How to avoid accidentally killing myself? Modified Resmed N20 nasal mask

Hi all,

I've just recently started CPAP therapy for mild+ sleep apnea with heavy snoring. I tried a MAD a couple of years and while it took the edge off it never really fixed the snoring or the heaviest apneas.

So I got a Resmed AirSense 11 and after some experimentation with a Philips Pico I settled for the Resmed Airfit N20 nasal mask. I like how cushioned size L feels (despite technically fitting size M) and I like how easy it is to manage with the magnets. There is just 1 problem though.

That f****ng jet exhaust. I mean it's initially very quiet, my average pressure is around 11. The problem is that I like to sleep on my side and really dig my face into my pillow. The exhaust stream hits the pillow and becomes unbearably loud, waking me up.

So I saw that F&P Eson 2 has a diffuser on the exact same location that seems to consist just out of a sort filter.

So i placed a big of regular Resmed machine airfilter cut in half on there with a rubberband (I was careful not to place the band over the holes) . It now makes no more noise. But it did give me anxiety about potentially killing myself with CO2 lol.

What do you guys think? Haven't slept with it yet.

Have you seen this mask? The ResMed AirFit N30 nasal cradle mask.
https://www.cpap.com/products/resmed-ai ... 488b&_ss=c

It's a little different but it doesn't have the venting issues the N20 (or similar masks) will have because it has a special design to the vent holes to lessen the noise and impact of the vented air.

I hesitate to say that your modification is probably safe.....But back some years ago a lot of us did something very similar with our new mask (at that time) to the Bleep DreamPort masks and it didn't kill us or even give us a headache. It worked out so well that the manufacturer implemented their own modification using the filter as a diffuser and the rest is history. The mask now comes with the optional diffuser made from filter material.

Wonder how well it would diffuse the air if you didn't use a full thickness filter....maybe try tearing it a part a bit so that the layer is thinner????

Given that your diffusing the venting the same way ResMed is diffusing the the venting on the N30i and P30i, you should be good.

If you are reducing the venting sufficiently enough to not vent the CO2 properly you are impairing the flow sufficient enough that you will find the mask too difficult to use. Simply put, if the gas won't come out, it also won't flow in, and you can't keep pushing air into a closed system.

And as Pugsy stated many were doing this with the Bleep mask.

But your comfort level is important. So elastic the material on, sit in a chair and strap the mask on, for 10, 15,... 30 minutes.

Still not comfortable trying it. But on a blood O2 monitor, try it with a friend or partner in the room.

Here's a video of a (somewhat) reputable YouTuber doing a controlled experiment with hypoxia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUfF2MTnqAw

When everyone was doing this with the bleep I did it with the N-20. The cold air was blowing on my husband and waking him up. I think there is even a thread around here somewhere with me talking about it how I modified it. I believe I used zip ties and an air filter I don't remember why I stopped using it but it didn't kill me. lol. oh wait I do remember. It turned into summer and got hot out so I took the filter off. My husband passed away in the summer so I never went back to using it.

A bunch of us have been making DIY diffusers for different masks for years. I doubt you'll die.

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:58 am

Here's a video of a (somewhat) reputable YouTuber doing a controlled experiment with hypoxia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUfF2MTnqAw

I think I'll name my next dog Bolye. Then I can truthfully say "Boyle did it."