More Comfort ~or~ Better Results?

[Komodo]

I have two different nasal masks, Brand "A", and Brand "B"

Brand "A" is SUPER comfortable and I get good results using it.

Brand "B" isn't as comfortable, but, I get better results.

The difference between the results on the masks isn't all that much, maybe a 10% difference overall.

Which would you choose?????

[Wolfhound668]

I've just been going through exactly this myself. I'm going with the mask that gives better results. Heh, I just realized I need to change my equipment in my profile when I get home. The EasyLife is my "comfort" mask but a less comfortable model from ResMed (which I'm currently drawing a blank on but from the picture on cpap.com it looks like the Mirage SoftGel) gives a slightly better AHI. Ah, if I could only have a comfortable mask that gives great results, heaven.

[Guest]

I'm struggling with 'mask comfort' myself. I've only been on the hose since June 1....I wake up with forehead welts every morning from my full face mask. I just ordered padacheek forehead pad this morning and will give that a go....but to answer your question, if everything else was equal - meaning if I felt the same the day after with both masks, I'd go for comfort. If the lower results also resulted in feeling slightly tired, etc. I'd go for the mask that was producing the better numbers/results.

[megawill]

I'm struggling with 'mask comfort' myself. I've only been on the hose since June 1....I wake up with forehead welts every morning from my full face mask. I just ordered padacheek forehead pad this morning and will give that a go....but to answer your question, if everything else was equal - meaning if I felt the same the day after with both masks, I'd go for comfort. If the lower results also resulted in feeling slightly tired, etc. I'd go for the mask that was producing the better numbers/results.

Logged in so my profile shows...

[Slinky]

I'm a creature of comfort. I'd go w/the more comfortable mask. Then to heck w/the data, go by how I feel. It could be w/the more comfortable mask you just need a 0.5 cm adjustment of your pressure up or down to get results similar to the less-comfortable mask.

[abbadavis]

I like to prefer both because comfort and better results both are equal for our health. I want comfortable things so that I can enjoy using it and as well as I need that it gives better results so that we do not have to face any side effects nor any type of sickness.

[SleepingUgly]

When you say "better results", do you mean AHI or EDS (or some other factor)? If you mean AHI, unless one of the masks leaks, why would there be "better results" with one mask vs. another if they are masks of the same type (e.g., both nasal as opposed to one nasal, one FFM)? If they are the same type and neither leaked, I would chalk up the "better" vs. "worse" AHI to artifacts that were irrelevant, and I'd go with whichever was more comfortable. If the "better result" was EDS, I would go with whichever made my EDS better, as long as the mask was tolerable and didn't cause skin breakdown or something that would soon put me out of commission.

[Komodo]

why would there be "better results" with one mask vs. another if they are masks of the same type (e.g., both nasal as opposed to one nasal, one FFM)? .

I started this thread more for entertainment than education, and not especially about myself, but you brought up an excellent question!!!!

I don't know WHY I get different results, but I do. The "A" & "B" masks I refered to are a Comfortgel nasal & Micro Mirage nasal. Both good masks but the Comfortgel is more comfortable to wear. The "results" I refer to are the AHI's. In my case, the MM average is about 5.9 and the CG is about 6.4. Not much of a difference. The leak rate on both masks AVERAGE OUT about the same based on my sleep positions. If I were to sleep ONLY on my back without moving at all, both would have a ~zero~ leak rate. However, tossing from side to side give both an equal leak opportunity. The MM doesn't "leak" as much because (I assume) it digs into my face and I change position. The CG doesn't dig into my face even if I'm face down in the pillow! The long term "average" leak rate on the MM is 0.23, the CG 0.28

And now to add somemore confusion to your original question "Why would there be better results with one mask vs. another".

I have 3 different FFM's. With those masks, I get drasticly different results!!! Why????