What am I doing wrong?

I am having problems with my mask. I have a petite nasal mask and a small nasal mask. I have tried them both and If I tightnen it enough to stop leaks then I wake up with the bridge fo my nose sore. If I loosen it to ease up on my nose then it leaks. I sleep with my head kind of "tucked in". Where do I adjust for where I get leaks? If the mask leaks at the bottom to I loosen the top to accomodate? I would appreciate any help I can get. thank you

Susan

I'd suggest you try a different mask. The Respironics masks don't seem to get very good reviews. Take a look at the ResMed Activa. Here's a link you can click on:

ResMed Activa Nasal Mask

You can wear it loosely and it works well for many.

May seem like a silly question, but are you washing your face at night, most especially where the mask goes? An unclean face or one with moisturizers, etc. will not make a good seal. Also the mask itself need to have a clean surface to seal to your skin.

Also do not adjust your mask sitting up. Do it lying down and after it has inflated. You can hold it lightly against your face with your hand while it inflates. But you have to have enough slack in the straps for it to inflate as far as it will.

Susan,

Don't frustrate yourself trying to get a lousy (respironics) mask to work for you.

Take a look at:

- Activa

- Swift

- Aura

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): activa, swift, Aura

idahogal wrote:I am having problems with my mask. I have a petite nasal mask and a small nasal mask.

The subject title of your post was "What am I doing wrong?"

Susan, you're not doing anything wrong. It's the mask manufacturers who are not very helpful when it comes to making masks that will fit smaller faces comfortably and leak free.

Respironics makes some of the smallest masks, but unfortunately Respironics doesn't make very good masks, imho. Not compared to ResMed, for example.

There are some other small masks - IQ's "minime", for example; but again...a leaky little thing for most who have reported trying it.

Generally, nasal pillows interfaces would probably be less leaky for you than trying to find a nasal mask (covers the nose) if you have a small face. But then you run into headgear that might be a bit too big for you if you have a small head. Unfortunately you're kind of caught between a rock and...a leaky place, Susan.

You might be able to lab-rat your way around, first finding a nasal pillows interface that suits the size of your nares and then making your own headgear for it or adding homemade straps to hold it better.

The good thing about nasal pillows interfaces is that "pillows" too big for your nares are not usually a problem. In fact, "bigger" nasal pillows can seal even better than ones that a DME fitting you would say, "This is your size." since "pillows" (Aeoimed's "Headrest" - Aura, Swift, Breeze) accomplish their seal more on the outside of the nares, than do "prongs" interfaces which have to be shoved up inside more (Nasal Aire II, Infinity.)

I personally didn't like the NA II at all, but the NA II has some very small prongs sizes available, so...that might be worth a try.

It's the headgear for nasal pillows interfaces that you might have to work with rather creatively.

Good luck!

Thank you all for the great suggestions. I went to the RT today and told them of my dilema. They fitted me with a Nasal-Aire ll. I was just amazed at the freedom of the whole thing. I seemed to get a good seal so far so we will try this tonight and see how it goes. I was assuming that the insurance would only pay for the first masks and not any other but they said that the insurance will pay for masks until I get one that works for me. I hope this works. Thanks again.

Susan