Masks for some one who spits up acid reflux. Helppppp!

[RosemaryB]

I'm helping a family member find a mask that works for him. He has a beard and moustache. He also has acid reflux that can come into his mouth during the night, sometimes a bit like throwing up. (He said he'd be willing to shave, but not just yet).

He is on acid reflux meds, working with a doctor, etc., and all that but this is still a big problem. He also has sleep apnea and is just getting started with treatment. I had him trying on my collection of masks this weekend.

Last night he used my hybrid but had many large leaks. This may be due to his beard or the fact that he has very large nares and perhaps the large pillows in the hybrid might be too small for him. He liked the hybrid and didn't feel it was leaking when he went to bed. He's still so new that I'm not sure he can really tell.

He cannot wear a traditional full face mask due to his nose, which has a very large bridge. I told him about the Hans Rudolph, but even that may not work.

The other options are pillows masks. He liked the Swift, the Bravo, the Nasal Aire II and the Comfortlite II. But then there's the problem of his chin dropping during sleep, and he snores a whole lot. I only had large pillows for the Bravo and NA II, but I think they may be too small. I took a chin strap to show him and also showed him the Ace Bandage chinstrap trick.

My main question is what mask might work for someone who spits up acid reflux during the night other than a full face mask?

Any other suggestions about masks for someone who fits the description above would be helpful, IOW, beard, very big nose bridge, very large nares.

[birdshell]

WOW! This is more mask trouble than I have seen in my over 18 months on the forum.

May I suggest that this is really something that a GREAT DME provider could best accomplish? Your brother-in-law seems to have a few unusual fitting problems that would best be accomplished by an in-person expert.

Sometimes the clinics also have a person or two who are knowledgeable about fitting masks. I personally ran into one with over 15 years of experience in sleep disorders, and she was also working in a clinic where there were a large number of masks that she could use for various needs.

Best wishes. Keep us posted; this is going to help someone else, too. That kind of reflux is very serious, IMHO, as I've been told that it can have some real complications.

Karen


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[Flippagate]

Before XPAP treatment, I suffered from severe reflux disorder. Basically to the extent you seem to describe. Since starting treatment I have not had even one night where there was any noticeable reflux problem.

[RosemaryB]

Before XPAP treatment, I suffered from severe reflux disorder. Basically to the extent you seem to describe. Since starting treatment I have not had even one night where there was any noticeable reflux problem.

Thanks, Flippagate. That's very helpful to know. I'm going to pass that along to him. Did you wear a nasal mask? What did you do about mouth leaks?

Thanks, Karen for your concern. I'll keep you all posted with the outcome. Finding a good mask fitting person would be good for a lot of us. Unfortunately, I don't live near him and it's a small rural community. If I find one near me, I'll have him come here, but that's not likely to happen right away due to some other circumstances.

[Goofproof]

If it was a choice between vomit filled face hair, I know what would go, Santa's the only one I need to see with face bush. My health comes #1, for many years it didn't. Jim

[Wulfman]

If the mask they're using is comfortable and seems to be working, I think it might be easier to treat the reflux.
Strongly suggest they don't eat within three hours of bedtime, maybe elevating the head of the bed, and sleeping as much as possible on their left side......to name a few......along with some anti-reflux types of medicines.

Den

[Flippagate]

Before XPAP treatment, I suffered from severe reflux disorder. Basically to the extent you seem to describe. Since starting treatment I have not had even one night where there was any noticeable reflux problem.

Thanks, Flippagate. That's very helpful to know. I'm going to pass that along to him. Did you wear a nasal mask? What did you do about mouth leaks?

Thanks, Karen for your concern. I'll keep you all posted with the outcome. Finding a good mask fitting person would be good for a lot of us. Unfortunately, I don't live near him and it's a small rural community. If I find one near me, I'll have him come here, but that's not likely to happen right away due to some other circumstances.

I do use just a nasal mask, So far, no problem with mouth leaks. I have only had mouth leaks one night and that was due to congestion.

[DreamStalker]

I do use just a nasal mask, So far, no problem with mouth leaks. I have only had mouth leaks one night and that was due to congestion.

