Newbie mask-leakage question

z754103 · Post by **z754103** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:05 am

I've only been on the CPAP for 9 days and it transformed my life. However, after I took everything apart to clean at the weekend, my nasal mask doesn't work as well anymore. I'm now once again wakign up with brain fog, sore throat etc etc....

The nasal mask used to seal itself up very nicely, as if it had its own suction onto the face. I could keep the straps looser and the silicon mask would still sit quite firmly onto my face. However, since I cleaned it, the mask doesn't seal onto my face nearly as well, and unless I have the straps on tight AND lie very carefully, there's leakage around the mask. I also feel as
if I'm not getting enough air.

Not sure if this change is due to the silicon mask getting affected by how I cleaned it (realised too late from reading this forum that I'm not supposed to use anything with scent, moisturiser, anti bacterial agent - my sales rep said use dluted detergent, so I did and then saw that my detergent had all of the above ingredients), or if I changed the fitting of the whole set up when I took things apart.

Would really appreciate any comments and help from people!

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:38 am

You need to rinse your mask with vinegar and water! The vinegar will cut the oils and make it seal better. I use 1 part distilled white vinegar and 4 parts water. I soak the mask in this (hoses too!) for about 10 minutes once a week.
I use ivory bar soap and water to clean it daily.

Brenda

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:51 am

Yep, white vinegar will help. Also, why not fill in your profile so that more readers may be able to respond with ideas for your mask.

imsotired · Post by **imsotired** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:35 am

I had the same problem for the first time last night. Couldn't get a good seal on either mask after 3 nights with no problems. I'm going to try the vinegar rinse too and see if that helps.

z754103 · Post by **z754103** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:29 am

Thanks for the suggestion!

Is vinegar ok to use on the silicon comfort gel mask? (I have no idea what make and model everything is but I will look and supply details!)

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:51 am

Are there any temperature precautions with the gel-as using warm not hot water? It doesn't seem like one washing should be a problem. The scents & moisturizers supposedly affect the "surface" of the silicone rather than the shape. If it's not fitting shape wise-chances are the reassembly is off. I don't know anything about the parts to your mask but do know I had to make sure my FP 406 parts were properly aligned and seated fully when I reassembled it. The Hybrid is the same way.

ladytonya · Post by **ladytonya** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:53 am

I have used vinegar on my husband's comfort classic and on my comfort gel and comfort lite 2. I wash mine with Ivory detergent and rinse it in 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water, although I have to admit that I don't wash it as often as I should. It hasn't effected anything regarding the seal for either myself or my husband, and my husband has been on bi-pap for almost 6 years.

z754103 · Post by **z754103** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 2:15 pm

Thanks so much, I will try the vinegar today.

I don't think the mask shape itself has changed. It's just that previously it would act like a suction cup - I could have the straps loose and this thing wouldn't fall off. Now I have the straps practically cutting into my head and the mask is still escaping at every opportunity.

It could be that I inadvertently changed the angle of the head piece, or the proportion of the straps etc as well.

It's my 2nd day with a CPAP problem and I feel ill! Now I really don't know how I managed to get through the past 6 years. It's almost worse having had a week of where I had normal fatigue to go back to this. Well, I guess its an incentive to perserve with the CPAP and proof that the CPAP works when I can get it to function! (I've only been able to stay asleep for 4 hours on the CPAP even before these problems so I'm truly amazed at the life quality difference.)

Thanks a lot everyone, and please keep any further suggetions and good ideas coming. This forum is awesome!

z754103 · Post by **z754103** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:07 am

Just to say a BIG thank you to everyone for their coments. The vinegar bath helped somewhat. A combination of really tight straps, exhuastion and vinegared up mask helped me get better sleep last night!