has anyone found a mask that doesn't leak?

MurphysLaw wrote:Have you tried the Mirage Liberty? I used to use the OptiLife with petite nasal pillows until I had problems with my mouth opening. A chin strap didn't help much at all. My head is on the large size. I really like the Liberty's small sized nasal pillows, although I wish the head gear were a little larger.

I'll look into it. Question--do the nasal prongs share an area with the mouth part--that is, is there room for the air to circulate rather than just being shot up your nose?

thanks for the reference.

spitintheocean wrote:I use a Mirage Quattro size small at average pressures between 16 and 18 and have absolutely no trouble with the size of the headgear. Perhaps as pointed out by the previous poster your headgear needs to be upsized, not necessarily the mask.
*****
This may seem like a complicated, arduous routine but rarely takes more than fifteen or twenty seconds.

Thanks for your insight. Unfortunately, I seem to go through that whole process several times a night.

Feklar,

As a word of encouragement, it sounds like you are taking the right tack with your DME. Make them let you try as many masks as possible until you find that one that works just right for you. If you are having soreness on your face, it probably means you have the wrong size mask and/or are tighting it too much. Making sure the mask is clean and your face is clean too can be helpful.

What really helped me get a handle on my leak problems was using a product called Mack's Silicone Ear Plugs. I know, how do earplugs help with mask leaks? This is a product, available in most pharmacy/variety stores (Walmart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, etc) that is a moldable, semisoft silicone putty, designed to fit in the ear to prevent water from getting in. But you can form it into a kind of gasket for your mask as well. It is sold in lumps of six or twelve. Take one lump and break it in half. Take each half, one at a time, and roll them between your palms so that they form a rope about 1/8 inch thick. Place each rope on the cushion of the mask where it contacts your face. Continue around the cushion, butting the end of each new rope against the previous one until you have a complete gasket of the silicone. It is just tacky enough to stay on. When completed, put the mask on like normal and kind of smoosh it down on your face. For me this reduces the leaks enough that I can loosen the headgear so that I avoid the pressure sores on the bridge of the nose. It doesn't work quite as well on a FFM as on my nasal, but it works well enough to let me sleep without waking up with a painful sore face. I hope this helps, and that you get some good sleep soon.

Alan

Ha.I sent in all my careful face measurements to the cpap.com, then starting checking each
FF mask and nasal mask. To my unsurprise, every EVERY mask elicited the statement:
"This mask would not be appropriate for your face type...and will probably kill you in a week."

So, now what? I've been trying the new (?) F&P 403 or something: a small nasal mask. AHIs have
moved from 4 or 5 to 10 and 11 this week. It fits, but it doesn't. They don't work. None of them do.
I HATE THE CPAP COMPANIES. THE MASKS. THE OSA.

I need a stiff slug of Scotch. And a good night's sleep.
Leonbergergirl (whose dogs can sleep for 24 hours without moving, as long as the AC is on.
Why can't i be a 180 lb. goofball with fur and no OSA?)

feklar42 wrote:

MurphysLaw wrote:Have you tried the Mirage Liberty? I used to use the OptiLife with petite nasal pillows until I had problems with my mouth opening. A chin strap didn't help much at all. My head is on the large size. I really like the Liberty's small sized nasal pillows, although I wish the head gear were a little larger.

I'll look into it. Question--do the nasal prongs share an area with the mouth part--that is, is there room for the air to circulate rather than just being shot up your nose?

The main entrance from the hose to the mask is into the mouth area where it can circulate and go up the nasal pillows. Even though they are connected, the feel like they are two different areas. You can read more about it here: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/mirage ... llows.html

It works well for a side sleeper and for people who wear glasses, if you would want to before you fall asleep.

I felt your pain (literally) with the Quattro. There is no pain for me with the Liberty, and the mouth-breathing issue has been completely resolved.

No leaks are nice, but certainly not an absolute necessity when using a full face mask. I get good sleep and an AHI 0.5 - 1.5 with my leak at 55; 30-odd from the mask and the rest through my beard. Those numbers are from a full night with no large leaks. If the machine detects a "large leak" (more than 75 LPM on the Respironics Auto M) it stops adjusting pressure and scoring apnea flags and hypopnea flags, but I still get therapy. I can't see the results but I can feel them, and what matters more, getting good sleep or getting a low score on a high-tech machine?

I agree with you 100%, but Wulfman will tell you to listen to the low score, not your body. He'll say even though you feel great, if you see a bunch of flags in your readout, you are just fooling yourself. You really don't feel well at all.

MurphysLaw wrote:The main entrance from the hose to the mask is into the mouth area where it can circulate and go up the nasal pillows. Even though they are connected, the feel like they are two different areas. You can read more about it here: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/mirage ... llows.html

That sounds interesting, I will see if they have some I can try.

alnhwrd wrote:Feklar,

As a word of encouragement, it sounds like you are taking the right tack with your DME. Make them let you try as many masks as possible until you find that one that works just right for you. If you are having soreness on your face, it probably means you have the wrong size mask and/or are tighting it too much. Making sure the mask is clean and your face is clean too can be helpful.

What really helped me get a handle on my leak problems was using a product called Mack's Silicone Ear Plugs. I know, how do earplugs help with mask leaks? Alan

Thanks fo rthe encouragement and the suggestion.