Without software for the machine you have listed in your profile, you have no way of knowing if you are leaking from your mouth or anywhere else.

If you feel well, then there is nothing to worry about. If you don't feel your treatmetn is working as it should, don't go changing your pressure settings without first investigating whether or not you really are leaking.

[Flippagate]

I do use just a nasal mask, So far, no problem with mouth leaks. I have only had mouth leaks one night and that was due to congestion.

Without software for the machine you have listed in your profile, you have no way of knowing if you are leaking from your mouth or anywhere else.

If you feel well, then there is nothing to worry about. If you don't feel your treatmetn is working as it should, don't go changing your pressure settings without first investigating whether or not you really are leaking.

I don't have the software to read it. However my pulmonologist does. For some reason, I trust his opinion more than yours. By the way, I checked out and joined this forum on his suggestion.

[DreamStalker]

I do use just a nasal mask, So far, no problem with mouth leaks. I have only had mouth leaks one night and that was due to congestion.

Without software for the machine you have listed in your profile, you have no way of knowing if you are leaking from your mouth or anywhere else.

If you feel well, then there is nothing to worry about. If you don't feel your treatmetn is working as it should, don't go changing your pressure settings without first investigating whether or not you really are leaking.

I don't have the software to read it. However my pulmonologist does. For some reason, I trust his opinion more than yours. By the way, I checked out and joined this forum on his suggestion.

That's great! ... at least sombody with software is taking care of your treatment.

That's wonderful that you trusted him to join this great forum too!

Best of luck!

[dllfo]

I have severe GERD, take two 40mg Nexium a day, and drink Mylanta before
bedtime. I sleep on my left side when possible.

I have tried several nasal masks and one FF, but the Swift II keeps doing the best job. I have lung damage from second hand smoke, so my lungs expel sputum 24/7, hence nasal mask. Additionally, the Swift II has withstood minutes at a time with a pressure of 30 CM H2O with little or no leaks per Encore Pro 1.8.65.

Shaving vs not breathing is a no brainer for me. BUT I know some guys it is a huge decision.

Tell your friend Acid Reflux/GERD can cause Vocal Cord Dysfunction and if he encounters it at night, for the first time, it will probably scare him pretty bad.
I flew in the Air Force, using Liquid oxygen, for hours at a time due to altitude and I am or was a SCUBA diver. I am used to disciplined breathing. My first known attack happened as I finished a long sentence to my wife and when I tried to inhale my vocal cords had slammed shut, allowing NO air in. Your "Time of Useful Consciousness" is short. I passed out, spent the day in Critical Care until ONE nurse figured out I had Vocal Cord Dysfunction which GERD can bring on. Few hospitals carry Heliox, my primary rescue agent.

REMEMBER, as NJC taught me, speech is the secondary function of your vocal cords, protection of the lungs is primary. Acid Reflux must be treated correctly or it can cause more problems. Good luck....

[LyleHaze]

I have a history of severe GERD that was eventually relieved with "Laparoscopic anti-GERD surgery".

After that surgery I was diagnosed with apnea and have been on CPAP for six months now. In those six months, there were two times that I slept without the APAP, and both times woke up with GERD burning my throat.

Gee, now I wonder if the surgery was even necessary, as it created a few complications that I have to live with.

For your comparison, I have a beard and mustache, both fairly short, and I have used the Swift mask from the first titration. So far, I've been lucky that there has been no evidence of mouth leaking.

Getting the CPAP therapy working well may go along way towards correcting the GERD.

Good Luck,
Lyle

[debst99]

I have severe GERD also and am on two medications. I also developed Shotsky's Ring (scar tissue in a circle aroung my esophagus from the reflux) where food gets stuck all the time. I go about once a year to have it stretched, which I am going in a couple of weeks again.

One thing we did recently was raised the head of our bed 4 inches, which my doctor mentioned to me might help.

It seams I haven't had to grab the rolaids at night for relief lately.

[RosemaryB]

Thanks for all the information. It sounds like a pillows mask might be a possibility if a FF doesn't work for him. He can try it anyway and see how the leaks are. Maybe it will tone down his GERD.