Help Please! I can not sleep

[roster]

.......I tried to take a nap this afternoon with the Hybrid Mask. I got the same "face fart" sounds. I did notice WHEN it happened, which I hope might be helpful. As I was dozing off, my Bi-PAP would increase it's high-end air pressure even higher. The high pressure during sleep becomes higher than when I am awake. It is at this high-point of highest pressure that my mask loses its seal and begins to be noisy. I can lay there awake with the machine at it's lower high levels and the mask won't leak. This explains why it would never leak at the DME's office.

...........Tony

Tony,

Have you carefully followed my post of instructions for adjusting the Hybrid? Are you sure the sizes of the mouthpiece and nasal pillows are the correct ones for you?

What is the amount (cm) of the high pressure when the mask starts leaking? What position (side, back, tummy) are you sleeping in?

It is common to take some time to get CPAP figured out and working well. Try not to get discouraged at this point.

[tonycog]

Thanks for your help, Rooster
On my Bi-PAP I can not set the pressure up to its highest level for fitting. (My settings range from 10 to 20 but it never blows at 20 when I'm awake.) It only seems to hit that level as I doze off. I can lay in bed with the Hybrid on and my Bi-PAP running and have no leaks at all while reading, watching TV, etc. Only when I begin to fall asleep does the pressure kick up higher. It is at that point that I get leaks. The leaks are on the lower corners beside my mouth (usually on the right side) and the never begin until I barely begin to sleep and my pressure level goes higher. According the the machine, while awake my pressure ranges go from 7 or so up to about 12. I can't say what level it reaches near sleep except to say that I can tell that it increases. This is when the big leaks begin.

Many thanks,
Tony

[roster]

Check how you are managing the hose. It may be applying torque to one side of the mask causing it to leak.

What positions are you sleeping in?

[tonycog]

Thanks. I'm am only laying on my back. The hose goes across the left side of my body. Possibly this explains more leaks on the right side? I'll see if I can arrange for the hose to come straight down.

I just laid down this afternoon and tried to nap. I tried the silicone ear plug suggestion. I put some of the silicone in each lower corner. It seemed to help some. At higher pressures I did not get the loud flapping sound, but I could still feel air leaking out. I am guessing that the silicone prevented the seal from flapping as much.

I still did not manage to fall asleep, though. When the pressure kicks up I seem to get startled back awake.

Thank you very much for your continued help.
Gratefully,
Tony

[timbalionguy]

I wonder on your hybrid mask, if you could try the next smaller mouth seal size. leaking at the corners as you describe suggests that the mask is wider than your face. (Do you per chance have a narrow face?) I also find that if I have corner leaks, pulling my cheeks in to the mask using muscles around the mouth helps deal with corner leaks. So does inserting the small finger under the mask seal to make sure the thin part is indeed laying flat on the face.

Keeping the face and the seal clean and oil free helps tremendously. I seem to make a lot of face oil, and the mask absorbs this with time. About every week to 10 days, I need to use something like Dawn dish soap to effectively remove the oils.

The hybrid is worth working with, as it has the smallest seal area of any full face mask. Less seal area = less places to leak.

[roster]

.... I'm am only laying on my back. ......

What positions(s) were you sleeping in before CPAP?

[tonycog]

.... I'm am only laying on my back. ......

What positions(s) were you sleeping in before CPAP?

Mainly only on my back, with brief side-sleeping after being in bed for 6 + hours to give a bit of relief to my sore back.

Thanks again,
Tony

[roster]

What are the chances of purchasing the software and card reader ( https://www.cpap.com/productpage-bundle.php?BundleID=64 ) to monitor pressure, leaks, snoring, hypopneas and apneas? This is what most of us had to do to get an optimal therapy.

[tonycog]

I wonder on your hybrid mask, if you could try the next smaller mouth seal size. leaking at the corners as you describe suggests that the mask is wider than your face. (Do you per chance have a narrow face?) I also find that if I have corner leaks, pulling my cheeks in to the mask using muscles around the mouth helps deal with corner leaks. So does inserting the small finger under the mask seal to make sure the thin part is indeed laying flat on the face.

Keeping the face and the seal clean and oil free helps tremendously. I seem to make a lot of face oil, and the mask absorbs this with time. About every week to 10 days, I need to use something like Dawn dish soap to effectively remove the oils.

The hybrid is worth working with, as it has the smallest seal area of any full face mask. Less seal area = less places to leak.

Thanks very much for the suggestion. I just went and switched from the Large to the Medium. Unfortunately, the medium is too small. It does not allow the nose pieces to reach my nostrils to completely seal. Also, it is just too small to fit around my mouth.

Many thanks,
Tony

[bipaphubby]

My wife have just started using a Bi-PAP machine and if she lies on her back the face fart sounds may occur. However, if I gently turn her over to one side the fart sound stops and the normal breathing sound resumes. She is hearing impaired so she doesnt wake up easily from sounds and I can turn her over without waking her. She uses a Respironics Comfortgel full mask.

[cflame1]

Tony... when you switched the mouth cushion, you didn't also switch the pillows did you. Because you don't have to.

you can also put the pillows at their highest level (especially if they were lower with the bigger cushion).

[BlackSpinner]

I'm am only laying on my back.

That is where your problem lies. When you start to fall asleep your muscles relax and your jaw falls backwards breaking the seal. It happens to many of us, I have no leaks unless I role over on my back. Sleeping on your back is not recommended for anyone with sleep apnea anyway, it is guaranteed to cause problems. Put a tennis ball in your tshirt and learn to sleep on your side or stomach. Use Ambien until you have your new sleep style firmly imprinted.

[Paul56]

I'm am only laying on my back.

That is where your problem lies. When you start to fall asleep your muscles relax and your jaw falls backwards breaking the seal. It happens to many of us, I have no leaks unless I role over on my back. Sleeping on your back is not recommended for anyone with sleep apnea anyway, it is guaranteed to cause problems. Put a tennis ball in your tshirt and learn to sleep on your side or stomach. Use Ambien until you have your new sleep style firmly imprinted.

I hate to be the contrarian here... but I ALWAYS sleep on my back and my AHI is always below .5. In fact I can often go for many nights achieving an AHI of zero.

Of course we are all different.

[mdintx]

I'm am only laying on my back.

That is where your problem lies. When you start to fall asleep your muscles relax and your jaw falls backwards breaking the seal. It happens to many of us, I have no leaks unless I role over on my back. Sleeping on your back is not recommended for anyone with sleep apnea anyway, it is guaranteed to cause problems. Put a tennis ball in your tshirt and learn to sleep on your side or stomach. Use Ambien until you have your new sleep style firmly imprinted.

I don't know how the Hybrid straps down but would it make sense for him to tighten the straps a little more. That way, it fits properly when his muscles relax.

The other issue I wonder about is stubble. As someone who has a 10 o'clock (am) shadow, I wonder if that plays a role. I'd be tempted to try some micropore tape or moleskin in the areas that are leaking.