Settings Help

Hello everyone. I'm new here and have been using a cpap for about a year.My machine is a Respironics Remstar CPAP plus I believe. Up until a month ago, I was using a nasal mask. I went in to get a new mask and decided to try a full face mask this time. The therapist let me try on several different brands and styles and I finally setteled on the ResMed full face with a non re-breather valve. My question is this: Is the non re-breather vale supposed to be leaking air constantly or should it only releasae air if the power goes out. Also, are there any changes that need to be made to the settings now that I've gone from a nasal to a full face? Thanks

Sometimes people who go from a nasal mask to a full face mask might end up needing a little more pressure but it isn't something that is set in stone. Just as many people don't need more pressure.

Unfortunately with your model of machine we can't evaluate the actual effectiveness of the pressure with either mask.
If you have the PR Systom One Plus...model 250 or 260 it can't tell us anything useful to help figure out if pressures are adequate or not.
You need model 450 or higher to have any useful data. Model numbers are on a little sticker on the bottom of the blower unit and usually have DS or REF in front or behind the 3 digits. You might look to make sure what the model number is
and if it is below 450....read this blog especially the part "help I am stuck with a brick".
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

The Resistance control settings on the PR S1 machines...they don't make a critical difference so not a big deal.
If you got a Respironics mask you can set it to whatever Respironics suggests but it really doesn't make that big of a difference one way or the other. If you got a non Respironics mask the suggestion is to just turn Resistance control off.
I leave mine off no matter what mask I use.

The anti asphyxia valve shouldn't leak air while there is pressure to the mask. It's supposed to open only when there is no pressure (power outage) so that you don't continually rebreathe the same stale air in the mask.
If it is stuck open or not closing properly when the machine is on you might try fiddling with it to make sure it stays shut when there is pressure to the mask.

As long as you're not confusing that valve with the CO2 vent that must not be covered at any time to prevent you rebreathing CO2. You don't want to do that.

Ok... I think I've figured it out. My apnea is fairly mild so my pressure is only set at 5. I was taking a close look at the anti-asphyxiation valve just now and I turned on my machine. I can see the valve move to close off the openings but it's not enough pressure to make a tight seal.. If I turn up the pressure to 10 it seals fine. So now that begs the question... Is this mask not intended for a mild apnea with low pressure or is it just defective?

You're confusing a diagnosis of 'mild' apnea with a low pressure setting (which to you denotes less need for higher pressure), but in fact, you can be diagnosed with severe apnea (many events/hr), but because of your anatomy only need a low pressure setting to keep your particular airway open, and someone with 'mild' apnea may still need a high(er) pressure to keep their airway open.. and that may be the case with you... especially as 5 is an extremely low setting and not likely to offer any but the barest therapy. Try it on a higher setting for a few days, may at 7, and see if you feel better, and may in future even raise it more.