which full face mask do you recommmend

I am tired of using chin strap. I may try a full face mask. I read posts about it a few weeks ago, but wasn't interested then. I have a small face, and am a side to side sleeper. I would like a mask that is comfortable and doesn't leak. How about the resmed ultra mirage.

segull,

If you're thinking of a ff mask because of mouth leaks, there is a thread you may want to read. It is about a custom made mouth piece from this Dr. Sue in Hawaii that, for the price of a lower-cost mask, will make a guard that stops mouth breathing from an impression you send him back. Here is the link. I am considering doing this, too.

viewtopic.php?t=3807

You didn't mention why you are considering a ff mask. If it's due to congestion, then the link won't do you much good. If it's mouth breathing, then I would suggest you take a look.

Yes, mouth breathing. I saw that link, but the process sounded like a hassle. Duck tape is sounding pretty good.

No, seagull, don't go there!!! Don't duct tape your mouth shut!!! Duct tape is not a good idea, at least IMHO. Can you imagine what that would do to your skin and how badly that would hurt to pull off every morning? Ow...

From what I read, from the time Kermit sent it back, he got an email from the doctor and received the guard one week later. It doesn't sound that bad at all. All you do is fill what probably looks like a mouth guard with putty, bite into it and put the tray/guard in a plastic bag, provided by Dr. Sue, and send it back in a box, also provided. They do the rest.

I am going to go for it if it doesn't cause your lips to part and increase saliva productivity, which was my problem with the DIY device. I posted the question to Kermit on the thread and am waiting for an answer. Hopefully he/she will reply today and if the answer is what I want to hear, I am ordering it.

I just read the post again. Thanks. I was going to ask you if you ever got yours. Now I know. It would be good for me as I don't wan't to give up the swift.

seagull,

My reason exactly. Love the Swift, don't want a ff mask. And it really doesn't seem like that big a deal to order.

I am waiting for Kermit to answer and then it's a done deal if it's the right answer I want to hear.

In my opinion and the opinion of many others on this board, probably the best full face mask is the Ultra Mirage by Resmed. I have it and really don't like it. I've also tried the Respironics Comfort Full full face mask and it was really bad. It really hurt my nose and leaked like a sieve. The Ultra Mirage leaks also but not as bad and is much more comfortable although when it leaks, it made some really loud noises and kept me up all night. I think the mouthpiece by Dr. Sue is a great idea. If you're going to use tape, don't use duct tape. There are several tapes out on the bandage aisles at drug stores that don't damage your skin and are much more comfortable. I use sports tape. It doesn't leave a sticky residue on your face. Some people use paper tape or Johnson & Johnson waterproof bandage tape. The mouthpiece sounds like the best idea. I wouldn't abandon my favorite interface for a full face mask. I'd try other options also because full face masks are really lousy and uncomfortable leak a lot no matter what you do. That's just my experience.

I have a friend who has used CPAP for five years (I'm on my 3rd month of CPAP). He told me he was a mouth breather and had to adjust to using a nasal mask. (I'm not sure if they had FF masks five years ago.)

Anyway, I asked him how he got used to using a nasal mask since he was a self-admited mouth breather. He said, he just made up his mind that keeping his mouth closed and breathing through his nose was something he just had to do. Period... end of paragraph.

I started with a nasal mask three months ago and then switched to a FF mask because I have mouth leaks while sleeping, too. I didn't really like the FF because it was even more intrusive than a nasal mask, it leaked like a siv, it was heavier, and it was less comfortable for sleeping.

Anyway, I took my friends advice two weeks ago, and simply decided I was going to learn to use a nasal mask, keep my yap shut, and make it work. On the very first night after switching to the nasal mask, I slept more comfortably and my AHI dropped by about 30%. I have been using the nasal mask ever since. I probably still have the occassional mouth leak while sleeping, but it is of no noticable consequence and I much prefer the nasal mask.

The bottom line is to make sure you HAVE to use a FF mask. I THOUGHT I did, but it turned out I didn't. But only after I decided, like my friend, that I was going to make the nasal mask work.... period.

Even more important than your CPAP machine is your attitude and your determination.

It may not work for everyone, but it has been working for me, and I'm sure it will work for others who have the right type of attitude.

SnoreNoMore2005

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, CPAP, AHI

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cpap machine, CPAP, AHI

SNM2005,

G-R-E-A-T advice!!!

Trying to get a full face mask to work may be more difficult than teaching yourself to keep your mouth shut. I would recommend to all... do what SnoreNoMore2005 did and loose the FF.

SnoreNoMore:

I wish it were that simple for me. I started out doing fine with the Activa, no mouth breathing after the first night or so. But when I switched to Swift, for some reason, not only do I mouth breathe, but I get these horrendous puff/blasts of air that are so strong, they break through any patch or tape I wear. The two nights I tried Tegaderm patches because I heard they are the best adhesive wise, they both sprung a leak on me. And my cheeks puff up like blowfish, too. Isn't that lovely imagery?

Last night, I just got sick of trying to figure it all out, so I decded to go without anything on my mouth. My AHI is always under 1.0, with the highest last night of 0.5, so I thought as long as I feel well and I won't compromise my AHI or well being, let's see if I really need the tape, etc. Besides, I was waking up from all the problems with the tapes, etc. that I just wanted a better night of sleep for once. My reading this morning was a bit higher at the 0.5 mark, but that's still great, to me. I don't feel any worse for wear this morning, and I know I woke up a few times from the mouth breathing.

