3 days of leaks, last with some lanolin

So as many of you know, I have been through three masks, hose hanger, tape, everything trying to make my leak line look different from the 10th stage fo the tour de france elevation chart.

So take a look at this - the only difference is that on the third night, I put a thin layer of lanolin on the gasket of the ffm. It felt different - less farting, less "hmmn, is that a leak by my eye" - as has become my norm recently with the hose hanger, I slept straight through;truly amazing.

Is the line better? I am inclined to say that it's smoother, but not necessarily better.

It looks much better to me. I feel that the straighter the leak line the better. The more hills and valleys , the more your sleep will be disturbed(IMHO). Do you feel like you slept better on night 3? Your leaks are within range for your mask at your set pressures. Of course it's just one night, keep using the lanolin and see if it continues to work.

Brenda

elader wrote: So take a look at this - the only difference is that on the third night, I put a thin layer of lanolin on the gasket of the ffm. I slept straight through;truly amazing.

Is the line better? I am inclined to say that it's smoother, but not necessarily better.

I'm going to go out on the proverbial limb here, and offer
a technical suggestion. Don't shoot.....

I think you need to increase your pressure to reduce your AHI.
Of course, when you do that you are going to increase your leak problem.
If the lanolin did help w/your leak problem, that totally blows the
face washing, keep everything clean theories......and also
provides more evidence that this therapy is TOTALLY subjective.

How do you feel?
Did you feel any different after the night w/the lanolin seal??

I have been rotating between three masks the past few weeks.
UMm, UMs and Quattro(s).
I have confirmed for me, that the Quattro is, in fact, a dance w/the devil.
I knew that, I just had to try it again.

Here is last nights data, using an UMs, the leak and AHI are both high for me.
This is a leak line that would provide a very fast, sprinters finish at the TdeF.

Don't know why the leak is so high, because I didn't notice any leaks,
and it was one of the best nights sleep I have had and I feel great today.

So, the bottom line here is:
I am not a trained professional.
I suggest that if you believe that the lanolin seal works better, go w/it.
It may be time to weigh anchor and continue on your Odyssey for a different mask.
These comments and visual aids are of little or no value.
I do care and hope that you find what is going to work for you.

carbonman wrote:
I think you need to increase your pressure to reduce your AHI.

I read somewhere that if you increase your own pressure you will fall asleep while driving a fork lift, crash, kill someone, and get sued. Anyway, just wanted to pass that along. I'd hate to ruin a perfectly good fork lift...

SharkBait wrote: I read somewhere that if you increase your own pressure you will fall asleep while driving a fork lift, crash, kill someone, and get sued. Anyway, just wanted to pass that along. I'd hate to ruin a perfectly good fork lift...

....always good to know that I'm working w/a well advised peanut gallery.

....and your concern for fork lift saftey and well being is touching.

carbonman wrote:

SharkBait wrote: I read somewhere that if you increase your own pressure you will fall asleep while driving a fork lift, crash, kill someone, and get sued. Anyway, just wanted to pass that along. I'd hate to ruin a perfectly good fork lift...

....always good to know that I'm working w/a well advised peanut gallery.

GUSS (I think that was his name, or was it GUST?) was very clear on the matter...

A normal leak line changes when the pressure chages - and since we don't know how your pressure changed, there's not much to say about the variations in that last leak line.

I'd say - hang the forklift (mind your back when you're doing it) and raise you minimum - minimally to start with. You've got events of all kinds wandering about there - snores, flow limitations - you may get rid of them with a bit more pressure.

And do your best to get rid of the leak near your eyes - have you tried Mack's silicone ear plugs on the mask? At least on your nose bridge?



O.

Thanks all. well, having lived through the swift LT, the comfortgel nasal, and now the quattro, I do get the best sleep on the FF

As much as I would rather not have my whole face covered, I actually really like having all the bits of my respiratory system at the same pressure. with constant stuffy nose syndrome, it's the best solution

I tried other FFM at the DME, for sure this one fits me the best. My face is just uncooperative. The lanolin really seems to make a seal. I will give it a few more days to confirm and decide if it gets added to the routine.

carbonman, I have had my pressure higher. I had the auto set at 9-16, then 9-14, then 9-12, now fixed at ten. There appeared to be no correlation between pressure in this range and my AHI. True, the leaks were not perfectly tamed, but not too bad really, no obvious lowering of the AHI at higher pressure. Remember, I am a scientist, I am used to looking at data. There is really no correlation I can see.

