroom gets quite cold during the night you may need some additional help especially if your mask uses a short hose from the ClimateLine to the mask. Put a sock over that short hose so the air won't cool down. Anything to insulate that short hose.

[Miss Emerita]

Hello and thank you for the reply. I will be sure to google that. I have put the machine and mask information in my profile now, I hope I did it right and that you are able to view it.

Well, I breathe mostly through my mouth but sometimes my nose too, I think it's a combination of both. I am used to breathe through my mouth more I believe, but sometimes I do tend to breathe through only my nose when I am just about to fall asleep (without the mask).

Yes, your info is there -- thanks! Well, I'm really of two minds about suggesting you try a nasal or nasal-pillow mask. First step is to try mask liners for your F20. Wouldn't it be great if that did the trick?

[Fiji_22]

With the ClimateLine hose plugged in and attached to the machine you should be able to adjust the hose air temperature so it isn't so cold feeling.
Now bear in mind that even the maximum hose air temp of 86 degrees F....30 Celsius ....is still going to be cooler than your own body temp so it might feel cooler but shouldn't feel cold.

You need to set the hose temp to maximum and the heated hose has to be attached to do it.
https://www.respshop.com/manuals/ResMed ... %20her.pdf

If you haven't adjusted the hose air temp....you need to do that. The default is quite low if you don't change it manually.

Remember the machine starts out with room air temp and if your bedroom gets quite cold during the night you may need some additional help especially if your mask uses a short hose from the ClimateLine to the mask. Put a sock over that short hose so the air won't cool down. Anything to insulate that short hose.

Thank you for the information. I have tried putting a sock over the hose already without any luck. I don't know if the hose temp you are refering to is this or not, not sure so please let me know.

Climate ctrl: Auto
Tubetemp 27 C (celsius because I am in Europe currently)
AB Filter: No
Humidity level: 4

Is there anything I need to change or does it look alright? Like I said, I have played around with the settings but it still didn't work but this are the settings at the moment.

[Fiji_22]

Hello and thank you for the reply. I will be sure to google that. I have put the machine and mask information in my profile now, I hope I did it right and that you are able to view it.

Well, I breathe mostly through my mouth but sometimes my nose too, I think it's a combination of both. I am used to breathe through my mouth more I believe, but sometimes I do tend to breathe through only my nose when I am just about to fall asleep (without the mask).

Yes, your info is there -- thanks! Well, I'm really of two minds about suggesting you try a nasal or nasal-pillow mask. First step is to try mask liners for your F20. Wouldn't it be great if that did the trick?

Thank you for the help. I googled and ordered the mask liner as suggested and I hope it will arrive as soon as possible. It would be absolutely phenomenal if it would work!

[Pugsy]

Is the air from the machine still feeling too cool for your comfort level?
If it is....crank it up to 30 C....that's as high as it will go.
You can change it you know.
If still too cool...what is the ambient temp in your bedroom?

[Fiji_22]

Is the air from the machine still feeling too cool for your comfort level?
If it is....crank it up to 30 C....that's as high as it will go.
You can change it you know.
If still too cool...what is the ambient temp in your bedroom?

Ok, I didn't know that mine already was set at a high temp and that it only will go to 30 C so thank you for the information. I will crank it up to the highest temp and see what happens and if it makes any difference. I am not at home always, so the temp is obviously different but cold air in my face problem has been consistent from start. One indication that the machine warms up at a high temp is that the water evaporates fairly quick so I have to fill up with water. Before I didn't have to fill it up for days.

[Fiji_22]

So I have been doing research all day and talking to people about sleep apnea and CPAP-therapy, and it's like a whole new world has open up to me and I have learned a lot more.

f you read the thread you will see that I am struggling with CPAP-therapy and have not yet got it to work, even for one night. The issue for me seems to be the full face mask and not the settings on the machine, but as I am new to CPAP-therapy I cannot say that for certain, The first thing people point out is that the pressure could be too high so that is why I can't fall asleep. I usually sleep on my side or on my stomach and not my back, and with the full face mask on it feels like I am suffocating, which I understand is a common problem with a full face mask for some people, especially in the beginning of the journey. I have ordered a mask liner for the full face mask as a user in the thread suggested. I don't know when it will arrive but I hope soon. It is unsure if this will solve the problem or not, though.

