Airfit F10 vs. Quattro FX Nose Irritation

I'm trying to switch my mask from the Quattro FX to the Airfit F10, but the irritation on the bridge of my nose is preventing me from doing so. I like all other aspects of the F10 better than the QFX, except maybe the fit of the headgear. The strap going over the top of my head fits too far back on my head to be of much use.

The tricks I learned when I got the QFX haven't helped...Lanolin, medical tape, Lanolin + tape, mask liner, etc. It just got worse each night. I don't see how I could go up or down a size as its a perfect fit. Top straps loosened, all the way actually (I have the "for her" version so the headgear is smaller).

Any suggestions?

My guess is the cushion style has the mask move around my face more, causing irritation, even at my low pressure. I lasted about five nights straight with it, until the skin actually started to get raw, then I switched back, at least until I have a different plan for trying it again. I'm quite bummed as its an awesome mask, and looking at it and trying it on I would have guessed my skin would have liked it better than the QFX, not worse. At least I tried. Thanks in advance for any ideas. Best wishes.

I have had irritation on the bridge of my nose with the F10 also with other masks.
I found the gel nose pads help.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/boomer ... -pack.html

or :

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/ ... 0gel%20pad

Thanks for the suggestion! I had been thinking about trying one of those.

I recently moved from the QFX to the F10 also. My ideal fit in the F10 is medium, but it pinched my nose too much. I used the QFX cushion as a pattern and trimmed away both the inner and outer flaps little by little until it no longer pinched my nose. That worked well. I also tried the large cushion (my DME gave me both to try) and like it even more. I no longer have a sore nose!

M'ohms wrote:I recently moved from the QFX to the F10 also. My ideal fit in the F10 is medium, but it pinched my nose too much. I used the QFX cushion as a pattern and trimmed away both the inner and outer flaps little by little until it no longer pinched my nose. That worked well. I also tried the large cushion (my DME gave me both to try) and like it even more. I no longer have a sore nose!

I've been wanting to trim away part of the upper flange on my F10 to fit the bridge of my nose better... glad you tried it first and it worked for you, M'ohms. Maybe I'll give it a shot on one of my older cushions (brand new ResMed cushions are too damned expensive to experiment on )

Sir NoddinOff wrote:

M'ohms wrote:I recently moved from the QFX to the F10 also. My ideal fit in the F10 is medium, but it pinched my nose too much. I used the QFX cushion as a pattern and trimmed away both the inner and outer flaps little by little until it no longer pinched my nose. That worked well. I also tried the large cushion (my DME gave me both to try) and like it even more. I no longer have a sore nose!

I've been wanting to trim away part of the upper flange on my F10 to fit the bridge of my nose better... glad you tried it first and it worked for you, M'ohms. Maybe I'll give it a shot on one of my older cushions (brand new ResMed cushions are too damned expensive to experiment on )

Yeah, I was hesitant about cutting into the cushion, but I figured that I couldn't use it anyway, so what the heck. I used a small pair of scissors and cut just a sliver at a time. The silicone cut very smoothly and did not tear. I duplicated the area that goes around the upper nose of the QFX shape and left the actual bridge part alone. I trimmed the outer flap first, but after trying it against my face, I realized that I had to trim the inner flap directly underneath as well. I am very happy with the results. Just remember to barely trim a little at a time and you should be in good shape!

Great. Thanks for the update and extra detail.

Sir NoddinOff wrote:Great. Thanks for the update and extra detail.

Good luck on yours!

Trimming the irritating portion of the cushion also sounds like a good idea, as the mask is pretty worthless to me right now. Seems like the inner cushion structure is tougher on the F10 than the QFX.

I'm annoyed my DME doesn't let patients with my type of insurance swap masks out. I have coverage for DME as medically necessary, so they would just bill my insurance for a new mask, instead of using the manufacturer's return policy and swapping it out for free. I'd shop around, but it doesn't seem worth my trouble since I have a mask that works fine, and their techs (if I go to the main office and not the satellite ones) have been quite good so far actually. I had just hoped for improvements.

Reviews on gel cushions for the nose to go under the mask seem quite mixed, such as saying they caused leaks. Plus I've spent so much money on my CPAP setup and accessories lately and already have a mask that works fine, so it seems like a waste to spend more money to try to get it to work.

Thanks!

Just a final comment regarding the F10 and nose irritation: I do get a bit of redness across the bridge of my nose every morning but it goes away in an hour or two. I'm not at all concerned by the temporary daily redness - I'd much prefer to get a good night's sleep with a leak-less mask than look pretty in the AM

Side note: The first week I wore my F10 I got a red spot where the skin appeared slightly broken, however it quickly healed up after three days since I put a small piece of NexCare tape with a dab of triple-antibiotic cream on the spot every night before putting on my mask. The broken skin spot never came back; maybe the skin toughens up - I don't know

I had a red nose bridge every morning also. It was sore, but the skin was never broken. I could live with that. What I couldn't live with was the pressure on the sides of my nose that restricted air flow. That's when I got out the scissors! Yes, the outer flap is quite a bit more rigid than the QFX. I guess that's where I got into a mask-fit problem. But with some if it now removed, I have no more problems.

While we're comparing the F10 and the QFX, I'd like to ask you a question. Have you noticed that your mouth gets really dry with the F10 and not with the QFX? I wake up a lot with extremely dry mouth only when I use the F10. I don't mouth breathe and I can't say I do anything differently between the 2 masks, but I wonder if there is something going on with the F10?

Is the F10 intended for mouth breathers or are you suppose to keep mouth closed and breath through you nose???

I came across conflicting information on this and thought users would know.

Thanks

M'ohms wrote:While we're comparing the F10 and the QFX, I'd like to ask you a question. Have you noticed that your mouth gets really dry with the F10 and not with the QFX? I wake up a lot with extremely dry mouth only when I use the F10. I don't mouth breathe and I can't say I do anything differently between the 2 masks, but I wonder if there is something going on with the F10?

I've gotten extensive dry mouth with both the Quattro FX and also my new Resmed Airfit F10. There doesn't seem to be much difference that I can tell. I'm a mouth breather, what can I say . Here's what I do to beat it (use as directed on the package):

http://www.amazon.com/ORAJEL-MOUTH-CHUR ... B004JCBH70

It lasts all night long and has a reasonable minty flavor. BTW, You don't want to let your mouth dry out over the long term. Don't listen to people who say 'No Big Deal'... it is a big deal, as any dentist or orthodontist can tell you.

JimP wrote:Is the F10 intended for mouth breathers or are you suppose to keep mouth closed and breath through you nose??? I came across conflicting information on this and thought users would know.
Thanks

The whole point of a full face mask (nasal and mouth coverage) is to allow you to breath thru your nose OR your mouth OR both at the same time. As a bonus the continual pressure is greatly reduced in your sinuses, preventing sinus swelling (IMO) and, in my particular case, inner ear infections . FFMs are not right for everybody but when they work it's pretty cool.

In regards to QFX vs F10: The F10 kicks QFX butt. It's no contest for me... I'll never go back to QFX cuz it now looks like Frankenstein Leak Monster once I got used to the F10. But hey, QFX users, go for if you find it works for you. It's all personal opinion anyway.

I think the F10 is a much better mask too. I really like the lighter weight of it on my face. Easy disconnect elbow is a nice feature. Better quality cushion--seems like it will last longer. Headgear is much better. Upper strap location is better--it curves away from my eyes and doesn't leave marks on my face.

I'm not too sure about the circular vents, though; the air blows on my face and I am constantly revisiting the "do I have a leak" question. I guess you can't win 'em all!