Nasal Mask pressure settings

Just curious... I have been using a FFM and have ordered a hybrid mask. I know this has the face portion, so I don't know if this will matter much, but with a nasal mask, it would seem logical to me that the pressure required would be less than a FFM. My thinking is because the airflow goes directly into the nose and is more direct.

Can anyone confirm if my thinking is correct, or will I still want to use a higher pressure setting with a nasal mask? I would think the higher pressure would just lead to more mouth leaks and may not be needed.

John,

If you are using cpap you might want to try your prescribed setting first. In my case, I was prescribed 14 cm but later learned it wasn't sufficient with the full face mask, so I tried a range of 14-20 cm. Now that I am using a nasal mask I am back on 14 cm cpap.

If you are currently using a pressure that is higher than your original prescription, you won't know if a lower pressure will work unless you try it.


Randy

I think all types of masks need the same pressure

Randy... my range was 4 - 14cm... kinda wide if you ask me. Also though I was never titrated... just sent home with the unit and told not to mess with it.

Physics tells me that if I need 12 cm or 20 cm of pressure in my airway to keep it open....I need that amount of pressure no matter how it gets to my airway.
Though some people have reported that they don't seem to need as much pressure with a nasal interface only mask and get equal results.
You won't know till you try but do remember...make one change at a time...if you add the Hybrid and change the pressure at same time...you won't know for sure which did what.

Perrybucsdad wrote:Randy... my range was 4 - 14cm... kinda wide if you ask me. Also though I was never titrated... just sent home with the unit and told not to mess with it.

We're all told "not to mess with it" LOL - but hey, we're all just a bunch of naughty kids, right?

I agree that just changing it for the sake of it, is silly, but if you're trying to achieve better results, or better sleep - small changes MAY help. Yes, 4-14 is very wide, and although I use straight CPAP, I did use the ramp when I started and at 4cm for 15mins I felt like I was sucking air through a straw, so ditched that idea quickly - thanks to the good folk here.

Cheers,
xena

I agree with Pugsy.... maybe you shouldn't change any settings for the first week at least once you get the new mask. After a week or so you will have some data, at which point you can make a decision whether or not to try a lower pressure or range with lower starting point.

Well, my big concern is my pressure is 17cm straight CPAP right now, so I'm just wondering if I'll blow my ears out.

I guess I'll know fairly quickly.

I do remember when I meet the Doctor he had mentioned that pressure results are generally less with a strictly nasal interface, but I have not seen any proof of that. I'm not sure if the hybrid follows that same path or not. I have been trying to breath through my nose at night with my FFM just to see if I can tolerate it. I used to believe that I couldn't do this as I seemed to be a mouth breather, but it hasn't really bothered me much. Not sure if my mouth would stay shut all night, but since I am only looking at a hybrid for the time being, I don't think I will have to worry about that too much.

The leap I am looking to go to eventually (maybe) is to a truly nasal interface and no mouth interface. I have a question out on this fourm that I have not gotten a response on yet regarding if a FFM actually forces the lower jaw back and same with the tongue. Logic seems to say "yep" to that one too, but I would like to find some scientific evidence to support that.

Anyhow, to sum it all up, being that I am at a pressure of 17cm which is quite high, I'd love to be able to drop that down to something lower if at all possible and I am really wanting it to be something as simple as switching from a FFM to a nasal interface. I don't know if that will do it for me and I don't know if the reduction in flow would happen. So of those of you who had started on a FFM and then switched, what happened with your pressure when you switched.

Thanks,

John

You can always start with lower pressure with the Hybrid and work your way up. End result will be the same just possibly take a bit longer to get there.

If you were going to nasal pillows only I would be more apt to think if (big if) there is a decrease in pressure needs it would be with them as opposed to the Hybrid because of the volume with the oral interface over the mouth.

I have used a Hybrid (tried one for 2 nights) and the pressure going up my nose with it did not seem as forceful as with the nasal pillow only mask. Of course as with all cpap stuff it seems YMMV

Perry--

I can tell you from my experience going from Nasal to FFM and being on APAP since Saturday, my pressures do increase by 1 or 2 CM average when I wear my FFM instead of my Nasal mask. With my NM I never peak above 17, with my FFM (no major leaks) my peak has been up to 19.5.

Might not be the same for you, just food for thought.

Rome

John,

You could always try a range with min at 14 or 15 and upper at 19 or 20 to see where it goes... like titrating again. Once you see where it stays you could switch back to cpap again... at least you won't be at 17 or higher unless you need to be.

Just a thought...


Randy