Mask leaking when sleeping on my back

I've been away from the forum for awhile, just too much going on.

I am having a new issue that I could really use some help with. I need to use my cpap while sleeping on my back 2-3 hours per night if possible, but I keep having leaks when I sleep on my back. I really need this to work. I am currently using the Amara View. The leaks are fairly minor, usually at the lower edges of my mask. I am very sensitive the sounds and sensations of the leak, so it bothers me.

Previously, I just slept on my side, no problem. But last July, I got a special compression pump to treat lymphedema in my legs. The best time to use it is at night, and I usually fall asleep while it is going. I currently use it in the living room, and once it is done (and I wake up again), I move to my bed. I have a couple problems with this system. One, I am falling asleep while without the cpap, so that is at least an hour or so, but often several ours before I wake up and move to my bed. And two, I am so sleepy when I move to my bed that I tend to forget to use my cpap, so then the whole night is without cpap. And some nights, I never move to me bed and end up sleeping on the couch. I have tried setting a alarm to make sure i move and use the cpap, but I make stupid decisions when I am that sleepy, so I just reset the alarm or turn it off.

It seems like my best solution would be to set up the pump at my bed and actually use my cpap while I use the pump so that I fall asleep with the cpap going. But the problem with that is that I have to have my legs elevated when I use the pump, and that means I need to be on my back until the pump is done.

To make this work, I need to either use the pump on my side or eliminate mask leaks when sleeping on my back. The first seems impossible, so I need to solve the mask leaks. The photo shows the pump that I am using. My legs are usually elevated a bit more than in the photo.

Any suggestions on why the mask is perfect on my side, but immediately leaks when I am on my back? And how I can solve that?

Thank you very much.

Hi - A. View mask is noted to leak more than other masks, plus back-sleeping does provoke more apnea events... I'm not sure what to tell you though except to maybe discuss the timing of using the pump with the doctor who set you up with it, plus find a better mask and/or use a 'liner' from Padacheek.com. I'm sure others will have more suggestions though.

I have always believed that people should be able to sleep in any position they want to sleep in and just because sleeping on one's back might cause more apneas...doesn't mean it always will and even if it does we just set the machine settings so it deals with the airway collapses and prevents the collapses in the first place...when that happens what didn't happen is a non issue.

I am familiar with those leg pumps. My mom uses them.
Perhaps use some sort of pillow under the legs to help elevate the legs when in bed and using the pump and if you fall asleep who cares and if you wake up later kick the pillow out.

As for mask leakage...is the leak really bad or just annoying because it wakes you up?
If it is small and just waking you up a mask liner might help.

Or...there are now more masks similar to the Amara View that are better and less likely to leak...so maybe a mask change would be worth trying.
There's the DreamWear full face mask now and I always thought it was mainly a new and improved Amara View.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/philip ... k-fit-pack

ResMed also has similar type of masks...full face mask but with the under the nose thing instead of the bridge of the nose thing.
The F30....very similar to Amara View
https://www.resmed.com/en-us/healthcare ... irfit-f30/
and the F30i which uses the frame thing like the DreamWear FFM.
https://www.resmed.com/en-us/sleep-apne ... rfit-f30i/

I think that since we don't want you sleeping without cpap....and you certainly need to use the pump every day...that you become happy with supine sleeping and address the leak issue depending on how bad it is and how much it disturbs sleep...if it disturbs sleep.
Besides...the pump does relax a person a lot and it's a real good sleeping pill.

As for this question

zoocrewphoto wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:49 am

Any suggestions on why the mask is perfect on my side, but immediately leaks when I am on my back? And how I can solve that?

Your facial structure changes when you are on your back. You might try adjusting the mask while you are on your back or add a mask liner.

Pugsy wrote:I have always believed that people should be able to sleep in any position they want to sleep in and just because sleeping on one's back might cause more apneas...doesn't mean it always will and even if it does we just set the machine settings so it deals with the airway collapses and prevents the collapses in the first place...when that happens what didn't happen is a non issue.

I am familiar with those leg pumps. My mom uses them.
Perhaps use some sort of pillow under the legs to help elevate the legs when in bed and using the pump and if you fall asleep who cares and if you wake up later kick the pillow out.

As for mask leakage...is the leak really bad or just annoying because it wakes you up?
If it is small and just waking you up a mask liner might help.

