face mask vs nasal mask

[Nick2057]

seeking some advice. I have been using the resmed mirage libery and the nasal pillows slip at night and wake me up with all the noise. My doc suggested I try the nasal mask Mirage fx. I got that but the nasal flow seems to be really loud now and rushes down my throat almost chocking me. Has anyone gone from face mask to nasal mask and expreienced this problem? Any suggestions? I like the feel of the nasal mask much more than the nasal pillows. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. thanks.

[RandyJ]

If you are used to a full face mask and try a nasal mask, the initial sensation of air blowing into the nostrils can be strange, but it didn't take me long to get used to it. You could try setting ramp with the nasal mask for an initial period to maybe give yourself time to fall asleep before it comes up to full pressure.

I went from a Mirage Quattro full face mask to a Mirage FX nasal mask and it was a seamless transition. That said, the vent on the Mirage FX can be loud if it's pointing toward your pillow. Sometimes you need to turn the elbow so it points away.

[imfletch]

You don't say what your pressures are, but I assume they must be relatively high. Even at a pressure of 16 it didn't take me long to get used to the nasal pillows.
To avoid the sensation of air rushing into your mouth or down your throat, learn to place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind the upper teeth. This blocks the air from entering your mouth.

[jdm2857]

That said, the vent on the Mirage FX can be loud if it's pointing toward your pillow. Sometimes you need to turn the elbow so it points away.

The vents on the Mirage FX are not on the elbow, but are on the cushion itself, encircling the connector for the elbow. So moving the elbow will
have little affect on the direction of the escaping air.

[RandyJ]

The vents on the Mirage FX are not on the elbow, but are on the cushion itself, encircling the connector for the elbow. So moving the elbow will
have little affect on the direction of the escaping air.

You're right. I guess what I should have said was that if the venting air hits something like a pillow it will be louder, and you can turn your head to minimize the noise.