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Sleepyeyes,

I feel for you guys and your facial hair. I know taping might be rough. I have found that sometimes when I miss a bit and only get the actual lip portion it still works. So maybe if you use thin tape (cut in half longwise) you may be able to just get the lips and not the hair.

I really still feel (in my non-medical opinion of course) that at 15 you would beneift greatly from an APAP. I am at 15 and run at 10 a good portion of the night. Very helpful.

I also know the stuff is expensive and the VA is the VA. Try going APAP direction when you get another appt. with the doc. Nothing to lose. And of course different mask to try. I hate that cheek farting. I know what you mean. I also have an ultra mirage ff mask. My cheeks blow up (the blowfish) and it is annoying. The leakage makes a squeeling noise which isn't great either. I guess I am luckly I have had success with a pillow interface. Lots of chapstick during the day, tape at night.

Good luck.

You should set your cflex to 3. This gives you the greatest pressure relief when you exhale. Getting the encore pro software so you can monitor your data on a regular basis would assist you greatly.

I lowered that from 1 to 3 the first time it was suggested, and it helped considerably. I managed 7 1/2 hours "under the mask" last night. (The longest I've been able to do that.) I lowered my pressure from 15 to 13.5 and will raise it to 14 tonight. Hopefully it's just a personal problem of getting used to the 15. (though I had a pretty rough night keeping all the leaks in check) I'm not in a position, financially, to purchase the Encore Pro software right now, so I'm at the mercy of my healthcare provider, the VA. But it's on my list for "someday". Thanks for the help.

That's great to hear! Hang in there and you'll get it figured out.
As far as the software goes......most of the doctors and RTs don't know about or use the software either. They just ask the patient "How are you feeling?", then collect your money and pretty much leave it at that. If you hang around here and read some, I think you'll find that we hoseheads on this forum are more "anal" about our therapy than our doctors would ever be. At least you've got the Pro 2 (I believe you said) and at some point will be able to take a look at the details and see what's happening.

Best wishes,

Den

Yes, Den, it's the Pro2. I was reading about the software when you posted. DANG!!!!!! It looks as if I'm going to have to become "certified" as a respritory therapist just to understand all that stuff!

Sleepy-eyes wrote:Yes, Den, it's the Pro2. I was reading about the software when you posted. DANG!!!!!! It looks as if I'm going to have to become "certified" as a respritory therapist just to understand all that stuff!

NAH! It's pretty simple to understand.

(I think you were being facetious, weren't you?)

Good luck,

Den

Actually, I wasn't!

Okay, if anyone is interested:

I made it 6 1/2 hours under the mask last night. I raised titratic pressure to 14, Ramp to 7 1/2. I experienced "some" aerophagia and a fair amount of mask leakage...........but made it through most of the night. I plan on leaving it at this setting for a couple more nights before going up to 14 1/2. But I want to get back to my original RX. I'm hoping as soon as my allergies let up that I can go back to my NasalAire II and tape my mouth. At this point, the only thing waking me regularly is air leakage. Oh yea, I have had a problem with the mask damaging the tissue on my nose so I tried some 3-M Micropore tape last night. It sticks too tight. Are there any suggestions for a tape that breaths but doesn't stick so tight?

Some here use moleskin (whatever that is) maybe you know.

Someone else here maybe can tell him where to get it.

I've backpacked over 3000 miles...................I KNOW what moleskin is and I'd think it would stick even tighter than Micropore.

Unlike micropore, the moleskin is stuck sticky side to the mask, not face!

O.

Oops! Never thought of that. See what happens when we don't think outside the box?

Hey that is nothing, I know someone (male of course) who though a female product was stuck to the body not to the clothing. OUCH!!

snoregirl wrote:Hey that is nothing, I know someone (male of course) who though a female product was stuck to the body not to the clothing.

Re the moleskin - that's when we don't think outside the shoe....

O.

For what it's worth, I just started last night with an Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask. It's only one night, but I was really surprised at how well it sealed in spite of my beard. Of course, my pressure is set lower than yours (Auto range of 6 to 14). Good luck.