So just telling yourself you shouldn't do it doesn't always work. And, by the way, unless it wakes you or your friend up from your sleep, which maybe he's in such a deep sleep, it doesn't, how would he know if he was mouth breathing or not? Food for thought, I think.

Thanks for the advice. I just know it won't work for me, and I'm a very determined woman, believe me. I believe in mind over matter and you can do anything you set your mind to. This just doesn't work for me.

Lori, I wasn't trying to imply that just making up your mind to use a nasal mask will work for everybody. But it will work for some people. It worked for my friend and is working for me.

Last month I believed that since I was a mouth breather and didn't want to tape my mouth shut, I had to use a FF mask.

If it can work for one or two other message board readers who currently think they have to use a FF mask but can simply decide they are going to use a nasal mask and learn to keep their mouth shut, then I'll feel like I've helped someone, just like so many people on these boards have helped me... and that's all I hope to do.

SnoreNoMore2005

I would suggest the Hans Rudolph Full Face Mask.
I absolutely love mine.
I will not change.

Oh, SnoreNoMore, I think you took my post in the wrong light. I detected a bit of defensiveness in your reply or maybe annoyance with what I wrote. All I can do is go by my own personal experience. I say it's great if you can talk someone out of a ff mask if they truly can benefit from it and not have the problems that I am experiencing. And just telling myself that I won't do it anymore doesn't work for me. And I think it's wonderful when anyone on this sight, you included, takes the time to try to help another cpaper in need. Please don't get me wrong.

I apologize if you took my post to be one of thinking I know it all or any other negativity, but I didn't intend it to be at all. It's just coming from what I experience and what works for me. I am very happy you and your friend are benefitting from being able to just put your mind to keeping your mouths closed at night and having success with it. With all I'm going through, and those strongs outbursts of air, it just doesn't work for me.

Aug 31 2004 subject: Mouth leak training wheels

Yes, the date on that link is correct -- a discussion back in 2004 on TAS. Several of us lab rats had been battling mouth air leaks for months before that, and sharing our experiences. snork1 would remember.

I kept having mixed results for months after that post. The tongue seal "habit" worked just often enough to give me hope and make me keep trying. But in the end it didn't work well consistently enough...for me. I had to go back to tape.

There were enough times that it went well that I can see how some eventually are able to get into an ingrained habit of not leaking air through the mouth, as SnoreNoMore describes. Or not leaking often enough to present a problem.

I can also see how it just never will happen for some -- me! Probably involves so many variables... the architecture of the inside of the mouth, the tongue, the soft palate...as well as factors on any given night such as whether nose is slightly congested, sleep position; and even things as subtle as where the tongue happened to be positioned just before rolling over, etc.

For me, if I want the tongue to realllly form a reliable seal, it takes a dental thingy physically pushing my tongue backward into a fully sealed off position, a la frequenseeker's "DYI" design. As far as I know, that's what snork uses too. (His own, of course! Not mine!! )

I sure envy anyone who, like SnoreNoMore, eventually are able to acquire the habit of tongue forming a good natural seal most of the time. It's certainly worth trying to get to that point. I'd have settled for "most of the time", but I was lucky to get a 50/50 night using no aid of any kind.

Wow, Rested Gal, what a thread! I just read it to the bottom. Seems you and Nate had a little go at it. But I have to compliment you with your replies. Nothing ever ruffles your feathers. I'm impressed. You came back like the lady that you are, with such information and grounded opinion, I was sitting there going, "Yeah, Rested Gal!!! You tell him!!!"

I hear what he's saying about not being able to control where you tongue goes when you're in an unconcious state, but I also hear what you're saying about habit. And I disagree with your saying your point about learning to sleep out of the crib and then in a bed was not germane. I think it was extremely pertinent. If we could only avoid doing things that might cause us discomfort or even downright harm when were conscious, then that point about not falling out of bed every night wouldn't hold any water. But it does. We are unconcious when we're asleep, regardless at what stage of sleep we're in, and yet we manage to know not to go too far over the edge of the side of the bed. I think that was a great point to make.

The one main quetion I have for everyone who thinks they are sleeping throughout a night without mouth breathing is, how do you know that unless someone is watching you all night and telling you that you didn't? When we're unconcious, unless something wakes you up while you're doing it, you won't know you did it. It's like when my husband will talk in his sleep. If I tell him the next morning what he was saying, he has no recall of even having said one word.

I wish everyone who feels they can cure themselves of mouth breathing the best of luck. If you can do it, God bless you. And I am not being facetious; I mean that. As for me, as I wrote above in the prior post, I go beyond with bursts of air popping out of my mouth. Why? God only knows. And if anyone other than He does, I would appreciate any feedback. This is a horrible thing now with these puffs that come out and I would love to put an end to them. But last night, I just threw caution to the wind and decided not to care. It's a toss-up. Either wake up early from the leaks the Tegaderm patches give me, get up and out of bed to fix it and then end up too wide awake to go back to sleep or perhaps wake up a few times in the night and/or morning with my mouth breathing. Either way, I'm not getting a full night's rest anyhow.