My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

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Pugsy
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My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Mon Jan 17, 2022 10:28 am

So this is my first real "new" mask trial since I tried the Bleep back in 2019. At least any extensive trial anyway.
Briefly tried the N30i and P30i and they were so noisy with the Darth Vadar sounds that I didn't even try to sleep with them.
When the N30 was released my interest perked up because it supposed was an under the nose cushion version of the P10 nasal pillow mask.

I have tried probably 40 or 50 masks in the past 12 plus years...not so much because I was unhappy with whatever my current mask was but just because I like to try new things if they interest me. I always learn something from my experiments either about the mask or about my own personal preferences, wants and needs. Now sometimes I learn what a bad idea that was but I always learn so I don't ever consider any experiment a failure when something is learned.

No mask is ever going to be the perfect mask for everyone because we all have different personal preferences, wants and needs. The N30 is no different. There are going to be lovers and haters and in betweeners. It is the life of any mask out there. I do think that any mask that anyone thinks looks "interesting" is a good enough reason to try the mask if someone has the ability to try it. I know it isn't always an easy thing to do because these masks aren't cheap and often we are using our insurance allowance for experiments and we hate to burn up our insurance allowance on something we might end up hating. So I had some FSA funds I needed to use or lose and decided to give the N30 a try because I have always thought it was "interesting" especially since I used the P10 for years before I switched to the Bleep. So I went shopping at cpap.com.

I have my own set of personal preferences, wants and need and they may or may not be similar to someone else's preferences, wants or needs. So bear that in mind when evaluating any mask. Just because I might like a mask doesn't necessarily mean that the next person will like the mask.
I have always wanted as little as possible on my face and head. I hate anything touching or putting any sort of pressure on the nasal bridge area of my nose. I want a diffused venting system so that I don't shoot cold air onto my husband or get blow back of that vented air onto my face or arms when the air hits something. I get "dents" on my cheeks from straps and I get bags under my eyes from the straps even with strap covers. The dents are lessened with strap padding but still there...and annoying. So I am going to "want" less straps as much as possible. It's a critical want for me.
Often when we want less of something we have to compromise with something else. I found that less straps meant a little bit less stability in terms of mask movement. It is a compromise I am more than willing to make because the dents annoyed me more than a little mask movement annoyed me. :lol: We all have our own priorities in life.

I like to wear my masks very loose as well. This goes back to the dent thing I guess. Less tension will equal less pressure that causes the fluid dispersal problem that causes the dents or bags under my eyes. Minor mask movement leaks have never disrupted my sleep. Heck, I have slept through massive leaks and not woke up.

So the N30 meets most of my general wants and needs. Diffused venting and minimal headgear. It's a very comfortable little mask. I was pleasantly surprised in that regard. The under the nose cushion silicone material is extremely soft and pliable and quite comfy. Comparing it to the P10...the P10 pillows are slightly more "stiff" IMHO. The P10 is more stable though. I anticipated a bit of mask movement stability issues with the N30 and that was what I found given my overall preference for "loose" fitting headgear. It wasn't a deal breaker though. I was able to crank down that headgear using the new adjustable headgear buckle (very nice feature and is now including on the P10 masks) and with the softness of the N30 cushion the cranking down action didn't cause any discomfort. So the N30 is very forgiving in terms of tightening the headgear and not causing pain. If I had tried that with the P10 I know it would have caused discomfort...but then I have never really needed to tighten the P10 much anyway.

Now I have read that some people seem to have trouble breathing easily with the N30 and they attribute it to the holes in the cushion not lining up with nostril holes. I didn't have that issue at all...and in fact I didn't even consider that potential issue when I got the mask. I didn't bother to read anything about fitting or watch any videos. I just slapped it on and went to sleep. :lol:
So I don't know what to say about those who think the holes don't line up and cause a problem unless it is a sizing issue.
Or maybe it's like any other mask...just doesn't suit a person's facial structure.

I did notice a higher baseline leak on my software detailed reports. Meaning I never could get a 0.0 base leak line even when I knew for sure it wasn't leaking. This happens sometimes for some people with some masks and other than potentially changing the large leak real threshold....I don't see that it means much. Example below with my last nights report. Note that I can achieve a 0.0 baseline with the P10 and the Bleep.

Overall the N30 is a nice little mask and if someone just doesn't like the nasal pillows themselves and prefers the under the nose cushion type of mask...certainly worth trying. It is more prone to mask movement leaking for sure but IMHO easily dealt with by cranking the tension down a little more without causing discomfort. I had a lot of mask movement leaking at first but once I really cranked it down...the movement leak reduced dramatically. Though to be honest...the mask movement leak didn't disturb my sleep anyway. Will it replace my other preferences in masks....no but that wasn't the goal of the experiment anyway.