The uncertainity if the mask liner will actually work and the fact that I do not know when I will recieve it combined with the lack of proper sleep and the struggle of trying to make it work every night for hours has made me totally exhausted and a bit desperate. After researching it all day today, I am glad to know that there is some glimmer of hope. Since I am not sure if I am actually a mouth breather in my sleep or not, I have learned and got introduced to the concept of chin straps that will help to keep the mouth closed during sleep and that there is also some other options out there to help keeping your mouth closed during CPAP-therapy, if this is actually an issue for me which I am yet unaware of.

So I am highly contempleting trying other options because I don't know if the mask liner will work or when it will even arrive here and I cannot wait much longer because I need proper sleep and have tried for roughly a month now. Should I pull the trigger and buy a nasal mask or nasal pillow? Keep in mind that I usually sleep on my stomach or back. What do you guys recommend that I buy? Should I buy a nasal mask or nasal pillow? Should I buy a chin strap and do you guys think it will help? I don't know anything about chin straps, as this is something I just learned about.

Before buying my current full face mask, I tried out several kinds of full face masks, nasal masks and nasal pillow in the store. Many were comfortable, but I don't know how I feel when I am in bed trying to sleep with it. This was the issue with the current full face mask, comfortable during the day and when I tried it out and I had heard good things about it, but it's impossible for me to sleep with it. So just because it is comfortable when I test it out dosen't necessarily mean that I will be able to sleep with it. A quick google search suggests Resmed Swift FX or Airfit P10 nasal pillow for side sleepers.

I have also learned about one new option: hybrid masks. I have not tried out this type of mask in real life as this was not available so I don't know if this is something that is comfortable or not or if it will even work for me. Even though it would be comfortable, it dosen't mean that I would be able to sleep with it, just like the full face mask. I bought a full face mask because I am not sure if I am a mouth breather in my sleep or not and because I am paying for my CPAP-therapy out of my own pocket so to buy a full face mask was the safest option. I don't know if the issue is that I can tolerate this specific full face mask, even though it is comfortable during the duy, or any full face mask at all, So, to buy a hybrid mask could be pretty risky as it may not work again.

Thankful for any input and help!

[Pugsy]

Do you normally breathe through your nose easily day and night or do you have chronic nasal congestion issues that are such that you can't breathe easily through your nose and you just have to breathe through your mouth to be comfortable?

If you can easily breathe only through your nose during the day....give a nasal mask a try. It's a lot less intrusive on your face and more comfortable.

Now if you have chronic nasal issues that force you to mouth breathe ....you need a full face mask...and those hybrid masks are considered full face masks because the cover both the nostrils and mouth. It's just the hybrid doesn't go across the bridge of the nose area but it is still considered in the full face category.

Full face masks....nose and mouth are covered in some way...hybrids cover both so they are full face.
Nasal masks....covers the nose and can go up to the nasal bridge area.
Nasal pillow and/or nasal cushion mask...the nostrils are covered but nothing on the nasal bridge area or top of the nose above nostrils.

[Fiji_22]

Do you normally breathe through your nose easily day and night or do you have chronic nasal congestion issues that are such that you can't breathe easily through your nose and you just have to breathe through your mouth to be comfortable?

If you can easily breathe only through your nose during the day....give a nasal mask a try. It's a lot less intrusive on your face and more comfortable.

Now if you have chronic nasal issues that force you to mouth breathe ....you need a full face mask...and those hybrid masks are considered full face masks because the cover both the nostrils and mouth. It's just the hybrid doesn't go across the bridge of the nose area but it is still considered in the full face category.

