Leakage, and a New Mask?

[jda1000]

Hi - I've been using a Mirage Quattro, and am getting leakage rates between .3 and .6 most nights. My AHI runs between 2 and 5, and is generally around 3, and mostly comprised of HI.

The next most important thing I need to do for my sleep health is habitually go to bed earlier. Most of my pre-OSA life, six or seven hours of sleep seemed to suit me fine, and adapting my habits to provide 8 has been worse than adapting to the mask!

My r.t. just sent me a Respironics "Optilife" nasal mask. I've tried it on but not used it. It seems to me the headgear's rather loose and the chinstrap also loose, and with a natural desire to slide off my chin.

The Optilife also lacks the rotating elbow that allows me to route my hose over my head. With the Optilife, I'll have to either adapt my Quattro fitting, or lay the hose on my belly, which I found awkward until I strung up my hose a few weeks ago.

So, a couple questions - is that leakage rate high for a Quattro? How do people like the Optilife?

And why isn't duct tape ever discussed on here? It's the first thing I thought of when I saw I lacked a swiveling elbow on the new mask. "I'm going to have to splice these systems...."

[Wulfman]

Hi - I've been using a Mirage Quattro, and am getting leakage rates between .3 and .6 most nights. My AHI runs between 2 and 5, and is generally around 3, and mostly comprised of HI.

The next most important thing I need to do for my sleep health is habitually go to bed earlier. Most of my pre-OSA life, six or seven hours of sleep seemed to suit me fine, and adapting my habits to provide 8 has been worse than adapting to the mask!

My r.t. just sent me a Respironics "Optilife" nasal mask. I've tried it on but not used it. It seems to me the headgear's rather loose and the chinstrap also loose, and with a natural desire to slide off my chin.

The Optilife also lacks the rotating elbow that allows me to route my hose over my head. With the Optilife, I'll have to either adapt my Quattro fitting, or lay the hose on my belly, which I found awkward until I strung up my hose a few weeks ago.

So, a couple questions - is that leakage rate high for a Quattro? How do people like the Optilife?

And why isn't duct tape ever discussed on here? It's the first thing I thought of when I saw I lacked a swiveling elbow on the new mask. "I'm going to have to splice these systems...."

Did/do you change the mask setting in your machine when switching masks?
Those leak numbers you mentioned in the first sentence might be just a tad bit too high.
Did you have leaking out of the elbow in the front of your Quattro?......and/or did you do the "Teflon tape fix" to it?
Most face masks (full and nasal) need to be able to expand their seals.....so making them too tight can also lead to leakage.

Den

[jda1000]

I haven't tried the new mask, so haven't changed the coding, yet. Good reminder...I probably wouldn't have.

The elbow is (I think - I'm at work) a snap-in fitting. It seemed to snap back in properly on Night #3 after I calmed down, found the pieces, and put it back together.

The Teflon tape I've got is thread-wrap for residential plumbing. Is there another sort of Teflon tape?

I don't think the elbow leaks, however - while awake, I've tried to feel air coming out of it with my hand. It might be worth tossing and turning a bit.

I just read somewhere about the inflatable seals - interesting bit of technology. I've tended to tighten the lower part due to facial hair, but now you mention it, I suspect a bit looser might make it easier for the seal to conform to the needed shape.

Thanks!

[Wulfman]

I haven't tried the new mask, so haven't changed the coding, yet. Good reminder...I probably wouldn't have.

The elbow is (I think - I'm at work) a snap-in fitting. It seemed to snap back in properly on Night #3 after I calmed down, found the pieces, and put it back together.

The Teflon tape I've got is thread-wrap for residential plumbing. Is there another sort of Teflon tape?

I don't think the elbow leaks, however - while awake, I've tried to feel air coming out of it with my hand. It might be worth tossing and turning a bit.

I just read somewhere about the inflatable seals - interesting bit of technology. I've tended to tighten the lower part due to facial hair, but now you mention it, I suspect a bit looser might make it easier for the seal to conform to the needed shape.

Thanks!

That's the tape you would need. If you do a search on the forum for "Teflon", you'll find lots of threads discussing it. There's a possibility you won't need to tape it (the end of the elbow that goes into the mask and the other end that goes into the hose connector), but be aware of it in case you start hearing and feeling leaking that seems to be coming from "everywhere". You would just pull those ends of the elbow out of their respective places.....make about 4 wraps around the ends and push them back in place.

The guys with facial hair have commented that the Quattro seems to work pretty well for them.

Den

[MurphysLaw]

The Optilife also lacks the rotating elbow that allows me to route my hose over my head. With the Optilife, I'll have to either adapt my Quattro fitting, or lay the hose on my belly, which I found awkward until I strung up my hose a few weeks ago.

According to Respironics, the Optilife tubing is designed to be attached above your head, below, or on the side. Last night I finally tried it above my head in an effort to cut down on the leak rate. I'll see what the software tells me later today about it being an improvement. My little metal clip broke yesterday and I was able to attach it to the top of the headgear using the small velcro strap that the metal is attached to. I was able to sleep very well with it in the upward position.

[TheDreamer]

I had read about clipping the optilife hose, so it'll go up over head....and I had tried that...it helped a bit...but there's still that 'stub' that's going down...and I like having the covers pulled up high.

I'm currently trying the F&P Opus....and I'm thinking of trying the Respironics ComfortLite 2 next. I find the plastic side bars annoying....and they cause the mask to push off when I roll to the side... Plus I don't like the clammy/slimy feel under them....

The Dreamer

[MurphysLaw]

Checked my report and the leak rate is still about the same with the tube up as it was with it down. However, I had 0 apneas, which I haven't had in quite a while. I'm going to continue with it up for a full week to get a better idea on the leaks.

The 'stub' is much less intrusive with the tubing up, barely going lower than my chin. I'm able to keep the covers much higher than when it that short tube hangs down. Initially I was concerned about my vision with the hose up, but when I'm good and drowsy, I'll just clip or stick it to the top of my headgear.

The side bars don't bother me at all now that I bought a velcro brand stretch strap that works like a chin strap. The velcro strap goes on underneath the headgear and one seems to stabilize the other. No more mouth leaks.