Mask Seal Issues Airtouch F20

I have been using my resmed airsense 10 autoset machine for about 2.5 weeks. I started with the airtouch f20 size medium. I chose the memory foam cushion as i have a short beard that i am hoping to keep. After using the cushion for a week and a half the foam split across bridge of my nose and would not seal. So i returned it to the DME and used a size chart (they didn't the first time) and said i should actually have a large cushion. The large cushion feels comfortable on my face even though it comes up to the top of my nose, the medium went up to my lower eyelid. I got the large cushion this past Friday and my leak rates have been much higher. My leak rate for the 7 previous days medium cushion in l/ min, 6, 3, 2, 16, 14, 28, 31. after getting the large cushion my rates have been 60, 34, 74 according to the MyAir app. I just bought a memory card so that i can see the data in sleepy head. I have ran the mask fit before going to be and get the green happy face for mask seal. Any idea why my leak rates have jumped so much even though it says I'm getting a good seal before going to bed? and do you have any suggestions for moving forward? i was feeling much better when i had the low leak rates but since the leak rates went up i have been getting tired in the afternoons.

I'm in the camp of people that don't stay still while sleeping, and I adjust position while asleep: good chance you are, too, even if not consciously aware of it. Run the mask fit while lying down, and put realistic pressures on it from the side, whatever, and tighten as needed, ideally not too tight. A static position mask fitting only works if your face never moves or relaxes during sleep: chances are your lower jaw moves as you sleep, perhaps to sometimes burp out air.

Mancub495 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 05, 2018 10:41 am

Any idea why my leak rates have jumped so much even though it says I'm getting a good seal before going to bed?

It's moving around more after you go to sleep and probably start moving around in your sleep more. While the medium size might have been a little small...maybe the large size is a little big and with movement (turning over in bed or whatever) the cushion dislodges more easily.

Why a full face mask? Is your nose stopped up all the time?

That is a good idea, I will try adjusting my mask and running maskfit while laying down on my sides.

Yes, i pretty much need a full face mask. I am lucky if i can breathe out of my nose 2 months out of the year. I have several seasonal allergies and anytime i get sick, it always hits my sinuses first.

Where i am still in my first 30 days, i am going to give this mask another week and see if i cant get it to seal better, if it doesn't I'm thinking about trying the new resmed f30.

Yes, for sure make use of any mask swapping time you have available to try something else.

I don't know what your pressures are doing but I have heard from a few people that the AirTouch gets leaky at pressures in the teens.

In general the less surface area of a mask that has to touch your face....the less area to seal and hopefully less leaks.
So the F30 or similar mask with less surface area needing to seal might be a good choice. It's the kind of mask I would use if I just had to use a full face mask for some reason.

Your comment about the surface area of the mask makes a lot of sense.

My autoset is set for 10 - 15 pressure range and the display on my machine shows that my average pressure is about 13.

Now that i have my SD card ill be able to get some more detailed information about what is happening.

When I started therapy, I shaved my beard. I had the beard for over 30 years. The beard makes it more difficult to get a good seal. Others here on the forum have managed to get good seals with beards. My wife and I both tried the Air Touch mask and could not control once the pressure got above 15 cm.