Or...there are now more masks similar to the Amara View that are better and less likely to leak...so maybe a mask change would be worth trying.
There's the DreamWear full face mask now and I always thought it was mainly a new and improved Amara View.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/philip ... k-fit-pack

ResMed also has similar type of masks...full face mask but with the under the nose thing instead of the bridge of the nose thing.
The F30....very similar to Amara View
https://www.resmed.com/en-us/healthcare ... irfit-f30/
and the F30i which uses the frame thing like the DreamWear FFM.
https://www.resmed.com/en-us/sleep-apne ... rfit-f30i/

I think that since we don't want you sleeping without cpap....and you certainly need to use the pump every day...that you become happy with supine sleeping and address the leak issue depending on how bad it is and how much it disturbs sleep...if it disturbs sleep.
Besides...the pump does relax a person a lot and it's a real good sleeping pill.

I tried the dreamwear before the amara view, and I hated the hose at the top of my head. I could really hear the airflow next to my ears. I really the amara view, and it works great when I sleep in my side. Normally, if I sleep on my back, the pressure goes up, the leaks start, and I roll back onto my side. But with the pump, I can't see a way to elevate my legs and sleep on my side.

My current schedule is to use the pump at night. Since I do get sleepy,. I do it last. Assuming I will fall asleep. I try to do it every night. One or two hours for my leg and trunk. Ideally, I get up an hour and 15 minutes early so that I can do one and shoulder. Then I get ready and go to work. No other time to use my pump.

I will see if a mask liner will help. I am hoping to get the pump moved to my bedroom in the next couple weeks. It is very challenging to use it in my room, and I can't use cpap in the living room.



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When I sleep on my back (I seem to do that a lot lately because of hip pain) my head tends to tilt forward (I also need my head elevated--getting old SUCKS!). That changes the shape of the face (damn gravity!) and the airway is even more narrowed.

I have one of those neck pillows--very soft C-shaped pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. It's really soft and "moldable". I put that around my neck in front, supporting my chin, and that helps. I think a soft cervical collar would be even better but I hate the idea of being strapped into one. I don't like things around my neck, but my soft, plush neck pillow is tolerable.

You might try tucking even a rolled up towel to support the mask in that position, and if it works you can invest in something like a soft cervical collar or a neck pillow.

zoocrewphoto wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:49 am

Mask leaking when sleeping on my back

I've used an Amara View many nights. When my chin drops down a little, the lower straps become looser. If my head is then tilted to a more upright, normal position, the lower straps retighten to the desired level.

Good luck finding a solution to the sofa/bed transition issue.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 14, 2021 4:45 pm

zoocrewphoto wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 12, 2021 5:49 am

Mask leaking when sleeping on my back

I've used an Amara View many nights. When my chin drops down a little, the lower straps become looser. If my head is then tilted to a more upright, normal position, the lower straps retighten to the desired level.

Good luck finding a solution to the sofa/bed transition issue.

Thanks! Maybe if I elevate my head with an extra pillow while I am on my back, that will help. I actually need to look into a chin strap though. Not because of the sleep apnea, but to help my lymphedema in my neck. It may do double duty and solve this problem as well. I had forgotten that I need to find a good chin strap.

Janknitz wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 14, 2021 2:16 pm

When I sleep on my back (I seem to do that a lot lately because of hip pain) my head tends to tilt forward (I also need my head elevated--getting old SUCKS!). That changes the shape of the face (damn gravity!) and the airway is even more narrowed.

I have one of those neck pillows--very soft C-shaped pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. It's really soft and "moldable". I put that around my neck in front, supporting my chin, and that helps. I think a soft cervical collar would be even better but I hate the idea of being strapped into one. I don't like things around my neck, but my soft, plush neck pillow is tolerable.

You might try tucking even a rolled up towel to support the mask in that position, and if it works you can invest in something like a soft cervical collar or a neck pillow.

Thank you! I have always been sensitive with things around my neck, so I have never considered a cervical collar. But I can see how that pillow might work on the problem without being too uncomfortable. I too have to elevate my head (acid reflux issues), and this makes it harder for my lymphedema treatment as my legs need to be elevated. But I prefer to sleep on my side! I can sort of elevate my head on my side by using a larger pillow wedge that is intended for acid reflux help. But this does get complicated. Especially when my various treatments disagree with each other.

I have had tremendous success taping my mouth closed using 3M Micropore tape. My leaks were reduced and AHI number dropped from mid teens to below 2.0 and one night was 0.0

The tape does stick very well and takes some effort to peel it off every morning but we’ll worth it. I wear a full face mask and am a chronic mouth breather.

I use a Dreamwear full face mask and a Pad A Cheek mask liner. It doesn't leak when on my side. It does leak when on my back. It's been suggested that a double mouthguard might help with that, but I never tried one.