Full face masks....nose and mouth are covered in some way...hybrids cover both so they are full face.
Nasal masks....covers the nose and can go up to the nasal bridge area.
Nasal pillow and/or nasal cushion mask...the nostrils are covered but nothing on the nasal bridge area or top of the nose above nostrils.

Dear Pugsy. You are like the only one in my thread lol, I really hope more people chime in, the more help the better but I really do appreciate your help so a huge thank you!

As I said before you asked me, I have a bit of a congestion sometimes. Why that is, is of course hard for me and you guys to answer, but I can breathe with my nose during the day. It may also be the sleep apnea that causes this or make it worse. I mean I have not yet got it taken care of, so I do not know how the CPAP-therapy and proper sleep will do as for as miracles go. I have contacted a doctor because of this, it's not an issue for me in my daily life as it's not that serious, but it could be considering the CPAP-therapy so it may be worth checking up and making sure that everything is fine. Also read here on this forum and heard from others that people use nasal sprays for congestion and other nose problems that may help or ease it up.

During the day, I breathe both through by mouth and nose but I think I am a more of a mouth breather, hence why I bought a full face mask because that was the safest option. Yes, I am aware that the hybrid masks are considered to be a full face mask and therefore I don't know if I should go down that path again since it seems to not be working for me.

What I did not know was the even though I may be a mouth breather in my sleep, which I actually do not know yet, is that there is some hope. I thought that I was definitely screwed if I am a mouth breather and can not tolerate a full face mask. To my understanding, there are several options that people use that can't or simply do not want to use a full face mask. Chin strap, taping and many more things so there seems to be hope even if that's the case which I had no idea of at all. Then maybe I would not bought the full face mask in the first place, because there are other options.

I have not tried to sleep with any other full face mask beside the one I have, though, so I won't count out every single full face mask and say that is not for me. But since I am paying out of my own pocket and want to get started as soon as possible, it's not possible to buy and try out every full face mask on the market to see if it actually works or not. But since I sleep on my back or my side and not on my back, the information I have gathered is that a full face mask is more difficult to sleep with while moving around and sleeping on example your stomach.

I checked out your mask in your profile. It looks great and comfortable. Do you recommend it? What do you recommend that I buy after learning about my struggle? I have like I said tried out several in the store, but I don't actually know what to buy. Maybe it comes down to personal perference and I have to just buy and test it out? Stupid question, can I use different mask brands that are not of the Resmed brand (the CPAP-machine I have) or is it only possible to use the same brand as the machine?

I need some solid advice because I don't want to buy something that may not work again and you guys are the experts on here so I need to know if I should go for a nasal mask or nasal pillow and what has a higher chance to actually work. Obviously there are no guarantees but I am convinced that you experts know much much more than this newbie right here does!

[Pugsy]

Yes...you can mix machine brand and mask brand. That's not a problem.

As for the others not chiming in. That tends to happen unless one of the other wants to offer a different opinion than mine. So they don't say much. I do the same thing when I go to a thread and someone has already said what I would have said...I don't say anything.

But let's openly ask the other for their thoughts. Won't hurt my feelings at all to hear what the others have to say. Sometimes when I step in the others step out.

With a nasal mask you have to be able to breathe only through your nose comfortably or else the air sneaks out your mouth when you mouth breathe. Which is why I ask the "can you comfortably breathe through your nose" question. If you can't then you have to use a full face mask.

I realize that masks are expensive experiments. I do have some donated masks but I don't remember the inventory available and I just sent out several masks to someone to try a couple of weeks ago.
Send me a PM with your name and address...this is to remind me to go look in the donations box to see what complete masks I might have available for you to try for free. All I ask is reimburse my postage costs if you can.
You have to remind me because I can't do it right now...the donations box is out in the shed in a big plastic tote and I have to bring it in and start looking for complete masks and see what you can try....and if you don't remind me I will forget. I have some other stuff I need to do and can't get to the box until later and by then I would likely forget. If I have a PM in my mail box....that reminds me "you promised to go look for so and so"

[Pugsy]

A lot of people mouth breathe out of habit and not physical need.
I was one of those people. Once I made a concerted effort to keep the mouth shut I realized that I was comfortable with just breathing through my nose.

