Leaks

Please-- advice on leaking? Cannot get it right. On 4th mask--and still only a 6 on the res med scale. Going to change to pillows--but will probably be the same thing. Using DreamWear mask with under nose cushions. Probably the most comfortable so far.

Is the "6 on the ResMed scale" your MyAir number for leak management?

Are you using any software to see the real detailed data about leaks?

Are the leaks waking you up?

Leaks not waking me up. Once I get up for the bathroom, then it starts. Turn to side. Cannot stay on back any longer

Info I get daily from res med--leaks/seal- 6 out of 20, hrs used 5-6, events per hr-down to 5 from 68 per hr and mask on/off.

I have pillows from res-med. Would the Phillips pillows be different

Thanx pugs-

I don't know if your leak numbers are poor from mouth breathing or simply mask movement.

Do you have SleepyHead installed..if not get it.
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

I can't tell just how bad a number of 6 is..

You have more leak data available on the machine LCD screen...not as much as with software but better than "6"
Do you know how to get that data? You have to change a setting in the clinical menu to get the data to show up on the LCD screen.
Essentials needs to be set to "Plus"
See the manual.
https://sleep.tnet.com/home/files/resme ... -guide.pdf

If leaks don't wake a person up...and even if the leaks are borderline ugly for a short period of time...I don't worry about them.
It all depends on just how bad (how deep into large leak territory) and how long a person stays there.

First we have to figure out just how bad they are and you need the software to know how bad...and how long they might have been bad.

It's a process figuring out what the cause is and how best to fix it.
A lot of people will tell you that you are using a nasal mask and you must be mouth breathing and need to use a full face mask...and that may well be the case but I don't say that until I know for sure exactly what is going on.
Mouth breathing leaks look the same as mask movement leaks on the reports...see the image below...this was with the DreamWear gel pillows...they were moving...I taped my mouth to make sure that the leaks I had been seeing weren't mouth opening leaks. I did some adjustments and pretty much eliminated the bulk of the big leak.
This is with SleepyHead software....you are going to have to get it and use it for us to be able to help you.

TTY Pugs--I wil chek out the soft ware.

Next--can cpap give you a cold? Have had for about a week now,. and have been doing this for about 3 weeks altogether -cannot shake it. -TY

CPAP can't give you a head cold...colds are caused by viruses which won't/can't live on a cpap machine.

BUT the nasal mucosa can react like they do with a head cold (or allergy attack) because they aren't happy with the humidity settings.

Google "cpap rhinitis" and start reading.

Same symptoms as a head cold...sinus pressure, congestion, drainage, sneezing, itching, etc. You might have one, part or all of the symptoms.

If it is related to the humidity setting then changing the setting should help.
Some people need more humidity to keep their nasal mucosa happy...some people need less or none.
It is all personal preference. I need maximum available to keep my nose happy but some people get the same symptoms I get when too dry when too moist.

So...if you aren't using a humidifier....use one.
If you are using a humidifier...if the setting is a lower number setting...try higher....if it is a higher setting then try lower.
If using one at a middle of the road setting...toss a coin as to which way to go but most people use on the higher side than on the lower side.
Also..are you using a heated hose? This makes a difference on the humidity settings and consistency.
Right now I know nothing about your equipment so I don't have much to go on when offering ideas.

At this point all I know is a ResMed machine of some sort since you are using MyAir and the DreamWear cushion mask.
BTW...I had more mask movement with the DreamWear cushion but I think it was related more to the frame size...the mask comes with a medium frame and I didn't get the smaller frame until I tried the gel pillows and the frame size made a huge difference in terms of mask movement leaks.
My only real complaint about the DreamWear Gel pillows is that I think I probably would do better with an XSmall in the pillows but unfortunately the Small size is as small as they make them.

I am an allergy person. I am on shots now 10 yrs. And I do have vasomotor rhinitis. This is the nose reacting to whatever it does not like. Such as blowing cold air--or possibly this entire cpap thing. Perhaps the allergist is the one to speak to. However there is no cure or treatment for vasomotor rhinitis.

Play with the humidity settings...what do you have to lose?
You might get lucky and get some relief.

Seeing respitory therapist today--change to pillows for DreamWear and maybe medium mask down to small. At one time had humidity to 7 and had same problem.

Think I will stop the whole thing till the cold goes. Then start up again. If cold comes back--well then I know. Problems--story of my life. Its just not the apneas its Pulmonary hypertension, Thickening of arteries from heart to lungs causing heart to work harder.

I do appreciate your comments.

Amess, Maybe it would help to keep a text file hand, with a list including your machine and equipment - then copy/past it into the bottom of your messages until your account is activated. Pugsy can probably help you better if she knows what you've got (and it is hard to remember between different posts and threads).

Raising the hose temperature by one degree took care of my problem. I also run the humidifier preheat function each night before bed. I don't know if you have those options or not. (I have ResMed AirCurve 10 VAuto)

Good luck with the RT! I hope you find a solution.

At a minimum I need the 95% leak number that is shown on the machine's LCD screen (or I think MyAir gives it also) to be able to get an idea of just how bad the leaks are.
If they aren't horribly horrible and a person sleeps right through them then I wouldn't worry about them.
Gotta figure out if they are horribly horrible enough to potentially make a negative impact on therapy itself before we ignore them though.

Saw Respitory therapist at medical equipment place . Gave me the new Respironics pillows. And she is going to talk to Drs respitory therapist--then DR about this. Yes could be the blowing air thats causing the vasomotor rhinitis. So stop the machine--get rid of the cold. Try again with new pillows--raise temp and humidty---and if it happens again then---- possibly BIPAP which would mean another sleep lab study.

Husband going to Pulmonologist next week. He has seen my problems--and he sleeps with mouth open, snores and claims he gets no sleep. Could it be dualing masks and machines?m

A MESS wrote:Leaks not waking me up. Once I get up for the bathroom, then it starts. Turn to side. Cannot stay on back any longer

Info I get daily from res med--leaks/seal- 6 out of 20, hrs used 5-6, events per hr-down to 5 from 68 per hr and mask on/off.

I have pillows from res-med. Would the Phillips pillows be different

Thanx pugs-

I use resmed nasal pillows and prevent leaks using moleskin. I'm irritated by silicon, especially if it's too tight, and the moleskin both eliminates silicone contact, and eliminates leaks through it's fabric nature. I have 0 leakage due to this. (by resmed standards as they subtract the venting.) I just do a cut out, stick it to the pillows and there I go. Each cut out lasts about a month.

Interesting comment Nichol--will keep that in mind. Moleskin