Full-face vs Nose-only masks

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:02 am

I posted recently about my stuffy nose and the fact that my nose/nasal mask wasn't working without my use of Affrin.

I bought a full face mask from respironics, and its great, but it seems like there isn't as much air pressure with it. Last night I woke up because I had stopped breathing (because the tissues had relaxed too much, as if I wasn't using a c-pap mask).

I had the mask positioned so I could breath out of my nose OR mouth, and I'm wondering if that was wrong.

Any thoughts?

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 12:44 pm

Elizabeth,

That is what a full face mask is for, so you can breathe out of your mouth or your nose. It may feel like there is not enough pressure, but that's usually not the case. Especially if you have been using a nasal pillow interface, it will feel like a lot less air since you have to suck the air in on inhalation from a larger area as opposed to the air being jet-propelled up your nasal passages with the pillows.

Do you run the alarm on your machine? How do you know you stopped breathing? I have never been able to say something that concrete before. I know I've had dreams that I've learned probably meant I was having an episode where I felt I was choking on something (I won't get graphic as I considered that dream a repetitive nightmare, not pretty), but that was the only way I would even begin to think I must have had an episode, short of waking up and wondering why. What specifically makes you think that you stopped?

Also, did you check to make sure all your connections were proper and everything was in working order? I find this a very interesting thread. Let me know what you come up with, please.

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:51 pm

Elizabeth,

I too experience problems when I use my activa. It can be ok for a few nights then I can find that the moment I put it on my nasal breathing gets difficult. I used to just persevere as for a while I would wake up & nasal breathing seemed fine but with spring season being at its peak (here in Aust) I have been waking up with the activa & struggling to breath.

I then fall back to my Ultra Mirage f/f - then I might wake up & wonder if the xPAP is actually on - it can seem that it isn't. It seems to me that I may have slowed my breathing & the machine slowed with me (but keeping the cms up).

My nightly charts show that my biggest index is for hypopneas which is when one slows breathing by 50% for more than 10 mins (I think this is the ResMed Spirit setting). I was wondering if you were describing a similar effect.

Cheers

DSM

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat Oct 29, 2005 10:49 pm

I had the mask positioned so I could breath out of my nose OR mouth, and I'm wondering if that was wrong.

You had it positioned right. That's the way it should be for a full face mask.

What is your prescribed single pressure from your sleep study, and what is the range you have your autopap set for?

Elizabeth · Post by **Elizabeth** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 6:56 am

Lori, I thought I stopped breathing because I woke up and had to force myself to start breathing again.

DSM - I don't know for a fact that my breathing slowed, but that's what it felt like. I just thought that maybe it slowed so much that things were allowed to relax, as if the CPap wasn't able to help me with the apnea.

rested gal - I have no idea how to answer your questions about my settings. But I'm glad to hear I had the mask positioned right.