My main preference is still the Bleep and the P10 is in second place (and I have been using it since wrist surgery because I can't yet manage attaching the Bleep ports because of thumb and finger dexterity issues but expect to have that resolved shortly as my grip strength is improving)...but the N30 would be rated as a solid third in preferences.
I have used it for 2 weeks now which is saying something. If I don't like something I don't spend much time with it. I have zero patience when it comes to struggling with any mask that does something that is a deal breaker for me.
The P30i....deal breaker noise so bad I didn't even attempt to sleep with it. I guess I got spoiled with the zero noise from the Bleep or the P10. :lol: I can usually eventually tune out the Darth Vader breathing noises but I am a point in my life that I just say "why do I have to tune out something when I have an option where I don't have to tune out anything?".

Here's my report from last night. Side note...only the very first flagged OA was the real deal. I looked at all the flagged events and the rest of them were awake/arousal related. This is common for me as I don't sleep so great because of tossing and turning because of pain issues. I am not certain that I remember those arousals anyway. I know I have some because I always do but most of the time I just roll over and go right back to sleep.
Last night was actually a good night for me. Got a little over 7 hours of decent, for me, sleep. Feel very decent today. Going to be a good day.

Image

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Pugsy
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Mon Jan 17, 2022 10:31 am

Hmmm...don't know why my image is blurry...but if you click on it the blurriness goes away.

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Pugsy
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Mon Jan 17, 2022 10:45 am

Here's a night with some mask movement leaking going on. Not horrible. I had worse nights but none of it really ever disturbed my sleep so I don't really care. Some even went into large leak territory for a brief time...again since they didn't disturb my sleep I shrug my shoulders and move on.
Sleep has always been my primary goal because it is so fragile due to the pain issues...I let leaks slide as long as they don't disturb sleep or are so massive and so prolonged that therapy effectiveness could be negatively impacted.
The leak graph section is large because that is what I wanted to look at up close because of the baseline thing I have been wondering about.

Oh....I didn't include the FL graph because I never include it....it's boring...you can see it on the report from last night above. I never have FLs of any consequence.

Image

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Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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Pugsy
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Tue Jan 18, 2022 8:26 am

Well the mystery baseline leak is apparently solved. It's still blocky but I at least have a 0.0 baseline. I never could find a hole in the hose but there must have been one somewhere because this is last night's report with a brand new hose. :lol: :lol: That's what I expect to see.
The leaks....either mask movement or mouth opening but I don't care...well within machine's ability to compensate for and they didn't wake me up no matter what the cause was.

Still experimenting with N30 but I am getting close to wrapping that experiment up.

Image

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Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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ups4
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by ups4 » Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:39 am

I agree that the cradle design is very minimalistic and comfortable.
I went from the N20 to the N30i and settled on this one right away. I believe the major differences between the N30 and N30i would be the hose connection at the top and having the supply tubes on either side of your face. At first, I thought this might pose a problem when sleeping on my side, but the side supply tubes seem to stand up fine and there's no discomfort. The hose connection at the top works great for me.

I did notice my leak rate went up slightly after the change, but it's nowhere near the excessive leak threshold and I have never noticed it bothering me or causing any arousals.

So, not having tried the N30, I can't directly compare the two masks, but I think either would be a great mask for someone seeking comfort and very little contact with your face.

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Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ N30i Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear Starter Pack
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by ronragus » Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:39 am

Thanks for your review! Can you comment whether with wearing N30 would I feel that the air pressure going into my nostril is reduced, as compared to wearing P10? I currently use the p10 but find the " air pressure up my nose" feeling uncomfortable at times. Did you have to change any settings on the airsense 10 switching from P10 to N30? Thanks!

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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Wed Jan 19, 2022 10:03 am

ronragus wrote:
Wed Jan 19, 2022 2:39 am
Thanks for your review! Can you comment whether with wearing N30 would I feel that the air pressure going into my nostril is reduced, as compared to wearing P10? I currently use the p10 but find the " air pressure up my nose" feeling uncomfortable at times. Did you have to change any settings on the airsense 10 switching from P10 to N30? Thanks!
The N30 machine setting for mask type from ResMed is for "pillows".....per ResMed mask literature.
That is what I used except for one night when I tried "nasal" just to see if it made any difference in leak baseline reporting. It made a very minor difference is all. IMHO that is not a critical thing. Certainly didn't feel any different either.

I can't help with the air pressure feeling because I have never felt the air pressure going into my nostrils to any extent with any mask I have used or tried. They have all been about the same to me.

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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:10 am

So I just did an experiment with the P10 and the N30 where I focused just on what the air felt like when I started up the machine to compare the perception of the air pressure going into the nose with the 2 masks.

