Lost 80 pounds and mask now leaking

imsotired · Post by **imsotired** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:51 pm

Hi all. I have not been here in a long while. It has been almost a whole year since I started cpap!!! I started South Beach diet on February 9th and have lost about 80 pounds since then. I have used the Comfort Curve with no compaints since last August. The first one lasted me a good 10 months before I replaced it only because the stretch was gone from the headgear and it started hurting my nose because I had to have it so tight. Well, now I am leaking half of the night. I'm not sure if I am mouth leaking or the mask is just not fitting my face as well since the weight loss. It figures that I JUST dished out the money to replace it and now I am wondering if I should have gotten a different mask. Also, I turned down my pressure by myself from 9 to 8 last week. I was starting to sufffer from alot of gas in the mornings and could actually feel the air being pushed into my stomach before falling asleep. Must be that my pressure need decreased from the weight loss? I definately think I still need the machine because the few times I have taken the mask off around 4 in the morning and fallen back to sleep until about 6 I wake up with blood shot eyes and dry throat and looking gray. Same symptoms as before I was diagnosed. I should probably go back in for another overnightm huh? Dreading that though so trying to self diagnose without any info off of my card. I never bought a card reader. One more question. Can too high of pressure cause you to suddenly start mouth leaking? Thanks!!!

Stefernie · Post by **Stefernie** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 9:08 pm

I'd call my DME and/or sleep doctor.

You may need your mask refitted or a new titration.

Congrats on the weight loss. Wish I could do it.

jennmary · Post by **jennmary** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:19 pm

Ok.....you should be able to get your DME to print your data out for you, so you wouldnt need the card reader.

Maybe someone with the M series pro can help me on this one....I think you can get basic AHI info off your LCD. Just lower your pressure a little bit every 2 days or so until you get to the point where your AHI starts going up again....then go back to the one higher than that. I am no doctor....this is just my own opinion.

imsotired · Post by **imsotired** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:39 am

I don't have a DME. I asked for me prescription and bouh thr machine at cpap.com because it was so much less thean using my insuarance.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:25 am

imsotired, I'm so proud of you for the weight loss, CONGRATULATIONS!!! I know that you will deal with the mask fit problem. Regards

babydoss · Post by **babydoss** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:45 am

Since you have lost SO much weight, the size of your face must have changed. I would suggest that you get refitted for a mask. Now that you've changed you may require a totally different type/size mask.

I would also suggest that you get your readings too. My hubby has a Remstar Auto M series and I just figured out how to get into the set up menu this morning. All I wanted to see was AHI & system leak. I don't know much about what the readings mean, so I have posted a msg to get a response from the more experienced people. If you need help getting into the set up menu for your particular machine, do a search on this board under "menu setup" and your machine type. If you can't find it there, post a new msg.

This board is a WONDERFUL place to get educated and the support is FANTASTIC!

Best wishes,
Lee

roster · Post by **roster** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:38 am

I'm not sure if I am mouth leaking or the mask is just not fitting my face as well since the weight loss.

imsotired,

You need to figure out if you are mouth leaking. One possible sign is your mouth being unusually dry when you wake up during the night or morning.

Issac · Post by **Issac** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:59 am

Congradulations !
80lbs !
Now go buy a new mask.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:15 am

I was gonna say put the 80lbs. back on

....but it would probably be easier to tighten up the straps

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 3:57 pm

Congrats on such a great weight loss. No mean feat as anyone else who has tried/succeeded will know.

Went through a recent weight loss myself & started getting mask leaks & squeaks. I did these things that are thus far working

1) I dropped my CMS by 1

2) Tightened my straps a bit

3) put a few lbs back on (tis mid winter here so am allowed to )

But, it is frustrating to have achieved so much only to have the mask squeaks now disrupting your sleep.

Good luck

DSM

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:21 am

80lbs is quite a bit to loose and because it was a surgical procedure, you will most likely loose much more. You should have an auto-pap with all this weight loss.[/b]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:23 am

80lbs is quite a bit to loose and because it was a surgical procedure, you will most likely loose much more. You should have an auto-pap with all this weight loss.[/b]

imsotired · Post by **imsotired** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:06 am

No, I did not have a surgical procedure done. I have just lost the weight the old fashioned way through diet and exercise. I guess I'll have to see my doctor and set up another sleep lab test.

OwlCreekObserver · Post by **OwlCreekObserver** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:44 am

Imsotired, you don't say which ComfortCurve nose cushion you're using now, or if that's the same size you were using before your weight loss. I assume they still come with all three sizes, right? If you haven't already tried the next size (up or down), you might give that a shot.

I haven't used my CC for a while, but I recall that I sometimes had to tweak the angles of the face pads (or whatever they're called) to get a good seal. Since the shape of your face has almost certainly changed, you might try that. Of course that may also require yet another adjustment of the straps as well.

Are you using the foam pads or the other ones? I found that the other ones (not latex, but I can't remember what they're made of) seemed to hold everything in place better. However they sometimes made red marks on my face, which is why I replaced them with the foam pads.

My only complaint with the ComfortCurve was that it had a tendency to shift when I turned on my side. I could live with that, but it was a bit irritating sometimes. I eventually went with the lowly Comfort Classic (slightly modified) which works really well for me. The fact that they're about half the price of the ComfortCurve doesn't hurt either.

Even so, it sure couldn't hurt to talk to your doc about another sleep study now that you've lost all that weight. Congrats!

OCO

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:50 am

OCO,
I don't know about the comfort part in that getup you have in the avatar, But classic it sure is!

O.