how many masks did your tech try on you?

thats not true with everyone. You are right about the way the Co2 drives us to breathe, but I am serious. Do you know why they have that little flap on the full face masks in the elbow? Its because they didn't have the at one time. Someone didn't wake up when the power went off, and kept sleeping with their full face stuck on, with no pressure. They died. It happened in Illnois about 7-8 years ago. One of my friends owned a DME, and it was his patient that died. My friend now doesn't own a DME.

where is the original post in this thread?

I am going for my titration Sunday night and I want to read the entire thread

Also, there are CPAP masks that accomplish pretty much the same thing. For instance, the FP432 FFM has a chin cup. I've used that mask and it fits snugly under the chin and keeps the jaw firmly closed. The only difference between that and taping is that the FP432 is much more comfortable than putting tape on your mouth (or perhaps the taking off of the tape!). So it doesn't make any logical sense to say that taping is somehow going to kill someone but a mask that keeps the jaw closed isn't.

Wulfman wrote:
But, think about this. If a person tapes their mouth shut, and the power does go off, they're going to wake up or breathe through their noses because the masks have anti-asphyxiation mechanisms. Prior to starting therapy, we were stopping breathing many, many times per hour each night and those of us still here, didn't die. CO2 is what drives the brain to make a person breathe. When it builds up, we're going to either start breathing or wake up.

Den

The Sleep Tech put only one mask on me, and did not tell me that there was more than one choice. The DME put one mask on me and did not let me know that there was more than one choice. That pretty much says it all.

I am glad I was determined to make it work, and was able to get the therapy to work for me. I can recall the first time I found out there was more than one mask available. A real light bulb moment for me. That was 5 years ago. It has just been more and more knowledge since then .

THIS GROUP of dedicated and extremely knowledgeable people have helped so many patients get the information they need at a time they really need it, the very first day of diagnosis. Success comes from information, and support for the struggles that sleep apnea patients deal with on a daily basis. I hope the treatment of sleep disordered breathing will evolve to the point that support for the patient's needs comes first, but I am not holding my breath.

For those who know me, this is me ranting.



Karen

1 only 1. I didn't know I had a choice at the time.

polysomno-man wrote:yeah, i was going to delete all my posts, but gave up half way through. besides, I met some nice people here I want to talk to still.

Ok, then fill me in on the original question...are you referring to the tech at the sleep study or the RT after? My tech at the titration gave me one mask and I used that one all night long (same for hubby at his titration). My nose itched and I kept lifting the nasal mask up to scratch it I did not sleep well that night at all, at all. HOWEVER, after the titration, my RT has been through 4, now 5 masks with me, and she gave me a backup Quattro for when I have a cold or such. She's bringing both hubby and I one more mask, the new Activa, so we can try that one....So, since titration, I have been on the Mirage Micro (trying both the large and medium cusions), the small respironics comfort something (not the comfortgel, but with the gel button on the forehead support), Comfortgel (medium), comfort gel (small), now using the Micro (small) with the Quattro as a backup (or, if hubby keeps using that, his mirage as a backup.) and, this will be really embarassing for me, but after being so adamant with her when she encouraged me to try the Swift that I would not be able to tolerate that at all, at all.....well, after doing my tests with the Swift for hubby, if I can figure out how to keep the exhaust blast from blowing him out of bed, I may have her bring me one of those...

Hubby's been through the Ultra Mirage FFM, the Swift LT for her (can't keep it sealed when he moves around) and now because his leak rate was so back with the Ultra, I have him using my backup Quattro. I think I've figured out the leak issue with the Swift, so I'm going to have him try that again tonight, since he really does like it.

Karen,
What a rant - Remind me to never make you angry! Your composed "just-the-facts" presentation probably has as much impact as one detracted from by soapbox rhetoric.

Debjax - count your blessings!

My first titration - split night with 1 mask, UM Nasal (and no humidifier). DME offered choice of Swift or UM Nasal. Second titration - 1 mask that killed any opportunity for sleep. No offer of a change. DME asked if I had a preference of masks and ordered the Headrest for me. Didn't blink when I asked for an M Series Pro. (Maybe because we used to work at the same hospital back in the day.) Third one - Entertained the techs with my deconstructed Headrest and pantyhose tights straps. My tech called the others in to see it. I've had other sleep studies too (not titrations). Part of the reason for these repeats was to evaluate the status of my PLMD while using CPAP.

At sleep study there was only the mask....allegedly an OptiLife mask.

The sleep doctor then recommended I get this mask, because that's what they used on me in the study. And, my doctor wrote a script saying that I get this mask. And, that's what the DME provided me with....she showed me how to put it on etc. But, I didn't know that I could've explored other masks or anything.

Finally worked up the courage to go back and ask about trying a different mask. While I was getting good compliance and results....sleeping with my hand holding the mask in place so that it wouldn't leak whenever I moved or switched off of sleeping on my back was annoying. In the sleep study, I stayed on my back the whole time.

DME then brought out two masks....nasal masks. A Respironics of some sort and a HC407. I first tried the HC407....except for hitting the sides of my nose it seemed okay....but I was trying these masks while sitting at a table at the DME and using the office CPAP machine (which smelled funny). I then tried the Respironics one...it leaked at the nose bridge and in the short time while I was sitting there, I couldn't get it to not leak. So, when asked which of the two I wanted to take exchange for. I said HC407.

But, that night....laying in bed...I couldn't get the HC407 to not leak from the sides...guess my nose is too wide for the mask. I went back the next day...and the DME brought out a ProfileLite, held it up to my nose to see if it was wide enough and sent me on my way.