The flow limitations are somewhat higher of late. Dunno why. All I changed was the hose hanger. And, that has been a really nice change. I am much less aware of repositioning during the night.

And most importantly, I got the Felt CF/Dura Ace bike today. Had the courage to flip the CF stem to give the bars a bit of a rise, and rode it around the block in the snow.

Wait!!! What is lanolin and where exactly did you put it to make it seal better? I'm new, forgive me!! I have the Quattro (one of my masks) and have the eye leak thing too. Other than that I would wear it. I tried the putty and it made it much worse!

mountainlvr wrote:Wait!!! What is lanolin and where exactly did you put it to make it seal better? I'm new, forgive me!! I have the Quattro (one of my masks) and have the eye leak thing too. Other than that I would wear it. I tried the putty and it made it much worse!

I leak from one side near my eye. I find that adjusting the knob can alleviate that. The lanolin (or unscented facial moisturizer) I spread very very thinly on the silicon edge that seals on my face to help it 'stick'. I wouldn't have think it would have helped, but my leak line (above) was the flattest I have EVER seen it - no cleaning, tightening, etc, has even produced that kind of change.

Mountainlvr.....

Many of us use Lansenoh Lanolin....for nursing mommies....found in the baby dept. at your local drugstore.

I put a glob on each nare just before I "suit-up" at night....and I get a much better seal.

In the morning, I smear out the excess...what's left of it....on my beard....and that helps my Norelco do its job.

Great stuff....Highly recommended.

Ohhhh yeahhhh....I used that Lansinoh when I was pregnant!!! I'm willing to try anything. I've been fooling with mouthpieces all day trying to come up with something to help. Seems like each mask would be fine...IF ONLY.. but each one's "if only" is a biggie!

Mountainlvr.........

You may have to consider taping your mouth.......

I tried everything.....I was losing pressure through my mouth......and once i began to tape it shut at night, things improved immediately.

Having grown up in an automotive rebuilding shop, I was very comfortable with "masking tape".......and I found that 2" Blue 3M Delicate Release Masking Tape....from the paint dept. at Lowe's....does the best job for me. I'm very comfortable with it. My AHI last night was 0.1 and the night before it was 0.0. Stopping the leaks is the key.

Lanolin and tape have put me "over the top"......I've got things running nicely, now.

Many of us use Lansenoh Lanolin....for nursing mommies....found in the baby dept. at your local drugstore.

Thanks Gerald, I never would have thought to look there.
I also get occassional leaks in my eyes. Recently I tried cleaning the mask and washing my face just before putting the mask on, and this did not help. Perhaps the lanolin would give me the seal that I need. Taping my mouth also was started last night and the leak line looked better. It was previously a train wreck. I use the comfort gel from Respironics because that was the original prescription from the sleep doc to the DME. Since the DME is about one hours drive, I have not tried other masks, and, my DME is not very friendly. Since I am a side sleeper, I will try the Breeze nasal pillows as soon as I get the headgear.
Thank God I do not drive a forklift. I would have killed inocent bystanders while trying all the suggestions on here.

wlenz wrote:

Many of us use Lansenoh Lanolin....for nursing mommies....found in the baby dept. at your local drugstore.

Thanks Gerald, I never would have thought to look there.
I also get occassional leaks in my eyes. Recently I tried cleaning the mask and washing my face just before putting the mask on, and this did not help. Perhaps the lanolin would give me the seal that I need. Taping my mouth also was started last night and the leak line looked better. It was previously a train wreck. I use the comfort gel from Respironics because that was the original prescription from the sleep doc to the DME. Since the DME is about one hours drive, I have not tried other masks, and, my DME is not very friendly. Since I am a side sleeper, I will try the Breeze nasal pillows as soon as I get the headgear.
Thank God I do not drive a forklift. I would have killed inocent bystanders while trying all the suggestions on here.

Thank goodness the people on here helped me fix those items. They told me to scrub my face with a wet washcloth where the mask cushion hits until your face is red and then scrub it with a dry one. Scrub the gasket of the mask. Put a piece of mileskin about 1 x 3/4 with the top two corners cut off and put it across the bridge of your nose where the mask touches your nose. Adjust the mask until it seals all the way around with the knob (or take the knob off). Put teflon tape around the swivel (which leaks badly).

Any oil will not work. I didn't believe these tips, but after the past 9 months will all my leaks going to near zero while on back or side, I believe them now. You may have to tighten the mask considerably to ensure there are no leaks when you relax.

LOL: Pretty soon your face fits your mask just fine - only you may look funny in the morning!