New FLexi Fit 406 nasal mask

[grumpygirl]

Hello to All- I used the Flexi Fit 406 (Petite) nasal mask last night and I think I really liked it. I had orginally been told by my doc. to use a full face mask but I just was not getting good results from any of the ones I tried. So I went to my DME and we tried on this Flexi Fit just out of curiosity and she told me to take it home and try to see if I could learn to sleep without breathing through my mouth. I had gotten fairly good results in my first sleep study with just a nasal mask, the second study (titration) they put a full face mask on me and I remember feeling spacey as I was TRYING to drive home that next morning. That was a huge complaint for me with the FF mask-I felt like a zombie the next day and very spacey. It was MOST unpleasant. So the only real complaint I had last night was that the nasal mask seemed to drip water during the night from condensation and I had to get up and take the mask off and wipe it out. I understand why it has some condensation but WHY so much and what can I do to alleviate it? Also, I taped my mouth shut with micropore tape last night and I think it worked fairly well as a training device. ANy suggestions on how I can work up to sleeping with my mouth closed without tape? I even found myself sleeping on my side with this mask-something I have not been able to do with the FF masks over the last month.!!! BTW I have my humidifier set on 3 and my machine ramps up from 6 to 12 in 45 min. Hope all of you are doing well and enjoy your holiday!!!

[billbolton]

So the only real complaint I had last night was that the nasal mask seemed to drip water during the night from condensation and I had to get up and take the mask off and wipe it out. I understand why it has some condensation but WHY so much and what can I do to alleviate it?

The problem is called "rainout" and is fairly common in colder months (winter) with any mask. There are a number of possible solutions and all of them have been covered many times in posts here, so use the search function to look for some of them.

Cheers,

Bill

[Bamafanatic56]

Try turning your humidifier down to one if you can.

[SusanD]

I've tried about 50 different masks (seriously) and the one that works best for me is the Breeze with the Dreamseal. I can't handle the "nostril plugs" or a lot of heavy mask parts on my face. I recently purchased the Flexfit 406 because it looked relatively simple and I needed an alternate mask. Well, it seemed to work pretty well EXCEPT for the "rainout". I can use the Breeze and no rainout. The next night, same exact conditions, I use the Flexfit and have "rainout" all night long. I honestly think the problem is that moisture is accumulating between the "double cushions" or the cushion and the cushion cover. Every time I use it, I end up wiping out the inside of the mask at least four or five times per night, which obviously means that I am NOT sleeping soundly. Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Thanks!

[Slinky]

Yes, Susan, as BillBolton said in his reply to GrumpyGirl, the problem IS called "rainout", and many people encounter it, especially during the winter months, and there are several "fixes" for this which are easily found by using the Search feature at the top of the page.

One of the most obvious is to turn your humidifier down.
Another is to place your humidifier lower than the level of your mattress.
Yet another to make or purchase a hose cover.
Buy an "aussie heated hose".
There are plenty of innovative members in this forum who have come up w/various ways to eliminate the condensation from "rainout". Try some of them to find the one that works for you. Often the fastest way to find an answer to a problem or question is to use the forum's Search function.

Merry Christmas!

[momadams]

For keeping your mouth closed, try Poligrip strips. I used them for a few months and was able to train my lips.

For rainout, for sure make or buy hose covers for the main hose and also the connecting tubing which goes to the mask.

If you're handy, cut a hole in the middle of a square of polar fleece, put the connecting tubing through the hole, and MacGyver a way to snug the fleece against the outside of the mask (tape, rubber band, etc).
Or email Karen at Padacheeks and she'll come up with a more tailored version.

Did that for my Opus 360 and no longer get a facefull of water at 3am.

Shari