I had trouble with leaking at the nose bridge....after a couple nights I did try boiling it....later I boiled it again. I thought I had it working...but the sore that I got from the first nights...then became infected, and MRSA...and then doxycyline for 2 weeks and orders to not use CPAP for a week or so. 10 days later I had follow up and the doctor told me to go see my DME on getting a different mask. Which I was already intending to do....

When I went to the DME....she produced an F&P Opus mask (there's no 360 on the package, but its supposedly a clinical trial model of some improvements they are testing). Basically, I'm have the same issues with it that I had with the OptiLife....it is better in some areas, but worse in others.

Which tech were we talking about?

Meanwhile...while struggling with the Profile Lite, I started looking at CPAP.com and its online sizing tool to find a better mask (the tool did say the ProfileLite is not recommended, so I figured it might steer me in the write direction). And, when the RT had given me the ProfileLite....I got the impression that was it for masks from the DME until the 6 month replacement time with my insurance.

I had ended up bidding on a couple of masks on cpapauction....a nasal mask (Mirage Vista) and a full face mask (UMFF). They arrived during the time that I wasn't allowed to use CPAP....though eventually I succumbed and start using CPAP a couple days before the follow up appointment. I tried the nasal mask that I had purchased. Trying to figure out how to wear it, while laying in the dark late one night....tired and wanting to get some sleep for a change. Was really frustrating....but, eventually I got it on....I have trouble with leakage and it is uncomfortable for side/stomach sleeping. Though the CPAP.com sizing tool had recommended Deep cushion...I think for my flat nose, standard should be what I should've gotten. The part of my nose where the top wants to seal wasn't a number entered into the sizing tool.... I looked at buying the cushion from cpap.com, but its more than what I paid for the mask on cpapauction...and since I'm giving nasal pillows another try...it isn't a high priority.

Somewhere else in the process, I bid on a ComfortLite 2 mask....I'm thinking of trying it tonight.

The Dreamer.

My sleep tech didn't try any masks on me.

Thanks to what I learned here, I called the sleep center and asked to talk to their mask specialist. I explained that I was coming in for a titration that evening, and that I wanted to be certain I had a mask I could deal with.

The mask specialist told me to come on up, and then spent around three hours with me, testing different masks, under pressure.

I am very claustrophobic and can't stand straps on my face or things covering my mouth. This significantly reduced my selection of masks.

This was also where we discovered I couldn't handle straight CPAP (couldn't breathe out against the mask pressure) but did fine with bilevel pressure.

The mask I ultimately ended up with is the one I'm still using 3 months later, the Comfortlite 2, although I now use the Direct Seals instead of either the nasal mask or the pillows.

The TROLL IS BACK BEWARE

polysomno-man wrote:you know wulfman, I would love to be able to come on here and just relax. But everytime I click on the refresh button, someone else is saying something else negative about me. Why is that? Seriously, what is the problem here?

Oh I'm sure it's everyone else, it's got to be, what else could possibly be the explanation?

More on topic..

At the sleep lab they tried only one nasal mask (make unknown) and then switched from c-pap to bi-pap

At the DME they gave me what was on the shelf (turned out to be very good)

--g

brucelegs wrote:where is the original post in this thread?

I am going for my titration Sunday night and I want to read the entire thread

Don't worry. You're not missing anything. (I can't say any more without becoming "inflammatory". And I wouldn't want to get him/her started again...)

The bottom line is, make sure they keep trying masks until you get a good fit. That's their job. It should be reasonably comfortable* with minimal leaks.

The fit is rarely perfect** at titration. You will fine-tune the adjustment over the first several nights.


*"Comfortable" is a relative term where CPAP masks are concerned. But be sure to tell the tech which
one is more comfortable than the others.
**"Perfect" is even MORE relative!

One. She came in and asked, "Do you ever sleep with your mouth open?" I said, "Sometimes." She said, "Do you want a chinstrap or a full-face mask?" I said, "I think a chin strap would feel strange." Okey doke, she whipped out a FFM and strapped me in for the ride. (My concern about the chin strap feeling strange is laughable in retrospect, considering how the FFM felt!)

When it leaked (and leaked and leaked) during the night, she ignored it until I called her in and said there was something wrong with the mask (I didn't think the air blowing out all over was wrong, but eventually it occurred to me that no product intended to promote sleep could be designed to make that much noise). She said, "Oh, it's leaking" and torqued on the straps until I thought my lower jaw would be severed. I didn't fall back to sleep after that, but amazingly,the whole experience was enough to make a difference in my stats and in my energy level.

The DME guy looked at my prescription and asked "Did you try prongs or nasal pillows at the clinic?" I said, "Huh?" He said, "Do you ever sleep with your mouth open?" etc. Turned out the Rx had been written for a nasal mask. After much reviewing of insurance, copay, my credit card status, etc., he looked at my face, said "I bet you're a small," and brought out a ResMed Ultra Mirage. Fortunately, the mask works well for me, although I sometimes suspect I should have a medium. No measurements were taken, and no alternatives to mask or machine were presented.

THEN, I discovered CPAPtalk.com, and let me tell you, the NEXT visit is going to be a whole new ballgame!

Same story as many other people -- at my titration, I started with a nasal mask (it hurt the bridge of my nose, and I didn't last long on it), then I was switched to a FFM (I'm not sure, but it may have been a ResMed disposable, because it went in the trash when I was done).

My first mask, picked out for me by the DME, was an Fisher & Paykel 431, and I liked it. Comfortable. But too much leakage in the long run. I'm now on a Mirage Qattro, and it is a little less comfortable to me, and the leak rate is down to something reasonable. I don't like the noisiness of the vent, but all in all I'm okay with it.