Tape your mouth shut...sit down and watch TV or read a book...see how comfortable you are with just nose breathing.
Do it with the machine and mask on so that you are getting the same air and humidity you are getting at night.
If you can stay comfortable for a couple of hours and not feel air starved then you can probably at least try a nasal mask but if you can't....you know you need a full face mask.

Now if congestion develops during the use....we might need to investigate as to whether humidity setting is a factor.
So do about 30 minutes without machine and mask being on...then put the mask and machine on so we mimic the nighttime stuff and see if congestion develops with cpap use and if it does then we dig deeper.

[Miss Emerita]

If you can afford the experiment, I'd encourage you to try it. The fewer the linear millimeters in contact with your skin, the fewer the opportunities for leaks, so I'd suggest a nasal pillow mask. A lot of people do well with the ResMed P10, which is very light-weight. Try all three pillow sizes; you want one that's big enough so the wide parts of the pillows rest on the outside of your nostrils, but small enough so that you don't get a lot of leaks.

I've been reading some favorable reactions to the Knightsbridge dual strap rig, where the straps come down from a cap that goes on your head. This allows the straps to pull up, rather than up and back. For tape, you might invest in a box of Somnifix, which is strong yet gentle on the skin. If that works for you, you can then experiment with overlapping strips of less expensive micropore tape.

Whatever you try, I'd be interested to hear how it goes.

[Fiji_22]

Yes...you can mix machine brand and mask brand. That's not a problem.

As for the others not chiming in. That tends to happen unless one of the other wants to offer a different opinion than mine. So they don't say much. I do the same thing when I go to a thread and someone has already said what I would have said...I don't say anything.

But let's openly ask the other for their thoughts. Won't hurt my feelings at all to hear what the others have to say. Sometimes when I step in the others step out.

With a nasal mask you have to be able to breathe only through your nose comfortably or else the air sneaks out your mouth when you mouth breathe. Which is why I ask the "can you comfortably breathe through your nose" question. If you can't then you have to use a full face mask.

I realize that masks are expensive experiments. I do have some donated masks but I don't remember the inventory available and I just sent out several masks to someone to try a couple of weeks ago.
Send me a PM with your name and address...this is to remind me to go look in the donations box to see what complete masks I might have available for you to try for free. All I ask is reimburse my postage costs if you can.
You have to remind me because I can't do it right now...the donations box is out in the shed in a big plastic tote and I have to bring it in and start looking for complete masks and see what you can try....and if you don't remind me I will forget. I have some other stuff I need to do and can't get to the box until later and by then I would likely forget. If I have a PM in my mail box....that reminds me "you promised to go look for so and so"

What I mean about others chiming in is regarding what kind of nasal mask or nasal pillow I should buy. I have never tried a nasal mask or nasal pillow to bed so what do I know. The more suggestions and more help, the better and that would greatly help me in deciding what kind I should buy. I already know that you are a complete pro, Pugsy!

That's very kind of you. Well, considering I am not in the states currently that would too much work for ya. I think that someone that is struggling more in any way shape or form deserve it more than I do, but thank you regardless!

Well, I think that is the case for me also. I mouth breathe mostly because of habit, because my nose problems are not that serious that I cannot physically breathe comfortably through my nose at all. I have read and heard about those problems that some have, and mine are not as serious as that.

I looked at your mask in your profile. I am contempleting getting that one to try it out now that I know that I can try any mask without it necessarily being the Resmed brand. It would be a dream to have something without the strap and it truly is the most minimalistic solutation I have seen, and I have searched and looked at a bunch now. Not many reviews on the website though (cpap.com). Something you recommend?