Settings....bilevel machine....8 IPAP and 4 EPAP....Used the SmartStart feature...so put the masks on my nose and breathed gently to start up the machine. No real difference perceived upon start up of the pressure.
Bear in mind that I always have the mask on before I ever start up the machine. I rarely manually start the machine and then put the mask on. I can do it manually but I figure why....I like smartstart so I use it. Only takes a couple of breaths to engage.

So for me....I don't feel any difference but then if we look at things the pressure is the same so there is no reason to feel any difference. Pillows don't really force the air pressure to do anything differently than any other mask. IMHO when people think that pillows "force" the air stream to be different...it's in their head. Doesn't mean they don't think they feel it but I just don't see it happening. Once the air gets in the nasal cavity it doesn't really matter how it got there is my personal opinion. Feel free to differ if you wish.

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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:16 am

Now I have had occasion where the nasal pillows themselves were either crimped or fitted improperly and I seemed to experience some weird like feelings with the air stream inside my nose. Hard to explain but only happened with the nasal pillow size was too small and the nasal pillow was trying to crawl up inside my nose and then of course things got sideways with the direction of the air flow. Some more "pointed" feelings as well as some suffocation feelings because the air flow was restricted.

I had this happen a lot when I first started using the P10 many years ago and I was using the XSmall size. Finally figured out what was happening and went to the Small size and it never happened again.

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Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by RogerSC » Mon Sep 05, 2022 5:29 pm

Kind of a late response, but I'm working on converting from the Dreamwear nasal mask to the N30. I also notice a higher base leak rate from the N30. With the Dreamwear I get about 6L/Min. for the 95% leak rate, and with the N30, about 10L/Min.. at this point, early on. On the other hand the N30 is much lighter, quieter, and easier on my spouse without the Dreamwear's (patented *smile*) jet of air out the front. Even with the higher leak rates (so far), the N30 is a bunch quieter than the Dreamwear for me. And the higher N30 leak rates don't wake me up, which is nice.

Anyways, thought that I'd give the N30 another shot after giving up on it just before I started with the Dreamwear. I've really gotten tired of the weight and noise of the Dreamwear, and the vent jet is just annoying. The N30 is looking like my next mask at the moment. Maybe the Bleep Eclipse will make this an academic exercise, but that's not coming until at least October I hear.

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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by lynninnj » Mon Sep 05, 2022 6:29 pm

RogerSC wrote:
Mon Sep 05, 2022 5:29 pm
Kind of a late response, but I'm working on converting from the Dreamwear nasal mask to the N30. I also notice a higher base leak rate from the N30. With the Dreamwear I get about 6L/Min. for the 95% leak rate, and with the N30, about 10L/Min.. at this point, early on. On the other hand the N30 is much lighter, quieter, and easier on my spouse without the Dreamwear's (patented *smile*) jet of air out the front. Even with the higher leak rates (so far), the N30 is a bunch quieter than the Dreamwear for me. And the higher N30 leak rates don't wake me up, which is nice.

Anyways, thought that I'd give the N30 another shot after giving up on it just before I started with the Dreamwear. I've really gotten tired of the weight and noise of the Dreamwear, and the vent jet is just annoying. The N30 is looking like my next mask at the moment. Maybe the Bleep Eclipse will make this an academic exercise, but that's not coming until at least October I hear.
I have had some of my best nights sleep in decades with the N30 leaking away.

I am with you on the fence but I think I like that one the best. I also want to try the eclipse when it comes out.

Edit: Sorry I didn’t realize this was a zombie!

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Pugsy
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by Pugsy » Mon Sep 05, 2022 7:06 pm

Not that much of a zombie thread. I started it the last of Jan of this year.

The leaks for the N30....it probably isn't quite as stable as the P10 but overall the leaks really weren't a problem for me.
I do believe they were mask movement leaks though....one night of taping my mouth didn't resolve the leaks. :lol:
They weren't horrible and they weren't prolonged and more importantly they didn't disturb my sleep so I really didn't have a problem with the leaks I saw.

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I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

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RogerSC
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Re: My ResMed AirFit N30 review..others feel free to join in

Post by RogerSC » Thu Sep 15, 2022 6:59 pm

Checking back in. Have the AirFit N30 under control now, and looking like I'll stay with it. At least until the Eclipse arrives. Got the leakage down to a paltry 8L/min, calling that good enough *smile*. Liking the light weight and diffused air vent.

Hard to find masks that work for me since I had Mohs surgery and things ended up a bit off-center *smile*. Appear to have this one in hand, which makes me happy. Don't have any reason not to stick with it at this point. Yay!