25 Year old Having Issues

[JoshT]

I recently started cpap 1 week ago and i feel just as tired as i did before. I had to have 2 full night sleep tests done at the hospital sleep lab and the results said i had 129 episodes per hour. Im 25 years old and athletic and i have
PR System One REMstar Pro CPAP Machine with C-Flex Plus
With Humidifier set to 3 setting
My pressure is set to 11
Quattro™ FX Full Face CPAP Mask WITH Headgear
I feel like its really hard to get a seal on the mask even with adjusting it and i feel like its then really tight on my head. They gave me a M size mask. My wife says when i sleep my mouth opens just the slightest bit and i snore still..
Please help!! THanks

[mirageliberty]

Josh, I cant sit hear and say I have alot of info for you because I dont. However, you are only a week into it... there will be growing pains... and ys it will seem like your getting less sleep than before while you get used to it. However, a full face may not be the best for you. Might get with your doc and try nasel pillows with chinstrap...

remember, there will be growing pains...I remember my first 30 days was like a new adventure every night! Oh the stories I have... from knocking out nasel pillows and shooting my eye full of air and taping my mouth and the air escaped out my tear ducts (that hurt).

Hang in there! It will get better..

[RandyJ]

Hi Josh, I have the same mask and tightened it too much the first few days and was waking up with headaches. Now I make sure that I can still easily slip a finger in between the straps and my head. Assuming you had the mask fitted properly and the dial is all the way out, I find that attaching the clips to the mask on my face BEFORE turning the machine on helps, then I press it to my face. I lie down in my sleep position and if I feel a leak I adjust the mask until I don't feel any more leaks. I always wash and dry my face just before bed which I think helps to cut down on skin oils coming into contact with the seal.

Give it a chance and if it doesn't get better maybe you should try a different mask. In any case you have come to the right place for advice, there are a lot of people here who speak from a wealth of experience and can definitely be helpful.

[chunkyfrog]

Welcome to the forum, Josh.
Your experience sounds very familiar.
We will try to help. Many of us have "been there, done that--sleeping in the t-shirt".
Whatever it takes; we all need our beauty sleep--as you can see,
May you benefit from the advanced technology available today--and our combined experience.
There are some great teachers here.
Sleep well, newbie. Soon enough, you may be helping others as well.

[Janknitz]

Welcome, Josh,

Click on "Taming the Mirage Quattro" in my signature. That will give you some tips on fitting the Quattro. It's a hard mask to seal--I don't know why that seems to be the "go to" mask for beginners. My tips should help some. If your machine is set for "ramping", the pressure is low when you first start out and that's when you fit your mask. Later, the pressure increases to 11 and blows the seal. Try turning off the ramp to adjust your mask--you can always turn it on again if you really need it (it's kind of like training wheels to help you get used to the pressure, and most of us do not need the ramping after the first few nights).

Read up here on how to access your data. You can see your AVERAGE AHI (number of apnea and hypopnea events per hour) on the screen of your machine, and there are tips on getting software or using Onkor online to see your detailed data with your computer. Your avatar suggests you are a tech geek and I think you will get a lot out of tracking your data and understanding your own therapy.

[JoshT]

thanks for all the info and replies. i also have been tightening it to the point where i feel like i have head pressure the next day. i have a big head. Do you think the M size mask might be to small?

[rosacer]

Hi JoshT

Here is the template for sizing the Quattro http://c0192001.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspac ... mplate.pdf Print it and check which is the good size for you.

I have a Quattro and I have decided to give up on it. For some people It's not an easy mask to stop leaks, maybe it's because of the shape of our face. In any case try to find your size with the template, that will help you to be sure your Medium is good, then you can try the tricks to stop the leaks with all confidence.

[JoshT]

awesome. i dont have a printer here so i will print it out in a couple day! thanks!!

[Janknitz]

It's important to understand that the Quattro and masks like it have an AIR cushion and it must be fully filled with air in order to seal properly. The more you crank down on those straps, the less air can fill the cushion to make the seal. You do need to have the bottom straps snug, but not so snug that the air cannot fill the cushion.

[JoshT]

It's important to understand that the Quattro and masks like it have an AIR cushion and it must be fully filled with air in order to seal properly. The more you crank down on those straps, the less air can fill the cushion to make the seal. You do need to have the bottom straps snug, but not so snug that the air cannot fill the cushion.

ok thanks for this. i think i have been over tightening it. if i open my lips at all air leaks out immediately.

[BlackSpinner]

thanks for all the info and replies. i also have been tightening it to the point where i feel like i have head pressure the next day. i have a big head. Do you think the M size mask might be to small?

The quatro should work like Hover craft. Its skirts inflate with the pressure and it locks to your face. This means the tighter you make it the more it leaks.
Some people feel better with a liner with this mask. My skin doesn't like the silicon so I use a liner from well washed cotton knit.

However face shape means a lot in mask fitting. With my small flat nose and small receding chin this mask is hard for me to make it work but I used it for the first 6 months and as long as I stayed off my back it worked.

If you are still snoring it means you don't have enough pressure.

[JoshT]

my wife told me i only snore some of the time.. alot less than without the mask tho..

[JoshT]

i was looking on amazon i really like the
Respironics Optilife C-pap Mask Kit with Headgear
http://www.amazon.com/Respironics-Optil ... 304&sr=1-2
it has a chin strap to keep my mouth from coming open.. hmmmm

[rosacer]

If your mask is leaking a lot the real pressure you are receiving is not enough because you loss it because of the leaks. I mean your machine is delivering 11cmH2O but your are not receiving those 11.

In my case if I have the skin too clean it gives me the same problem as if it's too greasy. You will see by trial if you need to wash your face with soap or only with a klenex and let a bit of oil on it to help the mask to stick better.

For now it's very important that you stop the leaks, after that you will be able to make the fine tune to your treatment.

[JoshT]

ok i will make sure my face is clean. is there any convenient wipes that i could buy to wipe the cushion of the mask off with ?